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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
« WANTED: URBAN HOMESTEADERS & URBAN FARMERS | Main | BATHING BEAUTIES »
February 5, 2010
Here’s a two week worth rundown of meals we enjoyed here on the urban homestead
SATURDAY
Breakfast - homemade buttermilk pancakes with homepreserved strawberry sauce
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade spanish rice with organic black beans
SUNDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade vegetable soup (homegrown lima beans, broccoli, greens)
Dinner - homemade vegetable soup (homegrown lima beans, broccoli, greens) with organic CA grown brown rice
MONDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade vegetable soup (homegrown lima beans, broccoli, greens) with organic CA grown brown rice
Dinner - homegrown broccoli, pasta cheese casserole with homegrown salad topped with homegrown tomatoes
TUESDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade lentil loaf with homegrown salad
Dinner - homemade lentil loaf with homegrown salad
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner - homemade lentil loaf with homegrown salad
THURSDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner - homegrown broccoli, pasta cheese casserole with homegrown salad topped with homegrown tomatoes
FRIDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - raw cheese grilled cheese sandwich with homegrown/canned jalepeno jelly and homegrown/canned squash pickles
Dinner - homemade no knead bread, homegrown/canned tomato sauce and pasta
Before leaving on our trip, I didn’t have much time to make any “decent” meals.
Thankfully we were still getting homegrown, fresh tomatoes, crunchy lettuce and Farmer Sergio brought us some avocados for quick n easy sandwiches. Add a can of homegrown/canned pickled beans and you got yourself a meal!
SATURDAY
Breakfast - homemade buttermilk pancakes with homepreserved strawberry sauce
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans
SUNDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - local avocados, homegrown tomatoes, homegrown lettuce, raw cheese sandwich
MONDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown lima beans and organic CA grown brown rice
Dinner - local avocados, homegrown tomatoes, homegrown lettuce, raw cheese sandwich
TUESDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - local avocados, homegrown tomatoes, homegrown lettuce, raw cheese sandwich with homegrown/canned pickled beans
Dinner - local avocados, homegrown tomatoes, homegrown lettuce, raw cheese sandwich with homegrown/canned pickled beans
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner - homemade lentil loaf with homegrown salad
THURSDAY
Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - lentil loaf sandwich with homegrown lettuce, homegrown tomatoes
Dinner - lentil loaf sandwich with homegrown lettuce, homegrown tomatoes
FRIDAY
left to Nor Cal
Do Things Different
There’s changes coming. Seeing we have loads of fig jam and guava jam, going to start changing the breakfast menu and using up what we have in our pantry.
It’s going to be a challenge because everyone (these days) is getting up at a different times. That’s why homemade granola was so handy and just a habit. Make it the day/night before and whenever you wake up you could just pour yourself a bowl and top with whatever homegrown fruit that’s on the counter.
But with the new year, we resolved to do better and break out of old habits. There’s (better) changes on the way.
What changes are you making so far this new year? Care to share.
Tags:
homestead,
meals,
the urban homestead,
Urban Homestead,
weekly meal wrap up
Topics: Homegrown Diet, Kitchen, Posts by Anais | Tags: homestead, meals, the urban homestead, Urban Homestead, weekly meal wrap up
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February 5th, 2010 at 9:09 am
I am hoping to decrease our monthly food budget of $280. (for 6 people- 4 growing boys, mom & dad). I am hoping by the summer when we can actually pull things from our garden, to be spending under $200. Maybe a lot less than that…
We just got 2 goats, who will have babies in the next month of so, and we are going to milk them. In milk ALONE each week, we buy 6-7 gallons regular milk and 3 half gallons of soy milk (for lactose intolerant mom). There is almost $35 a week! That is most of our budget. I am hoping by Fall, that we are only buying flour (BIG ONE!), and other necessities that we can’t produce ourselves.
I think our changes are going to be BIG this year!
February 5th, 2010 at 9:15 am
I liked the idea of you taking pictures of your weekly meals so much that I’ve started taking pictures of our dinners as well… It’s rather eye opening. Here’s to eating better… hopefully soon.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:51 am
I can’t believe you’re still getting tomatoes!
February 5th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
We are in the process right now of a $40 a week grocery budget. This is a big one for us. A family of 6 and trying to use what we have in the pantry as well as what we have in the freezer. It is working rather well thus far. Three more weeks to go.
Once we make that, if we have enough left, I will try again for next month.
Blessings,
Chas
February 5th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
I love your “cast of characters”
February 6th, 2010 at 7:51 am
My husband and I put in a 10 x 4 raised bed just after the new year. We’re using the square foot gardening method. We also planted some garlic and strawberries in pots. Can’t wait to start harvesting. We are really enjoying watching everything start to grow - lettuces, carrots, beets, chard and peas all in the baby seedling stage right now!
February 7th, 2010 at 2:32 am
This is great.
Is it the case that the grains you are using you are not growing yourselves? Does everything you grew in that list say homegrown in front of it? Curious as to how self sufficient you are for calories (vs. all foods). If you grow 99%, what is the 1% you buy composed of?
February 7th, 2010 at 5:25 am
I would love the lentil loaf recipe! Also, I have been looking over your Freedom Seed list again. I already placed a small order when I ordered my DVD but there are a few more things that interest me.
I am also becoming more interested in saving my own seeds and sharing them locally. I am becoming more and more concerned about food security and want to do my part to protect our food supply.