Backyard farming is the approach to plant trees, shrubs, flowers, and produce to improve your own personal habitat while also helping birds and other wildlife. Any size yard can be used and all improvements big and small are important.
Homegrown produce helps the environment by reducing waste and the need to purchase groceries that have been shipped in from all over the country. Backyard farming is an attempt to grow as much food as possible on whatever space you have, in the most environmentally-friendly way possible. Chickens and other farm animals can be included in this approach, so long as space and zoning allow for it.
Backyard farming also includes birdscaping: planting trees, shrubs, and flowers to feed and shelter birds. Water features also play a key role in birdscaping.
The overall goal for backyard farming is to use it as a way to improve bird conservation. It is this melding of concepts that we are going to be exploring for many months to come.
In May we will be conducting bioblitzes at both Birdfreak Team locations: northwestern Ohio and north central Illinois. A bioblitz is usually where you spend a whole day evaluating what living creatures use a specified area. We will be doing this but also creating a “property survey” where we discuss areas that need improvement and make plans to implement these improvements.
For more information, head over to Backyard Farming Bird Conservation where we will provide updates.
