there's something so radical about replacing a yard with a garden and composting central and a chicken coop or two. i wonder if we're heading that direction as a society, something akin to the WWII victory gardens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_garden).

i'm completely new to gardening and more than a little intimidated by the prospect of growing food. i can hardly keep one house plant and two fish alive. but it seems so important on many levels to start getting involved in our food production.

Growing up, my family always had a huge garden. We would grow almost all of our vegetables for the year - having fresh vegetables in the summer and fall and the rest of the year having frozen, canned, pickled options. I can only say that then, when part of my 'chores' were to pull weeds, or plant seeds or even pick the food, I hated it!

But since I have lived in the city and have not had a yard or garden to speak of, the first thing I did when I rented an apartment that had outdoor access was plant tomatoes, lettuce and herbs. I spent hours and hours nurturing these plants and the herbs and lettuce were easy enough, but San Francisco was just too cold for a good tomato. I have since moved, and no longer have garden/outdoor access, but as I have a little dog and cement floors, I have been toying with the idea of planting a patch of grass for her to play in inside. (Poor thing never gets to eat grass as dogs usually do, and instead has become a big fan of raw asparagus and kale amongst other vegetables.) But now I am thinking why not look into a small indoor container garden. We might even get the tomatoes I originally wanted as it is warmer inside! The dog can play in the garden amongst the vegetables as long as she does not dig them up...

A nice hydroponic tower might also be a way to go as it would take up less space. But my weekend project is ready and waiting for me.