As gas prices keep rising, even tasks like mowing the lawn is becoming more expensive. Sick of paying more to get the job done? Even if the gas was cheap, who likes mowing the lawn anyway? Well, there’s a solution: edible estates!!
Yes, it’s what it sounds like. People participating in the “Edible Estates” project transform their lawns from green, grassy plots, to areas filled with organic fruits and vegetables. This project was started in 2004 by a man named Fritz Haeg. He has designed the gardens very well, producing an attractive and useful yard area. The gardens feature produce such as blueberries, strawberries, beets, lettuce, and herbs.
Imagine walking along the sidewalk and instead of coming across yet another well-manicured greener-than-green lawn practically drowned in pesticides, you see beautiful organic blueberry bushes! You can’t help but pluck off a few luscious berries as you pass by.
What better time than this to transform your own yard into an edible paradise? Not only would you trim down your mowing costs, but you would also save money on buying produce. The environment will also thank you for reducing your gasoline and water use, and ending your lawn’s dependence on pesticides and herbicides (if you currently use them). I’m willing to bet you could also become quite popular with the neighbors, especially after offering them some of your fresh fruits and veggies.
Check out more info:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1816764,00.html
http://www.fritzhaeg.com/garden/initiatives/edibleestates/main01.html
At least five people within five blocks of me have begun this project...! It is transforming our neighborhood, and the result is beautiful! Not only that, but nobody around here ever runs out of fresh veggies! It is so great! You do get some criticism, but mostly, you get applauded! We are doing this at our house...we use used bath water to water our precious "lawn."
Love ya,
Carrot
That's great!!! I'm glad your community is seeing success with this concept.
Here in Japan, nobody in the city has any yards at all. However, I see quite a few very creative gardens in pots.
We will be moving soon and I have been promising my son a garden when we get there. I thought it might be just strawberries or tomatoes but this whole idea sounds more amazing and fun and an awesome learning lesson for my kiddos. Thanks for the blog.
~T
All truths are easy to understand once discovered; The point is to discover them ~Galileo
This is the first I've heard of this. It sounds awesome! I would much rather create little paths around fruits and vegetables than having to mow the grass twice a week. Thanks for the links as well!
Using land to grow edible (or nice to look at) plants and trees is better for us all the way around ... and one should strive to do so to every extent possible. Remember, though, that plantings of this type may be quite labor intensive, so be careful not to plant what you cannot maintain! If I could handle it, our land would be blueberry bushes and fruit trees - with additional edibles mixed in. Unfortunately, in this area we are "blessed" with an overabundence of white-tailed deer, and it seems everything we plant (other than red pines) becomes deer-food. So, another lesson learned - along with "don't plant it if you can't maintain it" is "plan for your location - in regards to the wildlife that will eat it, the watering it may consume, and the length of your growing season". Keeping that in mind, here's to more edible estates!
Good point.
It's important to think about the space you have. Obviously, the edible estates aren't designed for someone who has 40 acres, or even 5. It's for typical town/city plots.
Sadly, I am in a condo with no yard right now. But someday, a yard! And a garden!
If you have to have grass, a sharpened, well-oiled push mower is not only better for the environment, it is better exercise, too!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Yes! I used to use a "human-powered" push mower. It was great (as long as the blades are sharp, as you said)!!
I, too, currently live somewhere with no yard. However, I'm looking forward to my future garden yard!