CropSwapLA is in my neighborhood, they do amazing work! Just the fact that a single residential property can grow enough produce for 45 families _each week_ is astonishing. Their technology in their latest farm (https://www.cropswapla.org/degnan) is very special as well: they refer to it as terraponic. 100% recycled water, but also using some soil for temperature and moisture control. Best of both worlds between traditional farming and 100% controlled aquaponics farms. The growing boxes are entirely separated from the ground, which limits pests and maintenance. Nutrition is provided through the water, with exactly the right balance that the respective plants need.
Yes, I'm biased, I'm a big fan. Just wanted to share some highlights because I think the article doesn't do the amazing work of Jamiah and his team justice. I hope we get to see many more such micro farms all across Los Angeles and Southern California.
Lawns are an upper-class, 18th century invention, because of course growing food on land is for peasants. The larger the lawn, the more expensive the maintenance, so a well kept lawn was a display of status.
Then, 19th century middle-class, in an attempt to look wealthier and having no personality whatsoever, replicated the trend on their tiny lots, even though they owned much less land, and keeping a lawn is a financial burden.
Nowadays, there's so much profit in this space (equipment, herbicides, etc) that there's an immense marketing budget to keep the status quo.
That's why it's important to learn your history. Good to see this trend reversing.
In an incredibly ironic twist, a suburban home garden is now a sign of wealth too. Having a sunny space large enough to grow food, and even more importantly, having the time to tend to it.
It may be now a sign of wealth in a specific geographic and demographic strata. Having an orchard or at least growing herbs is a worldwide practice.
I'm from South America, and my grandma's house had: mango, peach, lime, orange, grapevine, berries, coconut, jaboticaba, pitanga, acerola, atemoia (native fruits), and many types of spices (including a bay laurel tree). All that in a lot that barely parked 3 cars.
You can always outsource the work and still receive a share of the fruits of the labour, by providing someone else with opportunity to tend to the food growing.
Lawns are functional though, they aren't just a status symbol. They can be, but they can also be a social and recreational space. Can also be a piece of art - you may laugh sure but, what is art? What is something kept for its aesthetic value alone?
Also over the pond it's an invention much older than merely the 18th century.
This. Short grass around your structure increases the difficulty of rodent ingress. Keeping dead leaves raked and swept away reduces mosquito habitat. Sure you can put other plants there but the maintenance burden of them is going to be higher and depending on your roof and water/snow situation you might just wind up fighting a continuous battle against their destruction. In most of North America a lawn is simply the lowest maintenance way to keep nature at bay.
I think there is an important distinction between the front lawn and the back yard. In neighborhoods around my city, the front lawn is an entirely valueless piece of land (outside aesthetics).
Here in DFW where we didn't see a drop of rain for 3-4 months and +100 heat, it was around $600 a month in water to keep it green. I also never see anyone outside playing on their lawn. I see landscape maintenance once a week at a minimum cost of $45 per visit. Can't forget all the poison laid down 6 times a year at 100 + to kill the weeds and fertilize. The costs are enormous and the environmental damage is insane.
I have heard this theory before, and it seems too simplistic. I have a lawn, and I don’t care a bit about looking wealthy, and don’t think I lack personality. The lawn is an important part of my lovingly crafted landscape, along with trees, rock gardens, pathways, patios and furniture, harmoniously blended in a lush beautiful liveable outdoor space.
Lawn is like a carpet in a landscape. You can walk on it, lie on it, play on it, or just enjoy the esthetic of a lush uniform finish.
I suspect that disdain for lawns is correlated to disdain for ornate architecture or tasteful interior design. Some people just aren’t sensitive to the deep psychological effects of the spaces we live in.
I was surprised the first time I saw reference to this in the HN feed, but even more surprised at how many times it's been reposted.
Is this weird to people? In general I've learned to not pay attention to anything in the NYT when it comes to discussing California.
I'm in San Diego, many many people grow a garden in their yard. Front, back, wherever they have room.
Lawns are still more prevalent than I would expect. Even now, most people here don't realize that anything that's not brown sage scrub is being sustained with water from Colorado.
I was lucky enough to know some people before they died, who taught me: if you can't eat it, or smoke it, don't water it...
It would be nice if I could donate my front yard to a community garden. I would not have the time or the physical ability to maintain it. Myself, brass is actually easier that way, but if others are willing to grow and maintain crops there than I think that would be a fantastic use of the space.
California has some of the best weather in the country to do stuff like this. It's a no brainer. So many wonderful crops can be grown year round. Growing up we had an avocado tree, kumquat, lemons, limes, tomatoes, cukes, apples, grapefruits, you name it. As a Michigander now, I miss this a lot. If you are on the fence about this idea - please do it on behalf of everyone in the midwest or colder climates who can only grow outdoors for a few months out of the year.
Having a lawn is a ridiculous waste of resources, anyway. It's a win-win.
It's always worth checking out the native species that work best with your terrain, weather, and soil[0]. Though you may not be able to grow much food, you can grow a wonderfully rich, low maintenance garden with natives that will attract a diverse set of insects, birds, and animals. It in some ways might be more rewarding even than growing food, depending on your inclination.
My in-laws have an incredible native garden in California that is beautiful enough to have appeared in a couple of publications as an example (this is not some extravagant and rich family either, by any means). They rarely have to water their garden, compared with their neighbours who seem to have to hose/sprinkle their lawns every other day, practically.
