Creating a sustainable lifestyle in a suburban backyard
MAKE A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, WHERE YOU ARE.
Living in a bustling city in New Zealand, BecsBackyard is an example of how you can build yourself a self-sustainable lifestyle in a suburban location, creating a flourishing maara kai (vegetable garden) working with natural systems and resources that you have around you.
Creating a self-sufficient lifestyle!
Welcome to Bec’s Backyard—where every corner of our suburban garden tells a story of sustainability and self-sufficiency. Here, we live in sync with nature, making thoughtful use of what we have to nurture our home and hearth.
At Bec’s Backyard, we see our chickens and ducks not just as pets, but as integral parts of our garden’s ecosystem. The water from the duck’s pool, after they’ve had their fun splashing around, gets recycled to nourish our edible garden—no synthetic fertilizers needed here! The bedding from our chicken coop doesn’t go to waste either; it turns into mulch for our plants, enriching the soil with every layer.
We’ve also set up a rainwater harvesting system, collecting every drop we can to quench the thirst of our animals and plants. Our gardens are designed with swale systems to catch and store water, ensuring that it seeps deeply to reach the roots of our plants. This way, we maximize every rainfall and morning dew, reducing our need for external water sources.
In the spirit of permaculture, we save seeds from our harvests, planning ahead for the next season’s crops. This cycle of renewal helps us keep our garden flourishing and our pantry stocked. Every part of our backyard ecosystem has its role, working together to create a landscape that not only survives but thrives in harmony with its surroundings.
“Through harmony with nature, we’ve cultivated a self-sustaining urban oasis where gardens flourish and abundance abounds.”
” In the heart of the urban sprawl, amidst concrete and steel, we’ve cultivated an oasis where sustainability thrives. Our chickens and ducks aren’t just livestock; they’re integral members of our ecosystem, enriching our soil with their waste and keeping pests at bay. Through this harmonious partnership with nature, we’ve fashioned a self-sustaining system where gardens flourish and abundance abounds. Every harvest isn’t just a bounty for our family but a testament to the power of working in harmony with the Earth, providing nourishment for both body and soul.”
Find those things you’re comfortable doing at your current location, & start from there.
To help you along, have a read of some of Bec’s tips in the blog posts.
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“Every time their bath water is changed, it’s as if they’ve won the duck lottery”
You haven’t truly witnessed joy until you’ve seen my four ducks in their bath.
It’s like a feathery festival of splashes and quacks! Every time their bath water is changed, it’s as if they’ve won the duck lottery. First to the scene is always Brad, the unofficial leader of the pack, who dives in with the enthusiasm of a pirate spotting treasure.
Behind Brad, the others waddle in a hurried line, quacking in what I assume is duck for “Move over, it’s my turn!” Shirley, the youngest and most spirited, performs what could only be described as acrobatic feats, spinning and splashing with a vigor that gets more water out of the bath than inside. Then there’s Apple and Angelina, who are more about the chill life, paddling around trying to find a gap in the chaos.
Together, they create a whirlpool of comedy, sending water flying and making sure not a single feather remains dry. Watching them, you’d think they’re in their own watery amusement park, and honestly, it’s the best show in the backyard.
Chickens
Ducks
Gardening
