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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
Support
We Support
« ONE STEP AT A TIME | Main | FAZ Article Continued…. »
June 22, 2007
Summer’s bounty
Q & A - Diet
Hello! I am a huge fan of your site and project. I think it’s a really wonderful and inspiring thing you are all doing. I was wondering if you have a list of all the plants that you grow for food. I think it would be great if you kept track of all your meals and snacks for a week and posted it on the site somewhere. I just can’t imagine coming up with enough meals based on the plants that I see you growing. I’m sure there are many more than I have any idea of so I was hoping you’d share.Thanks so much, and keep it up!KR
Thank you KR, for your email positive comments and question. Documenting what we grow and eat to share with our readers has always been in the back of our minds, something that we should really do more of especially since the recent Locavore and 100 mile diet craze. It’s always interesting to us when we come across a new green or eco craze and think to ones self “sheesh, I’ve/we’ve been doing that for years/all my life”
Now is the time of year when our diets primarily consists of what grows in our backyard.
Here’s a menu of what we ate this week (note “HG” stands for “homegrown”:
SATURDAY
B - homemade w.w. pancakes (made with HG duck eggs) served with home-canned fruit or homegrown fresh fruit
D - homemade spanish rice and flour tortillas topped with HG peppers, tomatoes, cilantro
SUNDAY
B - homemade granola topped with HG ripe fruit
L - leftovers from Sat dinner
D - HG grape leaves (prepared in brine solution a few weeks earlier) stuffed with rice that contains HG peppers & tomatoes served with HG green bean salad
MONDAY
B - same / topped with any HG ripe fruit
L - creamed HG swiss chard served on top of rice with homemade bread
D - leftovers
TUESDAY
B - same / topped with any HG ripe fruit
L - vegetable soup made with HG winter squash & fresh summer veggies from the garden
D - leftovers served on top rice
WEDNESDAY
B - same / topped with any HG ripe fruit
L - veg soup leftovers
D - greek salad included HG cucumbers, onion greens, tomatoes, sweet basil served with steamed HG green beans with rice
THURSDAY
B - same / topped with any HG ripe fruit
L - HG potatoes, kale, broccoli served with lemon butter (made with lemons from next door neighbors tree and HG chives) served over rice
D - leftover potato/veg dish with HG salad (greens, peppers, tomatoes)
FRIDAY
B - same / topped with any HG ripe fruit
L - HG vegetables (peppers & broccoli) with raw cheese sauce served on top of pasta with steamed HG beans
D - w.w. spaghetti served with homemade & HG tomato/basil sauce with HG garden salad served with homemade bread
Snacks - we try to avoid snacking but if we do, there’s nuts or dried cranberry and raisins in the pantry or a slice of raw cheese to satisfy the nibbles.
Desserts - piece of chocolate or homemade or HG goodies and on special Friday/Saturday dinner night soy ice cream.
Staples that we can’t grow (rice, flour, etc) are purchased in bulk through a local food cooperative. If we can we try choosing brands that either come from California or nearby Western states. Can’t always succeed, but it’s the act of conscious awareness and trying that counts.
This summer I’ll try to post more weekly menus as we enjoy the earth’s bounty.
Appreciation
$10 donation from CG. Thank you!
Tags:
EM
Topics: 100 Foot Diet, Homegrown Diet, Posts by Anais | Tags: EM
RELATED POSTS:
PATH TO FREEDOM
PEDDLER'S WAGON
FREEDOM GARDENS
"LITTLE HOMESTEAD"
DERVAES GARDENS
URBAN HOMESTEADING
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June 23rd, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Thank you so much for sharing this! You know….I love your sight too and have been wondering about your meal planning…..
June 27th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
Just reading this made my mouth water! Thanks so much for sharing, I’m definatly going to keep watching for more of your menus.