If you live in an urban or suburban homestead, consider giving some of these quiet breeds a try (or maybe your neighbors will want you to!).
Mel Combs from the Idaho-based Combstead tells us all about the therapeutic benefits of being surrounded by poultry and working with family.
Farm founder Stephanie Webb reveals all about how egg color genetics work, as well as why she loves getting rainbow eggs, at her Dallas-based venture.
Boston Microgreens founder and co-owner Oliver Homberg tells us how experimenting with microgreens at home led to a business supplying local chefs.
Amy Stoss quit a teaching job to pursue some "dirt therapy." We spoke to her about bringing micro-farming and permaculture principles to the suburbs.
We check in with Franchesca Duval from the humane Northern California farm and find out why quail can be a perfect addition to your homestead.
The couple behind an operation called On The Grow produces 40 types of microgreens from a 20-foot trailer. They talk about varieties, taste and tips.
Florence fennel, also known as Sweet Fennel or finocchio, develops a big, swollen bulb at the base of the stems. Native to Italy, Florence fennel are often tricky to grow because they don’t always develop desirable bulbs. The plants themselves will always grow well, whether the weather’s hot or cold, but the stems seem to only thicken during slightly warm, but not hot, periods. Like wild fennel, Florence fennel tastes like licorice, but the green growth is shorter and more abundant, and the swollen bulbs are tremendous, having celery-like consistency.
Ginger is a tropical plant that looks like a stunted little corn plant. It generally will not tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Edible ginger cultivation follows more or less the same rules as container citrus cultivation in the northern areas. Ginger can even be grown in Iceland if a sunny window in a warm house is available. The ginger that one buys at the supermarket is usually fine for planting material. If the rhizomes aren’t damaged, they’ll likely sprout once placed in a pot of soil.
Cardoon, also known as Texas Celery, artichoke thistle and cardi, requires a long growing season, so starting seeds in the earliest part of spring is advised. In general, cardoon grows the largest in good, deep soil and with frequent watering. Pests are minimal, and the perennial plants are drought-tolerant, although a lack of water reduces its size. Cardoons need to have their stems blanched or they will be intolerably bitter. A month of being tied up and kept in the dark will make the stems much sweeter.
