A zero-waste urban farm in Altadena
The chickens roam free in Choi Chatterjee’s Altadena backyard.
(Christina House / For The Times)The couple removed the turf from the parking strip next to their home and planted a communal garden. Here, neighbors are free to pick fruit and vegetables for their own tables.
(Christina House / For The Times)Choi Chatterjee and Omer Sayeed became backyard beekeepers to address colony collapse disorder.
(Christina House / For The Times)
Sayeed repurposes the leftover honeycombs from the beehive to make candles.
(Christina House / For The Times)The couple harvested 16 gallons of honey this year and gave 10 of it away.
(Christina House / For The Times)Echeveria shaviana, back, and beavertail cactus, front, are among the many potted plants on display.
(Christina House / For The Times)
Epiphyllum oxypetalum, ‘Queen of the Night.’
(Christina House / For The Times)The hardy hesperaloe needs little water.
(Christina House / For The Times)A Stapelia Starfish flower in bloom.
(Christina House / For The Times)A Tarocco blood orange tree in the front yard. Sayeed credits the goat manure for the tree’s massive fruit.
(Christina House / For The Times)Mithu the parrot fell out of an avocado tree and was adopted by the family.
(Christina House / For The Times)A drought-tolerant ‘Medusa’s Head’ euphorbia grows in a pot.
(Christina House / For The Times)In the front yard, an old bathtub is repurposed as a planter next to the turtle pond.
(Christina House / For The Times)The couple compost using manure from their chickens, goats, fish, and pigeons.
(Christina House / For The Times)Clove roams free in Altadena.
(Christina House / For The Times)The couple bottle fed their goats Daisy, pictured, and Blueberry when they first arrived.
(Christina House / For The Times)
Inside, serrano and habanero peppers are laid out to dry.
(Christina House / For The Times)Homegrown bounty from Choi Chatterjee and Omer Sayeed’s garden includes squash, pomegranates, limes, persimmons and eggplant. Even the beeswax candles are homemade.
(Christina House / For The Times)