The Essential Urban Farmer [Paperback]

Novella Carpenter (Author), Willow Rosenthal (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 27, 2011

The "how-to" guide for a new generation of farmers from the author of Farm City and a leading urban garden educator.

In this indispensable guide, Farm City author Novella Carpenter and Willow Rosenthal share their experience as successful urban farmers and provide practical blueprints-complete with rich visual material-for novice and experienced growers looking to bring the principles of ethical food to the city streets. The Essential Urban Farmer guides readers from day one to market day, advising on how to find the perfect site, design a landscape, and cultivate crops. For anyone who has ever grown herbs on windowsills, or tomatoes on fire escapes, this is an invaluable volume with the potential to change our menus, our health, and our cities forever.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Novella Carpenter grew up in rural Idaho and Washington State. She went to University of Washington in Seattle where she majored in Biology and English. She later studied under Michael Pollan at Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism for two years. She’s had many odd jobs including: assassin bug handler, book editor, media projectionist, hamster oocyte collector, and most recently, journalist. Her writing has appeared in Salon.com, Saveur.com, sfgate.com (the SF Chronicle's website), and Mother Jones. She has been cultivating her farm in the city for over ten years now, and her neighbors still think she’s crazy. It all started with a few chickens, then some bees, until she had a full-blown farm near downtown Oakland, where she lives today.

Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books; 1 edition (December 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143118714
• ISBN-13: 978-0143118718
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #15 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > By Technique > Urban
  • #46 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > Reference
  • #59 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Agricultural Sciences > Animal Husbandry

More About the Author

Novella Carpenter has a farm on a dead-end street in the ghetto of Oakland, CA. On GhostTown Farm, she has raised vegetables, chickens, rabbits, ducks, goats, turkeys, pigs, and bees. Her work has appeared in salon.com, sfgate.com, and Food and Wine magazine. She is also a member of the Biofuel Oasis Cooperative, a biodiesel station and urban farming feed store in Berkeley, CA. Her next book, due out in February 2011 is a how-to urban farm manual, written with Willow Rosenthal of City Slicker Farms. She keeps a blog about happenings on GhostTown Farm at www.novellacarpenter.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fictionators Review February 12, 2012

By Kassiah Faul

Format:Paperback

One of the things that I really love about this book is that it isn't just about plants. The Essential Urban Farmer provides information on a truly working farm--including bees, chickens (and other poultry), rabbits, and goats. This book addresses many issues that an urban farmer might encounter, including procuring land, dealing with contaminated environments, and choosing the proper tools and materials to build with. There are a few sample layouts included and lots of alternatives.

If you're looking for a book with big, beautiful full-color photographs, this isn't the book for you. If you're looking for a wealth of information with lots of tips and how-tos to give you the garden you've always dreamed of, then you've come to the right place. There is so MUCH in this book: planting schedules, the best way to seed a variety of plants, how to choose and care for (and kill) the animals, and so much more.

This is a must have for any gardener or any family wanting to be self-sustaining. I cannot say enough great things about it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for the Urban Farmer! February 15, 2012

By Geospatial Dude

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a fantastic book. Well written, good tips, tricks, and sound environmental farming/production practices... for anyone! Beyond the urban farmer, anyone with a backyard garden or even a moderate 10 to 100 acres might well learn something from the authors. Well done! I'm going to purchase several for family members.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great book - loved it January 8, 2013

By Shaela Jones

Format:Paperback

I read a lot of these sorts of books, and this one is a real standout. The book is truly aimed at those who want to produce a substantial portion of their own food - not those who want to run a market garden in the city. (I'm still looking for that book!) What I like about it is that they included so much detailed information about gardening on a larger scale in the city (e.g. freebie potting soil, fertilizer recipes) and also some of the common pitfalls (e.g. failing to actually harvest your goodies) and how to avoid them. There really is no other book like this; finding all of this information from other sources would take years. Also, I found it to be inspiring without the unrealistic promises you find in some other gardening books. All around excellent, enjoyable book.