Ghost Town Farm

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riananovellarabbit

You can reach me at novella.carpenter(a)gmail(dot)com.

Send postcards, spices, or other items to 610 16th Street, #302 Oakland, CA.

72 Comments

72 responses so far ↓

  • Libby Dodd // October 6, 2008 at 5:32 am

    Novella, I loved your article in the Chronical Inner City Economics.

    Do you have any books to recommend to help me develop as a feature writer?

    Thank you.

    Libby

  • ghosttownfarm // October 8, 2008 at 3:32 pm

    howdy libby;
    thanks for the compliment!
    do you mean how to? or do you mean books with good feature writing?
    i don’t know of any how-to ones. the best thing to do is read great features (newspapers like the Oregonian have some nice ones, the Washington Post) and dissect them to figure out why they worked so well.

  • Johan Brody // November 30, 2008 at 2:19 pm

    Interesting!

  • dale // December 8, 2008 at 11:12 pm

    Novella: Loved your story about housecleaning in SF Gate, dated Monday 08 Dec 08. I was a male housecleaner, also college educated, in Tucson from 1978-90. I loved my work and my clients loved me! I’m 75 now, and as I reflect I realize it was a great occupation — highly recommended. This housework training enabled me to become a top-notch househusband for 13 years. Keep up the good work!

  • George Scott // March 2, 2009 at 8:27 pm

    I understand you have a book due out 6/11/09,
    Farm City, The Education of a Urban Farmer.

    I’m looking forward to not only reading it, but selling it in our Independent Bookstore.

    Good luck with the book!

  • ghosttownfarm // March 9, 2009 at 12:03 am

    hi george:
    yay independent bookstore! it’s in the penguin press summer catalog.
    thanks!
    novella

  • ann // April 14, 2009 at 9:37 am

    Hi Novella,
    I came across your book on Goodreads.com and was curious to read more about it. It sounds intriguing! I am a librarian in Oregon who is into the CSA/backyard homestead sort of book. Can I recommend that you talk a bit more about it here on your website? I think you might be too bashful about it. I wanted to read more about the book; if you aren’t excited enough about it to write about it here, then should I be interested enough to buy it, you know? Your potential readers want to hear more! :)

  • ghosttownfarm // April 14, 2009 at 11:06 am

    hi ann;
    i know, self-promotion is my weak point. i made a sister website to promote the book, but i will start beating the drum in earnest soon!

  • ann // April 17, 2009 at 7:49 pm

    nice! and a glowing Publishers Weekly review, very cool! That means a fair amount of libraries will be buying it too, i imagine.

  • Chris Fowle // May 2, 2009 at 5:37 pm

    Please put me on your mailing list so I know when you’ll be in NYC, thanks.

  • Nurit - 1 family. friendly. Food. // May 18, 2009 at 8:41 am

    no Twitter?

  • davor // May 26, 2009 at 8:29 am

    Hi-

    We just bought 3 goats yesterday. 2 1 month does and their mother.

    They are apparently related to 2 of your goats.

    We have milk for the does (the mother can’t milk enough for the 2, but we need to get goat feed and other supplies for the mother etc. (a friend already got us a salt lick from you.

    We’re wondering if you can point us in the right direction in the Oakland area.

    Thanks,
    Davor

  • novella // May 29, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    hi davor;
    cool! the biofuel oasis in berkeley (corner of ashby and sacramento) sells dairy pellets and kelp–both of which your goats will like.
    did you buy from leah at odom family farm?

  • Ann Carper // June 14, 2009 at 8:14 am

    Didn’t see DC on your book tour, so hope that’s on your list. Loved the review in the NY Times on Friday!

  • bruce // June 15, 2009 at 9:55 am

    Novella,

    Loved your book. Bought and finished it this weekend. Encouraged me to work harder on our small plot in the backyard.

    It sounded like you put two and two together regarding your 1000 feet diet and your bad breath, but what you were experiencing was ketosis, or the production of ketones that occurs when the body function with a limited supply of carbs. I don’t think anyone knows if low carb/high carb/etc. diets are better than anything else, but if your SO is interested and you guys haven’t already come to the same conclusion, the mystery breath was from the low carbs.

    Thanks again for the good reading!
    b

  • novella // June 15, 2009 at 1:16 pm

    bruce, that is totally fascinating. long live bread!

