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I’ve learned a lot working on my own garden, and in this book I am passing my advice and experience on to you so you can avoid a whole bunch of the #gardenfails I’ve already made. First, I’ll show you to look at your space and truly understand it. I’ll help you assess the sunlight and the dirt; show you how to get seeds started; help you protect your garden from pests; teach you when to water your garden; and give you DIY guides for raised planters, composters and self-watering systems, to name just a few. Then I’ll give my advice for growing 20 key veggies (from preparing the dirt, to harvesting them, to prepping your seeds for next year). Parts 2 and 3 are a primer on chickens and bees: Advice on choosing the right breeds for you, how to feed, care and collect from both, and some hard truths about why you might not be ready for this step yet. Plus my fav recipes for cooking all those gorgeous veggies, and what to do with the eggs and honey you collect from your chickens and bees.
Many of us (me included) have been feeling a pull toward becoming more self-sufficient in sourcing our own food and are looking at how we can use our own spaces to grow that food. Some people have called it the “grow it yourself” movement; others think it’s some sort of fallout from all the “end of days” movies and TV shows. Whatever the reason, if you’re keen to jump on board, my advice can help you ease into this way of life as smoothly as possible. I warn you though—this is not a dreamy look at an adorable Instagram-ready farm. I don’t gloss over the dirty bits, but literally go into the shit you need to know (see page 80 for a guide to choosing manure!) and share my honest experience of growing food in every space.