The newly released book, Gardening with Chickens, by Lisa Steele combines my two favorite hobbies. It blends chicken keeping with gardening in an original and purposeful way that will open up your eyes to new possibilities. If you are looking to raise a healthy flock, this book covers gardening for optimal egg production, edibles to avoid planting and herbs to add to nesting boxes.
Spring is right around the corner, so this is the perfect time to start your planning. This book will assist you in finding the perfect spot for your garden. You will also be guided on how to start seeds, and the pages are filled with multiple landscaping ideas. There is a whole section dedicated to gardening in the spring! Just as every poultry lover does, I enjoy watching the chickens nosh on freshly grown micro greens, wheat grass, marigolds and herbs. It's always rewarding to be able to provide your pets with freshly grown plants. One day soon, I would love to have multiple gardens dedicated to chickens, and this is the perfect guide!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Lisa teaches you how to plant with a purpose and create a sustainable way of living. If you are looking to lead a healthy and happy lifestyle while saving time and cutting down on waste, this is the book for you. It is great for a person like me who is just starting out and looking for a step-by -step guide. Each chapter is filled with information that will take you down the path of becoming more self-reliant and a homesteading expert.
In chapter 2, The Raised Bed & Beyond, Lisa covers the benefits of growing in containers. She dives right into how you can construct your very own raised-bed garden and protect your crops from chickens and weeds. There are plenty of detailed descriptions that will fill you with ideas and plans for more beneficial growing. I enjoyed reading about building your own salad bar for your feathered friends. I've always wanted to give this a try, and this book really gave me the motivation to do so! I love how she talks about adding window boxes. It's such a simple way to add so much beauty to your coop, and keeps the plants off the ground and safe from rabbits and groundhogs.
I've always heard of chicken chunnels, which are tunnels for your chickens, but I wasn't sure where to start. These tunnels allow your chickens to roam in a designated area in your garden without harming your crops and also protect them from flying predators. They are very easy to build and can be picked up and moved often to whatever spot you desire. Lisa provides all the information you need to create your own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa runs one of my favorite blogs, Fresh Eggs Daily. Her love of animals really shines through in everything that she writes! She is always sharing new tips and tricks on backyard poultry keeping, as well has helpful gardening advice. In her most recent article, Plant A Nesting Box Herb Garden, she shares some great information from the book! Her blog has recently been named one of Better Homes & Gardens Top Ten Gardening Blogs. Make sure to check it out!
Lisa is a fifth-generation chicken keeper, who currently lives on a small farm in Maine with her chickens, ducks, dogs and a barn cat. She holds a Maine Master Gardener certification and is a regular contributor for Backyard Poultry and many more of my favorite publications. She also frequently appears around the country speaking at events like Mother Earth News and Country Living fairs. Make sure you follow along with her on social media!
I would definitely recommend Gardening with Chickens to anyone who wants to run their very own healthy and happy household. Maintaining a flock of chickens, as well as your very own gardens, can be a very rewarding experience. Combining the two can take living a sustainable lifestyle to the next level. Even if you don't own any chickens yet, this book can really assist you with setting up an area and landscaping your yard for a future flock. Whatever point you are at on your farming journey, this book is here to keep you motivated and provide you with the ideas you are looking for. I want to give a big thanks to Lisa for inviting me to review her wonderful book! Don't forget to click the button below and get yourself your very own copy.
51 Comments
Lori
February 28, 2017 at 6:06 amGreat review, Angie! I also love the blog redesign, it looks beautiful!
Lydia
February 27, 2017 at 6:07 pmThis looks like such a great book for gardening! So fun, I’d definitely check this out!
Jennifer (JenuineMom)
February 27, 2017 at 8:00 amWhat a fun and novel approach to gardening! I love the idea of carefully choosing plants (and places) for your chicken-friendly garden. And I adore the book cover.
Heather
February 26, 2017 at 7:46 pmThis looks like such a fun book! I grew up with chickens in my backyard. I’m in city limits where chickens are not allowed but love to visit them at my parents’ house!
Kim
February 26, 2017 at 5:51 pmI love your website…so cheery and always has great photos:)
MrsFricksey
February 26, 2017 at 4:31 pmThis book looks interesting! I will check it out. Love your chicken pictures!
Cindy Ingalls
February 25, 2017 at 5:46 pmThis books sounds so interesting. I’ve never really given much thought to raising my own chickens, but it would be nice to have fresh eggs.
Reesa Lewandowski
February 25, 2017 at 3:54 pmOwning chickens is a dream of ours!!! What a wonderfully fun book! I would still want to give it a read!
Terri Steffes
February 25, 2017 at 3:12 pmWhat a delightful book. I wish our neighborhood association would let us raise chickens. I think that would be awesome for our families.
Riva
February 25, 2017 at 10:22 amThis looks like such a great book! We raised chickens for almost 10 years, but have moved into a new house and haven’t gotten any, YET! I’d love to have this book on the shelf for when we get around to getting chickens again!
Our Family World
February 25, 2017 at 9:20 amsounds amazing book. i would like to have a copy and send it as agift to my bff!
Jessi
February 24, 2017 at 10:54 pmThis seems like such a neat book. I have been trying to convince my husband that we need chickens, but he isn’t buying it.
travel blogger
February 24, 2017 at 10:28 pmI will have to check out this book. We just moved to a house where I can finally have chickens, and I have always been drawn to more sustainable practices. This summer I will have to finally go out and get started!
Paris @ My Big Fat Happy Life
February 24, 2017 at 10:11 pmMy mom has been wanting chickens for years! I’ll have to get her a copy of this book. She’ll love it!
Charlotte
February 24, 2017 at 9:34 pmThanks for the book review, it sounds like a good read! I love the photos 🙂