Ep 14: Lisa Steele on Gardening with Chickens … Symbiotic Systems That Actually Work

Lisa Steele returned to her fifth-generation roots after Wall Street, launching Fresh Eggs Daily in 2009 to share natural, herb-based poultry care the old-timer way.Her book Gardening with Chickens showed that flocks and gardens can thrive together: chickens debug, fertilize, and till; gardens supply greens, bugs, and scraps. Ten years on, the updated 10th anniversary edition (https://homesteadliving.com/gardening-with-chickens) adds refined systems, small-space hacks, and lessons from a decade more dirt-under-nails experience.The message is clear: build a symbiotic relationship that supports both your hens and your plants. Cut your feed bill, raise healthier birds, and grow better food (even on a small plot of land).Learn how herbs can support your flock, how to prevent your chickens from destroying your plants, and how to harness the power of your garden and your chickens to improve the health and outputs of both.If you want practical harmony between hens and plants, this is it.In this episode, Anna and Lisa cover:Lisa’s journey from Wall Street back to her rural rootsWhy she chooses natural herbs over chemicals for keeping her flock healthySafe plants vs. toxic ones for chickensHow chickens can help manage compost, weeds, and garden pests Timing free-range access to optimize your garden while protecting your main-season cropsChicken tractors, tunnels, and wing clipping: real-world pros and consDecorating the coop for joy (curtains, herbs, and aesthetics for form and function)Lessons learned from more than a decade of gardening with chickensA sneak peek into Lisa’s updated 10th anniversary edition of her book Gardening with Chickens