UNNA ON SELFSUFFICIENCY
1 Don’t wait. No matter what space you have, don’t wait till you have more because tomorrow may never come. Start growing and producing in the space you have right now. If you’re renting, grow in pots. In an apartment, start with a bay tree and herbs and maybe some longer planters with salad or leafy greens. If you live in the suburbs like me, consider adding chickens to your backyard too.
2 Consider your soil. Before you attempt to grow anything, make sure your soil is good or your crops won’t grow to their full potential. Enrich your soil organically with things like compost, blood and bone and animal manure that will also encourage worms. Ensuring your soil is healthy is the best foundation for successfully growing great vegetables.
3 Count your chickens. I love watching my chickens – they all have their own personalities. Some breeds are better than others around children, though, so do your research before choosing. Chickens need lots of space to spread their wings and scratch around. They’re happiest in a flock of three to five, and happy hens give the tastiest eggs!
4 Go for colour. One of the things I’m most known for on social media is the colourful eggs my chickens lay (see #theforestcantinachickens on @the_forest_cantina) – I have every single eggshell colour available in New Zealand. My book lets you know which breeds lay which colour eggs and has all you need to know about collecting backyard eggs.
5 Don’t fly blind. We currently have 150 hives, but beekeeping isn’t easy – it takes years of experience to learn how to care for bees. It really is extremely complex and if you’re not sure what you’re doing, you can do more harm than good. My book gives a brief outline on bees and things to consider before you become a hobbyist beekeeper.