Urban and rural collide in this wry, inspiring memoir of a woman who turned a vacant lot in downtown Oakland into a thriving farm. When Novella Carpenter -- captivated by the idea of backyard self-sufficiency as the daughter of two back-to-the-earth hippies -- moves to a ramshackle house in inner-city Oakland and discovers a weed-choked, garbage-strewn abandoned lot next door, she closes her eyes and pictures heirloom tomatoes, a beehive, and a chicken...

Two experts in urban gardening provide advice for city dwellers looking to plant herbs, tomatoes, and more on windowsills, fire escapes, and other urban places and to incorporate the principles of ethical food.

"The farm of the future might be your neighbor's suburban lawn, the roof of your uptown condominium, or the co-op market garden in the vacant lot down the street. Urban Agriculture is a detailed look at the next logical step in the local food movement. It offers inspirational advice and working examples to help you dig in and become more self-sufficient with your own food choices."--BOOK JACKET.

City dwellers across the country are finding creative new ways to live, and urban farmers are reclaiming heirloom agrarian practices as strategies for responsible living. Get to know real people who are changing their lives and the lives of their neighbors through the urban homesteading movement.