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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
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

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« GROWING FORWARD | Main | EXCLUSIVE LA SCREENING »

SAYING AHHHHHH

November 19, 2008



Thanks to Stephany’s comment, I see the LHITC 11/7 journal post started a little ripple out there in the blogsphere encouraging other to open their cupboards, pantries, fridge, freezers and “say ahhhhh.”

Showing off their insides

11/19 Stephany

11/13 Meadowlark

11/13 Matriarchy

11/13 Fullfreezer

11/12 Critter Farm

11/07 LHITC kicking it off

Did I miss anyone else?  What a fun way to peek into the inner sanctom of folks every day lives.

Here at the urban homestead we constantly strive for our “insides” to reflect our outsides — how about you?

SAY AH CHALLENGE

It’s been awhile since we lauched a blogshpere challenge.  Thanks for the prompting, Stephany here we go….

So, what do you say?  I guess this “Say Ah Challenge” calls for an image and we’ll let our goat, Lady Fairlight, do the honors.

Have you spent the summer harvesting and preserving your gardens bounty are you stocking up for the winter? Perhaps you even signed up for our Harvest Keeper Challenge ….  this lastest challenge will show us how well you did!

Are you brave enough to “say ah” and “show us your insides?”

Sign up in the comments box below or post your blog url where you bare all.

Here’s our “insides” once again to kick things off.

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Topics: Back to Basics, Challenges, Homestead Life, In the Kitchen, Posts by Anais | Tags: , , ,

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5 Responses to “SAYING AHHHHHH”

  1. Andrea Says:
    November 19th, 2008 at 7:47 pm

    I took the Harvest Keeper Challenge and did fairly well for my first time. Up til this year, all I canned was a bit of salsa and maybe some jelly. But this year, I canned for security, not novelty. So here it is…please disregard the ugly old basement and cobwebs.

    http://chicky-bit-run.blogspot.....urity.html

  2. Susy Says:
    November 20th, 2008 at 5:53 am

    I also took the Harvest Keepers Challenge and this was my first year canning (beside one batch of apple butter I made 2 years ago). I posted all of my canning success at:
    http://chiotsrun.com/2008/11/2.....t-in-jars/

    I’ll be adding in later posts everything I have in the freezer and dry storage.

  3. Stephanie Says:
    December 2nd, 2008 at 8:18 pm

    I just posted my pantry today! Here you go:
    http://oneacrehomestead.blogsp.....e-pie.html

  4. Kimberly Says:
    December 3rd, 2008 at 6:50 am

    Saw this on Stephanie’s blog and decided to post on my blog too!

    http://snakedike.blogspot.com/.....hhhhh.html

  5. NEW BEGINNINGS | Little Homestead in the City Says:
    January 2nd, 2009 at 4:59 pm

    [...] and Save Our Seeds.  LHITC blog exposed the underside of the seed industry; encouraged people to ‘Say Ahhhh’; Liberate their Lawns, be a ‘Conscientious Consumer‘ or the change they wish to see [...]

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