→ 2010-08-03 05:19:40 (55 Comments)
August 29, 2010
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
August 19, 2010
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
August 10, 2010
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.
August 3, 2010
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.
July 29, 2010
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!
July 23, 2010
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.
July 21, 2010
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.
July 19, 2010
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
July 12, 2010
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…
July 8, 2010
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.
July 6, 2010
[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…
July 5, 2010
As folks around the nation celebrate with friends and family, how about we all take this opportunity to share with one another what baby steps (or giant ones) that we have taken to become more independent from mass consuming culture and the corporate controls of our food, energy, fuel, water and our lives.
June 25, 2010
We’ll wrap up a busy week with another pictorial dispatch from the homefront…. Word on the honey front is that we should be harvesting some soon – perhaps Sunday! Everyone can’t wait to try out Justin’s new “toy.” It’s a new stainless steel hand-cranked honey exacter – it’s a beaut.
June 11, 2010
It’s been awhile since we’ve done a pictorial dispatch from the urban homestead. So ya’ll ready for one? This one features a lot of the garden but that’s a focal point in our lives now – picking, packing, eating, selling surplus and pretty soon, putting up the harvests!
May 24, 2010
Urban Homesteading not just about bringing food, goods, services closer to home but making the home center your life. One of the steps backwards we have taken is bringing “socializing” home.
May 22, 2010
by Anais in Simple Living
When folks ask “so what’s this about a Sabbath day” I simply tell them it’s a day where we call “TIME OUT.”
So what’s a “time out?” Time out from buying, selling and doing normal work activities here on the urban homestead.
It’s a time for us unwind, unplug, relax, reflect, get outdoors, get with loved ones. It’s about finding a balance in life as we step off of the 24/7 treadmill.
May 21, 2010
Now that the urban homestead movement is well, “trendy” So, what’s in a name? What is the movement of urbanites who are growing their own food, raising barnyard in their backyards and “putting up” in the kitchen.
Urban homesteading is about taking a step backwards and living a more simple, purposeful life but doing it in an inner city environment – surrounded by the modern world.
May 19, 2010
Lots has happen this week – we lost Amy, upgraded the blog and more. So we are taking a bit of break of sorts since it was a week of considerable stress and little sleep.
We do have some great post formulating that we are working as we hope to bring you more “homestead happenings”
May 18, 2010
We always enjoy receiving the shipment of ollas not only does these clay pot work in the garden to conserve water but because we can “go shopping.”
How’s that – you wearing “jugs?” Nope, but this shopping is the ultimate “going thriftin’” experience!
May 9, 2010
“Red Heads” we gals show off our aprons and the now growing “red” cabbages from the garden
Awhile back I posted about our urban homestead wardrobe and how aprons ( our “domestic armor”) were vital apparel. Not only are the feminine but they help with the dirty work that needs to be done here on the [...]
April 29, 2010
New, just out on DVD!
The Art of Quilting by the West Ladies of Tennessee
With warmth, hospitality, and southern charm, the West ladies offer great insight, encouragement, and a joyful picture of family unity. Their unique and creative DVDs are sure to provide fun skills that will inspire families to work together, learn together, and enjoy [...]
April 28, 2010
You don’t miss your water until your well runs day – country proverb
FACT: An average American family of four generates about 70 gallons of graywater a day! That is a lot of water going down the drain.
For comparison the average African family uses about 5 gallons of water each day.
What is Gray Water?
As its name [...]
April 26, 2010
Another local write-up about the urban homestead that includes Jordanne’s Ginger Soda Recipe (note we use glass bottles but for the article recommend using recycled liter soda bottles for safety reasons)
Farming a 1/10 Acre Urban Homestead by Chris Bertrand / Mountain Views News
The Dervaes family live simply and richly, farming their Urban Homestead in Pasadena
On [...]
April 23, 2010
The guy love wearing caps — it’s a must in their urban farmer apparel. Um, that and camos. Farmer Justin digs camo’s and for a down and dirty guy camos make a lot of sense – you can wear dirty clothes and not look dirty (saves on laundry and water). Yep, Farmer J is one [...]
April 22, 2010
“Earth is crammed with heaven
And every bush aflame with God
But only those who see take off their shoes.”
— Elizabeth Barrett Browning, poet
April just on whooshed by and brrr is it ccccold.
Spring just up and left, it feels like December – we got over 5/8 of inch or rain and can you believe there’s snow on [...]
April 16, 2010
by Anais in Clay Pot Irrigation, Garden, Greywater Reclamation, Homestead, Posts by Anais, Water, Water
Water! Water is vital to the all aspects of the urban homestead and, though we are dependent on the municipal water source for most of our water (digging a well is out of the question – looked into it), we do our best to conserve what water we do use.
On the homestead in New Zealand, there [...]
April 15, 2010
Good little article but there are some slight misstatements. 1.) We grow 99 percent of our PRODUCE not diet 2) We do buy supplement animal feed (grains pellets) oh, and our goal is “ZERO” food miles!
Path to Freedom conserves water while cutting ‘food miles’ from Dervaes family’s carbon footprint
By Carolyn Neuhausen PASADENA WEEKLY
On a quiet [...]
April 14, 2010
On newsstand today – TWO articles in the Daily News featuring the urban homestead.
Photos courtesy the Daily News John McCoy/Staff Photographer
Farm living in the city with the Dervaes
By Natalie Haughton, Food Editor
It’s trendy to go green, grow some vegetables in your back yard, have a few solar panels on the roof and drive a hybrid [...]
