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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
« WRAP UP | Main | BUSY »
April 7, 2008
Victory Garden-100 Foot Diet Highlights
Well, didn’t get around to posting like I planned on Sunday since we had some unexpected guest for dinner and were busy with a few other things — like the new site!
Without further adieu, here’s a wrap up of the recent homegrown revolutionaries postings:
Red Green State whips up a homegrown dish with homegrown overwintered veggies and weeds (no that kind!) the nutritious kind which they made into a delicious meal (even the rabbits gone in on it)
Agrarian Journey talks about the passion vs the purist of being a locavore. Eggs - it’s what’s for dinner at this family’s house. While homegrown supplies are dwindling from last years garden, they are already planting and preparing this year’s garden. Looking forward to seeing how their garden shapes up.
Beautiful Each Day has kicked off their homegrown challenge with two meals. And guess what? Eggs is what’s for dinner! The incredible, edible eggs do come in pretty handy when garden crops are sparse. One can make a tasty omelets with a few homegrown greens like this family.
Belinda’s Place is on a roll. She’s been whipping up tasty homegrown dishes for 6 weeks now! Of course, I have to mentions she’s in the Souther Hemisphere and this week she did a bit of fridge cleaning and this tasty meal was the end result. Hmmmm, perhaps if I do a bit of fridge cleaning myself.
The Purloined Letter shares a Sabbath, Earth Hour evening dinner with homegrown and local ingredients eaten together by candlelight. She shows how one family can enjoy a truly low impact dinner experience. Kudos!
:: New Participants to the Growing Clan ::
Inder Loves Folk Art shares with us their first 100 foot meal complete with homegrown kale and meyer lemons from their garden. She also asks “Can anyone suggest any recipes for Kale, Swiss Chard, and Meyers Lemons? Because that’s what I have right now.”
Pull out your recipe boxes and let’s help her out!
Anne’s week #2 meal sound like one of our meals here on the urban homestead and a tasty one it is too!
Pizza with homemade whole wheat crust, sauce made with homegrown (canned) tomatoes, homegrown (frozen) green peppers, and homegrown (dried) basil, and locally raised/produced organic cheese.
:: Challenge Seedlings ::
Living Inspired 365
Wildcraft
& Carcs is growing his freedom garden with an incredible assortment of veggies and herbs on ~60 sq ft.
Welcome all new participants, it’s great to see the challenge growing. Could we top 150 by month’s end? Let’s get growing!
Tags:
100 Foot Diet,
earth hour,
freedom garden,
homegrown,
homegrown revolution,
locavore,
meals,
seedlings,
Urban Homestead,
victory garden
Topics: 100 Foot Diet, Posts by Anais | Tags: 100 Foot Diet, earth hour, freedom garden, homegrown, homegrown revolution, locavore, meals, seedlings, Urban Homestead, victory garden
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April 7th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
The new site is certainly looking good at this point.
Great to see those NH gardens starting to wake up for the season.
Kind Regards
Belinda
April 8th, 2008 at 6:02 am
Hello Belinda
Thanks for the positive comments! Jordanne’s been working hard to get this site growing! We’ll hope and fellow gardeners will join the Freedom Gardener’s Coalition.
Stay tuned for site launch…. three, two…. one!
Anais