- Author: Betty Homer
For those of you who have been following this blog for awhile, you know that each year I try to attend the Urban Farm Tours organized by the Institute of Urban Homesteading (IUH) based in Oakland, California.
I had the good fortune of being on this tour again this year, visiting 2 sites located in Benicia, California (explanation below). The first site is known as the Benicia Sunset Garden & Farm site. The lot size is 1/4 acre (10,000 square feet), and of that, 4,000 square feet is being used for urban agriculture (i.e., 40%). I love this site because it is beautiful, bountiful and practical. The site consists of sixteen raised beds, an orchard, livestock such as chickens and rabbits, and a large trellis which served the dual purpose of enclosing an entertainment area as well as provide support to climbing vegetation. At one point, this property was featured in Sunset Magazine many years before it fell into disrepair. The current owners are in the process of restoring the garden to its former glory.
It is hard to believe from the pictures or in person, that this garden is only 2 years old with the exception of the various fruit trees (three varieties of avocados, apples, pear and fig). In addition to these fruits, the owners have begun to plant citrus and stone fruit fruits, grapes, kiwis and trellised berries.
There is also 40-foot long poulet palace (chicken palace), a small enclosed area for rabbits, swale terraces, potato bins, and garden art. At the heart of this urban farm, is a bee garden, planted to attract beneficial insects.
In the next installment, I will report on the second site in Benicia. Stay tuned!
Thanks,
Anita