Turn Your Backyard Into A Personal Farm

You don’t need acres of land to grow and produce your own food. A relatively small backyard is enough to do some of your own personal farming. Being able to live more self-sufficiently could save you money and allow you to control exactly where your food comes from, while also being a rewarding hobby. Below are just a few of the farm tasks you can do from your backyard.

Start a vegetable patch

A vegetable patch can be used to grow all kinds of food. This could consist of flat beds or raised beds (the latter is a little harder to set up, but easier to maintain). Take time making sure the soil is free of stones and weeds before you plant anything.

A few great foods for beginners include potatoes, beans, zucchini, peas and lettuce. Eggplants, onions and carrots can be slightly more challenging due to pests and soil maintenance, but are worth trying.

Build a greenhouse

A greenhouse could allow you to grow all kinds of foods that are otherwise tough to grow in a vegetable patch. Tomatoes, peppers, chillies, cucumbers and sweet potatoes can all be sensitive to the rain and cold – a greenhouse can help protect them from the elements. 

There are greenhouse kits that you can buy to build your own greenhouse. Alternatively, if you’re feeling more ambitious, you can design and build your own.  

Plant a fruit-producing tree

You could also try growing some of your own fruit by planting a tree. Apple trees, pear trees, lemon trees, cherry trees and apricot trees are a few examples. 

You can grow a tree from a seed or sapling, however you may have to wait several years before it produces any fruit. Buying and planting an adult tree is more expensive, but allows you quick access to fruit. 

Consider keeping chickens

Want a fresh supply of eggs? Chickens are easy animals to look after and don’t require too much space compared to other livestock. This makes them great backyard animals. Chickens can also be quite cheap when bought as chicks. That said, starting with adult hens is easier.

What do you need to raise chickens? First you’ll need to build a coop and a run. Chickens can be allowed to roam free, but a run will keep them more contained from predators and prevent escapees. You should also buy a no waste chicken feeder and keep it under shelter. Chickens need to be fed twice per day and their water needs to be regularly replaced. Make sure that their coop is also regularly cleaned and that they receive regular vet checkups. 

Look into beekeeping

If you love honey, you could consider buying a honey bee hive. Beekeeping is much easier and more feasible than many people realise – bees pretty much look after themselves, and you don’t need a lot of space. You will however need to check local laws first and check with your neighbours that it’s okay to keep bees. 

You can buy bee colonies from bee breeders. Make sure that you buy all the right kit including a beekeeper suit and hive tools.

Grow mushrooms on a log

Do you eat a lot of mushrooms? Growing fungi can be very different to growing veggies, but fairly easy to do in your backyard.

A popular method is to use an inoculated log. This needs to be kept in a shady area and needs to be damp throughout the year to help your mushrooms grow. Waxes can be used to fend off pests. Check out this guide to growing mushrooms for some great tips.