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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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« WORKING HOLIDAY | Main | NOR CAL VISIT SCHEDULE »

WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UP x2

November 29, 2009



Since I am like a week behind in posting meals that we’ve enjoyed on the urban homestead, am going to combine the week before and last week’s meals.  aka “two weeks’ worth”

Enjoy!

Summer vegetable medley

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade rice (homegrown peppers, tomatoes) with homegrown red peppers and cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday
Dinner - homegrown roasted eggplant, red peppers with pasta

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - OUT
Dinner - CA grown organic rice with homegrown squash, red peppers and greens

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese
Dinner -OUT

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftover pizza with homegrown salad
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese with homegrown salad

Winter squash

Tropical treats from our backyard and trades other fellow gardeners/farmers in the area

Chopped tromboncino squash

Wild rice (thanks to Erik from Minnesota ) pilaf with smashed squash

Melon (from Farmer Sergio), homegrown pomegranate and pineapple guava salad

Another huge tromboncino destined for the pot

Squash with pomegranate syrup and tangerine (from Janice K) salad

Vegetarian thanksgiving

Watermelon from Farmer Sergio

Colorful and tasty salad (Tangerines from Janice K - thanks!)

Last week here on the urban homestead was squash week!  Squash for lunch, squash for dinner.  I don’t know about you but with the cooler weather one can never have enough, warm and tasty winter squash!  Definitely getting our daily allowance of vitamin A (beta carotene) from the squash and Vitamin C thanks to the citrus and tropical treats.  Also enjoyed few unseasonable treats for this time of year- melons courtesy of Farmer Sergio.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade rice (homegrown peppers, tomatoes) with homegrown red peppers and cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday
Dinner -OUT

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homegrown winter squash with homemade wild rice pilaf (wild rice courtesy of Erik in MN) made with homegrown celery and herbs

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown tromboncino squash topped with homegrown/made pomegranate syrup, homegrown salad topped with tangerines (trade with Janice K) and homegrown pomegranates
Dinner - homegrown tromboncino squash with homemade wild rice pilaf (wild rice courtesy of Erik in MN) made with homegrown celery and herbs

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homegrown tromboncino squash with homegrown salad topped with tangerines (trade with Janice K) and homegrown pomegranates

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese
Dinner - homegrown squash, homegrown salad with tangerines (from Janice K) and tofurkey

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese

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4 Responses to “WEEKLY MEAL WRAP UP x2”

  1. mary Says:
    November 30th, 2009 at 11:57 am

    Do you realize how beautiful your uncluttered kitchen is? The lighting - the squash - the big country sink - the red cupboards - all just so beautiful and inviting.

    I am thankful for all that you do and that you take the time to share with all of us who read along…

    I continue to be inspired by your family and am looking forward to making more changes in the coming year to increase my family’s independence and sufficiency on our own 0.4 acre in town.

  2. CE Says:
    December 1st, 2009 at 3:42 pm

    Does Farmer Sergio grow those fall melons under protection? A greenhouse maybe?

  3. Sergio Says:
    December 2nd, 2009 at 8:39 pm

    The Melons were planted in August.It stays warm enough out here to keep the plants producing till nov-dec.I pulled the last one just yesterday.I’m trying to do some tomatos under cover but my green house may be just to low budget.We’ll see what happens.

  4. CE Says:
    December 3rd, 2009 at 11:49 am

    If you have access to animal manure that is fresh you could try digging down about 1 1/2 - 2 feet in the green house and layering fresh manure and leaves or straw etc and covering this with soil. It will generate heat in the soil above it and may give you an extra couple of months of tomatoes. You may need to cover with with row cover at night.
    I saw an above ground compost pile in a green house and the pile had PVC pipe coiled inside it. As the pile heated up it warmed the water in the PVC pipes which then ran out of the pile and through pipes underground in the green house. That was their soil/greenhouse heating system.

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