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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
« ISRAEL | Main | HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION IN INDIA »
December 21, 2009
After Greece and Israel, the next stop for us and our short homemade film (HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION) was another environmental film festival in Torino (Turin) Italy (Italy’s first capital city and home of disputed “shroud of turin,”not to mention a chocolate hub and being of French and Belgian decent this was our type of town!
We rarely buy things (just not the type to buy just to buy) but Jordanne & I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get some handmade/embroidered aprons. After passing stores filled with clothes, perfume, shoes, bags - stuff we didn’t need- we stopped dead in our tracks at this one little store tucked in between a lingerie, chocolate shop and McDonalds (yep, good ol micky d’s). The young gentlemen who owned the shop was very nice and really loved what he was doing - and was really amazed that we thought the embroidery was done by a computerized sewing machine. Nope, it was done by hand on a very old sewing machine that looked about 30 years old. Talk about talent!
After the screening, the next day we took a short train trip to Bra to visit the HQ of Slow Food International. We met up with Michele and gave her a copy of the film and we are proud to say that in their November newsletter they featured HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION as one of the movies to see!
Whoops, I am getting a little bit ahead of myself.
First, before heading up to the film festival in Torino, we had to land in Rome. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see Rome so we did a bit of historical sightseeing there and then hopped on overnight train to the base of the Alps and the beautiful city of Torino.
In the Media
A HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION film review from the Italian paper
Rome
Wasn’t built in a day! Every where one looked it was full of stunning buildings, fountains and art.
Trevi Fountain
The Colosseum
The Vatican/ St Peter’s Square
No pics were allowed in Sistine Chapel (oh, well, got a postcard instead)
Inside St Peter’s Basilica
One of the many beautiful fountains.
Ceilings full articulate paintings
Ancient ruins
Now off after our brief jaunt in Rome, it was time to catch a train to Torino!
Torino
Torino
One of the many Savoy Palaces
When in Rome, er Italy -you eat pizza! Yum- pizza
Chatting with other filmmakers
Over looking the city and the Alps - yodel la he hoooo
Slow food dinner at midnight(!) with a fellow filmmaker and film festival coordinator. Yep, we sure ate while in Torino.
In the press
Family shot
Filmmakers luncheon
A radio interview
I don’t dare ask how many calories were in this beauty!
Checking out the farmers market
We visit the SLOW FOOD International HQ in Bra and meet up with Michele, who works in the Communications Office. She took us out for….
a decadent coffee and chocolate drink!
In Torino, they had the BEST ice cream! Here, Justin hold my ice cream cone while I take a pic…. Oops, too late.
The little apron shop where we got our LHITC aprons made
The owner and his sewing machine.
We get ready for a TV interview. At the film festival, our family was there as special guest - thanks for making our stay such an enjoyable experience (room and food was great!)
Greece, Israel, now Italy.
Next stop for our family & the film - India, where we showed the film and gave presentations in three cities!
Lots of photos to share, stay tuned!
Tags:
homegrow,
homegrown,
homegrown revolution,
nature,
rain
Topics: Out & About, Posts by Anais | Tags: homegrow, homegrown, homegrown revolution, nature, rain
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December 21st, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Thank you for the update and pics of the “HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION” tour.
It’s great to see that you’re making a positive impact world wide!
Looking forward to more!
Duane
December 21st, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Wow! What a great adventure! Italy is on my short list of places I would love to visit.
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Wow, this is very exciting! I am living vicariously through you guys.
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:34 am
[...] HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION IN ITALY | [...]
December 24th, 2009 at 5:45 am
[...] happenings on the urban homestead to give you a glimpse at our travels this year to Greece, Israel, Italy and India - life on the urban homestead goes on and going to try to catch you all up on the [...]
December 26th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I would love to see a picture of your new aprons.
January 5th, 2010 at 7:57 am
[...] of highlights for 2009, especially our trips as urban homesteading ambassadors to Greece, Israel, Italy and [...]
January 5th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
[...] to climate change), in addition to our trips as urban homesteading ambassadors to Greece, Israel, Italy and [...]