Hello! Another city girl turns farmer

[FreeRangeDinosaurs]

Just thought I would say hello and introduce myself. I am a writer and children's book illustrator currently living in urban Los Angeles. I have been over on BYC for a little while now but am getting more and more into urban farming and self sufficiency so I would love to join the community over here as well. Chickens have been my gateway drug and now I'm hooked and ready for more.

I currently have six hens, four dogs, and farm meal worms and red worms. I am in the middle of building my first aquaponics set-up and am pondering meat rabbits -- anything I can do to integrate cleaner living, healthier food, and awesome science in a very small space. I am looking forward to the adventure.

 

[cheepo]

sounds like you are on the right track

 

[PacasNChicks]

Just thought I would say hello and introduce myself. I am a writer and children's book illustrator currently living in urban Los Angeles. I have been over on BYC for a little while now but am getting more and more into urban farming and self sufficiency so I would love to join the community over here as well. Chickens have been my gateway drug and now I'm hooked and ready for more.

I currently have six hens, four dogs, and farm meal worms and red worms. I am in the middle of building my first aquaponics set-up and am pondering meat rabbits -- anything I can do to integrate cleaner living, healthier food, and awesome science in a very small space. I am looking forward to the adventure.

Welcome ... where in LA are you able to have chickens!? The family I work for moved to 4 acres and started getting chickens almost a year ago and I am sooooooo addicted to them! I can't wait til my home sells here and I move up North to a home on a few acres. Who would have thot Chickens could be sooo much fun!!!
I agree with you .;.. fresh eggs, chicken who free range for meat and I've thot about rabbits too. My gr'ma raised them to sell and we'd bring them in the house and either lose one or forget to take them back out ... boy did we ever get talked to!!! I'm thinking the aquaponics would be a bit easier than having to rototill, etc too!!!

 

[Denim Deb]

Fresh eggs are great! I can't even eat a store bought egg any more. Hubby and I went out for breakfast, ordered omelets, and thought they tasted awful.

 

[TanksHill]

Greetings from San Diego!!!




gina

 

[FreeRangeDinosaurs]

Welcome ... where in LA are you able to have chickens!? The family I work for moved to 4 acres and started getting chickens almost a year ago and I am sooooooo addicted to them! I can't wait til my home sells here and I move up North to a home on a few acres. Who would have thot Chickens could be sooo much fun!!!
I agree with you .;.. fresh eggs, chicken who free range for meat and I've thot about rabbits too. My gr'ma raised them to sell and we'd bring them in the house and either lose one or forget to take them back out ... boy did we ever get talked to!!! I'm thinking the aquaponics would be a bit easier than having to rototill, etc too!!!

I live right in the middle of the city of Los Angeles. The city allows 5 hens and 0 roosters per residence as long as the birds live 20ft (I think -- it's been awhile since I started but I am pretty sure it was 20ft) from any residence. In LA county, where it is a little less dense, you can have more. I have 6 hens and they are not 20ft from my house...but I don't think anyone really cares. They are common enough in my neighborhood that no one seems surprised and I do hear random roosters crows off in the distance.

The great thing about aquaponics is that you can do a lot in a really small space. I also like the idea of being able to eat fish without the environmental impact. It is a little tricky to get everything just right at first, but once you have it going it is very self-sustaining.

 

[Corn Woman]

Welcome!!

 

[Marianne]

Welcome!

 

[Hinotori]

Welcome!

 

[Icu4dzs]

I am particularly interested in your Aquaponic adventure. I have been studying this for a while. (it takes me some time before I try something because I have to adapt everything to a much colder environment with a significantly shorter growing season).
I am told there is a guy who amended the Aquaponics system to do it VERTICALLY and it is supposed to be very easy to build and maintain. I tried to keep up with the Aquaponics (Barrelponics) discussion group on Yahoo, but it is very busy and I am too busy to start building the system with the necessary variations to accommodate my more northern climate (N 45.46)
I would be pleased to hear exactly which system you are using. Are you growing Tilapia or some other fish? I am told Tilapia have the highest protein content for the amount of food they get making them extremely desirable for "fish farming" such as Aquaponics.
What do you think?