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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
8000 kwh ( as of 5/31/08)
GALLONS OF BIODIESEL MADE (since 2003)
1,000 gallons (as of 2/12/08)
"EARTH IMPACT FOOTPRINT" 5.2 acres per person
Tally Ho 2008
PRODUCE
2,100 lbs (6/31)
EGGS
Chicken 518 & Duck 640 (6/22)
HONEY
53 oz (5/19)
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
« SEEDLING SHOW OFF | Main | HAPPY SPRING! »
March 21, 2008
Few of the urban homestead features: Earthen oven, solar oven, clay pot irrigation bed and intensively planted garden
Welcome to our new readers! The journal traffic has certainly increased this week. Not to mention there’s been some wonderful comments. It’s great to see reader participation.
Two Frog Home nominated this post as one of her ‘Friday Favorites’ Thanks for the nod!
The Urban Homestead
If you are new to this site at would like to know more about what we do here on the urban homestead check out ‘Urban Homestead - At A Glance‘ There’s the Photo Gallery filled with pictures (there’s a new updated one in the works, so stay tuned) and of course this journal which features seven years of entries that detail our journey towards a self sufficient lifestyle. Also, if you fancy the eco products that we use here on the urban homestead you can find this goods and more at our online store which stocks sustainable and practical goods for the urban pioneer.
Who We Are
If you’d like to get to know the folks behind this site our user profiles have been updated with some personal background details - just click on our photos under the ‘Urban Homesteaders’ title at the upper left hand side column of this site.
Goings On
This week has been a busy one, besides the regular homestead happenings there’s been a few media inquiries and appearance requests. A phone call that we was quite special was from a reader in Covington LA - just across Lake Pontchartrain and one of our hometown cities of New Orleans. So nice talking with you D! You’re soft southern drawl makes me a bit homesick.
It’s Friday so that means there’s been another posting blitz. Once again enjoy the photos and entires - feel free to comment or support this site as we continue to work on making web upgrades to improve our web outreach platform.
Next week stay tuned for an olla bed planting pictorial, more about natural soaps and deodorants, home canning and much much more. Since there’s a slew of sustainable stuff here on the urban homestead suggestions are welcome.
Happy Spring!
Tags:
EM,
Solar,
Urban Homestead,
urban homesteaders
Topics: Posts by Anais, Website Updates | Tags: EM, Solar, Urban Homestead, urban homesteaders
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PATH TO FREEDOM
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March 22nd, 2008 at 3:11 am
I am looking forward to the information about the olla garden next week. I have been unable to find then (ollas) here locally in our town, so I have been using terracotta pots, they seem to be working so far! I will keep you posted on their progress.
I can’t thank you guys enough for all your tips and stuff…
Keep up the brillant work!!!!
emilyB - Australia
March 22nd, 2008 at 7:53 am
It looks like you’re growing your potatoes in half-barrels. Would you mind sharing some information about that? How many pieces do you plant in each barrel? I’m finding I get better yields when I plant potatoes in containers because the soil is just too cold where I live, even in raised beds. I’ve been reluctant to plant more than one “piece” in an 18″ pot for fear of actually reducing my yield but I’d love to be able to grow more of my own potatoes, if only they didn’t take up so much room.
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:06 am
Just like Molly, I too would love to see more information on growing potatoes in containers!