Picking and Choosing

Not all yards are created equal.  Neither are all community gardens nor farms.  But considering your soil type, topography, micro-climate and cultivation habits doesn't help much without first answering a more basic question: what do you like to eat?

Your food preferences--what you like to eat--help determine which vegetables, fruits or livestock you want to consider raising.  But most gardeners and small farmers will do better to grow some of these items really well, rather than trying to grow all of them.  But which crops should you grow, and which should you barter, buy, or otherwise procure?  Let's take a few case examples:

• The Side-yarder: The Side-yarder has some limited space, usually somewhat shady, in which they want to grow some food.  It might be a border along the house or some containers on a balcony.  If this is you, grow leafy greens and herbs.  You can produce a huge variety in a small space, and fellow growers will be happy to trade their ubiquitous tomatoes for some of your specialty flavorings.  Don't bother with the frustration of trying to grow tropical species in low light.
• The Square-footer:  This gardener has lots of sun, and a small- to medium-sized area to grow food.  Emphasize a variety of unique vegetables, including all the families through inter- and succession-planting, as zoned rotation in these small spaces may not be practical.  Consider a few dwarf fruit trees to enhance the diversity of your harvest.  Avoid sprawling plants that do not produce much per square foot, like melons and squash.  Use trellising whenever possible.
• The Urban Homesteader:  This archetype has plenty of land (maybe a nearby vacant lot or community garden plot), but be careful:  with lots of space, the impetus for carefully planning efficient use of space can wane.  Try crops that need little irrigation.  Take advantage of available space for berries, and think about if chickens or other animals could be responsibly supported with your planned inputs and workload.

These are just a few rough guidelines.  Remember that some soils and micro-climates are more conducive to growing certain plants than others.  That barren, rocky patch might be great for peppers and dill, while the former location of a compost pile would suit tomatoes or pumpkins....