  • jolene // June 18, 2009 at 12:49 am

    Novella:

    I just stumbled acorss your website! Ever since we got a home in Oakland with space, I’ve been wanting get back to my farming roots. I put in a vegetable garden this year and fruit trees, but moles and deer have devestated both:( :( How do you do pest control? I want to get chickens, meat rabbits, and potentially goats in the future if i can ever afford to fence my property. Does the presence of the animals help deter the pests??? I’ll be picking up a copy of your book very soon, and will bookmark your site for more inspiration and help. Thank you!!!

  • mrpoopypants // June 18, 2009 at 6:06 am

    Enjoyed the article in the Gate/Chron.
    Good writing and i can relate to scratching dirt for pennies.
    Hang in there.

  • am // June 18, 2009 at 6:51 am

    I’m just learned about urban farms. How can I sign up for updates to this blog?

    I think this will become a “movement” … if it hasn’t already, that is.

  • Jason Ross // June 18, 2009 at 9:26 am

    Novella,

    i can request my local library order books once every 3 months…
    id like to see you copy there..

    do you have an ISBN number?

    also, do you have a twitter? id like to blast your link out to my 8000 followers

    Dont stop what your doing!

  • julie kramer // June 18, 2009 at 9:33 am

    hi novella,
    read the aricle on sfgate and i am so in awe of what you do! i spent my teenage years on a small farm in massachusetts with horses, goats and chickens (the bantams were my babies). my mom and her partner, susan, still have a farm in western mass. and susan is trying to be a subsistence farmer; she has chickens and a huge garden and greenhouse. hoping to see you at the reading on july 1.
    best wishes,
    julie

  • CAM // June 18, 2009 at 10:21 am

    do you sell them? a dozen and a couple of pounds…

  • Varmitville // June 18, 2009 at 10:54 am

    Hi Novella
    Loved the article in the Chron today. Good for you for doing what you love. Your haircut is definitely cute. Don’t waste money on a professional one. My husband cuts mine and it looks fine. All you need is a glass of Chardonnay and some sharp scissors…
    We are some of the lucky ones, with an acre to play on. We also have bees and chickens and will soon be getting goats (and possibly an emu). Had geese, ducks, and turkeys, but we also have foxes, raccoons, and skunks, not to mention neighbor’s dogs, so not all of our poultry lasts long. We do have a dog, but she is old and deaf and stinky, so she’s basically just an eating and pooping machine. Not much help as a guardian (hence the emu).
    We are trying our best to be good stewards of the land, composting all our garden waste, feeding all our food waste to our worm bins, and feeding our chickens with scraps and leftover parrot food instead of buying scratch and lay crumbles. We grow most of our veggies and do eat the eggs our girls produce, but we have not been able to bring ourselves to harvesting the older hens for food once they stop laying. We are not vegetarians, but all the girls have faces and names and it’s just too hard. It would be like killing and eating my cats. We get very attached to our pets. We even have trouble clubbing a trout when we’re backpacking.
    Our little farm is named, you guessed it, Varmitville. We have 14 hens plus Earl the Rooster, and we also feed over 20 feral cats (all spayed and neutered) and 3 housecats, plus 5 parrots and about 50 smaller birds in an outdoor aviary. Yes, we are insane. Our animal food expenses far outweigh our own food expenses, but it is worth every penny (mostly cat, dog and parrot food–the chickens are cheap because we recycle so much to them).
    Note to Jolene–no, pests are not deterred by animals. We have a skunk who constantly digs up into the chicken coop (aka The Poultry Palace) and gophers dig into the aviary to get the spilled seed. We should have wired the bottom of both, but did not and are paying the price in lost finches and chicken eggs. We are thinking about getting the emu to keep the neighbor’s dogs out of the yard (which is fenced, which they jump) so she can kick the snot out of them.
    Thanks Novella. I am glad to know there are others out there who have a love for the land and a joy in animals. Keep up the good work and the fantastic writing. I will stay tuned…
    And if you want to sell any baby goats…..
    K

  • Evelyn Sinclair // June 18, 2009 at 11:27 am

    Hi,

    I live in Oakland also. I think goats are really nifty — shockingly catlike for grass-eaters. I’ve had fantasies of having 2 or 3 goats of my own, to keep the weeds down. I live in the hills, up Shepherd Canyon. The fire department is really strict about Vegetation Management! They use goats in the park areas to eat the weeds, and I thought of having my own mini-version to farm out to neighbors who might prefer quiet munching to obnoxiously noisy weed-eaters.

    One of the many reasons I haven’t done anything about it is that I figure the noises goats make might piss off my neighbor.

    Have you considered anything in the “rent-a-goat” weed-abatement area?

