.17 urban lot

Hi everyone - Found Permies.com from The Survival Podcast. Now I am brand new to PC, I want to start learn from the posts and read books as well.

I did a search on the forums for a books for beginners, but didn't come up with much.

My wife & kids and I have .17 acre lot outside of Wilmington DE. I do garden, but I want to take it up a notch and make the most of what I have been blessed with. We kinda have a odd shape lot that looks like inverted tear drop/ corner lot. The county here won't let us have livestock. So I am going to go about that in other ways I hope. I want to have chickens for fresh eggs, but can't. So I was going to try go another route with ducks.

We just had a wood stove installed last year, to get us out of heating with oil.

What ever advice you can give a beginner and books to look at would be great.


Thanks
Rook

This is the most inspiring site for what can be done on a small lot:  http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/

You might consider aquaponics - I don't think fish would qualify as "livestock" under the county rules.  http://www.aquaponics.net.au/aqua1/

Rabbits might also be a possibility.

The best beginner's book on permaculture, which is specifically for small lots, is "Gaia's Garden" by Toby Hemenway.

you said read, well I highly recommend getting a copy of Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway which has some really good information on urban permaculture, esp forest type gardening which sound like it might be right up your alley so to speak.

you might be able to get it at a library but it is an excellent reference material so buy it if you have the $

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Now to reserve a copy of the book at the library.