→ 2010-07-07 06:14:55 (35 Comments)
July 7, 2010
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.
June 10, 2010
Yesterday, we spent a wonderful afternoon across the street from the urban homestead with some very energetic 3rd graders who, for their science & social studies project, had to build a pizza box solar ovens. Not only did they do a great job of making the pizza box ovens, tbut hey also decorated the ovens [...]
May 4, 2010
Come and listen to my story ’bout a man named Jed a simple pioneer, who kept his family fed
And then one day he was growin’ some food
When up from the ground come a mountin’ of doo…soil, that is. Black gold. Earthy.
Well, the next thing you know, ol’ J’s a ‘farmer extraordinaire
His kinfolks said, ‘Jed, please [...]
September 21, 2008
by Anais in Cooking & Baking, Cooling, Energy, Homestead, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Solar Oven, Solar Power
FACT: every day the sun shines, an equivalent of 4.25 TRILLION barrels of oil falls on the US alone in the form of solar energy
I have a confession, I been addicted to solar ovens ever since we built our first cardboard, aluminum oven back in the days — 1990 to be exact. Yep, we were [...]
January 1, 2008
by Anais in Bicycle, Challenges, Community, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Garden, Growing for 10K lbs, Homestead, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Production: Harvest Tally, Solar Oven, Transportation
GROW FOR TEN THOUSAND
Our readers know that that we’ve been hinting for months about a great new project in the works. As we start the new year, the moment has come to reveal our plan, along with a new logo exemplifying the revolutionary spirit of PTF’s Homegrown Revolution™: To harvest 10,000 pounds in 2008 from [...]
November 26, 2007
Answers From the Urban Homestead – Solar Ovens
Q. I would like to start using a solar oven, but the temps are dropping here in PA. Is there a minimum temperature at which the solar oven will work?Thanks for answering my question. And thanks for your work!Kym Helwig
A. Thank you for your question and positive comments, [...]
November 20, 2007
Solar ovens
Peddler’s Wagon Product Review
Practical products for the urban homesteader Sun Ovens
Back in the early 1990’s I remember building our first sun oven using cardboard boxes, aluminum foil and piece of glass. Although homemade ovens are a great diy project (a few years back we built a sturdier sun oven using scraps of plywood [...]
November 9, 2007
by Anais in Barnyard, Community, Cooking & Baking, DIY Projects, Energy, Garden, Garden, Highlights, Homestead, Journey Reflections, Kitchen, News, Outreach, Posts by Anais, Videos, Water
Homegrown Revolution™
When UCLA professor Peter Sellars invited PTF to come and speak to his class, we were honored at such an opportunity. Since it was such a short notice, we had to scramble to get something that would get the students’ attention about the homegrown message of PTF. Since the class focus was on [...]
October 18, 2007
Simple Solar Solutions
Hallmark Channel’s New Morning show visits the Dervaes family urban homestead. This family has started a homegrown revolution™ by being the change they wish to see by living the solution.
On today’s show urban homesteader, Anais, show us how to build a simple sun oven using a pizza box. With this diy sun [...]
September 30, 2007
by Anais in Community, Homestead, Journey Reflections, Kitchen, News, Outreach, Posts by Anais, Solar Oven
Edible landscaping in front yard (basil, marigolds,peppers, calamondin)
Life Interrupted
To find fault is easy; to do better may be difficult. — Plutarch
We had hoped to have a few outstanding sustainable projects finished this summer, but we were so busy with the bumper summer harvest and other little things that interrupted our plans. However, [...]
August 31, 2007
by Anais in Compost, Energy, Garden, Homestead, Kitchen, News, Posts by Anais, Solar Oven, Supplies, Water, Water, Weather
Conscious cooking
Hot & Muggy
Whew, it feels as if we are living in a sauna. Temperatures and humidity levels are insane and there’s no relief in relief in sight
The power companies are asking (should be mandatory!) folks to conserve energy and of course, we do our part here on the urban homestead.
Opening doors and windows just [...]
August 23, 2007
Deconstructing SOS Solar Oven
When the sun is shining, break out the solar oven {Globe & Mail}
Solar cooking has long been the domain of wilderness campers looking to harness the sun’s energy to make backwoods brownies.But with global warming in the collective consciousness, a small, growing number of urban dwellers are turning to solar grills and [...]
August 3, 2007
by Anais in Clay Pot Irrigation, Community, Garden, Homestead, Journey Reflections, Kitchen, News, Outreach, Solar Oven, Supplies, Updates, Water, Water
Both Sides Now
When we have time we sneak a peek through the referral statistics from the PTF website and it’s great to see the many sites that link to ours (and if you are one of those linkster who’s reading this post – thanks for spreading the word) Besides the insane amount of traffic (46,000,000 [...]
July 19, 2007
We are down to the last two parts in a series of seven for the online’Healthy Living’ series. In this segment you’ll hear Anais describe how she/we like(s) sun cooking using SOLAR OVENS
View all seven in the ‘Healthy Living’ series which feature the urban eco-pioneers of PTF.
July 13, 2007
Chris Kimball, left, and Harry Smith discuss solar cookers on The Early Show
Monday (CBS/The Early Show)
Q. …we’d like to do some solar cooking and are unsure of how/what to do. – Tia
A. Cooking with the sun is fun, easy and environmentally friendly. We made our first sun oven out of cardboard and aluminum foil over [...]
July 11, 2007
July 4th gathering. Friend Chris whips up some tasty homemade pizza. YUM.
June 26, 2007
by Anais in Community, Energy, Garden, Homestead, Kitchen, News, Outreach, Posts by Anais, Simple Living, Solar Oven, Supplies, Water
Green driveway strip, kombucha mother, this year’s wine crop
- made apricot fruit sauce with homegrown apricots
- bought a few 1 gallon glass jars wholesale so can start kombucha and rejuvalac cultures (have to find ways to use 800 lbs of grain that were given to us by a friend). After sprouting and fermenting the grains [...]
April 10, 2007
by Anais in Clay Pot Irrigation, Garden, Highlights, Kitchen, News, Posts by Anais, Solar Oven, Videos, Water
Filming
Last week we heard from someone working with the Hallmark Channel that one of the DIY clips made it to one of the ‘New Morning‘ episodes. They filmed 5 simple “DIY” clips (homemade toothpaste, bioidesel, pizza box sun oven, using ollas, newspaper pots) and the one that has certainly made it to one of [...]
February 18, 2007
Sport Sun Oven
Solar Cooking In Winter? It can be done!
Hey there Guys,I’ve been coming to your web site for a couple of years now, and I absolutely love what you’re doing.I bought a solar oven from Peddler’s Wagon a couple of months ago, and it’s great! I’ve had a cardboard box oven for years, but [...]
January 25, 2007
by Anais in Cooking & Baking, DIY Projects, Energy, Garden, Highlights, Homestead, Journey Reflections, Kitchen, News, Posts by Anais, Simple Living
Eco pioneers
Path to Freedom’s urban homestead is featured in 3 page spread in today’s (Thursday) “HOME” Section of the LA Times – pick up a copy!
O, pioneers in Pasadena {LATimes}
One family unplugs from technology and lives off the land. Even the blender is pedal-powered.
JULES DERVAES can’t help it. He’s afflicted by a condition for which [...]
November 2, 2006
by Anais in Community, Cooking & Baking, Energy, Heating, Homestead, Kitchen, Laundry, News, Outreach, Posts by Anais, Solar Oven, Updates, Water
De-Cluttering
There are so many draft journal postings it’s becoming a cluttered, disorganized mess. So, before the year is out I am going to try to a bit of “cyber cleaning.” Anyhow, feeling a bit posting fatigue at the moment so, the less said/written, the better.
Here are a few new posts with some exciting developments (did [...]
August 23, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Community, DIY Projects, Ducks, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Garden, Homestead, Journey Reflections, Kitchen, News, Outreach, Posts by Jordanne, Soil & Mulch, Spiritual Path, Stocking Up & Storing, Updates, Waste
Sorry for the late of postings, it’s been busy here on the homestead. Well, that’s nothing new, I suppose. Weather’s hot, back to typical August weather.
Day of Rest & Reflection and Forward Thinking
Saturday, we spent a quiet and relaxing day with a friend as we hiked in the local mountains. We walked up to our [...]
August 16, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Chickens, DIY Projects, Ducks, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Highlights, Homestead, Kitchen, Menu Planning, Metal Roofing, News, Pickling & Preservation, Posts by Anais, Weather
Fall?
August is certainly turning out to be a strange month weather wise. It’s a mixture June Gloom and crisp Fall-like weather. If we didn’t know any better we’d say it was late October. The now cool weather is throwing everything out of wack and besides, it’s weird. Those weeks when it was excruciatingly hot we [...]
August 10, 2006
by Anais in Earthen (Cob) Oven, Garden, Highlights, Homebrew Biodiesel, Homestead, Kitchen, Menu Planning, News, Posts by Anais, Simple Living, Transportation
Snap shots
“…small old path that leads to freedom: a path of action, of thought, of wisdom.” ~ Katherine Tingley, 1914 ~
Photos
Here on the homestead there’s always something quirky, beautiful or stunning to take photos of. Here are few of the best shots taken:
Top right – to left: peaches ripening on the tree; Blackberry eating out [...]
June 20, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Chickens, Community, Ducks, Garden, Goats, Homestead, Journey Reflections, Kitchen, Menu Planning, Outreach, Posts by Anais, Rabbits, Solar Oven, Weather
Hot & Busy
It’s been quite warm these last couple of days; however, it’s supposed to cool down slightly today.
The other day I made two lemony sweet jars of lemon verbena syrup. I plan to use the syrup to sweetened lemonades and other fruit desserts. Yesterday, we baked up another batch of blueberry muffins (with our [...]
June 18, 2006
Strawbales
Straw!
One of our clients was having a big shin-dig Texas BBQ on Friday, we happened to be delivering the same time the guy pulled in with a truck full of bales – 20 straw bales as a matter of fact! Of course, I asked the chef what would be done with the bales after [...]
June 15, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Energy, Goats, Highlights, Homestead, Kitchen, News, Posts by Anais, Powering Down, Solar Oven
Goat Pedicure
After the animal chores ( feeding, watering, cleaning the enclosure, and gathering eggs )were done early this morning it was time to give the goats a pedicure. While I walked one around the yard, Jordanne with the help of Jules trimmed (and cleaned) each of the goat’s hooves. Actually the goats were quite [...]
June 13, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Community, Compost, Garden, Goats, Greywater Reclamation, Homestead, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Solar Oven, Water, Water
Edible “forest” garden “layer” example
It’s another rather cool & somewhat cloudy morning here on the homestead. Yesterday morning we had a bit of drizzle.
We didn’t do the hoof trimming on the goats as we had planned on Sunday because their hooves didn’t really need it yet with all the walking they’ve been doing. However, we [...]
June 6, 2006
by Anais in Energy, Garden, Homestead, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Powering Down, Simple Living, Solar Oven
A “Berry” Good Year
The fog’s rolled in again this morning so it should be a pretty comfortable day. So far this week, we’ve picked about 15 pounds of huge, juicy blackberries. Of course, you pay the price for picking such tasty treats since the vines are loaded with thorns. This blackberry, produces “larger than [...]
June 5, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Community, Garden, Goats, Kitchen, News, Outreach, Posts by Anais, Solar Oven, Updates
Going for a walk
The Heat is On
The last few days we’ve reached near or above triple digits. Thankfully, there’s a bit of relief today — the fog! Meteorologists are saying things will start to cool down midweek.
The scorching temps mean that the solar shower and solar oven have been put to good use these [...]
May 30, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Energy, Goats, Homestead, Kitchen, News, Posts by Anais, Powering Down, Solar Oven
Our neighbor and friend (Jamie) dropped by on Sunday afternoon to see the new goats. After observing and fawning over them, Jordanne put their harnesses on and we walked them down the street to surprise her roommate. Jaime and Jordanne walked the goats around her enclosed front lawn. For fun we took their leashes off, [...]
May 28, 2006
by Anais in Community, Energy, Homestead, Kitchen, News, Outdoor Shower, Posts by Anais, Powering Down, Solar Oven, Solar Power, Water
Solar shower & sun oven
Sorry for the lack of postings this week. It’s been just too nice outside and too many things to do around the urban homestead.
The guys are working on the last phase in the expansion of the animal enclosure. Now that the sun is out, we re-foiled the solar oven panels so [...]
March 28, 2006
by Anais in Community, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Garden, Homestead, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Structures, Weather
Lodge pole trellis
A warm tropical “pineapple express” has descended on the southland bringing showers and occasionally torrential downpours. Already by afternoon our rain gauge measured over 1″ of rain! The storm is expected to linger till tomorrow dumping more, much needed, rain. Late Friday another storm is expected.
The lodge pole trellis structure that we [...]
March 27, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Garden, Homestead, Kitchen, Market Gardening, Menu Planning, Posts by Anais
Animal enclosure
The weather has shifted again, it’s a cool and slightly cloudy today. A heavy storm is expected Tues and into Wednesday which should dump from 1-5 inches of rain throughout the Los Angeles area.
The animal enclosure is nearly done. All that’s left is to put a trellis along the top to support the grapes. [...]
March 14, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Chickens, Compost, Ducks, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Highlights, Homebrew Biodiesel, Homestead, Kitchen, News, Posts by Anais, Transportation, Vermicomposting, Weather
Kids pet the duck
It’s warming up. After several nights of sssshivering 28 degrees, it’s warmed up to a comfortable low of 32. The sky is clear and the sun’s out today- a beautiful, warm day. The chilly nights are definitely good for the fruits that require a certain amount of chill to set [...]
February 26, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Compost, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Garden, Greywater Reclamation, Homestead, Kitchen, News, Pets, Posts by Anais, Seeds, Skills & Crafts, Updates, Water, Weather
Part of front and back yard
Good news, more rain is on the way Monday, into Tuesday and more chance on Thursday! Around 6 am this morning we spotted geese flying North. A sure sign that winter is coming to a close.
This morning a noxious smell of gas hung heavy in the air. We checked [...]
January 4, 2006
by Anais in Barnyard, Chickens, Compost Toilet, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Energy, Homestead, Journey Reflections, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Simple Living, Solar Power, Water, Weather
We hear so much these days for us to “think outside the box.” But then what? Jules has for years come to a conclusion that it’s time for us to “act outside the box.” Thinking outside the box is one step, but now it’s time for our to put our thoughts into action. It’s [...]
December 30, 2005
by Anais in Cooking & Baking, DIY Projects, Energy, Garden, Homestead, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Simple Living, Transportation, Water, Water
As the new year approaches it’s traditional to take a look back at the year in review. I like to share with you a few highlight from this year and toast to a new beginning.
Looking Back On ‘05
*cob oven completed (thanks to all who helped) and used on a regular basis
*car free days – 4 [...]
December 7, 2005
Cob baked goodies
Baking day was yesterday, everything turned out yummy! We ate 1/2 of the warm bread coming right out cob oven and also enjoyed warm rice pudding for dessert. The bread pudding and pie cooked perfectly and nothing burned. This oven is great that it can cook almost anything — not just bread [...]
December 6, 2005
Brrr, it’s been quite cold these last few days. Mornings and evenings especially.
Today is baking day in the cob so I will be making a couple of alfalfa sprout bread, pumpkin pie, rice pudding and a dish of our popular New Orleans style bread pudding ( I know, I know – I really should make [...]
November 18, 2005
by Anais in Community, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Garden, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Stocking Up & Storing, Water
Food from co-op & recent garden harvest
With the recent bulk order from the co-op, we are set for a few months with the necessary staples and with the unseasonably warm temps the garden is still going strong.
Butterfly comes to town
Tuesday, we spent the evening at LA City College with concerned people from the community and [...]
November 2, 2005
by Anais in Barnyard, Community, Earthen (Cob) Oven, Energy, Garden, Homestead, Kitchen, Lighting, Menu Planning, Posts by Anais, Rabbits
Dirty bunny
Someone’s having fun! Sierra’s enjoying the warm fall days by digging a tunnel in the animal enclosure. She certainly is taking the digging seriously! Unfortunately, we’ll have to fill in her excavations since it’s pretty deep and we don’t want to have any accidental cave-ins.
The guavas are ripe! We have been looking forward [...]
October 26, 2005
by Anais in Earthen (Cob) Oven, Energy, Garden, Garden, Homestead, Kitchen, Posts by Anais, Powering Down
Baking day
Oh dreary days. Each day seems to be a carbon copy of the other – cool, foggy mornings, clearing to hazy sunshine. However, for the last two days, the cloud cover has so thick it’s brought light to heavy drizzling. Today looks to be a much better day with the sun peeking through the [...]
October 17, 2005
Another night and day of torrential downpours, lightning, thunder and hail. Midday, the skies grew dark, like it was night, as wave after wave of intense storms drenched SoCal. More t-showers are expected tonight and into tomorrow. So much for my planned “cob cooking day” today. Ray’s supposed to be bringing by his [...]
October 12, 2005
Late summer snapshots
The backyard garden is looking nice and lush once again as late summer beans, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, squash and other colorful green crops fill the beds and self-watering containers. The guys erected a new open-air bamboo fence between our place and our neighbor’s. Being that that side of the yard is so [...]