    A friend who knows how much I like goats sent me the newspaper article this morning. I’m sympathizing with your need to get Hedwig de-horned — but then I read (in your blog) the hermaphroditic part; you’re not sure what to do with THAT end of the goat either.

    Do you want Hedwig, de-horned? Or do you want to find a new home for Hedwig???

    Evelyn

  • wei // June 18, 2009 at 1:28 pm

    Hi Novella, I read your column in SFGate.com today and really liked it. I live in Oakland and I’ve started growing veggies, but maybe one day, I’ll have some animals…and a real farm.

    Do you ever open up your farm for visitors? I’d love to take a look at the animals.

    Thanks,

    Wei

  • Glenn // June 18, 2009 at 3:30 pm

    Hi Novella. I just read your article in SFGate today, and I think it’s so great that you are doing this. It’s really inspirational, and I really like your resourcefulness. Lots of great ideas that I will try to employ as well. I also want to say that it’s amazing that you do what you do in your neighborhood. I see why you call it Ghost Town Farm. I drive by there sometimes when I go to work, and man, some of those boarded up buildings on that stretch of MLK is pretty sad, to say the least. I always see young guys just loitering in the streets. Anyways, you don’t even mention it in your article, and I don’t even know why I’m pointing it out, other than the fact that now I know there’s more to meet the eye than what’s on the surface of some ‘blighted neighborhood”.
    I will go out today and get your book! And thanks for the great article. I’ve been browsing your blog too. Lots of great stuff in there.

  • novella // June 18, 2009 at 3:36 pm

    you are all so f-ing awesome!
    thanks for the support, it means so much to me.
    wei, i’ll do a farm tour soon–thinking mid-july or august. maybe make it into a party.
    evelyn, i’m not sure what to make of hedwig. the vet says she’s an it but we won’t really know until she goes into heat (or doesn’t).
    varmitville, thanks for sharing.
    cam, i don’t really sell much–esp because the chickens have knocked off work lately (two are broody).

  • JOe... // June 18, 2009 at 6:07 pm

    You should set up a paypal account to accept donations for the vet bills. I hate hearing about people that have animals and can’t afford to give them vet treatments. If you set one up, let me know and I’ll send a donation…

    Thanx for the writing! (a former farm boy from Oklahoma!)

  • Varmitville // June 18, 2009 at 6:58 pm

    Evelyn,
    You don’t have to worry about noise from goats. They are quiet and sweet and funny. The worst that could happen is smell, but that’s only if you don’t take care of it (I grew up on a farm with lots of livestock, so I have a clue).
    Just keep the poop cleaned up and don’t have too many for your space. We had a neighbor here (near Salinas) who had 9 (!!!) sheep in a pen that was less than 300 square feet. Gawd. The smell was awful. We couldn’t even sit in our front yard. Not to mention the poor animals. They must have been miserable. His house got foreclosed so they are all gone but still….think before you commit to another life.

  • Denis // June 18, 2009 at 10:57 pm

    Hey Novella,
    I loved your story today too. I also have goats and chickens in Oakland. We used to live near downtown at 3oth and Broadway, right next to Glen Echo creek. Zeigfried and Roy used to love munching on the blackberries, apples, ivy and all the other plants that loved the rich soil over there. Nobody believed we had goats in downtown Oakland. I think you mentioned that you feed them alfalfa, right? Please be sure you don’t give them too much or better yet switch to oat hay. Poor Zeigfried developed calcium deposits in his urethra from eating alfalfa- it’s really rich. His x-rays looked like a string of pearls! And after months of heartache and many trips to Davis, we finally had to put him down. Roy is doing fine and never developed them but the vets up there say it can be fairly common. We’re now in the hills on a half acre of land with 2 more pals for Roy and a bunch of chickens. I’d love to tour your farm one of these days, it’s sounds great! Take care!

  • Catherine Saiki // June 18, 2009 at 11:13 pm

    read your post on SFgate today and discovered via your blog that you had a reading this evening. So serendipitous!!! Tonight was such an incredible evening. Bravo to you! This coming from a vegetarian! I was repulsed, delighted, and laughing my ass off at the same time… thank you for such a memorable evening.

  • Jesse Gibbs // June 19, 2009 at 10:34 am

    Caught your talk w/ M Pollan last night and really enjoyed it. Thought you might appreciate this Atlantic article by the Nimans: http://food.theatlantic.com/on-the-farm/why-we-raise-goats.php

  • Eve // June 19, 2009 at 11:15 am

    I loved your story in the Chronicle! It reminded me of growing up on a ranch in San Diego – we had horses, goats, sheep & chickens. I love goats!!!!

