permaculture

[David Neeley <dbneeley@gmail.com>]

Sean,

Depending upon your physical circumstances, there are several things I
would suggest you consider...three, actually:

1. Mushrooms. Gourmet-quality mushrooms can be grown in little space
and low-light conditions are not only possible but necessary. Yields
are high, and there should be a ready demand close to you for various
of the varieties that are available.

2. Vermiculture. If you have a place for it (even, on a small scale,
indoors), it is quite possible to produce incredibly rich soil from
various forms of waste. Worm castings should be a very easy product to
sell to the nurseries and floriests that exist even in the "urban
jungle"--and to many of the container gardeners in your area.

3. Container gardening. A surprising amount of your own fresh
vegetables and herbs can be grown that way--especially if you are
producing the sort of compost that vermiculture creates.

Personally, I would think that creating very high-quality containers
of complementary plants and selling them would be a very lucrative
method of using your time and resources. By producing your own rich
compost, this should be an extremely inexpensive way to make a
considerable income with limited space. Many urban dwellers are just
as fond of fresh herbs, for example, as anyone anywhere...but many
lack the confidence or the time to get things started properly.

Usually, a little analysis of the market and what is in demand can
yield big benefits in deciding what to grow using space, time, effort,
and money you have available. With so many top-flight restaurants in
your area, it should be fairly easy to establish a market for the more
exotic and delicate fresh produce that they have trouble getting.

I think you said you have 1200 feet to work with. If that is to be
completely dedicated to your growing project (as compared, say, to a
1200 square foot flat in which you will also grow whatever), then I
would think it should be fairly straightforward to analyze what items
are in the most demand and give the highest yield per square foot.
That is why I first suggested mushrooms, in fact.

As you get a few of these things up and running, I believe you can
develop a ready market for the started containers--and even offer
classes in "urban agriculture" where you demonstrate what you do. A
few bins of the right earthworms busy creating compost also can serve
as "breeding stock" for others who want to do it, too.

In short, the shorter on space you are the more important your
creativity becomes in making a successful pursuit that will improve
your own and your community's situation.

David