When it comes to urban homesteading most people living in apartments rule themselves out. However, there is a growing trend (pardon the pun) of balcony gardens designed to produce a rich harvest. The Edible Balcony a new book by Indira Naidoo
Naidoo’s story began at the Sydney Farmers Market where a stall holder offered her a cherry tomato as the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Indira Naidoo popped it in her mouth and kept walking. “But when I bit into it, it tasted like a bite of candy,” says the former ABC and SBS newsreader. “It was just so sweet and so juicy. I could taste Turkish delight and toffee apple. I thought, ‘Hang on, where did that tomato come from?'” Naidoo turned on her heel to ask the stallholder where she could buy them. “He said, ‘You can’t. But you can save some seeds and grow your own”
Featuring 60 delicious recipes showcasing her home-grown produce, plus plenty of practical advice, The Edible Balcony charts a year in the life of Indira's balcony garden and gives a season-by-season account of the triumphs and challenges she faces. This warm and engaging book will inspire even the most reluctant green thumbs to channel their inner gardeners and reconnect with nature, while also saving money and reducing their carbon footprint.
From that Epiphany in the Farmers Market to growing a fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruit on her thirteenth story balcony and now releasing her own book, Naidoo has joined the many other urban homesteaders on a quest to become as self sustainable as possible
Naidoo describes how she could have been like many others who dream of one day having a garden by which they can sustain themselves, however, they take no action because their living situation is not suitable. She encourages you start today by planting the space you have available. Even thirteen stories up Naidoo has managed to grow tomatoes, capsicums, zucchini, eggplants, carrots, mushrooms, rocket, lettuce, all manner of herbs and even a curry leaf tree in pots.
It is too easy to come up with excuses as to why you can’t grow healthy home-grown produce, but apartment dwelling examples like that of Naidoo show that we are all capable of doing something toward sustainable living. Take a step in the right direction by turning your balcony into a veritable garden of abundance and health. Your taste buds will delight in flavours you never existed from commercially harvested “fresh” produce.
Surprise your friends with culinary treats whipped up from your own garden – see if they don’t stare with amazement at your green fingers.
