Discover How Ohio Urban Homesteaders are Turning Their Yards into Bountiful Sustainable Food Gardens

In Ohio, over 1.8 million people face food insecurity, making up more than 15% of the population. As food access becomes harder, many Ohioans are turning their yards into sources of sustenance.

Taite and Ben Kyle, from Huber Heights, have been gardening for years. But two years ago, they transformed their front yard into a large garden with recycled wood for raised beds. “We want to help make a difference and provide for our family amid a broken food system,” Taite explains.

Rows of vegetables like raspberries, lettuce, and tomatoes fill their yard, while a spiral garden offers various microclimates for plant growth. This urban homesteading trend allows them to rely less on industrial food systems.

Lauren Craig, a homesteading consultant in southwestern Ohio, has helped over 300 urban homesteaders in just a few years. “People are eager to homestead but don’t always know how,” she notes. Her designs include step-by-step instructions and materials lists for busy families aiming for self-sufficiency.

Craig highlights the benefits of local food. “If your food is from your yard, there’s no fossil fuel needed for transport,” she states. This cuts down on pollution and reliance on a wavering food supply. Rising egg prices linked to avian flu and last year’s drought in Ohio underline the fragility of our food systems.

Margaret Rivera, an Agriculture Educator for Summit County, co-hosted an educational series in 2020 about urban homesteading. She plans to reconnect with participants as interest in self-sufficiency grows. “People are anxious about empty store shelves and global conflicts,” she observed.

Yet, aspiring homesteaders face barriers. Many lack land or time, particularly because most families balance jobs and farming. Taite and Ben Kyle juggle homeschooling and work, but they find ways to keep their garden thriving.

People like Christine Irby, who runs Irby’s Old School Farm, feel the urgency of self-sufficiency. “We don’t know what’s in our food anymore,” she says, emphasizing a need for clean, accessible options. Irby is part of the Black Indigenous People of Color Food and Farming Network, striving to empower communities through gardening.

Ultimately, the Kyles believe that while individual efforts matter, community collaboration is critical. “We can do a lot, but real change comes from supporting one another,” Taite says. As urban homesteaders connect, they cultivate not just crops, but a sense of community resilience.

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