Includes bibliographical references (pages 273-276).

Urban and rural collide in this wry, inspiring memoir of a woman who turned a vacant lot in downtown Oakland into a thriving farm.

When Novella Carpenter -- captivated by the idea of backyard self-sufficiency as the daughter of two back-to-the-earth hippies -- moves to a ramshackle house in inner-city Oakland and discovers a weed-choked, garbage-strewn abandoned lot next door, she closes her eyes and pictures heirloom tomatoes, a beehive, and a chicken coop. What starts out as a few egg-laying chickens leads to turkeys, geese, and ducks. And not long after, along came two 300-pound pigs. And no, these charming and eccentric animals aren't pets. Novella is raising these animals for dinner. An unforgettably charming memoir, full of hilarious moments, fascinating farmer's tips, and a great deal of heart, Farm City offers a beautiful meditation on what we give up to live the way we do today.