A journal of modern day pioneers forging a new frontier in the city through intensive agriculture and extreme sustainability in urban homesteading.

Reviving the old-fashioned "can-do" spirit of self-reliance and resourcefulness, they have faced many challenges. With faith and determination, these once-ordinary city dwellers are boldly reclaiming their lives and land. continue

Growing for 10K lbs rss

October 7, 2008

Planting hope, another round of summer crops
A cold front blew through on Saturday, bringing with it colder temperatures (30 degree drop) and even a bit of rain.  Temperatures will start climbing once again and by Wednesday we should be baking again with temperatures in the mid 90’s.
This year, we’ve gone through so many flip [...]

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October 6, 2008

Once again it’s time for Freedom Gardeners to guess how many pounds we harvested in September.
Click here to enter and your chance to win prizes!  You must be a Freedom Gardens member to enter, contest ends this Friday, October 10th.
HINT: worst September ever, thanks to the wacky weather that played havoc with the summer garden = [...]

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July 8, 2008

The harvest results are in!  Drum roll please….  about 500 lbs harvested in June.
For the year we now have harvested over a ton (2,100 lbs) of food from our .10 (1/10th) acre garden plot  – the amount we harvested our first year of keeping harvest productions records back in 2001.  Can we reach 10K?  We’ll [...]

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May 5, 2008

 Edible driveway
 Looking out our front door
 Reuse of urbanite
 Another view of edible front yard
 Backyard intensive, square inch garden
1/10 acre producing 3 tons of produce Approx annual income from DerVaes Gardens ~$ 25,000 year
Of the 6,000lb we figure: 60% consumed by family, 30% sold and 10% consumed by animals (these figures are guessimates)
Since we grow 99% of [...]

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January 2, 2008

Birds eye view. The Rose Bowl stadium shown in top left photo.
So, we kick off the new year with a new challenge – growing more food than ever thought possible on our small plot of land in the city. We’ve had inklings for some time now that our property could be even more productive but [...]

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January 1, 2008

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 [...]

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We believe in sharing our blessings and remain committed to keeping this site free of outside commercial advertisements or sponsors. However, that means we need you to support our growing efforts that benefit not only you but others who are on the same path.

The Urban Homesteaders
Jules DervaesJustin DervaesAnais DervaesJordanne Dervaes
Cast of Characters
    
   
    
    
    
 
Blogging Since 2001
Got an hour or two or a couple of days?

Clear your schedule, kick back, and follow the Little Homestead in the City chronicles through the years. Please read responsibly and in moderation. Remember to feed your family and or pets and water your garden...

There's 2,568 posts so it might take awhile. Consider yourselves warned.

COMPLETE URBAN HOMESTEAD ARCHIVES:



LOCATION
Pasadena, CA
(Northwest Pasadena, one mile from downtown Pasadena 100 yards from 11 lane freeway)

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
~ 400 different vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries

FOOD PRODUCTION
~ 6,000 lbs annually / 99% of our produce $75,000 savings

URBAN HOMESTEAD SUPPORTS
4 full-time resident adults, a menagerie of animals, volunteers, and many clients

ENERGY USAGE
$12 a month / 6.0 kwh day

WATER USAGE
$600 / 175,000 gallons a year

SOLAR POWER PRODUCED
12,410 kwh as of 5/12/10

GALLONS OF BIODIESEL MADE
2,500 gallons as of 5/12/08

FACTS N FIGURES
Learn more about the Urban Homestead
Full Stats Summary