Curtis Stone, a resident of Kelowna, B.C., wrote a book about his recent project: The Urban Farmer. The book talks about techniques on how to build profit out of your own backyard, or a leased one. It also contains business strategies if in any case you want to be competitive with your farm.

The Urban Farmer is Stone’s way of extending his knowledge to aspiring entrepreneurs who have a passion for gardening. Urban farming, as the book described, is a good way of making money. Most businesses that would require vegetable shipments could just come to you for a fresher source.

It also provides benefits such as removing the need for large scale investments (i.e. buying huge amounts of land), increased potential target market (it is closer to the city in turn making it more convenient), and costs way less to operate as compared to regular farms.

Stone’s own farm had already produced tons of food, producing 50 tons of food last 2012. Last 2015, Green City Acres yielded 17.5 tons farming 15,000 square feet of land. The land produced 23 different products and gained profit of roughly $75,000. The vegetables that gained the most profit are spring mix, netting approx. $22,000, and tomatoes, netting approx. $11,000. Among the list would be arugula, salad turnips, and radishes. By weight, the farm produced 3 tons of tomatoes, 2.6 tons of radishes, 2.5 tons of spring mix, 2 tons of turnip, and 1 ton of carrots. All in all, the crops made up half the farm’s profits.

Stone believes that everyone should try creating urban farms if they have the chance. It would greatly help with the nation’s food production and it would also benefit you as the farmer by gaining profit and producing food.