Start Where You Are
Turning a rented patio, a driveway strip, or a 20-foot yard into a real food garden.
About
Herstory
Cindy's Backyard City Homestead started with one raised bed, too many tomato seedlings, and the stubborn idea that homesteading is a set of skills, not an address.
She's been growing food in an ordinary city lot for over 40 years — vegetables in the beds, herbs in pots by the door, wild edibles in the corners most people mow.
"My homesteading journey began in a second-floor walk-up apartment when we were newly married. It just got realer and realer as time went on."
The blog behind this library holds years of notes: what worked, what died, what she'd do differently. This site organizes all of it so you can find the answer in the ten minutes you have before the rain starts.
Read more of Cindy's stories on her blog
You can start right where you are.
Speaking topics
Talks and hands-on workshops for garden clubs, libraries, schools, and community groups. Each one adapts to 45 minutes or a half-day.
Learn from Cindy in person or online — pick whichever fits your life. Her workshops turn practical homesteading skills into something genuinely fun to learn, no matter which topic you choose.
Soil, Not Dirt
Building living soil in the city — compost, mulch, and the case against tilling.
Meet the Neighbours
Companion planting as friendship: who grows well beside whom, and why it works.
Preserving what you Grow
Freezing, drying, and canning a backyard harvest without a farm kitchen.
All Things Tomatoes
A deep dive into choosing, growing, pruning, and preserving tomatoes in a small city garden.
Edible Weeds
Learn to identify, harvest, and cook the wild plants already growing in your lawn and alleys.
Homemade Sauerkraut
A hands-on fermentation workshop covering salt ratios, cabbage prep, and safe storage.
Growing and Using Herbs
Cultivating, harvesting, drying, and cooking with a small kitchen herb garden.
Celebrating Apples
From tree to table: apple varieties, storage, sauce, pie, and simple preserving.
Canning Tomatoes
A compact, practical session on water-bath canning crushed and whole tomatoes safely.
Jam Making: Low Sugar and No Commercial Pectin
Make flavour-forward jams with less sugar and no boxed pectin.
Upcoming workshops
Celebrating Apples
September 23rd, 7:00–8:30 PM MST
"Here's to APPLES! In all their glory. Red, yellow, green and everything in between. Sweet, tart, big, small." — join Cindy online to turn your overflowing basket into something worth celebrating.
$20 — Online Workshop
The Zoom link and workshop details will be sent to your email once your payment is received.
Please check your junk or spam folder for the Zoom link — it sometimes ends up there.
Ready to book?
Bring Cindy in for a class, a talk, or a hands-on workshop — in person or with your online group.
"The cost to attend is certainly attractive, but after attending one workshop, the cost is irrelevant. I would pay more - knowledge is worth so much more."
Diana Zelasek
Edmonton
What people are saying
Cindy is a great teacher… She loves to educate those who want to learn. Through her I've learned to find joy in creative ways using vegetables I've grown in my own garden, as well as ways to preserve them to enjoy through the rest of the year. I leave her classes having learned something new every single time! I highly recommend Cindy's presentations, as well as her more intimate cooking classes. Please try one class and you'll know why.
I have had the pleasure of learning from and working alongside Cindy, and I can wholeheartedly recommend her as an instructor, presenter, and homesteading resource. She has an incredible wealth of knowledge about gardening, cooking with what you grow, and emergency preparedness. What makes her teaching so valuable is the way she shares that knowledge in a practical, relatable way.
Cindy is largely self-taught, and she brings real-life experience into everything she teaches. She isn't afraid to keep learning, trying new methods, and finding better ways to do things, which means the information she presents is thoughtful, thorough, and useful. Her favourite recipes and homesteading experiences give her classes that wonderful feeling of learning from a knowledgeable friend in her own kitchen or garden.
Cindy is a wealth of knowledge for anyone wanting to build a more self reliant lifestyle. Her community garden classes are interactive, welcoming, and packed with practical tips. And she brings homemade treats. Her classes have completely inspired me. She is a treasure to our local gardening community. And her Backyard Homestead blog-site is my go-to resource for everything related to trying to be more self reliant.
Whether she is presenting at a large conference, a community workshop, or a small home gathering, Cindy connects with people wherever they are in their learning journey. She is approachable, kind, encouraging, and never makes people feel intimidated by something they are just learning to do.
Her presentations are well organized and thorough, but it is her genuine passion and willingness to share what she has learned that sets her apart. She has a wonderful ability to take practical homesteading skills and make them feel achievable, useful, and even enjoyable. Anyone looking to learn how to grow, preserve, cook, and prepare with confidence would benefit tremendously from Cindy's classes and experience.
Cindy is approachable, kind and has an amazing skill of connecting with and engaging you as she shares her wealth of knowledge in fun and interesting ways. She truly has an interest (I would say a Gift) when it comes to helping others learn and gain skills to become more sustainable and successful gardeners.
I have attended many of Cindy's presentations and demonstrations and leave every session well informed about the topic or items she is showing and discussing. She's well informed on what she's presenting and clearly has done her homework. I feel she anticipates questions before they are asked. Her delivery is clear and understandable to a variety of age groups (she's great with little to big) and keeps you interested in listening and paying attention. She also has a knack for getting the audience involved and participating if the opportunity to do so is there.
Cindy is exceptionally knowledgeable and highly skilled in all things related to her garden. I often joke that she is a herbologist because her understanding of the herbs she grows is both extensive and practical. Whenever an opportunity arises to share what she knows, she does so freely and without reservation. Every inquiry is met with patience, understanding, and kindness, making her an outstanding educator. I have struggled with gardening for over thirteen years, and not once has she shown impatience or frustration with repetitive questions. Her guidance is always gentle, encouraging, and rooted in genuine care. Cindy's teaching style consistently goes above and beyond. From thoughtful, creative class setups to delicious edible handouts, she brings a level of preparation and heart that attendees truly appreciate. Anyone who has participated in her classes can attest to the quality and warmth she brings.
Cindy's deep connection with nature and her generosity in sharing with care and humour have been much appreciated in many workshops.
Cindy extends a warm invitation to everyone - always welcome at her table. She exudes community. Cindy is one of the most resourceful humans I know. She genuinely cares about her teachings and is so generous with her vast knowledge. She embraces questions and answers all queries with understanding, with some humour mixed in for good measure. I have taken several of Cindy's workshops and gained awareness on so many levels - from planting, preserving, how to use edible weeds and making non-toxic cleaning products - her knowledge is endless. I leave her workshops satisfied, informed and ready to put ideas into practice. She makes you want to do better!!! The cost to attend is certainly attractive, but after attending one workshop, the cost is irrelevant. I would pay more - knowledge is worth so much more.
From the garden
