I love watching things grow and getting my hands dirty. You will find me pouring over my studio desk drawing up landscape designs, volunteering at a neighborhood farm, or tending my own modern homestead in the city. Wherever you find me, there will likely be dirt under my fingernails, chicken bedding on my shoes and a grin from ear to ear. Hopefully my book and website inspire you to dig in to your own urban plot.
The goal of this blog is to share the life of a modern homesteader, in all its triumphs and failures. We can celebrate together the first seedlings and collecting that first egg from our backyard flocks. But I also fall on my face occasionally out here! That is when I rely on my homesteading community – my local farmer friends or my homesteading grandparents – to get me through the head scratching moments. (I’ll be sure to pass along their wisdom as well)
If you have questions or comments, email me here: hipchickdigs@gmail.com Hopefully we can learn from my mistakes together, celebrate the harvest, and share homesteading knowledge that will make our little urban plots that much more successful.
-Renee
Your “newspaper seed pots lik is broken, what happened?
Hopefully it’s working now!
Have you ever written a book? If not, would you ever consider it?
I’m a book editor with Fulcrum Publishing/Speck Press. I came across your site when doing some research on modern approaches to gardening (I actually Googled “Hip Gardening”). I’d welcome the chance to talk with you more, if you’re interested.
Best,
Susan Hill Newton
susan@speckpress.com
http://www.speckpress.com
http://www.fulcrumbooks.com
I really like the urban gardening that you have been doing for the past few years. If more people treated a small section of their yards like you, they would get to experience fresh, local food. Living on a farm I can appreciate fresh food and I applaud you for setting an example to others!!!
I enjoy your blog. In some very unique way I found solace in your discussion on chickens. We just introduced our children to harvesting our broilers and I found it helpful to read a similar viewpoint. We have the luxury of property (65 acres near Spokane) but your blogs have given us some great ideas on how to maximize the results from our work–thanks!
I love your blog. I’m horrible at gardening, but you provide detailed information that could help someone as clueless as myself.
I am working on an engagement process for the Lents EcoDistrict over the next year. I would love to talk with you more about your project. -Jalene
I am glad Ifound your pages.
Hi Renee,
I work for Garden Partners in Portland, OR and we are developing an urban farm concept (see website for concept drawing: http://www.gardenpartners.org ) for seniors, veterans and at-risk youth. I would love to talk to you about what we are doing and see if there is some way we can collaborate.
Congratulations on your book by the way. I just found you, so unfortunately missed your book signing yesterday at Powell’s.
I’d love to talk to you if you have time and interest.
Thanks,
Gretchen Fogelstrom
Executive Director
Garden Partners
http://www.gardenpartners.org
http://www.crowdrise.com/gardenpartners2011
Twitter: @GardenPtners
Just wanted to say that I read your book from cover-to-cover, and it’s wonderful! You have some wonderful ideas. My family has about a quarter acre in North Columbus (OH), and we started a more intensive garden plan to be more self-sufficient. I can’t wait to try out several of your ideas – and I may even make some of my own cleaners and beauty supplies. Anyway, I thought you should know that you have inspired somebody across the country and that your book is a true gem!
I just bought your book because, hey why not! I thought it was so cool you had blog and someone contacted you about a book and you ended up doing it. I’m a writer myself (although screenwriter). Plus, I’d love to advance my urban gardening (I had a moderately successful inagural effort in the gardening, but my pear wine/cider is looking great. Best.
Hi Renee ~ so nice to find your blog. It is right up my alley.
I discovered you while looking up information on the cost of a 1/4 cow…grass fed. I think that post you wrote was 2008…but it was helpful. We’ve just discovered a local farm who is about to harvest their herd and I can hardly wait to get my hands on some of that meat. We already eat only organic beef (all meat, in fact)…but not sure it’s all grass-fed.
Your life looks lovely and I look forward to reading me. We are homesteaders too…well we try. If only our city by-law would allow for chickens. Sigh.
Cheers,
Debbie
Hi Renee,
I came across your book on the “New Releases” shelf at the library of the Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle recently, and loved it. Very nicely done!
Do you do winter gardening? I’m a Seattle author working on a new book, Cool-Season Gardening, and looking for people around the maritime Northwest who grow food all year. I’d like to see innovative techniques, quirky cloches, and hot cold frames.
I’ll be in Portland speaking at the Yard, Garden & Patio Show in a couple of weeks (my topic: Your Best Tomato Year Yet, 2/17 @ 2 p.m.) and am planning some garden tours to get input on cool-weather growing. Want to meet?
Organically,
Bill
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill Thorness
Author, “Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden”