Now that fall is just around the corner I can honestly say this was the COOLEST summer (ever), well, that I can remember. From June-August there were only two or three “really hot” weeks. So Cal gardeners, how did the cool summer affect your garden? Did you find it an easier or harder growing season?
The baby ducky episode is quickly coming to a close. Pretty soon these “quacker doodles” won’t want to be seen in public and there’ll be less and less pics of them here at LHITC.
Well, I’m a few days late but better late than never, right? There’s a lot happening so ya’ll pay attention, read all this stuff VERY carefully ya hear- thanks!
Meet a family who achieved what most people would think impossible in a big city. On less than 4,000 square feet of land in the heart of Pasadena, California, the Dervaes family gets all the food they need from their own backyard
There’s a lot on our plates right now (carry a lot of new projects!) and we are just plowing thru a heavy workload at the moment which leaves me little time or energy to bring you updates from the urban homestead.
Here’s some really cute photos that Justin took of the now 2+ week old duckies – they certainly are growing fast! Just to point out as it seems some folks are confused — this is our THIRD time raising ducklings (started our first flock 8 years ago)
Wow, it’s that time already for another Weekly Round Up? This week we are focusing on our growing outreach as we put out a call for a few know-how and passionate writers to become part of the our social network team. Would that be you?
On the homefront there’s a lot happening. Yeah, well guess it wouldn’t be normal if I didn’t say that everyone is busy. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but tis a farm life. Fellow homesteaders would understand of even exhibit some of the symptoms! LOL
Can’t believe we are weeks away from saying “adios” to summer. And just when we thought Ms Summer wouldn’t show, she finally turned up after a pretty cool start.
The little peepers are sure growing fast! They graduated from the kiddie pool to the big one last week and are eating greens.
With all that’s going on, figure it’s high time I sit and collect all the newbytes and articles that ya’ll may have missed this week. On Fridays I am going to try to make it a weekly habit to post some highlights. Git along little dawgies!
Nothing says summer like homegrown tomatoes – eat ‘em raw with a bit of salt. Bliss! Tomatoes have a right to have an entire post of their own don’t you think?
“Momma duck” took the little peepers swimming today (under close supervision of course)! I know, you are saying, “but they are only 3-4 days all and that goes against all the stuff in books!” We are pretty radical in our approach to raising poultry
Khaki Campbell (a heritage breed) babies have arrived on the urban homestead. Khaki Campbell’s are an excellent duck breed for the urban homestead. Medium size, they are relatively quite, good layers (they don’t go broody) and are consider land ducks so all the need is a shallow tray of water to be happy.
One of our favorite kitchen cosmetics is coconut oil. We use it for skin care as it absorbs well into the skin and leaves it dewy looking. It helps fight blemishes too. Putting a small amount in your hair before washing will condition your hair nicely. It also conditions your eyebrows and lashes.
Across the nation, folks are down on their knees, hands dirty, seeds and trowel clench firming in hand determine to grow their own food. With hard work, effort and patience this hearty lot of homegrown soildiers will be blessed up to their eye balls in produce.
As caretakers of our little patch of earth, over the years we have noticed an increase in wildlife to visit our little Eden. Are you turning your home into an urban homestead?
The latest episode of Critter Vision. Funny antics from our cast of characters here at the urban homestead. Wanna go for a ride?
We can’t sing the praises enough of clay pot irrigation, an ancient method of plant irrigation – considered the original drip irrigation system. And yes the ollas are 100% LEAD-FREE
On the food front… The figs are finally ripe so we devoured our first fig quesadilla of the season. I know, sounds odd but it’s soooo delicious!
For centuries every culture has been on a question for beauty but these days our obsession with beauty is proving not only to be toxic and deadly. Every year millions of woman get sick or die because of what they are putting on their skin and hair.
Keeping track of our harvest keeps on on track with our growing efforts. Over the last decade we have show that small can be beautiful and productive. Folks often wonder how it is that we grow so much on a 1/10 acre
Though we haven’t posted much in the way of the ongoing impact our little film has had, we are happy to report that our homemade film is still growing strong.
Our short film, Homegrown Revolution (you can buy the DVD here) will be screening at home and abroad.
Raising chickens naturally and holistically has been a passion for Jordanne these last nine years. During those years she’s acquired a lot of knowledge and know how which is now available to help you naturally boost your backyard flock.
Besides our aquaponics project another new experiment here at the urban homestead this year is growing hops. We purchased the rhizomes in Spring and the other day I spotted some teensy tiny flowers!
On the preservation front this week: pickling beets, apple pie filling, apple butter, elderberry jam, peaches in syrup, zucchini pickles and pumpkin butter (going to use those gorgeous pumpkins!). Next round should be tomato sauce and pickled peppers.
The summer harvest is now just started to pour in and what a blessings. We are so thankful for the bounty that the earth provides. This week we revisited and revived our 100 Foot Diet Challenge
We started this challenge a couple years back, and it was very popular and successful in getting folks to eat closer to home. With more and more folks growing their own food, we figure it’s about time we revive and relaunch this challenge!
After a busy week, boy we sure did look forward to our Saturday stroll with the goats. Saturday is our “Time Out” day in which, for 24 hours, we take ourselves off the clock and away from computers and the like. Nothing de-stresses and renews the spirit a body like a walk in nature with these creatures.
We had some shocking news this month, we’ll can’t really say it was shocking (more sad) because stuff like this always been in the backs of our minds. Long time customer, Elements Restaurant in Pasadena is NO longer buying our produce. Unfortunately, another sign of the economic times.
This week on the urban homestead, it’s Jane Austen meets Laura Ingalls. Apparently, the word’s out: the urban homestead is the place for tea! Jordanne and I hosted another tea party, this time for Jordanne’s friend who’s getting married this month.
After a cold and drizzling beginning to July which delayed us a few week, and ‘thanks’ to the hot weather, we got around to extracting honey and bringing in nearly 55 lbs in just under two hours! From what I heard, this is only about 1/3 of the what’s still in the beehives.
It’s our Blogiversary! Sharing our urban homesteading adventures started one hot July summer day back in 2001 with our first “journal entry.” A entry which would eventually leave tracks that trail blazed the modern urban homesteading movement
This week, Fairlight the foodie, gets up close and personal with a jar of peanut butter. Warning: the montage of photos are not yet rated and may not be suitable for folks who are drinking their morning coffee or tea while reading….
I’m a little late in posting LAST week’s meal wrap up. Adhering to the old cliche “better late than never,” here’s the latest goodies that we’ve been enjoying
Bye bye, cool July – hello heat! With the temps back to more normal “summer-like” weather, the critters water needs on the urban homestead need to be taken care of. That includes even the honey bees.
Farmer of food now turned fish farmer, Justin, checking on his aquaponics experiment. He spent a good 5 minutes or so floating the net back an forth, “Here fishy, fishy!”
Our local paper reported that it was colder the first week in July than January. That’s crazy! The unseasonably cool weather did not help the tomatoes out – it hurt them.
My Halal’s Kitchen interview with Jules Dervaes, whom we can learn so much from about living a life free of the constraints of super-consumerism and significantly reduce our carbon imprint on the earth…
As you grow along with your garden, you begin to gain a different perspective. Although it looks unkempt and even downright ugly, we let some aphid-riddled plants remain in the garden. Why? Although it may look like the black plague, those plants are harboring a powerful secret—a stealth weapon that will turn on the aphids.
Not only is it their means of sustenance, but it is also a business. This business, and their way of life as a whole, have become a blueprint for people across the world who want to go back to the basics of self-sufficiency.
It’s been a tootie fruity week here on the urban homestead. We have fruits coming out of ears and what a blessing that is.
The homestead kitchen is hopping- trays of desserts, jars of jams and bowls of ice cream are churning out from the nourishing center of our little universe.
[the] 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…
Tabbouleh was what’s for lunch/dinner most of the week. No “007″ complaints on that one. Absolutely love this summer salad. It’s so simple and tasty and uses a good handful of mint that’s growing like gangbusters and needs to be “controlled.”
This episode of Two Beers kicks off with a short chat about Jules’ appearance on a reality show on the Food Network channel. It’s a lively and humorous discussion
