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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
« LITTLE AMY UPDATE | Main | WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UP »
September 30, 2009
On Monday, we walked the upper Arroyo Seco to see what the fire had done to of one our favorite (and loveliest) hiking trails (Gould/Paul Little/ Oakwilde/Switzer) in the San Gabriel Mountains. We went as far as Gould Campground (which was still surprisingly remained unscathed though fire came right down to the perimeter)
Read more about how the Station Fire completely devastated many of the most popular hikes in the San Gabriels
Justin remarked that it was eerily quite - nothing stirred and the entire canyon smelled like a charcoal pit.
We noticed the ashen trail littered with headless animals. What was most shocking to us (besides seeing the barren hillsides) was that the fire was so intense that the moonscape hillsides were actually coming — sliding down. There was nothing holding the rocks, soil and with the steep canyon walls the hillsides are slowly encroaching into the stream, swimming holds and trails. While we walking we could hear rocks tumbling and soil sliding down into the seco. So even if it did rain the entire canyon would be just one huge mudslide waiting to happen. It could possibly be that trails would no longer be accessible and the once crystal mountain stream would be clogged with so much rocks, soil that the steam could either go underground or be altered.
Standing under the scorched tress amid snow like ash that covered the entire canyon floor one could visualize the intensity of the fire - how the narrow canyon must have churned the flames into one big huge ball of fire.
Staring up at the denuded hills one couldn’t help feel sorry for all the animals in this vast 100,000 plus acre fire (Check out this interesting article Station fire victims call for U.S. probe into Forest Service’s response — latimes.com ), wondering where they were seeking food and shelter amidst such apocalyptic devastation.
Nature, she is a resilient one. The rains will soon come and it will be interesting to witness her renewal and rebirth which from the looks of things will take many, many years.
Before in all her glory
and now…..
Tags:
jpl trail,
nature,
rain,
station fire,
upper arroyo seco
Topics: Out & About, Posts by Anais | Tags: jpl trail, nature, rain, station fire, upper arroyo seco
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September 30th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Decapitated animals…? Is that a typo, or was someone going around cutting animals’ heads off during the fire?
September 30th, 2009 at 6:24 am
well, actually should say “HEADLESS” animals. Rat, birds, etc we saw the bodies but NO heads.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Those pictures are very sad! What makes it sadder still is that wasn’t this fire determined to be arson? I don’t know what is wrong with people who do that kind of thing.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:32 am
I grew up with with hills getting scored now and then.
Yes, nature is resilient!
Duane
September 30th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
That’s weird about the headless animals, does anyone know why they have no heads? It sounds creepy
October 1st, 2009 at 2:27 am
Will those trees regrow, or are they dead?
October 1st, 2009 at 6:07 am
We occasionally have headless rabits in our yard. I’ve been told that owls really like heads and I know we have lots of owls so that may be it. They now have the luxury of just eating to good parts with so much available they probably don’t bother with the rest of it.
As for the pictures, I’m sure neither the before or after ones really do the place justice. I’ve seen the same kind of thing happen with massive fires in northern Minnesota. It can’t really be described, only experienced.
February 12th, 2010 at 6:51 am
[...] dropped 4″ on the urban homestead last Friday into Saturday. The recent deluge and the devastating Station Fire combine to be a destruction combination causing massive mudslides in the foothills above Pasadena [...]