    I’m sending you a gift card to buy some new bras – Lord knows you don’t need to be worrying about holding up the girls when you’ve got all those lovely animals to care for! :-)

  • Carol Ann Sayle // June 19, 2009 at 1:19 pm

    Hi Novella,

    Virginia Wood, the food editor at the Austin Chronicle, loaned me your new book. I LOVED it. As they say, “I couldn’t put it down!”

    Great personality, great writing, and funny (the most important part!)

    So much of what you wrote echoes our urban farm experiences (17 years worth and counting) at Boggy Creek Farm, which is on the “wrong side” of I-35 in East Austin. But as in most cities, the best soil, bottom land, is found in the “poor” neighborhoods.

    We are currently living in our farm house surrounded by towering crates of heirloom tomatoes. Hoping to get them sold before they start leaking and start stinking….

    Best wishes and thanks for the terrific read!

    Carol Ann Sayle

  • Sharron // July 5, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    Could you please give me the web site so we can order bees next January. Thank you. Sharron.

  • melissa // July 6, 2009 at 10:01 am

    novella,
    enthusiastically reading your book over the weekend..i was inspired. i sat on my back patio getting sunburnt and laughing, wishing i had some chickens and bees. thanks for including some of your library. i live in oakland as well and would be interested in helping out and learning more…you’re doing a great job, melissa

  • Garrett // July 16, 2009 at 10:14 pm

    Just wanted to say your book was a great read and inspirational. Not sure if we’ll raise pigs, but we are hoping to raise chickens. We’re up here in Bremerton, just a hop skip from Shelton. Keep up the good work and turn more people into urban farmers. It’s a worthy goal!

  • Sarah/Lost Nation Farm // July 19, 2009 at 5:26 pm

    Welllllll, damn. Extending my sincere & humble (& embarrASSed) apologies for hopping right on in & posting the blathering stuff I did, here & there, before being able to get the time to read more on your blog – & learn more abt you & what you’ve been doing!

    Just spent my entire post-a.m.-chore-afternoon/evening time wading thru the whollllllle thing & – wow. Very much enjoyed it! &, have to say that I was particularly appreciative of the ‘evolution’ I noticed after going back to the very beginning & reading your experiences in chronological order. B/c I’d first, just read a few of your more recent posts – & impulsively responded, like a dumbass, LOL – w/o really having a good grasp on “All That’s Novella”. Or at least what’s been revealed of you/your endeavors on that blog, I should say. *wink*

    Very impressive & inspiring!!!!

    You’re doing more than most of the farm-raised &/or rural-dwelling folks that we know who totally HAVE that upbringing/knowledge just already “automatically instilled” – AND the abilities/land/etc. but – who don’t @#%@%#%&& use it! Yeah. Who, instead, buy most, if not ALL of their stuff from the blankin’ store. What a shameful, awful waste, huh?! Worse: those same folks make fun of ME for all of the “silly” stuff I do, in an effort to raise as much of our own, healthy food as I can. (we’re “lucky” to live in a very rural area on a small & very ancient (late 1800’s – serious “fixer upper” kinda thing) farm -10 acres. Mostly wooded/swamp, though before you or anyone else gets envious, LOL.)

    I can’t wait to get my hands on your book! &, conGRATTTTTTTTTSSSSssssssss on that – AND on becoming a star, too, BTW. Awesome! (I’d be totally pooping if I were you, just for the record – probably curled up in the fetal position in a corner, drooling, sucking my thumb, rocking & chanting nursery rhymes over & over & over – yikesholyshit.)

    If you haven’t yet read the Foxfire series, you gotta. Pretty sure you’d love it. I’m in the process of re-reading what I’ve managed to re-collect of it, thus far (original, family collection was lost in a flood) & . . . the invaluable information contained therein will just never get “old”, IMO.

    Hoping my enthusiasm here isn’t taken negatively. Just can’t help but to be feeling pretty excited abt your endeavors & accomplishments – & the wonderful successes! – you’re having there IN THE CITY. Believe it or not, it’s tougher living in BFE/traditionally-&-conventionally-narrow-minded land, where we do. . . even though it IS “in the country”. People in these-here parts just aren’t open to “new ideas”, so it’s very frustrating & disheartening.

    Alllll the best,
    Sarah/Lost Nation Farm/Michigan

  • ghosttownfarm // July 20, 2009 at 3:54 pm

    hey sarah;
    i’m laffing my ass off! your comments are so hilarious–love it.
    yes indeed, i have learned a lot over the years! it’s a great feeling to develop as a farmer.
    i’m hoping to hit michigan on a diy tour, i’ll be sure to let you know where/when.

