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The Urban Homesteaders

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In Memory

Urban Homestead Facts

LOCATION
Pasadena, CA
(Northwest Pasadena, one mile from downtown Pasadena)

PROPERTY SIZE
1/5 acre (66' x 132' / 8,712 sq.ft.)

GARDEN SIZE
~ 1/10 acre (3,900 sq.ft. / ~ 66' x 66')

GARDEN DIVERSITY
Over 350 different vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries

FOOD PRODUCED
6,000 lbs annually
challenging for 10,000 lbs in 2008 (read more)

URBAN HOMESTEAD SUPPORTS
4 full-time adults, volunteers, and many clients

ENERGY USAGE
6.5 kwh day (and going down!)

SOLAR POWER PRODUCED
9000 kwh ( as of 10/20/08)

GALLONS OF BIODIESEL MADE (since 2003)
1,500 gallons (as of 2/12/08)

"EARTH IMPACT FOOTPRINT"
5.2 acres per person

Tally Ho 2008

PRODUCE
4,340 lbs (9/31/08)

EGGS
Chicken 921 & Duck 1028 (10/22/08)

HONEY
25 lbs (10/20/08)

Steps Taken

Everyday Steps

Growing 99 % of produce
- 6,000lbs on 1/10 acre

Food Preservation/Storage:
- canning
- drying
- freezing

In the Kitchen:
- baking/cooking from scratch
- yogurtmaking
- breadmaking
- cheesemaking
- sprouting
- cast iron cookware
- no dishwasher or microwave

Food Choices:
- buying in bulk
- organic
- local
- eating seasonaly
- reducing "food miles"
- fair trade
- vegetarian(over 17 years)

Raising Small Farmstock:
- chickens (eggs/manure)
- ducks (eggs/manure)
- dwarf rabbits (manure)
- dwarf/pygmy goats (milk/manure)

Composting Methods:
- making/using EM Bokashi
- vermicomposting
- composting food, garden and green waste

Fuel:
- homebrewing biodiesel
- running diesel car on biodiesel(~4,000 miles a yr)

Energy Conservation:
- "powering down"
- cut daily energy use in 1/2 12 kwh to 6 kwh a day
- 12 solar panels
- "green" power
- rechargeable batteries
- line drying clothes

Energy Efficient Appliances:
- washing machine
- refridgerator
- water heater(gas)

Energy Efficient Electronics:
- computer/printer/copier
- TV(no cable)/VCR/ DVD

Energy Efficient Lighting:
- compact fluorescent bulbs
- olive oil lamps
- oil lamps filled with biodiesel
- homemade soy & beeswax candles
- daylighting
- solar tube

Non-electrical Appliances / Hand-powered
- blender
- toaster
- grinder(s)
- popcorn popper
- solar oven(s)
- hand washer/wringer
- pedal powered grain mill
- straight razor
- handcranked radio
- mortar & pestle

Natural beauty/no makeup
Homemade Non-toxic Beauty Care Products
- toothpaste
- deoderant

Biodegrable/Non-toxic Cleaning Products:
- vinegar
- baking soda
- lemon juice

Natural Health Practices:
- homeopathy
- herbal remedies
- prevention

Water Conservation Efforts:
- low flush toilets
- toilet lid sink
- reusing laundry water
- limit toilet flushings
- limit baths/showers - mulching
- handwatering
- clay pot irrigation
- solar outdoor shower
- front load washer
- food not lawns

Hand powered garden tools:
- push mower
- broom, rake
- trowel, shovel
- hand clippers

Self-employed Working at home:
- honey business
- produce/flower business
- craft business

Crafts & Skills:
- winemaking
- survival skills
- edible landscaping
- sewing
- leatherwork
- fiber arts
- animal husbandry
- holistic care
- tinctures
- carpentry
- plumbing
- building
- haircutting
- bicycle repairs
- soapmaking
- candlemaking
- herbs
- urban farming
- website design
- photography
- self publishing
- video & graphics

