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The Urban Homesteaders

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In Memory

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








« OUT & ABOUT | Main | THE GROWING REVOLUTION »

FILM SCREENING!

June 16, 2008



Finally after a brief “event” hiatus PTF is back on track! In between homestead happenings and flurry of media activity PTF will be hosting a film screening…

Sunday June 29th PTF hosts a screening of the acclaimed French documentary THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO

Screening & potluck to be held at the private school adjacent to the PTF urban homestead.

WHAT: THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO film screening and “local food” potluck (please no alcoholic beverages on school campus)
WHEN: Sunday June 29th (6:00 PM - 10:00 PM) film screening preceded by potluck
WHERE: 651 N Orange Grove Blvd, Pasadena, CA (school adjacent to the urban homestead)
FEE: $10-$15 donation
Please RSVP (space is limited!)

To reserve your seat please sign up or call 626.844.4586

:: EVENT SCHEDULE ::

6:00 - 7:00 pm - “100 Mile” Potluck
7:30 - 8:30 pm - Film screening: ‘The World According to Monsanto’

:: Film Description ::

The World According to Monsanto (109 min) - A documentary that Americans won’t ever see. The gigantic biotech corporation Monsanto is threatening to destroy the agricultural biodiversity which has served mankind for thousands of years.

The French documentary, called “The world according to Monsanto” and directed by independent filmmaker Marie-Monique Robin, paints a grim picture of a company with a long track record of environmental crimes and health scandals. - Greenpeace

:: ‘Local Food Potluck’ ::

If not FROM BACKYARD then locally produced.
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

:: MAP & DRIVING DIRECTIONS ::

This venue is located in the foothills above Los Angeles, near the Rose Bowl, Old Towne Pasadena, Memorial Park Gold Line Station, and the 210, 110 and 134 freeways. (view map and driving directions)

:: ZERO WASTE & LOW IMPACT ::

We, at Path to Freedom, endeavor to make our each of our events as “eco- friendly” as possible. We have instigated a “low or zero waste policy” by providing reusable plates, cups, and utensils to ensure there is no unnecessary waste. All other waste (i.e., plastic wrappers, glass bottles, food containers, etc) and food scraps are recycled, reused, composted or fed to our pet chickens and ducks.

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9 Responses to “FILM SCREENING!”

  1. Monica Says:
    June 16th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

    I’ve been unable to find this film available to buy or rent. Can you offer any advice on how to view this film for those of us who aren’t local to the viewing?

  2. Stacy Says:
    June 16th, 2008 at 8:58 pm

    You can buy the DVD online (from overseas) here:
    http://www.arteboutique.com/de......id=245754

    Download/streaming links are here (no idea how reliable):
    http://100777.com/node/1805
    http://www.livevideo.com/video.....nsant.aspx
    http://www.celsias.com/2008/04.....-monsanto/

  3. Joy Says:
    June 17th, 2008 at 4:44 am

    Monica - I was able to watch the video on YouTube (it is in about 10 segments). I was also able to watch the video “The Future of Food” on YouTube as well. Both VERY enlightening…

  4. Joy Says:
    June 17th, 2008 at 4:44 am

    Monica - I was able to watch the video on YouTube (it is in about 10 segments). I was also able to watch the video “The Future of Food” on YouTube. Both VERY enlightening…

  5. Anais Says:
    June 18th, 2008 at 8:58 am

    Celsias has the entire movie posted on their site: http://www.celsias.com/2008/04.....-monsanto/

  6. Sinfonian Says:
    June 18th, 2008 at 9:57 pm

    Yeah, I too caught the english version. Very quick to put that out. Thanks to them for doing so. I must say I had NO idea before I saw these films. As a businessman I can see both sides (the farmers, not Monsanto, they’re criminally unethical), but I fear that ignorance has pushed us past the point of no return. You can’t unring a bell, so if cross polination and other natural processes propegate these GM plants into others, in time even organic farms will be infected.

    So glad I’m growing my own veggies!

  7. Ronald Vaught Says:
    June 24th, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    Is this homestead expanding?

  8. Anais Says:
    June 24th, 2008 at 1:16 pm

    Hello Ronald

    The email list is expanding on a daily basis!

    We are expected over 100 plus people to attend this event. More than we can fit in here on the urban homestead. Thankfully we have a large, private school (with off the street parking lot) next door who have kindly allowed us to use their facility for this (and more) events.

    We’ve certainly outgrown our facilities!

  9. jane Says:
    June 30th, 2008 at 8:28 am

    just found out about the screening yesterday. any plans to show it again? would love to come.

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