SUBURBAN FARMING: Joining the Movement of Non-Processed Food and Simple Self-Reliance

As an active adolescent who surrounded myself solely with musical instruments, I never once thought I'd find myself interested in gardening or planting things. When you're living at home, still in grade school or community college, and don't have any notable bills to speak of, it's easy to get used to having a fridge full of food from Whole Foods Market or something of the like. Then got out on my own, became independent, and then one day: "Bye Whole Foods, can't afford you anymore. I have substantial grocery bill now." The whole interest in this movement and way of life started as a honey-do for my lovely wife Katie.  Digging and lifting.

We got to know all the local independent farmers at the McKinney Farmer's Market, and came across all the local people who could sustain a healthy crop right from their backyards. Whether it was completely urban, or semi-rural property; it was eye opening and inspiring, to say the least.

In our first West McKinney home we began with just one of those Home Depot raised bed kits you could put together in 5 minutes.  I think they're about 4 x 4 and you just connect the corners.

Garden from Summer 2014- old house, after we went to cinder.

8 x 4 kit garden, Spring/Summer 2013 in old house before we went to cinder.

We took it to two of these connected together by year two, and then by year three we removed all the wood and went to cinder. While we weren't too thrilled with the outcome of the tomatillo crop as we were in the previous two years, it flourished nonetheless.

Overabundance of Tomatillos- September 2012

We tried the "companion gardening" trick we saw on our social media feeds, integrating  herbs and vegetables.  We planted rosemary in between the various types of tomatoes, green and wax beans.

Our experiment with "companion gardening" Spring 2014 after going to cinder.

We recently moved across town, and half the reason we bought the house was for the pre-existing raised bed garden with dirt already in the backyard. Because we no longer have a Homeowner's Association, we could expand upon it shamelessly!  It's a good 8 x 16 and a perfect canvas for perfecting our craft of growing our own produce.  While Katie has a pretty solid understanding of growing and maintaining a vegetable garden, having grown up with them, and I'm catching on, we are by no means, "experts" or "master gardeners".   We just love the experience of working together to introduce new vegetables, working through improvements and tweaking it each year; based on the survivability during Texas' very unpredictable weather patterns. Most importantly, we're making healthy memories as a family.

Just tilled the new 8 x 16 raised bed garden the other day.  Please ignore the ailing fence.  We are getting a new one this week.  Fall/Winter 2014- New House

What's your story, McKinney? Do you have a backyard garden or ideas you'd like to share? Stay tuned for more posts on progress!