  • Tidewater Area // July 23, 2009 at 7:40 pm

    Hello. I was reading your blog and wanted to ask about the roasting of the grape tomatoes. Can you tell me what you do? I understand you roast the grape tomatoes in the oven. Time? Temp? Also, then how you can them after roasting? Can grape tomatoes be canned after cutting up and cooking like regular tomatoes? Thank you very much

  • ghosttownfarm // July 25, 2009 at 1:36 pm

    hi guys (hanging head in shame for how long it’s taken me to respond)!
    some responses:
    dennis (sigfreid and roy owner): that’s awesome you had goats way back when! my goats are milkers so they need alfalfa to produce good milk. i’ve heard about males developing the calcium chunks–terrible. sorry to hear about your loss.
    tidewater: i roast the tomatoes at 250 degrees for 8 hours. just turn on the oven overnight. the slow cooking keeps them sweet. then you pop them into sterilized jars, water bath process them for 20 minutes under two inches of water, pull them out and let them set until you hear them pop. summer in a jar!

  • cardie // July 25, 2009 at 7:31 pm

    Novella,
    Saw you at the libary in LA and my group throughly enjoyed you, I also can’t wait to read your book. What kind of boots do you have? Very cool.
    Keep farming
    Cardie

  • ghosttownfarm // July 27, 2009 at 10:25 am

    hi cardie!
    thanks, they are my favorite shit kickers: ariat is the brand, available at fine western stores. they are incredibly comfortable and are great for bike riding, not just horses.

  • Sarah/Lost Nation Farm // July 27, 2009 at 2:08 pm

    *also hanging head in shame for not being able to keep up w/ online life* (not that *I* matter, far’s this blog’s concerned, but . . . y’know. heh)

    COOL that you’re planning a DIY tour to MI!! Yes, yes – definitely let me know when you’ll be in the area! Also, if you’ll be in OH or IN b/c we live in the “Tri-State area” where all 3 states meet.

    &&&&&, if you’d like a farmy (not to mention: free) place to crash? Let me know that, too – can put you up, chica!

    I can only imagine what kinds of terribly-socially-unacceptable – I mean terribly-self-sufficient-that-”everyone”-will-oooh-&-ahh (not to be confused with: grimace-&-puke-&-bitch)-abt – things we might decide to hop into. Sure we could find something running around out there, that “needed” butchering – could document the whole thing, take pics, invent some super-fab gourmet recipes for you to post to your blog to add to your fame/prowess, etc., etc., etc.. (& just think: wouldn’t even have to do any “bathtub dispatching”, LOL!)

    You could see what it’s like to milk some non-hand-killing-sized teats (caprine or bovine), we could make butter (out of the cow cream – way too impatient/lazy to do goat butter, thankyouverymuch), cheese – goat or cow or both – mix in some home-grown veggies &/or fruits &/or herbs – or wildcrafted ones since there’s an array of those out there to be gotten, too! – for you to take & serve at your book-tour stops. . . along w/ some bread we could go buy/barter for, from one of our Amish friends/neighbors (since I hate baking, for some unknown reason) (oh yeah: maybe b/c it involves *gasp* measuring & steps & instructions & dirtying too many dishes & etc.)!

    & when we needed a break (or whatever other excuse we might conjure up to justify it – if necessary, anyway), we could kick back & sip on a frosty mug o’ freshly-drawn draft from our kegerator (sorry, storebought swill’ll have to suffice till I get the time/energy/etc. to hop into home-brewing), or two or three or twelve. & puff on a couple of homemade cigarettes (made from mail-ordered, custom-blended/all natural/no additives/preservatives/etc. tobacco, blended w/ some garden-raised &/or wildcrafted herbs . . . unless/until the tobacco I’m trying my hand at growing this year, alllll by my own, itty, bitty, sick-of-living-in-the-Sin-Tax-State-&-paying-$$$-for-the-outrageously-expensive-icky-chemical-laden-shit this year stuff’s smokeable by then) (today’s hyphen day, BTW).

    & if we accidentally imbibed on a coupla too many drafts & were feeling extra-silly & adventurous? We could clamber into my redneckmobile (read: big ol’, lifted/brush-barred/all-terrain-tire-sporting/etc. rattle trap 4×4 pickemup) & go 4-wheeling out in the back 40.

    & if we got stuck, my darling & ever-patient-&-accommodating spouse would come yank us out w/ the tractor.

