Every morning these are all the wonderful (and sometimes disturbing) sounds I get to hear on the Urban Farm…

Winston is the newest addition to the Tooth Soap® urban farm. He was born on a small farm in Wisconsin so he already likes chickens. He also likes eating his raw chicken dog food.

 

Yes, Winston is a raw dog and he also brushes with Tooth Soap® for pets.

When I gave up television over a decade ago, I never thought about the things I would miss. Occasionally, however, I am reminded of how I am "out of the loop" because I don't know what the "latest" is, especially a commercial.

Today I found this popular video, with over 5 million views, which says I missed this one too, since it was a TV commercial.

This video explains why I decided to turn my backyard into an urban farm last February.

Even though I missed this video on TV, in reality, I haven't missed a thing.

When I took out 7 eggs from the coop this morning, and noticed that one of them was still warm, I just smiled and was full of gratitude. I am so fortunate to have chickens that have the opportunity to free range all day. I can see them from my kitchen and bedroom window!

I don't take the time to watch what the TV is streaming to the world, but I do make time to take plenty of action so I can avoid what their messages are warning people about.

Join me in planting a seed today, spring is just around the corner!

There has been much defeat in my efforts to grow and live off of my backyard, but there have also been some successes, and what I learned is truly priceless. 

I can do some things now in the garden that I never knew how to do before. Planting from seed is one of the things that I consider to be a great accomplishment. I had no confidence in doing this last season, so I bought most of the plants in the beginning.

After growing some tomatoes from seed I had some faith that I was able to do it so this spring, I will be growing organic plants from seed and saving myself a bundle. So far I have planted different kinds of squash, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, basil, cilantro and lettuce. The Grow Camps are still growing broccoli and cauliflower, so I never stopped growing in dirt since I started last year.

This romaine lettuce was started indoors in an organic compost based seed starting soil.  After trying many types of soil last season, I have a favorite. The seed starting soil from Gardeners Supply is my most favorite, even over Johnny's.

Once the lettuce outgrew the soil block, I rinsed off the dirt with a strong spray from the hose and transplanted them into the aquaponics garden. They are doing FANTASTIC! Aquaponics is made for growing greens (and fish, of course) so I would like to concentrate on growing lettuce, basil and chard in the rocks, this spring season.

This swiss chard started out strong but when the sunny days got shorter, the growth just about stopped. I recently moved it to a sunnier spot in the greenhouse and it looked like it was dead for two days. Then, suddenly, it came back to life and now it is thriving. 

I planted enough basil to detox the entire neighborhood; I thought it would be a good idea to sprout it in the greenhouse, so I could use the water from the fish tank. It took a while, but I finally have some basil sprouts. Why I love basil: It's easy to grow and awesome to detox heavy metals from the body.

This is Coco, one of four new chickens I raised from a pullet to an egg layer. I found one of the first newly laid eggs yesterday; it is a nice shade of blue, with a hint of green and white speckles all around. Absolutely gorgeous… and loaded with nutrition too.

I can't wait for spring!

It's challenging, to say the least, to keep an aquaponics system healthy in the winter when you depend on artificial everything to maintain it. That is the honest truth.

• Rocks instead of soil
  
• Artificial lights instead of sun
  
• Electrical pumps to move the water
  
• Fish waste water to feed the plants that normally grow in soil
  
• Heaters to keep the greenhouse warm on freezing nights (which attracts many visitors…)
  
• Heaters to keep the fish tank and settlement tank above freezing (so the tilapia will grow)
  

I chose to save the fish and I am happy to say, they are doing quite well.

Goats are one animal I haven't contemplated adding to the urban farm. I do, however, admire those that dedicate themselves to raising goats. It takes a very special person to raise them; goats are not as simple to keep as chickens are.

To those that raise goats, you have my respect. When you make cheese with the milk too… wow.

There is so much power in one little seed.

Every time I plant another seed, and watch it break through the soil, it is nothing short of a miracle.

Yes.

Every time I see a seed sprout, I know I have been privileged to witness a most magical event.

But there is much more to the seed that stimulating the soul.

Without seeds we have no way to survive.

Without heirloom and organic seeds, we have to resort to eating crops that make us sick.

Without each and every one of us taking responsibility for our food, and saving seeds, right now, tomorrow and the next day, we will have lost a most important opportunity for human survival.

Take this seriously and secure your future today.

I went away for four days and left the urban farming to my two daughters. My oldest would tend to the chickens and my younger one would handle the aquaponics system, because she has been keeping fish for over year and knows a thing or two about aquariums. 

The girls did a great job but like the last time I left, things happened that I didn't expect.  

 

Suddenly I noticed the air stones were not working and I panicked. It didn't make sense why they were not working because the light was on on the power strip. 

 

My fish can't breathe!  THEY NEED MORE OXYGEN!

 

The aquaponics system is blooming in November and anyone who is close to these types of growing systems knows how amazing and peaceful it feels to stand next to the grow beds and marvel at creation in front of your eyes.

It is truly lovely and at times breathtaking to stand there and hear the splashing water and view the happy fish eagerly awaiting their morsels.

Indeed, the aquaponics system located three feet from my kitchen continues to delight my soul.

What does this unique day mean? 

Is there some great significance?

Does it reveal some sort of prophetic message?

Is it the beginning of something new?

Is it meant to stimulate our consciousness so that we can understand what is to come?

Does it mean anything or point to any type of answer to any pressing questions? 

I don't know. 

And I don't think this day has any more power to help us realize those things than any other day of the year. 

I did find it fun to think about all those lines though, so uniform , so straight, so even, so balanced. 

I see unity in this 11 11 11 myself. 

Yes, peace and unity.  

A calmness even. 

With that said, I suggest we all have a peaceful day and spend it in unity with our work and relationships. 

Spend 11 11 11 balanced, at peace and fully relaxed. 

Then go do something nice for someone when you are relaxed and at peace. 

Just like anger and other emotions are contagious, so is that peaceful and relaxed presence. 

It makes people want to be peaceful when you are peaceful. 

Think about peace and creating unity. 

Then share the peace and create unity. 

It is really simple. 

Just like 11 11 11.