The guidebook, Suburban Homestead: A Primer on Best Management and Practices, defines residential agriculture as any noncommercial, small-scale farming for personal consumption that takes place on private residential property. We've noticed a trend toward more diverse private residential land uses such as keeping beehives and chicken coops. When properly managed, they can be beneficial to both the resident and community as a whole. More robust gardens and composting can go toward reducing local stormwater burdens and diverting waste from landfills. Keeping chickens can provide food and companionship, and keeping bees provides a vital ecological service in the form of pollination. There are many myths surrounding these uses, and this guide explains both the benefits and potential drawbacks of these practices.