    & if he made fun of us for being Dumb Girls & getting stuck? We’d just laughhhh & flip him off. Well, AFter he got us unstuck, that is. Long walk from out there back up here to the house. Esp. b/c it’s mostly uphill. *puff pant puff*

    Sooooo . . . y’see? How badass would it be for you to be able to have all of that “cross-cultural experience” stuff, from here in BFE-hillbilly-hick-land, to take home & brag abt to your urban-dwelling, Big City friends. They’d mostly CERtainly just be poo-OOP-ing themselves w/ envy. *wink*

    & oh yeah – I’d also be stuffing your luggage full of LaManchas when you weren’t looking. :D

    Okayyy, back to the broccoli “putting up” project I’m in the midst of. . . should be doing cabbage but my vintage, $3 garage-sale-gotten food processor took a serious shit after just a 1/4 of a cabbage that was intended for freezer slaw & sauer kraut, eeeeek!

    All the best,
    Sarah

    P.S. if Hedwig’s indeed a hermaphrodite (can’t see the angry millimeter well in the pic, not that vulva-shaped weirdness is *always* 100% indication of a non-breeder), I’d say she’s cabrito material. If she were my doe, though, I’d wait & try breeding her – then preg-test her (cheap via DIY blood draw sent to Biotracking.com), before f’real making her into freezer fodder.

  • Kim // July 28, 2009 at 6:19 am

    I love, love, LOVE your book! Thanks to your story, I’ve just bought some stuff to start an herb garden (baby steps! :-) and now have visions of fruit trees and muscadine grape vines dancing in my head! (Although I’m a city girl trapped in what I lovingly term suburban h3ll, my husband and I now have the largest yard we’ve ever had in either of our respective lives. While reading your book on our back patio, I kept looking at our vast expanse of coiffed and coiffured lawn and thinking, “Man, what a WASTE! Let’s plant something edible, not mowable!”) Thanks so much for sharing your wit, humor, sarcasm, trials, errors and successes, and for being such an inspiration!

  • Kathy Arnos // July 30, 2009 at 12:35 pm

    Hi Novella,

    I would be interested in receiving a copy of your book for possible review in Eco Family News. Please let me know the best way to make a formal request. Please respond via email to the above address. Thank you.

    Kathy

  • Tidewater Area // August 1, 2009 at 6:24 pm

    ghosttownfarm: thanks for the instructions. When I put them in the sterilized jars is any liquid going into the jar? I did make my first batch but they never lasted long enough to can anything…LOL!

  • leslie // August 2, 2009 at 5:18 pm

    Hey Novella,

    Just wanted to tell you that I have been reading your book this weekend while my husband is out of town, and your gumption and grit have inspired me to do things I wouldn’t have done otherwise. These are not big things, mind you — (hauling things into the attic by myself! nailing things on the walls! pruning back our prickly bushes!) — but every time I do them, I think “hell, if Novella can bludgeon a possum by herself, I can surely manage hoisting this 50 lb. box up a rickety old flight of attic-steps with one hand.”) One day, I will take on greater challenges but thank you in the meantime for helping me take small steps. Your writing is so endearing and I look forward to reading more from you.

    Best, Leslie

  • ghosttownfarm // August 3, 2009 at 11:36 am

    leslie:
    that is hilarious! glad i’m inspiring you: but don’t fall down the stairs, ok?
    tidewater: there is some liquid, and you def want that in the jar: it’s like the nectar/essence of the tomato.
    thanks sarah for the advice–i don’t think hedwig is a hermie (her vag looks fine) anymore. but i do have to get rid of her because she’s a jumper and my fences are tall enough for nigerian dwarf goats!

  • Tidewater Area // August 3, 2009 at 11:52 am

    ghosttownfarm: you state “there is some liquid, and you def want that in the jar: it’s like the nectar/essence of the tomato”. Where is this liquid coming from? As you are canning them it seeps out or are you adding liquid? Sorry .. all of this is new to me and I DEFINITELY want to can these! LOL :)

  • John Bowers // August 10, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    Hi Novella,

    I heard your interview on CBC radio today. Though I applaud much of what you are doing to reconnect people with food and so much more, I do wish to comment on a particular justification you employ in defense of the killing and eating of animals.
    You stated that eating meat is part of our culture and therefore morally acceptable. Perhaps you don’t realize that under this same argument, that cultures exist both now and in the past where racism, slavery and rape to name just three behaviors are and/or were the cultural norm.

