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?
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.
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?
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?
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
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
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.
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.
June is the tipping point month were things can either go up hill or downhill … and fast! So far, we are holding steady. Some things are growing well, while others not so much.
Now that the first summer planting flush is over, it’s time to get started on the second round of planting. Folks often ask us why is our small garden so productive. One of the main reasons is we have successful succession plantings. When one crop goes out, another one comes in.
Growing right along! Taking a break for a few minutes from the massive canning production going on at the urban homestead kitchen. Here’s snapshots from our summer garden.
“Afternoon tea is a great context for prayer, testimony, and even confession! The old phrase, “Tea and sympathy” really is a good idea for today’s busy world. – Eras of Elegance”
How’s everyone’s garden growing?
I know it’s a little early but are you sensing this will be a good year, harvest wise? Are you keeping track of your growing efforts by tallying up the harvest? If so, care to weigh in?
There’s green beans in the garden (and clean clothes on the line!)
Summer is here and so are scrumptious vegetables that we’ve eagerly anticipated for nearly 1/2 a year. After so long, isn’t it just a blessings to sit down and devour a heaping plate of green beans slather in butter. MMMMM
Ms Fairlight, our Nigerian dwarf [...]
Over the last two years there’s been a surge in urban food production and raising citified farm animals. That’s the good news. The bad news that there’s been a backlash. Why? Because folks aren’t following one simple rule – the golden rule. We’ll talk about this unfortunate growing problem (unkempt food in the front yard, discarded animals in shelters) in a future post.
Here’s a NEW but “old” video shot in Fall 2007 and FINALLY online by a USC student working on a sustainable news piece
Funny thing has happened here on the urban homestead! With the recent shacking up of two scrub jays to raised their brood in one of the pineapple guava trees the mocking bird, who last year stole many a flower (potential fruit), is no where to be seen.
Gardening is not a solo job – you rely on a realm beyond your understanding and faith that hard work will bring forth results. But there’s more to that than dirty fingernails and sore backs. It’s about giving back and we implement that practice by “tithing” our first fruits, returning them to the soil from which they came.
The other day we received our spring shipment of ollas – so ya’ll who have been waiting for them we are shipping them out this week! Thanks for your patience.
For you local yokels, if know someone who is an avid gardener/homesteader and
It’s spring! Well actually, this week it feels more like SUMMER!
And that means lots of fun culinary delights coming out of the urban homestead’s kitchen.
Combining edible flower, herbs and butter for a delightful treat to slather on biscuits or smother veggies.
Here’s a recipe for HERB BUTTER
Fresh From Our Garden to Your Table
Our front porch farm [...]
Here’s a sneak peek!
We are almost ready for re-launch of the spiffy new Little Homestead in the City “Blook” (aka blog book)
Jordanne could use a bit of encouragement as she’s on the homestretch and dealing with all the headaches that come with moving and coding. A couple of pieces of chocolate helped her thru today [...]
The harvest weigh-in is in for the month of April
Produce (veg, fruit, herbs) – 555 lbs
Eggs (chicken) 83 (duck) 51
2010 Year to Date Tally
Total: 1,220 lbs
Eggs (chicken) 260 (duck) 132
Coming up!
Reckon ya’ll are ready for another pictorial post?
*Ten Rules of Edible Flowers for Edible Flower Recipes*
1. Eat flowers only when you are positive they are edible.
2. Just because flowers are served with food does not mean they are edible. (See rule #1)
3. Eat only the flowers that have been grown organically.
4. Do not eat flowers from florists, nurseries or garden centers unless [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Giving her warm baths during the egg binding crisis
We’ve dealt with our fair share of problems & pain – having more animal increases the chance of one running into some illness, injury and even death. That’s a farm life – nature gives and nature takes away.
Dawn had a leg injury awhile back – with a [...]
“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 [...]
Ya’ll know those dwarf peas we’ve been bragging about for these last few weeks – the ones that were supposed to only grow 3 feet high but topped 9 feet high instead? The peas we joking referred to as our “Tower of Peasa!“ Here’s a pic of Jordanne picking peas from a ladder!
Well, they are [...]
We hosted a FOOD INC screening & potluck on Sunday night and you can too – in your own home!
Tomorrow night at 9 PM (April 21) PBS POV will air FOOD INC in its entirety and is encouraging folks to host a potluck too
Here are some ways you can help (I’ve taken the liberty to [...]
Can you guess what one of our next project is?
Hint: has to do with this plant in the picture.
:: Field Hand Appreciation :: EM $100 and order from our online store. We are extremely grateful for your generous support. Thank you.
THE ANSWER IS: Boy ya’ll are smart. “Hops” is the mystery plant. Good guessing everyone.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
“Air Jordanne”
I know, I know enough of the supposedly dwarf pea pictures. But we just couldn’t resist just one last one because now I think they are done growing! Pretty soon these peas will succumb to mildew and become goat food.
Peas on Steroids?
Remember the 9 foot eggplant that we grew one summer! (here’s a [...]
Before the onslaught of summer – heat and heavy harvest season that tax the plants and soil. It’s that time of year to give the garden a spring booster shot!
Here on the urban homestead not only is our primary effort to grow our own food – but soil. Number one thing to remember when starting [...]
It’s been really busy here on the urban homestead. With daylight savings and first day of spring, the flurry of activity and projects have increased a hundredfold.
Back when we were teenagers, we read Euell Gibbon’s classic Stalking the Wild Asparagus.
Since then, we’ve self-taught ourselves to identify wild edibles and their uses – both edible and medicinal. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Organic matter is known as the “soul of a healthy soil.”
Adding compost to your yard or garden soil will help your plants grow bigger and healthier. The organic matter in compost helps soil hold on to nutrients and water.
Composting saves you money
Using compost as a soil conditioner or mulch reduces your need to purchase these [...]
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 [...]
Sorry, a little tardy on posting our harvest totals for February.
Here they are
Produce (fruits, veggies, herbs) 138 lb 13 oz
Eggs Chicken 63 Duck 19
Psst, join our growing (free) social network for gardeners
Well, these towers ain’t leaning that’s for sure, but can you believe these peas are the Dwarf Gray Sugar Snow Peas that grow to the height of 3 feet! No kidding!
Yeah, what’s with that? Farmer Justin’s magic, green thumb, improved soil conditions, the rains, stars? Whatever it is these peas sure aren’t dwarf.
The Towers of [...]
Remember those cabbage patch dolls? Well, I do! All the girls my age had to have them and my grandma got me one waaaay back when. But here on the urban homestead, thanks to our farmers here, we have (er modeled) our very own “homegrown” version.
As you can tell, we don’t have cable…. so have [...]
The nettles that Farmer Sergio brought over a few weeks back are a fermenting in rainwater – I took a peek, er, whiff yesterday. Gooey, gagging, goodness. MMMMMM or ACK?
When applying the stinky sludge in the garden I would advise wearing old clothes and having some vinegar or lemon juice on hand to take the [...]
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 [...]
