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The Urban Homesteaders

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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

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CHICK REX?

November 12, 2009



I don’t know what it is, but I find it very fascinating to watch our poultry molt when new feathers emerge from pointy white sheaths.

Now that it’s officially molting season the egg production has slowed while they put their energy into growing a new set of duds.  Speaking of new duds,  feathers are everywhere - in the enclosure in the coop in the nesting boxes - everywhere!   Of course the chickens and duckies rather not be photographed in such a disheveled state (though I have snatched photos before).  Can’t say as I blame them since right now, they are looking somewhat pathetically hilariously- but don’t tell them I said that!

Here’s some interesting reads

http://www.livescience.com/animals/070412_dino_tissues.html

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/08/25/chicken-dinosaur.html

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4 Responses to “CHICK REX?”

  1. Diggity Dog Says:
    November 12th, 2009 at 7:26 am

    I think we’re all fascinated by any animal that seasonally sheds it’s clothes or exoskeletons. I’m glad that you mentioned that this happens during the low egg production time. I was considering getting a few hens and running lights on timers to fool them into thinking it’s summer all year long to keep production up. But if this is the time when they molt, it doesn’t seem very fair to deny them a new set of duds each year.

    Not to mention, it more closely aligns with eating seasonally. Something that I’m interested in doing, but is so abstract that I have a hard time knowing where to start.

    On a side note, are yo planning on doing the 100′ diet again this year? I’d love to do it and post on my blog to track my efforts.

  2. CE Says:
    November 12th, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    For people in more northern latitudes, lights on timers are a must from late fall to early spring. The chickens will still shed/molt. They will still have decreased egg production. When these times come I stop the higher protein (soy and all organic mix) feed and just offer garden veg, weeds and grains. They find some bugs which is protein but not enough to stimulate egg production during molting. I figure this is a good time for their systems to rest. Following mother nature I change their feed to also let them produce less eggs but I keep the lights on so they will not stop for the winter. They will resume egg production after the molt but at a slower pace till spring.

  3. Ben Guygoesgreen Says:
    November 12th, 2009 at 7:04 pm

    I am curious… are chickens difficult to keep? I have thought it would be awesome to be able to produce your own eggs, but currently do not have the land. Someday…

  4. Diggity Dog Says:
    November 12th, 2009 at 7:20 pm

    CE:

    Okay, if it’s not going to mess with other functions then I’m not opposed to doing it! Thanks for the explanation of the change in food!

    Diggity

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