    To quote from Peter Singer’s book Practical Ethics, “It is easy for us to criticize the prejudices of our grandfathers, from which our fathers freed themselves. It is more difficult to distance ourselves from our own views, so that we can dispassionately search for prejudices among the beliefs and values we hold.”

    My point is that our particular cultural norms are not necessarily a guideline for setting our moral compass. I suggest that to kill animals to enjoy their flesh is not morally defensible by the reason that 95% or more of other people participate in this practice in our culture.

  • cardie // August 12, 2009 at 8:03 am

    Great picture in TIME magazine in the Food article, good press for your book and animal husbandry movement. I like the green stairs.
    Cardie

  • Jodi Zeigler // August 12, 2009 at 5:43 pm

    Hey Novella!

    I met you for a minute at the LA Library (my introduction/confession as a flaky gardener).
    Your talk was awesome (and hysterical) and we love what you are doing…you really are an inspiration.
    My husband and I are coming up for the Eat Real Fest and as I was looking at your website to email you and inquire about a farm tour, then I noticed you have already set the whole day up…stoked!
    Looking forward to experiencing the farm firsthand, and to say hello-

    Best,
    Jodi

  • almostima // August 19, 2009 at 3:10 pm

    I just finished your book today and I had to drop you a line to let you know how much I enjoyed it. Keep up the inspiration! :)

  • Tidewater // August 19, 2009 at 6:29 pm

    ghosttownfarm: you state “there is some liquid, and you def want that in the jar: it’s like the nectar/essence of the tomato”. Where is this liquid coming from? As you are canning them it seeps out or are you adding liquid? Sorry .. all of this is new to me and I DEFINITELY want to can these! LOL

  • ghosttownfarm // August 20, 2009 at 8:38 am

    hey there! the liquid is just the juice from the tomatoes. if you don’t raw pack, and cook the tomatoes first, that nectar generally evaporates in the cooking process. my mom freezes her tomatoes whole but i like the taste of the canned tomatoes over fresh. they become transformed!

  • Barbara // August 22, 2009 at 2:23 pm

    Your book was the best read I’ve had in a long time. It was funny, poignant, brilliant, instructive and inspiring. I actually cried reading the last chapter. You are a very special person and I hope one day to meet you.

    I’ve recommended the book to so many people, including my brother who is embarking on a business developing and renovating row houses in Baltimore. Every one of those houses has a garden/yard space in the back. He ordered the book on Amazon while I was telling him about it. There are so many friends who are going to love this book!

    Thank you for the breath of fresh air you brought to me life

  • Heidi Neipris Wexler // August 25, 2009 at 7:51 pm

    It’s all about timing. It was my birthday, August 5. Best thing I ever bought and devoured. Telling everyone I know. My kids are rolling their eyes. just like you did with your mom.
    Imagine my delight when I realized that there is a open house this Saturday at Ghost Town Farm! ust finished the book..now I feel I deserve to meet you!
    I’m in Rockridge…and I’ve already driven by to see if your place exists
    …saw the monks and the place and my heart leapt! I will be there will bells on and homemade bread to share..will do anything to help you during the day. You make my heart sing.

    Heidi

  • Cheryl // August 28, 2009 at 8:57 am

    I thoroughly enjoyed your book and admire your moxie. Thank you for sharing your story and helping to bring awareness about our connection
    with food.

  • T from Philly // August 28, 2009 at 10:22 am

    I just finished reading Farm City after seeing a nice review of it in a ’summer reading for foodies’ article – not sure where.

    It reads like a novel, I couldn’t put it down yet at the same time was sad when it ended- I was so entranced by all the characters. You are a wonderful writer!

    Was surprised and happy to see that Ghost Town Farms is still thriving – had thought the illusion to the condos at the end was how “the story ended” – and now to see that you have expanded to “Goats” and that Grandma is still cooking fish makes me very happy. Was also happy to see blogs/websites from some of the other people in the book.

    I live in Philly, be sure to email me if you plan to come here for a talk or book signing. And thank you again for sharing your experiences. Keep up the farming AND the writing!

  • ghosttownfarm // August 28, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    thamks t! yes, i’ve been so lucky the housing bust happened! victorious like bobby….

  • Charlene // September 5, 2009 at 4:38 pm

    Hi,
    I absolutely LOVED your book. it gave me hope on becoming a semi self-sufficient urban farmer. I am only gardening now, but I want to be a bee keeper as well. I need to ask you if I could directly side dress fresh rabbit poop onto plants, or do I have to age them? Also, can you give me more information on where to purchase heirloom variety vegetable seeds? and where would I purchase my bee starter kit? I live in Chicago, would all the bees die in the winter? Please let me know if you are coming to Chicago, I’d love to meet you! You are my inspiration!

