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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
« SHOPPING LIST | Main | KEEPING UP APPERANCES »
March 26, 2008
Grow food closer to home plant a FREEDOM GARDEN
Here’s another growing project presented by Path to Freedom. We’ve been hinting at this site for some time and now it’s nearing completion!
Back in early January when we launched the Victory Garden-100 Foot Diet Challenge we knew we needed to have a site where folks could feed information directly. That site started off with the url of 100footdiet.org. But then as we went along we needed to discern that this challenge to not just eat what you grow, but grow what you eat as we rally and encourage folks to start their own Victory Gardens.
Then we got to thinking Victory Garden’s were the rally cry of the past. In these modern day, we once again need solutions for hard times. With rising food prices and increasing strains on the climate we have another adversary to overcome so hence the name FREEDOM GARDENS.
I’ll go into more details when the site launch is closer…. hopefully end of this week! Are you excited? Good! Because we are counting on YOU to make this site an active community.
We are hoping others will join our latest project and rally together to Grow for Victory, Grow for Independence and Grow for Freedom.
Once again Jordanne did a splendid job (glad she’s my sister otherwise we’d wouldn’t be able to afford her services) of putting our concept of this site together. Luckily she enjoys what she does but I think her efforts do need some compensation because she so freely gives of her time. Though we still remain strong in our principle not to put ads (except our “homemade ads” to advertise our own online store - example on very top of this journal page) on our personal site (Path to Freedom) it may be different for the new site.
FreedomGardens.org will directly help others - a sharing platform for fellow freedom gardeners to share their growing and eating efforts. Because it’s not a “personal” site and project like our urban homestead expenses shouldn’t have to come out of our pocket and we are working that dilemma at the moment.
Once again our efforts are supported through the generosity of our readers either through tax deductible donations or purchases from our online store (profit of 30%)
And we aren’t done yet! Next, onto the long anticipated, new improved PTF site complete with a new photo gallery.
The fruits of our labor and your support are evident in our continuing commitment and work. Without care and fertilizer such growth isn’t possible.
Thank you for supporting our growing efforts and spread the word of this new homegrown revolution!
Help us grow a healthy future.
:: Field Hand Appreciate :: LE $10 GM $10 EB $15 SG $5 PT $50Technorati Profile
Tags:
100 Foot Diet,
freedom garden,
growing food,
homegrown revolution,
victory garden
Topics: Posts by Anais, Victory Garden, Website Updates | Tags: 100 Foot Diet, freedom garden, growing food, homegrown revolution, victory garden
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