April 13, 2010
The harvest results are in for the month of March
Harvest: 396 lbs produce Eggs Duck 44 & Chicken 96
Why do we tally the harvest? No, is not supposed to be a competition of us vs them/you but us vs us. Keeping track, keeps us on track Here’s some of the reason’s why
66 ft x [...]
April 12, 2010
This first work order to humans was “to dress and keep the garden,” a command to do the work necessary to tend a garden , along with a compassionate care over animals that reside there.
Thank you all so very much for your care and concern over our lil Amy (named after a character in Louisa [...]
March 31, 2010
Taking a Blogging Break
It’s a Holy season for us here on the urban homestead, so going to take a few days break to concentrate on some projects and re prioritize a few things.
Lots of things happening, Holy observances and it’s that busy time of year. A farming life is 24/7 and it just kicked into [...]
March 19, 2010
by Anais in Barnyard, Garden, Garden, Goats, Greywater Reclamation, Homestead, Kitchen, Laundry, Posts by Anais, Water, Water
We wrap up another busy week with a pictorial dispatch – highlighting our new grey water project and more!
Goat Walk & Talk
Student working on an profiling some local eco heroes for a NPR radio piece comes along on one of our goat walks. Jordanne shows her some wild edibles that are popping up all over [...]
March 18, 2010
Who turned on the heat? It feels like summer out! Temps have topped 85 degrees. Guess winter is behind us as we sprung forward last weekend.
It’s certainly been a busy week of activity here on the urban homestead, so I am afraid I am behind in keeping ya’ll up to date.
So once again here’s a [...]
March 16, 2010
Our family’s been urban homesteading for the last 20 plus years, but when we started actually documenting our journey online 10 years ago, we knew it wasn’t about “just doing it” but keeping track of what was done.
Keeping records really helps you to see where you’ve been and where you want to go. “Keeping track” [...]
March 10, 2010
by Anais in Barnyard, Bees, Clay Pot Irrigation, Garden, Garden, Goats, Homestead, Posts by Anais, Skills & Crafts, Water
Continuing our pictorial peek into life here on the urban homestead. As for the previous entry with the fish: FYI, we won’t be naming them anytime soon in case you are wondering!
Weekend Wanderings
Farmers Justin & Sergio visit the local nursery that’s right across the street from our urban homestead and check out the vegetable selection [...]
March 9, 2010
Wow, ya”ll put up a great bunch of comments/contributions to the Time Management post – check it out if you missed it. Thanks for some great dialogue!
There’s lots happening here on the urban homestead, I can’t even begin to start with details. So I am going to let pictures do the “talking.”
Once again here’s a [...]
March 5, 2010
I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty and joy to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. ~Helen Keller
Time’s A Wastin!
You know that Paul Simon ditty “Slip Sliding Away” where it says “You know the nearer your destination, the more you slip sliding away.“ That’s [...]
February 28, 2010
Yesterday it rained (at times torrential) buckets, we got over 2 inches! What a tremendous blessing – great for the garden!
Around the urban homestead we’ve been busy. There’s so much to do, I can’t even begin to start. Spring is so about “happenings” don’t you think? And we are ready to roll… are you?
Linked’em
Oh, and [...]
February 24, 2010
Our rural homesteading friends, ladies in Tennessee are back! Sharing their homespun homesteading skills with another collection of how to videos.
With warmth, hospitality, and southern charm, the West ladies offer great insight, encouragement, and a joyful picture of family unity. Their unique and creative DVDs are sure to provide fun skills that will inspire families [...]
February 23, 2010
Sunday was a busy day here at the urban homestead. I can’t divulge details or any photos pertaining to the filming due to a disclosure agreement but it has something to do with chefs, homegrown food and local foodies The filming crew was here from 7 am and left just before 7 pm taking over [...]
February 20, 2010
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
~Thomas Edison~
After a long winter, one never tires of seeing the peaches pretty in pink
Another projects and element of the modern urban homestead – DIY. Here’s a utility bench that the guys just finished putting on the back porch.
Picking salad [...]
February 19, 2010
Snoozing on the straw bale
zzzzzzzzzzzz
Packing seeds and shipping them out. Thanks to those of you who are supporting FreedomSeeds.org
Saturday Social. Party at the urban homestead — table full of good food! That plate of homemade biscuits on the left were dangerous – dangerously good in that I could polish off the whole plate. Have [...]
February 19, 2010
The weather changed over night – weather whiplash we call it! After being spoiled with a week or so days of 80 degree temps, it’s dipped back into the 60’s with a chance of rain today and more next week.
Continuing with our pictorial posting blitz….
Playfulness! Jordanne and Fairlight make faces at each other
A week with [...]
February 18, 2010
Gearing up for spring, not only is there planting to do, new projects to tackle, there’s lots of maintenance to be done too!
Justin give the citrus a hair cut
Hive maintenance. Look at that frame – heavily loaded with dark “winter” honey!
Hive tool in hand, checking on the brood
Watching bees is mesmerizing
Everything looks good!
Last Saturday Farmer [...]
February 18, 2010
Heatwave!
From rain & snow (on our local mountains) last week to temperatures topping 80 degrees all this week – whew, talk about whiplash!
But we are enjoying the unseasonable warmth while we can because there’s another storm on the horizon (next week) and there’s lots of work to be done.
Growing Your Own Groceries?
Need to stock up [...]