  • Ereca // September 6, 2009 at 9:58 am

    hello,
    i read your column on sfgate.com article and enjoy it very much. i aspire to be more like you.

    i volunteered to take the chickens when my sons class incubated some eggs and we have 3 roosters as a result. they are still young and haven’t started crowing yet. they are about 4 months old. we are attached and not able to ….

    do you have any ideas of anyone who would want
    them in the oakland area?

  • Cassie // September 13, 2009 at 2:02 pm

    Hi Novella,

    my husband and I live in Pt. Richmond we have had chickens for the last 5 years and I do butcher them. Look up to your left when passing Chevron on the way to Marin you can see our barn and extensive gardens. We pretty much hover over 580,you got Bart we got 580 lol Mostly fruit trees,veggies and herbs.

    After finishing your book on Thursday I got inspired, went out and got 3 rabbits,two does and a buck .I do plan to eat the offspring. Goats are next.I was hoping you could tell me where I could get two small goats.

    Thank you very much for the inspiration I hope to meet you and share ideas,fowl and some fun.

    Happy Sunday! Cassie

  • Joanne Taylor // October 8, 2009 at 3:13 pm

    Hi Novella, I have about 10 pages left to read in your book. I really have enjoyed it. When are you coming to Seattle, your old stomping grounds? I would love to come to a book reading or lecture or something of yours. I am a fellow backyard farmer.

  • elysa bryant // October 14, 2009 at 8:51 am

    I read your book on the recommendation of one of our great librarians…and LOVED IT! I felt inspired and not totally off my rocker for wanting to do all the same things in my suburban homestead…I wish you would come to visit a store near here, RJ Julia, an high strung little bookstore in nearby Madison CT. We’re not far from New Haven and the Yale Sustainable Food Project would probably love to have you come and do a talk and book signing. And you could make the rounds to CitySeed, a group that works to empower inner city residents to grow healthier food- contact Tagan Engel, she’s an amazing person and is really passionate about CitySeed. Hope to see you nearby in the future!

  • Kelly Enzor // October 14, 2009 at 7:09 pm

    Novella,
    You are my hero! My husband and I began our micro-farm this spring in downtown Atlanta…veggies, chickens and newly planted blueberry and blackberry bushes. We hope to grow as we gain experience, but our space is very limited. Thanks for being such an incredible example.

    Kelly Enzor

    P.S. I love your book!

  • ghosttownfarm // October 15, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    hey kelly!
    thanks, that is so cool! i hope to make it to atlanta for the paperback tour….

  • Tripp // October 27, 2009 at 2:35 pm

    Hi Novella!
    Just finished reading your book! Awesome. Can’t wait for my wife to read it…since she actually bought it for herself when you were here in Spokane!

    Spring will start year two for us as serious urban farmers, and we’re adding bees in a homemade top-bar hive, and rabbits from a gent Jess met at your dinner at Sante’.

    You and Riana have been a great inspiration.

  • Christy Whitmore // October 30, 2009 at 10:00 am

    Hi Novella -

    Thanks so much for sharing your story – I loved every page of it. My husband and I have turned our backyard up in the Oakland hills into a fruit and vegetable garden over the last few years and it’s become a huge part of our life. I keep threatening to get a few chickens… maybe next year. Although up here on the hill it’s all about “the view”. I can just see my neighbors laying eggs themselves when I install a coop. :-) As it is, a big part of my vegetable growing plan is to make it look as much like an english garden as possible. I worked some with Mel Bartholomew (Mr. Square Foot Gardening) so I do my best at companion planting only what we’ll eat and rotating the boxes etc., to keep it as pretty as I can. My sister in law has a small farm in Maine and I’ve learned quite a bit from her as well, but your uban story is a new level of inspiration! Your courage (or should I say willingness to jump in before you know what you should be afraid of) is a lesson to us all.

    Thanks!

  • Harper Keeler // November 8, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    Where to start? Your book will be an instant classic up here in Eugene. Thanks a ton. I’m going to eat some lovely pork now. I think it is from the same Farmer that Chris gets his from. Cheers

  • Kattywampus // November 9, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    Hi, Novella

    I just wanted to say that I found your site because someone sent me a link to the youtube video about your farm(The Chow one). I’m definitely going to keep a close eye on your blogs and efforts, as I have been wanting to do something like this for a long time, but didn’t really know how. Thanks for sharing your stories with all of us in Internetland!

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