But ... keep in mind it will attract insects, birds, and animals, and they may not be cute :). Be prepared for more insects in your house, more bird poop and more possums etc
In my previous home (a rental in San Mateo) I planted a small avocado jungle, which was eventually thinned to 3 trees that started producing in about 8 years. Half a block away was an enormous avocado, its canopy about 35' diameter. The soil there was fantastic, you could drop in anything and it would thrive. I live across the Bay now and though the soil quality is difficult (clay) the house came with 5 different fruit trees (lemon, cherry, peach, apricot, pear) and I've added a feijoa, a lime, and a few culinary herbs.
I also have a front lawn, which I haven't watered in several years, but comes back with the rain. I want to smother it permanently in cardboard, but that in itself is quite a lot of work that I refuse to admit I need to hire someone to get it done.
A friend of mine had a HUGE avocado tree in his backyard. He would hand us paper grocery bags basically filled to the brim with them all the time, because otherwise they would just fall off and rot in his yard.
His dog ate them all the time too, absolutely spoiled!
Likewise when I lived in Hawaii, my girlfriends grandmother had a mango tree the size of Tennessee and she'd give me big paper bags full of mangos. Best I have ever had.
I have a friend in Michigan who grows a LOT of different foods in his yard, all the way up to PawPaw fruit. You're right that winter limits the growing season, but I was amazed at how diverse this guys food garden is.
It works during the summer for annual plants and hardy species that can withstand the winter but the number of frost days really limits what you can grow. They take a few extra years to fruit but trees like avocados really change the ratio of effort to edible produce but they’re sensitive to frost. In California the double growing season takes it up another level, at the expense of growing a small number of frost loving species like blueberries.
That said I had a very productive dacha north of Moscow so there’s plenty of stuff you can grow in colder climates, you just have to more creative with your choices.
There is also the opportunity to turn this scale of farming into a livelihood. Jamiah Hargins followed the SPIN-Farming system to start Crop Swap. Google SPIN Farming. There's a lot about it. It is being used in the US and Canada.
Readit News
Yes, I'm biased, I'm a big fan. Just wanted to share some highlights because I think the article doesn't do the amazing work of Jamiah and his team justice. I hope we get to see many more such micro farms all across Los Angeles and Southern California.
Then, 19th century middle-class, in an attempt to look wealthier and having no personality whatsoever, replicated the trend on their tiny lots, even though they owned much less land, and keeping a lawn is a financial burden.
Nowadays, there's so much profit in this space (equipment, herbicides, etc) that there's an immense marketing budget to keep the status quo.
That's why it's important to learn your history. Good to see this trend reversing.
I'm from South America, and my grandma's house had: mango, peach, lime, orange, grapevine, berries, coconut, jaboticaba, pitanga, acerola, atemoia (native fruits), and many types of spices (including a bay laurel tree). All that in a lot that barely parked 3 cars.
Also over the pond it's an invention much older than merely the 18th century.
Here in DFW where we didn't see a drop of rain for 3-4 months and +100 heat, it was around $600 a month in water to keep it green. I also never see anyone outside playing on their lawn. I see landscape maintenance once a week at a minimum cost of $45 per visit. Can't forget all the poison laid down 6 times a year at 100 + to kill the weeds and fertilize. The costs are enormous and the environmental damage is insane.
Lawn is like a carpet in a landscape. You can walk on it, lie on it, play on it, or just enjoy the esthetic of a lush uniform finish.
I suspect that disdain for lawns is correlated to disdain for ornate architecture or tasteful interior design. Some people just aren’t sensitive to the deep psychological effects of the spaces we live in.
I don’t have a disdain for beautiful things and I wasn’t even planning on keeping the tent up. The demand for uniformity is what irks me.
This seems a bit conspiratorial, I'm sure the same companies would love to sell gardening equipment as well.
I just don't think most people bother. Gardening is super fun, but only if you know what you're doing or have the time and capacity to learn.
Lawns are nice for children to play on. Maybe that's why hackers hate them so much?
Is this weird to people? In general I've learned to not pay attention to anything in the NYT when it comes to discussing California.
I'm in San Diego, many many people grow a garden in their yard. Front, back, wherever they have room.
Lawns are still more prevalent than I would expect. Even now, most people here don't realize that anything that's not brown sage scrub is being sustained with water from Colorado.
I was lucky enough to know some people before they died, who taught me: if you can't eat it, or smoke it, don't water it...
Having a lawn is a ridiculous waste of resources, anyway. It's a win-win.
My in-laws have an incredible native garden in California that is beautiful enough to have appeared in a couple of publications as an example (this is not some extravagant and rich family either, by any means). They rarely have to water their garden, compared with their neighbours who seem to have to hose/sprinkle their lawns every other day, practically.
0: https://www.canr.msu.edu/nativeplants/plant_facts/local_info...
I also have a front lawn, which I haven't watered in several years, but comes back with the rain. I want to smother it permanently in cardboard, but that in itself is quite a lot of work that I refuse to admit I need to hire someone to get it done.
His dog ate them all the time too, absolutely spoiled!
Likewise when I lived in Hawaii, my girlfriends grandmother had a mango tree the size of Tennessee and she'd give me big paper bags full of mangos. Best I have ever had.
I do miss this about living in a warmer climate.
That said I had a very productive dacha north of Moscow so there’s plenty of stuff you can grow in colder climates, you just have to more creative with your choices.