Photo courtesy ORGANIC CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE
“In the old days, people had relationships with nature and connections with animals,” he said. “When you remove that and put it in a factory someplace far away, people forget about it. When you have a different relationship with your animals and with your plants, when you treat them real well, they respond. Your own health and the health of the planet are intimately related, and as a society we’ve gotten away from that. So we just brought this all to pass in the city, in our Urban Homestead, and we’re spreading the word far and wide.” - Jules Dervaes
Dervaes Gardens sits practically on top of a Pasadena, California, freeway and is only blocks away from the famous Rose Bowl. Outside are all the trappings of twenty-first-century life: automobiles, satellite dishes, supermarkets, car washes, and stores carrying produce brought thousands of miles for the convenience of their customers. But inside, Jules Dervaes and his children have created what they call an Urban Homestead. Virtually every square inch of land they have available to them—a tenth of an acre in all—is utilized for growing their own food. In addition to the hundreds of varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, there is a beehive for honey, ducks and chickens for eggs, and goats for numerous purposes.
[ Just to clarify! Khaki Campbell ducks not "Camel" ]
:: Resources ::
Rock Dust - remineralize your soil
Freedom Seeds - seeds grown by the people for the people
7 Comments: "Urban Homestead: Local, Organic and in the City" »
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Thanks for inspiring all of us urban homesteaders! I love that I can show my 3yo DS the flowers growing on the pepper, tomato, cuke and pumpkin plants and then watch the fruit grow from it.
@Emily: Glad we are able to share our journey. Happy homesteading!
I especially like Farmer D.'s comments about our relationships with our animals and how they respond to being treated well. As animals lovers and pet owners of multiple animals, we know this very well from our own experience. Even our tortoises provide positive interactions with our family because they are treated well and are very loved. Good stewardship of God's creation is our purpose on this earth, I believe.
@Cindie K.: Thanks for commenting about the article. It offered a bit more insight to our lifestyle and how we care for the land and each other. I agree, as caretakers of creation it's our duty to be be good stewards to all living things.
Thanks for teaching us to love the land and can be independent in this world that is increasingly difficult to live in it with its modernity. With my family and started building a greenhouse and we will start our planting. we are far to be completely independent but that's our goal to medium term. Go ahead!
What a beautiful and inspirational post..thank you for sharing this wonderful bit of wisdom !