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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
« LHITC COOKBOOK? | Main | HOME PRESERVATION »
May 30, 2008
We first built our outdoor solar shower back in 2003 to save energy and to reclaim greywater for irrigated the surrounding edibles. Through the years the outdoor solar shower has gone through a few improvements and everyone enjoys using the facility during the warm weather months.
This week, another outdoor bathing (or showering I should say) facility is being erected here on the urban homestead. This one is situated in our “citrus grove” and will also be a trellis structure for climbing vegetables. What a luxury, the urban homestead now has two showers! Yet another simple and practical solution for low impact living and irrigation practices. That’s how we like to do things here on the urban homestead - keep it simple.
Ladders and lodgepoles lean up against the block fence
In goes the first pole! Justin and Jules start work
Justin, now in possession of the camera (oh, dear!), snaps a photo of me harvesting dinner (I just harvested a zucchini) Farmer D ’s the the background looking over the afternoon’s work on the shower/trellis structure.
Here’s where the zucchini ended up. Joining a few other homegrown goodies to top a homemade homegrown herb pizza crust.
On a different subject. The shirt that I am wearing is about as old as I am. Honest. It has been passed down three generations. Talk about second (third) hand! Unlike clothes to today, it’s not disintegrated on me yet and that’s how our family saves money. We are able to live frugally and yet well. Oh, and the pants - they are hand me downs from a friend.
Since it was a busy day on the urban homestead with all sorts of projects going on, Jordanne treated everyone to some delicious homemade sun baked cookies in Sport Solar Oven
Energy Note
Solar Update: Our solar panels have passed the 8,000 mark!
Shine on!
Tags:
Energy,
Greywater,
Solar,
Urban Homestead,
Weather
Topics: Arbors & Trellises, Low Impact Living, Outdoor Shower | Tags: Energy, Greywater, Solar, Urban Homestead, Weather
RELATED POSTS:
Comments
PATH TO FREEDOM
PEDDLER'S WAGON
FREEDOM GARDENS
"LITTLE HOMESTEAD"
DERVAES GARDENS
URBAN HOMESTEADING
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May 30th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Great post! Is the solar cooker in your photo the same as what is for sale in your store?
May 30th, 2008 at 8:08 am
Love the pics/descriptions of the flora & projects as always. Thats a cuke Justin caught you holding already Anais!!! My poinsetta spanish are late no doubt. Such green digits you all are :).
Curious bout those brick colored barrels next to solar cooker. Are they rain barrels or repurposed plastic barrels used as storage/ water holding tanks? As always exciting site & keep on gardening the Planet :).
Community gardener, David in San Gabriel Valley
May 30th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Isn’t it amazing how long tops can last? I’m always digging through a huge drawer of shirts, but scrambling for the clean pair of (never seemingly plentiful enough) pants!
Like David, I’m also curious about the barrels. Mostly because we’re in the process of designing a simple grey water system including a solar powered distiller (basic design by Steven Harris - Sunlight to Dollars http://www.knowledgepublications.com ) to allow us to use the water in more applications, so components like barrels are on the brain.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I am curious about the solar cooker, is it the sport or global version, or neither? Wanting to get one but don’t see the glass top on either one … thanks!
BTW - keep up the awesome work. Live in South Florida and keep forwarding site to everyone!
May 30th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Wow! I’m green with envy!!! *laughs* All the pictures are lovely. The food shots look scrumptious especially the blueberry pancakes. And solar baked oven cookies…that’s one I definitely need to try. I just received an apron on my son’s birthday that belong to my great grandmom’s mother! It’s really cute. I’m always so motivated after reading your posts…
Have a great wknd.
May 30th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Anais:
Could you PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE post your herb pizza crust recipe? I’d appreciate it!!
May 31st, 2008 at 3:55 am
Speaking of posting recipes, can you post your wheat tortilla recipe? I’m thinking about getting your sport solar oven. What is the difference between the two of them that you have for sale?
May 31st, 2008 at 3:59 am
Michelle again - what do you call the square wire trellis panels and where would you get them. Thanks for all the inspiring work you do!
June 1st, 2008 at 11:29 am
Thanks for everyone’s comments. Glad you enjoy the photos
Anajz - yes, it’s the one in the same Solar Oven we sell on the Peddlers Wagon. There’s a direct link to the product under the photo in the description
David - That cuke happens to be a zuke! No cucumbers just yet… The food storage barrels are used for a variety of purposes here on the urban homestead - they make excellent rainbarrel and storage for all the extra soil/compost we have.
Jane - the solar oven is the SPORT SOLAR OVEN (you can find the direct link under the photo)
Leslie-La Mama Naturale - Thanks for your positive comments we appreciate it!
luvnschooln & Michelle - We have posted a number of recipes on the website over the years. You can search for the recipes on http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/ by using the search feature on the upper right-hand corner. Or check the category “In the Kitchen” and sub-category “Recipe Box.”
Because of the need to offset the increased costs of hosting the site and provide a return for all the time the family invests in creating useful, inspirational content, we have plans to compile their recipes in a book to sell as a way to raise funds for the website and other outreach projects. Thus, new recipes are not being given out until the book can be written and published some time in the future. Thank you for your understanding.
Michelle - As for the sun ovens. The Sport Solar Oven is lightweight and made from mostly recycled materials. The interior of the Sport Solar Oven is more “roomier” than the Global Sun Oven. The Global Sun oven can fit one 3 qt pot, while the Sport Solar Oven can fit two 3 qt pots, a cookie tray and even a 9 x 13″ casserole pan
October 12th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Looking for some recycled food or juice barrels to cut in half and use as raised beds. Did this when I lived in WA state where I got the barrels from the apple juice processers. Cannot dig up the yard where I live, but am allowed to use all the planters I want.( reasoning?) Has been several years since I have been able to have a self sustaining organic veggie garden and am excited to get started again and get things going so I am rready for spring. JUST HAPPENED ACROSS YOU WEB SITE AND REALLY ENJOY IT.