Backyard Roots: Lessons on Living Local from 35 Urban Farmers

by Lori Eanes

* An inspirational book that also provides clear advice and info on specific urban sustainability issues
* Profiles 35 urban farmers from Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia
* Features 200 color photographs
* A follow-up title to the 2012 Nautilus Book Award-winning The Urban Farm Handbook

The burgeoning range of people now turning their urban backyards into homesteads is wide and varied, from families with young children, to immigrants recapturing their original culture, to idealistic twenty-somethings seeking community. Many of these farmers have a special lesson or inspiration to share with those who aspire to, or simply appreciate, the urban farm lifestyle.

Backyard Roots is a unique project by California-based photographer Lori Eanes that evocatively and intimately explores the lives of 35 urban farmers in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. In these stories and photos you'll find people like Laura Allen, the Oakland-based cofounder of Greywater Action, a policy and education nonprofit that promotes the use of greywater systems. In Vancouver, aquaponic farmer Jodi Peters sustainably grows and harvests tilapia in sync with her organic vegetable garden. Or meet Jonathan Chen, a young cancer survivor who now manages the Danny Woo Community Gardens in south Seattle, where a group of Southeast Asian immigrants farm in a vibrant mix of cultures.

From the elderly to the young, the trendy to the purely functional, here are inspiring stories, ideas on how to make it happen, tips on everything from chicken keeping to community health, and so much more.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Food

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Way back in 2009, I began photographing urban farmers. The economy was bad and I needed a project. As a food photographer I’ve always had plenty of interest in food and was already obsessively reading about it. When I heard about people raising chickens, ducks, rabbits and goats as well as vegetables in their backyards I had to meet them.

This project that began with curiosity became something more when I began learning from the farmers. Their ideas kept me going. It’s fun to see what people do in their backyards and you can learn a lot from them. As I turned my project into a book, I photographed over 75 backyard farms and I’m still visiting more. The blog is a way to share what I’ve found. It still inspires me and I’m hoping other people will be inspired too. Growing edibles is a creative and fulfilling way to lessen our carbon imprint and connect with nature. Not to mention the tasty food.

Reviews

[Lynda Nicoulin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book with wonderful full page glossy photos. I had hoped it would go into more detail on how to have a backyard garden. Instead it tells brief stories of people who have done so succesfully. It is a very interesting read, it is amazing what people can do. But it is definitely not a how to.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an inspiring and practical book: gorgeous photos, brief stories of urban "farmers" from northern CA to Vancouver, BC, plus plenty of helpful tips and links for anyone wanting to deepen their own practice of growing food in a smallish yard.

[Octavia Cade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sort of taster book for urban food production, if that makes sense. It showcases over thirty urban farmers along the west coast of North America - primarily from San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver - and the different means they use to farm what are often very small plots. This isn't a long book, so the profiles are brief and rely heavily on photographs, but its biggest strength is how it argues the case for accessibility: that even people who live in a city can produce some of their own food, and find pleasure in doing so. No argument there!

The most interesting profiles, for me, were the mushroom farmer and the group of "guerilla grafters" adapting ornamental city trees to produce fruit. I would have liked to see a little more of this sort of variety in the farming subject matter - as I read through the book, it felt as if a lot of the profiles related to chickens and goats. Now my sister and I had pet goats as children, and that same sister did keep chickens at one point, and I like both even if I am vegetarian... but the continued focus on these two animals did start to feel quite repetitive. That invitation to accessibility might have been more effective if a broader range of profiles had been attempted, I think.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some inspiring stories of people raising their own food in west coast cities. I got some ideas. This is just a quick skim over the topic though - other books are needed to actually get started with doing it yourself. Some of the photos were frustrating because I really wanted to see more detail as to how certain system were built/coops were structured inside/gardens laid out. But it’s a fun book that shows what’s possible. I’m pleased to see groups trying to bring food back into cities - especially the guerrilla grafters, bringing fruiting trees back to inner city streets.

I have dreams of more veggies, ducks, herbs, maybe chickens, meat rabbits, but I’ll pass on goats for now, however cute they might be! Aquaponics and mushrooms sound like a lot of work but I’m glad people are doing it.

[David Rudin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food photographer Eanes has created an inspiring book giving us 35 portraits of various west coast urban farmers. As I am planning my own version of an urban farm/airbnb in Colorado, the book has given me much “food for thought”, quite literally.
While the portraits are brief they capture some of the feeling of people grappling with how to grow food in the city and, just as importantly, keep alive a connection to the natural world.
The links and resources extend the usefulness of the book and I’ve happily added to my own resource list.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is comprised of a bunch of little stories of people's backyard or small-scale urban farming stories. I enjoyed several of them and they had great info and resources. It would have been better, in my opinion, if there were fewer stories and each went in depth further. I lost interest after 7 or so stories and would have liked to read more about specific ones (and less about others).

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I supposed it’s my fault for reading this book “late” but it doesn’t age well. Many of the people, places and websites listed as resources are gone from the internet. Also, I wish I had gotten more of a clue from the cover that these stories were specific to the west coast.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational!

[Lori Palen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool stories about the local food movement. All focused on the Pacific Northwest, though…I wish there’d been more geographic and social diversity.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

For people thinking of growing stuff (food/animals) in their urban environment - this book has beautiful pictures, well framed, well chosen and focuses on urban farming although most have suburban size lots, not all do. The focus is on the northwest from San Francisco, CA, Portland, Seattle and up to Vancouver, B.S.. There's quite a variety of inventive strategies described, all by choosing individual families/people who are 'doing it.' It reinforces the value of raising one's own food, but also - without directly saying so - makes it clear how much work it is. There are lots of helpful hints (presented in a non-tedious way) and resources included. If this topic interests you - this is an excellent overview!

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. I absolutely love it. I love all of the color pictures and there is so much good info throughout this book. It is also specific to where I live, which is really helpful! Highly recommended. :)

[Joseph Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with anecdotes from urban farmers. I was hoping for more how-to guidance, but this was still good fro the lessons learned.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that this book was written to showcase lives. Absolutely fantastic! Won via Goodreads Giveaway.

[Steven · Rating 1 out of 5]

Guidance for urban farmers.

[Alisa Kester · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really beautiful and inspiring!

[Stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to read or flip through, I expect that this book will continue to inspire me long after I've read it!