This extensive excerpt details Novella Carpenter's journey as an urban farmer in a "ghetto" neighborhood of Oakland, California, transforming an abandoned lot and her own home into "GhostTown Farm." It chronicles her experiences raising various animals, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, bees, and rabbits, often acquired through unconventional means, while also cultivating diverse crops like vegetables, fruits, and corn. The narrative explores the challenges and realities of self-sufficiency within an urban environment, highlighting aspects like sourcing food for her animals through Dumpster diving, dealing with neighborhood dynamics and violence, and the emotional complexities of raising animals for meat. The text also provides glimpses into the author's personal reflections, including her family's back-to-the-land history, and the broader social and historical context of urban farming and food systems.