Gardens & Urban Agriculture

Want to reduce your grocery bills and eat healthy in the process? Cold storage root cellars are perfect for storing food you purchase or grow yourself. Root cellar construction - A guide to storing  summer fruit and vegetable harvests As the price of groceries lately is high and seems rather unpredictable, having a…

The high price of eggs has a lot of people looking towards raising chickens in suburban backyards. See our guide to securing cheap eggs in your own backyard chicken coop. Raising backyard chickens: a homeowner's and pro's guide For years there has been a growing trend towards raising chickens in an urban or suburban…

A layered no-dig lasagna garden may be an easy way to convert a lawn into a food producing garden - but it's critics may say it's too easy - Ecohome investigates. As with any easy gardening technique, there is a lot to consider regarding lasagna gardening that specifically relates to its many benefits and ease of…

Lasagna gardening is one of the easiest ways to grow vegetables at home and turn a high-maintenance lawn into a productive garden space. What are the pros and cons of the lasagna garden? Do they work for clay soils. Lasagna gardening - what is it? The easiest way to turn a backyard lawn into an organic…

Growing food at home, even in an apartment, is easy for both adults & kids ; here is a beginner’s guide to growing tasty greens & vegetable sprouts indoors - just add some window space and let the harvest begin. A certain level of independence and a real sense of satisfaction can be gained from the growing hobby of…

Three greenhouse owners share their construction methods and experiences for building greenhouses in cold climates where the benefits accumulate for food production. Can a greenhouse produce food all year in cold climates? Growing fruits and vegetables all year round in Canada or the colder parts of North America…

Solariums and sunrooms in cold climates will not add heat homes as commonly thought, unless carefully designed for passive solar gain. Can you build a solarium in a cold climate? Solariums have been gaining in popularity over the last 20 years , as many homeowners have found them to be a very enticing solution to…

With a little creativity & ingenuity small spaces can be maximized for a greater food harvest from your garden & look great doing so. Many of us look forward to the unmistakable taste of fresh, locally grown vegetables and fruit , especially those that come from our own soil. For those of you who would like to grow…

The year round off-grid greenhouse demystified, a Guest Post by Lindsey Schiller. Grow food in a greenhouse - the basics on how to get started As a native Californian transplanted into a much cooler climate (Western Quebec), I find myself mourning the loss of fresh local seasonal fruits and veggies all year long…

Imagine siphoning honey straight from the hive, no mess, no fuss, with little to no stress on the bees. How to make your own honey at home Can you imagine having honey on tap straight from your beehive? That is exactly what father and son team Stuart and Cedar Anderson aim to bring to market with an…

If you think a rainwater catchment system might be what you're looking for, whether to maintain independance or to further water conservation, read on. Setting up a rainwater catchment system If it is not for financial reasons, why are you installing a water tank? Here are some reasons: To do your part for water…

Two First Nations women have secured funding to build an off-grid solar powered greenhouse to provide food security for their community. The Sagkeeng First Nation is a Treaty-1, 3 and 5 First Nation in the Eastman Region of Manitoba, where two young and ambitious members of the community have undertaken a project to…

Green roofs have known benefits for biodiversity in urban areas, water conservation, insulation properties and are simply more attractive to look at - here is an example of them being very practical too. Most commercial green roofs in an urban area offer green space for occupants and manage rainwater, but large…