My Teeny Tiny FarmJust like me everyone can be a farmer in

their own small way.

I am Amber and I am going to take

you on my journey to grow food for my family whilst learning about

sustainable agriculture.

Welcome to my Farm!

What is my Aim?

My aim is to show that city folk like myself are truly capable of using the resources in their backyard to grow

food sustainably. Whilst our backyards will never feed the world, growing

your own food (even just a small amount) gives you a new appreciation and respect for farmers all over

Australia who are not only feeding Australian families but many other families around the world sustainably.

Sustainable Agriculture is the use of farming practices and systems which maintain and

enhance the economic viability of agricultural production; the natural

resource base; and other ecosystems which are

influenced by agricultural activities.

So what is Sustainable Agriculture?

My Teeny Tiny Farm

Strawberries

Herbs

Grapes

Tomatoes

Silverbeet

Worm farm

Bonsai

Lemon tree

Spinach

Lettuce

Seedlings

Cherry

Nectarine

What is a Teeny Tiny

A teeny tiny farm is simply hectares of paddocks, crops and livestock condensed

into one small, family-sized, easily managed farm that produces fruit and

vegetables for the needs of a household. Instead of growing three hectares of lettuces, a Teeny Tiny Farm may only

produce three plants.

Acres of land used for high agricultural

production

Metres of soil used for personal agricultural

production

Process to create a Teeny

Tiny Farm

Why have a Teeny Tiny Farm?A teeny tiny farm is an experimental activity outdoors, it is lots of fun and it is practical.

My teeny tiny vegetable patch

produces vegetables of all kinds, our

chickens produce eggs and the rest of our

backyard is scattered with fruit trees.

With all that done, my farm supports my

family and our friends in the community, making me proud!

Being involved in Agriculture

leads to so many more

opportunities!This little cria (baby alpaca)Hugo, needed bottle feeding for the

first few nights of his life... an amazing

experience!!!

Everything Counts If we are going to sustain

the future we all have to

maximise our resources and use them wisely.

A Teeny Tiny Farm is ideal for: Individual production… That environmentally

friendly familyThat enthusiastic gardener

and even… Even that lazy person on

the couch ready for a snack.

Producing your own food is great fun and very rewarding

for everyone!!!

Potted herbs and veggies can give you

a start.

You don’t need to

start big , just have

fun.

I have a cow on my Teeny Tiny Farm… she produces herbs, not

milk!

Growing your own produce

comes with the

satisfaction of having grown it yourself.

Look at ALL the Benefits

You will know exactly where your food has come from.

You will have fresh produce at your fingertips.

You will have vitamin/nutrient rich and vine ripened produce. Vine ripened produce

But wait there is more!

The growing and tending of the veggies will relieve stress and give

therapeutic benefits.

It can be educational for children who will learn where fresh food comes from

– it is NOT the grocery store!

You can share what you have left over

Why go to the Effort?

Why wouldn’t you, when you can grow all this?

I have a Teeny Tiny Farm, not just to produce my own food or make use of space, but to learn as much as I

possibly can about Agricultural production. I am able to learn what happens on large farms by

studying my small farm.

Silverbeet

Lettuce

Potatoes

Layer Hens

Grapes

Tomatoes Herbs

My garden is huge!

Four Weeks Later...

A farm in your backyardTeeny Tiny Farms

are environmentally

friendly … they can be

portable, tiny or huge

… minimal cost… it is so much

fun!!!!

No pollution A Teeny Tiny Farm

needs no huge machinery or fuel to harvest produce. A Teeny Tiny Farm does not require

large quantities of chemicals (if any)

and does not pollute our waterways if

managed correctly.

Subsistence Farming not ExcessA Teeny Tiny Farm can be managed to produce only what is needed, no

waste (money wise or produce)Subsistence farming is farming simply for what is needed for

example:My farm produces spinach, where the leaves are picked only when

they are needed (rather than wasting uneaten sections).

Any excess produced by Teeny Tiny Farms can be shared with friends

and family.

Portable, Tiny or Huge

A Teeny Tiny Farm isn’t just a farm like mine, with pots and garden beds, trees and shrubs. It doesn’t

have to have chickens or be spread all around. A Teeny Tiny Farm can be a vegie patch with many different vegetables or even a single fruit tree on

the back of a porch. It can be in a tub to take wherever you wish or it can be a mix of everything. A Teeny Tiny Farm is simply a farm that is smaller

than what most imagine. My Teeny Tiny Farm is here to show that it’s not only experienced farmers in the country that can grow their own produce, but city folk like me can grow all that too (only a little

bit tinier).

Lots of Fun!A Teeny Tiny Farm is lots of

fun. It does not require heaps of labour, money or time but

it does require a smile. Spending time outside with your hands in the soil and

plants everywhere couldn’t be more fun… it’s the perfect Sunday afternoon with the

family. Not only is it so much fun to set up and look after, you get results in only a few weeks… kilos of greenery and colour

ready for the plate!!!

But wait there is more!

Make sure you check out Part 2 of my series on My Teeny Tiny Farm; Grow

Your Own In part 2 I will share

with you how to set up your own Teeny Tiny Farm, so you too can grow

healthy nutritious food in your own back yard

GOLD SILVERPLATINUM

BRONZE

WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSORS OF THE 2011 CREAM OF THE CROP COMPETITION

Thankyou!

Amber O’Neill