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About Farming My Backyard

Welcome!  I’m Kathryn Robles editor and writer here at Farming My Backyard.

I’m the author of three urban homesteading books, Baby Steps To Backyard Chickens, Backyard Chickens: How To Have A Happy Flock, and Backyard Orchards. I’ve also contributed articles for Mother Earth Living and Grit.

If you need to get in touch you can reach me via email at kathryn (at) farmingmybackyard (dot) com.

Here on Farming My Backyard you can expect advice on simple living, urban homesteading, and living a more eco-friendly life.

I never expected to find myself farming in the city, but it turns out I love growing my own food!  When people talk about chickens being the gateway drug to farming, they aren’t kidding!  

We brought home our first chicks in spring of 2010 and haven’t looked back since. We started with a small lot, just 5,000 square feet, but we utilized every inch of it. I’ve even managed to overcome my black thumb! (Mostly).

Raising environmentally-aware kids in an 880 square foot house means learning how to be minimalist and what really matters in life. There isn’t any room for fluff (well, except for fluffy chickens!).

As our family and homestead grew, it became apparent that it was time for us to get a bit more elbow room, along with a second bathroom!

We learned how to manage our finances and live frugally, so when an opportunity came to move closer to family in San Antonio, Texas, we jumped!

We now of have a debt-free home on a 1/2 acre lot, a small flock of bantams, solar panels, water barrels, and plenty of garden space and fruit trees.

I love sharing what I learn with others, so I hope you’ll stick around for advice and inspiration on how to live more fully on less.

About Kathryn

About Kathryn Robles from Farming My Backyard

Even from a small age I could be found out wandering the yard, occasionally sampling the dandelions or trying to make rope out of yucca fibers.   

After graduating from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in Psychology, my husband and I married and moved to Portland, Oregon.

Here we started urban homesteading and raising our family while my husband, Edward Robles started his tax preparation business as a Certified Tax Preparer and IRS Enrolled Agent.

My family includes my husband and our five six seven children!  In addition to the chickens, we also have an assortment of cats that like to hog the bed.

Keep in Touch

You can also find Farming My Backyard on Pinterest.  

If you need to contact me please leave a comment or email me at kathryn (at) farmingmybackyard (dot) com. I am not accepting unsolicited guest posts at this time.  

If you are looking for more details on sponsored posts or reviews you can get more details here.

Also, please subscribe for email updates so you don’t miss any announcements or new articles!

Want To Raise Happy Chickens?

Subscribe for our newsletter and get the free email course Intro To Backyard Chickens as well as a free printable checklist to walk you through step by step!

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Please Look Around!

New to the site?  Here are some of our top articles to help get your started.

Chickens molting may look like a disaster, and cause a drop in egg production, but there are some things you can do to help them get through it.

Are Your Chickens Molting? Here’s What You Need To Know

It looked like chicken carnage in the coop. There were feathers everywhere, and my heart sunk. I quickly did head ...
Everyone says compost is so easy, but some of us still manage to screw it up. Here's how NOT to compost, with sixteen proven ways to fail.

How NOT to Compost: 16 Ways To Screw It Up

I started my first compost bin in 2008 and I was so jazzed up and excited about it. I was ...
Getting chickens, but not sure you can build a fancy coop?  Here is a mega list of design ideas for chicken coops you can build yourself.

55 Best Chicken Coops for Practical People

One of the first things you need if you are thinking about getting chickens is some kind of housing for ...
Are you guilty of these 15 chicken keeping mistakes? Get started on the right foot and make sure you don't commit the worst one of all.

15 Chicken Keeping Mistakes to Avoid

In general chickens are pretty easy. Even if you have no experience taking care of an animal a little reading ...
If you find a rabbit kit out of the next box you may be able to save it. Here are some ideas on how to resuscitate baby bunnies.

How To Resuscitate Baby Bunnies (Even If They Look Dead)

In a perfect world, baby bunnies would always be born in the nest box, covered with lots of warm fur ...
A DIY composting toilet is easy to construct and maintain. All you need are a few basic supplies, and basic building skills.

How To Make Your Own DIY Composting Toilet

If you are longing to get off grid, a DIY composting toilet is simple to construct and use.I built an ...
Colony raising rabbits is a rewarding method of raising rabbits. There are a few basic how to's to succeed in setting up a colony.

Colony Raising Rabbits: How To Get Started

Colony raising rabbits isn't hard, but there are a few considerations that can make setting up a rabbit colony go ...
Do you know how to make sour cream?  I recently discovered that homemade sour cream is SO EASY!  All you need is cream, and a culture.

How to Make Sour Cream With Yogurt

Did you know that you can make your own sour cream? It's actually SUPER EASY! All it takes is cream, ...

Want To Raise Happy Chickens?

Subscribe for our newsletter and get the free email course Intro To Backyard Chickens as well as a free printable checklist to walk you through step by step!

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marni todd

Thursday 12th of April 2018

is your baby goat that you have on craigslist still available?

Kathryn

Thursday 12th of April 2018

Sorry, she has already gone to her new home.

GeorgeG Mbaga

Tuesday 19th of September 2017

Thank You Kathryn for Sharing With Us a Brilliant Idea, l learn From You How to Raise Chickens For Meat & Eggs in Small Space. Another One is the Tips for Caring and Breeding Rabbit. Here in Tanzania Rural Area we Still Keeping Organic Chickens But the Challenge Chickens Disease. Major Problem is to identify the Disease which Chicken Suffering.Your Knowledge Propelled Me to Keep Moving on that Business,Thanks.

Kathryn

Wednesday 20th of September 2017

I'm glad it was able to help. Good luck with the chickens!

Susan Tierney

Sunday 9th of April 2017

Hi Kathryn - I stumbled upon your site while looking up DIY composting toilets and decided to poke around some more! I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your relaxed, clear manner of presenting information and your creative, practical ideas. I've been looking more into self-sufficiency and preparedness recently, but am currently living in more-or-less the suburbs for the foreseeable future, so space is an issue. Plus, my backyard is shady unfortunately. Most importantly, although you mention how your tips can be useful to those prepping for survivalist scenarios, that is neither the tone nor the focus of your site. I greatly appreciate that, as it allows me to look at these ideas as simply a different way of living and do not generate anxiety about what gloom and doom I might be preparing for. Thank you again for your efforts to share this knowledge and the way in which you do.

Kathryn

Monday 10th of April 2017

Thank you so much Susan!

Mandy

Monday 6th of June 2016

I just live in Vancouver, WA and I wanted to see if you sell rabbits. We are looking to get our homestead started with a trio... Or do you know someone that is interested in selling rabbits? Thanks

Kathryn @ Farming My Backyard

Wednesday 8th of June 2016

All the babies I have right now are one litter from a brother sister pairing. Fine for eating, but not the best quality breeding stock. Have you checked Craigslist? That is how I found mine. Your local feed store may have some, or know of some breeders in the area.

Heather

Friday 25th of March 2016

My goodness, your children are adorable! You are blessed to have 3 daughters (remember that ...blessed ;) ) I too have 3 daughters and 2 sons. Liam will definately have an insiders advantage to girls when the time comes. Enjoy! I really like your site. We are military and lived in Sherwood, OR for 4 years. Great area for what you are doing.

Kathryn @ Farming My Backyard

Friday 25th of March 2016

Thank you so much! It can get rather shrill and pink over here, but we love it. Right now Liam walks around calling princess carriages "trucks." :)