When many people think of art, they think of painting, sculptures and drawings. What about beekeeping, edible gardens and livestock? It’s becoming increasingly popular to find homeowners who tap into a farm lifestyle to become more self-sufficient. According to Houzz, more and more people in city apartments are moving to to grassy, suburban home sites, and are giving up modern conveniences for the easy green lifestyle.
Here are a few easy green living ideas:
Suburban Livestock- Begin growing your own gardens and raising your own livestock. Be sure you have a casual conversation with your neighbors first on how they feel about pygmy goats out back before you invest time and money in a project.
Low-Maintenance Pets- Who knew that after their first week, chicks don’t require much attention! Just refresh their water bowl and toss a handful of feed or vegetable scraps from the kitchen to feed them (see a list of what they will eat here). Check your local chicken laws and ordinances in your city to see if your area allows a backyard flock before bringing the chicks home. If your neighbors seem skeptical about your plans to keep chickens, assure them that you will be happy to share your fresh eggs.
Backyard Beehive- Once you have started with chicken keeping, adventure event more by keeping bees to get the freshest, most delicious honey around! While chickens require low maintenance, bees require more attention. You must provide your bees with a water source that is not your neighbor’s pool. Check out The Barefoot Beekeeper for more information on getting started as a beekeeper using natural, low-cost methods.
Edible Gardening- Try a patio garden by planting a few herbs or vegetables into existing flower beds. Many vegetables and most herbs have ornamental foliage, fruits and flowers that can blend in with standard flower borders.
Home Canning- With a Ball Canning Discovery Kit for $11.99, you can easily preserve your harvest. Although canning has become a lost art, try a special jam or make a big batch of tomato sauce and freeze trays full of berries and peas. For more information on safe canning and preserving methods, visit The National Center for Home Food Preservation.
This summer, rediscover these lost arts in any home! For more information on green living, visit our website.
