Curtis Stone is a farmer, author, speaker and consultant. His area of expertise is in quick growing, high value annual vegetables for direct consumer market streams. His book, The Urban Farmer, demonstrates organic intensive techniques with a focus on business and systems to streamline labor and production. He offers a new way to think about farming. One where quality of life and profitability coexist.  Read on for more information about this book from New Society Publishers and enter to win one of two copies!

This is a comprehensive real-world manual based on your experiences.  What do you enjoy about urban farming?  What was the hardest lesson you had to learn – and –  your most triumphant moment on your journey?

I love working and being rooted in a community and feeling a very simple sense of purpose by growing something that every needs, food.

Every year there’s a new challenge, this is life. It’s the struggle that builds character and makes us better farmers and people. No particular one that stands out.

It’s the little ones each day, nothing stands out.

How does this book help us turn our lawns into a tremendous source of opportunity?  And is a HUGE sprawling lawn a necessary requirement?

Besides from the specific road map I lay out of how to take a 2000 square foot lawn and turn it into a $20,000 per season enterprise, the fact that it can be done should be a huge motivator when looking at the prospects available to most North Americans.

We often hear that profitable farming is not possible.  How does your book help to ensure a path to profitability?

By demonstrating a clear road map on how to run a business and approach systems thinking and a marketing plan, which are often the things that farmers are missing.

What sage words of wisdom do you have to offer those wishing to join the urban farmer movement?

Start small. If you’ve never farmed before, don’t start with any more than a quarter acre.

What are some standout features in your book that the reader will find most useful?

I tried to cover a lot of things that books like this have never covered before, such as a whole chapter on irrigation. I talk a lot about the business of farming and barely spend any time talking about how to make good compost, which has been covered by almost every organic farming book I’ve ever read.