BACKYARD FARMING IS A LONG-STANDING TRADITION IN AMERICA, with people owning livestock for their family’s own use. A change to more urban lifestyles saw a decline in the personal farm, but the recent pandemic and related stay-at-home order and food shortages have brought a renewed interest in backyard farming and self-sufficiency.
“You always see an increase in the spring participation, but anytime there’s a downturn in the economy, you see a lot more people reaching out for animals,” said Jonathan Moyle, senior Extension agent in agricultural and food systems at the Lower Eastern Shore Research & Education Center. “Chickens are a natural beginner, and then your small ruminants (goats and sheep) are next, because they are the easiest, and they take the least space. Right now, there’s a waiting list for chicks. You can’t get chicks, the hatcheries-both national and international-are sold out.”
Starting a backyard farm goes beyond simply acquiring the animals, said Maegan Perdue, agricultural agent on the Lower Eastern Shore and lead faculty for the backyard farming classes and workshops offered online by UMD Extension (UME). “People need to be aware of the commitment of keeping livestock and the change in lifestyle that might come with it,” she said.
They also need to educate themselves before getting chickens or any type of livestock, she said. “You need to know the regulations in your town or city. Some cities might allow animals, but your homeowners association might not.”
“The other important thing is to have your area and equipment ready before getting your animals,” said Moyle. “You don’t want to run out and get chickens or goats, and then still need to set up when you bring them home.”
The majority of backyard farms in Maryland start with egg-laying chickens because they need the least amount of work and care to stay healthy and produce eggs. Although, according to Moyle, it does take six months before chickens begin laying.
But backyard livestock isn’t limited to chickens, said Perdue. In fact, the uptick in interest in personal farming has caused Perdue to expand her backyard farming classes to include more types of livestock and more related topics for online delivery, building upon the already successful in-store and on-farm educational sessions.
“We’re trying to appeal to more statewide audiences, so we’re learning about what other areas need in terms of backyard farms,” Perdue said. The new backyard farming classes now include online modules for chickens, small ruminants, cattle, and even beekeeping. These courses are supplemented by workshops on feeding, hay types, biosecurity, proper healthcare, and safely handling animal products.
“This program isn’t for people who want to be farmers; this is for people who want to do it in their backyards,” said Moyle. “This is for your family. It’s kind of like a victory garden, only with animals.”
Victory gardens-fruit, vegetable, and herb gardens that were planted during wartime at private residences or in public parks-were meant to bolster food supplies during shortages. With a renewed interest in growing food at home, the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) saw a 65% increase since 2019 in requests for information about food production, answering a whopping 4,400 questions between April and June of this year, said Jon Traunfeld, HGIC director.
“Seed companies were deluged with orders this spring, causing slowdowns in service and temporary seed shortages,” Traunfeld said. Master Gardeners across the state have also been producing webinars for starting a food garden in your backyard, which can be found on the HGIC YouTube channel.
According to an HGIC blog by Annette Cormany, principal UME Master Gardener agent in Washington County, growing victory gardens was part of your patriotic duty during wartime, and the practice is being revived throughout the United States today. “Victory gardens grew out of the idea that we can all do our part to help,” Cormany wrote.
UME was there with research-based free information for the public during wartime and economic downturn, and continues helping Maryland create a reliable food chain and self-sufficiency today. Backyard farming and victory gardens can provide that same type of home-derived food source, ensuring nutritional security for families.
