Little Homestead in the CityLittle Homestead in the CityLittle Homestead in the City

The Urban Homesteaders

visit the Dervaes family on
  

Technorati Profile

Cast of Characters

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

Support





iSearchiGive.com


We Support








« MINI POST BLITZ | Main | AND THE WINNER IS…. »

FOOD INC

May 29, 2009



All together!  PTF volunteers and supporters (four who left a little earlier before we came to take a group photo.    Also, want to thank SJ for bringing us some lovely scented gardenias to wear in our hair!

Last night the PTF/FG organization (some 25 of us) attended the LA premier screening of the highly charged documentary FOOD INC (special thanks to Hayley O who invited us and made it possible for our organization to attend) at the Sunset 5 Laemmle Theater in West Hollywood.

The director Richard Kenner was there to introduce the film along with many influential leaders and local celebs who were in attendance.

The film certainly brought up a lot of emotionally charged issues and created a lot of interesting dialogue afterwards.

Though we knew of the ghastly treatment of animals thanks to revolutionary and eye opening book titled Diet for a New America by John Robbins which we read nearly 20 years ago this film really gave you a graphic (rather drawn out) dose of some horrendous happens at meat production plants.

We should all be ashamed what we have done to God’s creation and creatures.

We were so emotionally drained afterward (in fact Jordanne and I were in tears) that I and many others felt that the film should have had a disclaimer since the film contained quite a few graphic images/scenes.  We all had a little issue with the film’s PG rating.

The film also depicted the heavy handed tactics Monsanto is reverting to terrorizing farmers.   What really was upsetting (of course there were many upsetting issues in this film) is that Monsanto is controlling food from seed to supermarket and will stop at nothing from owning the food we eat.

Instead of feeling uplifted this film left us with a mixture of conflicted emotions over the future of organics and farming.

On the way home we vented and ranted and basically came to the simple conclusion  - the modern food system stinks and it will be, like Farmer D says,  individuals armed with trowels and planting locally saved seeds who will overturn the corporate powers that be.

Here’s what some of our some of our volunteers had to say:

Thank you for inviting me tonight, that was really well done. The info is frightening and horrible, what they are doing.  - SM

This is an amazing movie and I’m hoping MILLIONS of people will see it. It’s so sad to see the horrid treatment of animals & people AND how families can be caught in a downward spiral of ill health when they don’t realize the ‘TRUTH’ about what they are filling their bodies with OR find out TOO LATE.
For myself and my family We THANK YOU for this special invitation and the opportunity to further correct the wrongs we have done to ourselves, to the creatures who have the right to LIVE amongst us AND to participate in healing our planet. This evening has been a BLESSING :-)

Thank you, AGAIN~
–SJ

PS. Jordanne, I’m so very touched by your spirit & sensitivity ~ KNOW that I UNDERSTAND your feelings

What an important movie!
It takes a lot of courage and love for people’s well being to produce a film like that and to boldly show it.  Yet it is the Truth that makes people free.  There certainly needs to be the protection of the first amendment right to free speech as without that liberty we would all wake up one morning and it would no longer be America.  Liberty and justice are the twin values in the pledge of alliegance. The film shows the injustice toward the small farmers and the injustice toward the consumers and how tipped the scale of justice has become in this country so the film needs prayers so it won’t be banned as Earthlings was.
–NN

I was also blown away and shocked,(But I’m glad that i made it out.Thank you).It was rather depressing.I have always known what the Animals have been going through but to see actual operations just makes me sick.If People only knew what was going on.Even that guy with The Yogurt operation pissed me off.Sell out!   -SG

Tags: ,
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (4 votes) Loading ... Loading ...

Topics: Out & About, Posts by Anais | Tags: ,

RELATED POSTS:

7 Responses to “FOOD INC”

  1. Shirley Says:
    May 29th, 2009 at 6:45 pm

    Anais, it is truly horrific what is happining right before our eyes, also what we have been blinded to. It reminds me of Jesus said to his diciples on the Mount of Olives. at Matthew 24:21-22 ” … there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. 22 In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.” Also, Revelation 11:18 promises God will bring to ruin those ruining the earth. Then Psalm 37:10,11 - And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace. And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.

    OK, I’ll stop. The bible gives me encouragement in these critical times.

  2. Cassi Says:
    May 30th, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    Thanks for sharing - where did you get a copy of this? I’d like to schedule a viewing at our UU church, which just created a vegetarian and local eating group.

  3. Lellewynn Says:
    May 31st, 2009 at 8:33 am

    Thanks for the reviews. I’m definately going to this movie! Maybe it’ll give me even more motivation to get my yard planted!
    Lelly

  4. Cassi Says:
    May 31st, 2009 at 4:49 pm

    oops, I misread the post so never mind. Hopefully it will be on DVD by next year.

  5. JUNE GARDEN & HOMESTEAD | Little Homestead in the City Says:
    June 2nd, 2009 at 7:59 am

    [...] documentary FOOD INC is till a hot topic at our dinner/lunch table here on the urban homestead. We are still talking [...]

  6. Sue Says:
    June 5th, 2009 at 1:29 pm

    I have not seen the film yet. But, as I might imagine from your review - this is what I tell my friends when I say I’m a vegetarian - if you SAW a meat slaughter house or SAW a feedlot, or if it was in a glass house for every American Citizen to see - we would ALL be Vegans. Some of my friends don’t like that I say this but I will continue to fight for animal rights for the rest of my life.

  7. Raquel Says:
    June 27th, 2009 at 10:59 am

    This film was incredible. It is important to encourage our friends and family members to buy organic foods, buy foods from Farmers’ Markets, request organic foods from their supermarkets.

    We (consumers) must realize that this is not a helpless scenario. Each time we make a purchase at a store, we are telling store management what type of food to stock their cabinets with.

    I know families are struggling to put food on their tables, but if a family can make a commitment to purchasing one organic item (even 1 apple) each time they go to the store, store management will begin to offer more organic items.

Comments