A backyard mini-farm in West L.A.

Steven Wynbrandt in his garden, which just three years ago was a barren yard with problematic soil. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Nov. 30, 2012 9:36 AM PT

Steven Wynbrandt transformed his backyard in West L.A. into a miniature farm, despite starting just three years ago as a gardening novice. Now he grows more food than he ever thought possible and has begun producing his own specialty compost.

Steven Wynbrandt picks baby lettuces for a salad. The bed is composed of 10,000 seeds, and like the rest of the garden, it’s watered by hand. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Red Russian kale, a non-curly leafy green. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Wynbrandt samples a Persian cucumber from his backyard. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Wynbrandt has no difficulty with asparagus, which often takes three years to yield its first harvest. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

A chart from the Josephine Porter Institute details the compost preparations. The recipe calls for dairy cow manure, alfalfa, yarrow, camomile, stinging nettle, oak bark, dandelion and valerian flowers. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

The compost heap shown here would later sell through word of mouth for $1 per pound. The pile sits for four to six months and is not turned. Wynbrandt said he has since moved his biodynamic compost operation to a site in the Santa Monica Mountains. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Wynbrandt digs beneath the protective layers of straw to pull out his compost. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Wynbrandt holds some of his biodynamic compost. When ready to use, it’s soft, airy and slightly sweet in scent. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

In summer, the roof gets used for pots and seeds. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)