Living Simply:
- making use or do without
- bartering
- monthly shopping trips
- reduce, reuse & recycle
- second hand clothes
- salvage/thrift store
- consume less

Passive Cooling:
- no AC
- wood floors
- blinds
- windows
- screen doors
- edible forest
- "living" screens
- solar attic fan

Heating:
- no central heat
- woodstove that uses scrap wood
- dress in layers

Walking the old paths:
- tithing
- day of rest
- stewardship

Saving seeds
Unschooling
Beekeeping

DIY Projects:
- solar oven
- cob oven
- solar outdoor shower
- depaved driveway/patio
- installed solar panels
- roofing
- sheds, etc
- animal enclosure, etc
- this website
- urban homesteading

Using canvas bags on shopping trips / no plastic

Transportation:
- biodiesel "veggie" vehicle
- 4 "car free" days a week
- walk
- bike
- carpool
- mass transit
- cross country train trips
- 2 airplane trips in 25 years

"Green" Home Upgrades:
- metal roof

Outreach/helping others along the path

CURRENT TRAILS

Growing 10k on 1/10
Rainwater
Waste water recovery

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« CHANGE OF SEASON | Main | RAIN »

FINISHING TOUCHES

September 20, 2005




Sunday cobbing

Sunday was a nice day to work outdoors. The guys spent the day in the garden, Jordanne took care of the animal chores and leveling out the ever growing pile of compost that accumulates in the animal enclosure and I spent the day preparing and putting on the finishing coat of plaster on the cob oven.

I made a plaster mixture (3 parts sand, 1 part clay with chopped straw) that Ray told us about on his last visit.   Then I completely re-plaster the top of the oven and the bottom. As you can see, the top oven is a different color from the bottom. We thought that a “two tone” oven would look prettier, not to mention that the bottom being a darker color means you can’t see the smoke marks from the firing chamber.   I covered the oven with a tarp overnight and Monday I was at it again mixing up more batches of plaster to add another coat.


Monday cobbing

Trying to figure out a better way to make this last coat of plaster to be nice and smooth, I sifted the straw and sand through an even smaller screen to get any big pieces/rocks out. Then before adding the clay to the sand I mixed some hot water into the clay to break it down, making it the consistency of pudding. Then I added the clay pudding to the shifted sand and mixed thoroughly, lastly adding the finely shifted straw. The straw acts as a binding agent to keep the plaster from cracking.   This technique seemed to work much easier and made a great plaster mix!


Cob oven’s done!

I tried working using gloves to protect my hands, but I like the way the clay makes them feel soft afterwards; however, my palms are scratched up because the abrasiveness of the sand in the mixture. Also putting the plaster mix on with your hands you get the feel of the mix better and the texture looks natural.I am happy to say that after two days of plastering - Mission Accomplished. The cob oven is done (well that is the plaster dries nicely and doesn’t crack!) Then Ray says that all we have to do is apply a coat of boiled linseed oil for added protection.

Last night had to run outside and tarp the oven - didn’t want all the work washed away! (Who’d have thought that there would be rain in September?)

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Topics: Earthen (Cob) Oven, Low Impact Living, Posts by Anais |

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4 Responses to “FINISHING TOUCHES”

  1. Wildside Says:
    September 20th, 2005 at 8:24 am

    Good job!

  2. JBB Says:
    September 20th, 2005 at 8:34 am

    Absolutely beautiful! It must feel very good to be able to move that project from “Future Steps” to “Past Steps”!

  3. Anais Says:
    September 21st, 2005 at 9:46 am

    Hi JBB & Wildside

    Thanks for the positive comments. It was certainly quite a project, but worth the time and effort!

    Cheers,
    Anais

  4. Erin Says:
    September 30th, 2005 at 7:52 pm

    Such a beautiful work of art! It’s amazing how much effort you all put into it, and for it to turn out so beautifully! Well done!