Another PDX noob...

Well starting to do some research for getting some chics this spring. I think they'll be a welcome addition to my expanding garden. I have little to no experience with chickens (other than killing a few on my grandfathers farm when I was 12 in some sorta rite of passage thingy he felt was necessary). But I'm not really interested in raising broilers, I'm much more interested in eggs and fertilizer.

This last summer I decided to start a lifelong dream of mine and that's to figure out how much self sufficiency one can get on a typical city lot (50' x100') here in SE Portland. Which will be difficult considering I'm also trying to feed a wife and two kids (all three of which are rather selective in their tastes of veggies.) My first attempt at gardening was somewhat a success and despite the late start I harvested a lot of greens this fall and was looking forward to a winter crop till we got the "arctic blast" now just my carrots and leeks survived and a few of the spinach plants (which the inch worms will be thankful for). I'm using the square foot method for anyone that might be interested.

Thanks in advance for any info/help you all might send my way.

 

well pretty much using the newest square foot book (don't remember the exact name I've loaned it out). And then mostly the info on the seed packs and catalogs. If I got questions I live between Portland Nursery on Division and & 7 Dees (if that what it's still called) on Powell and usually ask the people there about the specifics. But mostly I just kinda wing it unfortunately I'm one of those people that learn best by making mistakes.

But this spring I plan on adding an almond tree in the back and the coop as well as adding a few new beds. Looking forward to trying pumpkins vertically. And being able to do something other than greens, just trying to convince the rest of the family that egg plant would be worthwhile, and why Zuc's aren't (since everyone gets more Zuc's than they can ever use I can barter for the Zuc's)

I've also been thinking of doing a "free for all" bed in space between the sidewalk and the road where I start it and maintain it, but basically allow anyone passing by harvest from it. I think it'd be kinda cool to have entire neighborhoods doing this where all the neighbors get together and plan a neighborhood veggie garden in the medians. And really the square foot method is so easy, i could probably maintain my side of the street on my block with little effort on my part.

But really I just like to get my hands dirty and do it. Though with something like livestock I'd like to be a little more prepared than I usually am with stuff like this. Explaining why daddies neglect killed a chicken is a conversation I'd rather not have with my 4 year daughter.