PATH TO FREEDOM
PEDDLER'S WAGON
FREEDOM GARDENS
"LITTLE HOMESTEAD"
DERVAES GARDENS
URBAN HOMESTEADING
Entries (RSS)
November 9, 2008
Oh dear, I look so raggedy and upkempt. I must look frightful.
I wish my neck feathers would grow out, I’m starting to look like a plucked chicken - meanwhile no mirrors.
No more fluffy (or puffy) cheeks - really makes my neck look so long. Does anyone have a scarf?
While a few of our flock molted early there are just starting to molt and they look, well, pathetic.
Old Clem, our 6 year old chicken matriarch, knows it too. She spends much of day hiding out in the goat house darest someone catch site of her slightly bald neck. Dora, our beautiful blondie, leaves small piles of feathers where ever she goes. The animal enclosure is littered with feathers all sorts of feathers - great for the compost pile. Though it’s molting season, it’s not been too stressful on the birds, they are still laying eggs. Which is a good sign - means that they are healthy.
Maintaining a healthy flock is essential. We are always on the look out for slight changes in any of our animals behaviors, manure, etc. One that we have learned is it’s vital to catch any problems early. That way you get a jump on treatments, especially if you choose to treat the animals holistically and naturally.
Jordanne always tells folks “there’s a difference between having chickens and keeping chickens.“ I think this is good advice especially now that having chickens are becoming the hip thing to do.
Every morning and early evening there are animals chores that are done here on the urban homestead. It’s like working farm, just smaller — way smaller.
Checking, watering, feeding, cleaning and spending quality time with the animals.
(4 votes)
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Filed under: Chickens, Citified Farm Animals, Posts by Anais |
Tags: Chickens, city chickens, Compost, eggs, goat
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November 7, 2008
It’s so human nature for folks to be curious. Ever use someone’s bathroom and curious as to what’s in their medicine cabinet?
Well, what we try to over here at Little Homestead in the City is let you take a peek into our lives through musing and photos (lots of photos!) By writing and showing first hand accounts we feel that we are “keeping it real” and not just filling up cyberspace talking about green or sustainable living.
You can determine a lot from people by what’s not seen. We can talk green but do we actually live green -each and every day? Sure there are setbacks but when it comes down to it “what’s in your closet, drawers, cabinet, refrigerator” says a lot about you as a person, where you but your values and money.
We are definitely far from perfect, heck, it’s a daily, hourly struggle. Besides, if we were perfect it would take all the fun out of being a human. We are just striving to do what we can, with what we have, right now.
When we urban homesteaders say we make meals from scratch, try to eat local ( in season) and stay away from too much packaged and process foods we are doing just that. Here’s a look at our fridge, cabinets and pantry.
The pantry. Bulk supplies from the food cooperative.
Kitchen cabinets full of homegrown, home preservation
The fridge (energy star rated and energy efficient!). A few dairy products , eggs and produce (no store bought - from the urban homestead) and wine (leftover from a gathering) Why is the fridge so empty? Well, mostly it’s used for business. A cool place to store our produce, after we pick and pack it, until we deliver it to our clients.
Freezer full of homegrown produce. Yes I know look at those Ziplocks. Gasp - plastic. Sheesh, didn’t I say we aren’t perfect. 
We constantly strive for our “insides” to reflect our outsides. Sure, the journey if full of setbacks, failures but it’s the journey that counts not the destination.
Open up your life, care to say ahhhhhh?
(7 votes)
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Filed under: Back to Basics, Homestead Life, In the Kitchen, Low Impact Living, Posts by Anais |
Tags: Homestead Life, little homestead in the city, low impact, nature
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November 7, 2008
Well, since Justin isn’t here to explain the goings on in the photos (he’s out visiting a local beekeeping supply company with a friend - more on that later) I can share with you photos and all that I know is going on with his latest tinkerings.
He finally figured out the missing part that was missing in the plans and he’s completed the last bit of the assembly.
These past two weeks he’s been attaching all sorts of contraptions to a bike that will, though, pedaling generate electricity. Yep, handy man Justin says we can power our TV, laptop, or anything with a plug here on the urban homestead (which, of course, is not very many!) Nonetheless, we can use this nifty contraption at events - perhaps power the projector or stereo when we host film screenings or when we are out tabling charge our laptop.
Haven’t yet tried it out, but I think he’s going test everything this weekend. Always something new and exciting happening here on the urban homestead as we continue to strive for self sufficiency.
P.S. Like to send a huge thank you to a longtime reader and supporter of PTF from across the pond. LOVED the old “Self Sufficiency” magazines which contained timeless wisdom and practical advice. They don’t make magazines like the used to. Thank you for sharing.
(6 votes)
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Filed under: Energy Conservation, Low Impact Living, Pedal Power, Posts by Anais, Powering Down |
Tags: low impact, Pedal Power, Powering Down
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November 6, 2008
Channel98Worldwide.com presents a classic presentation of a lost film about the original victory garden. The inspiration for the long running PBS TV Show, this film has not been seen for 50 years.
There’s a new homegrown (organic) movement afoot. Check PTF’s homegrown social network site, Freedom Gardens. Share, connect with fellow food fighters who are growing for a secure and free future.
(7 votes)
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Filed under: Posts by Anais, Victory Garden, Video Logs |
Tags: cat, freedom garden, freedom gardens, Garden, homegrow, homegrown, inspiration, Menu, pbs, victory garden
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November 5, 2008
Check out the new navigation bar!
Growing for 21st century food security, FreedomGardens.org is an online social community of gardening enthusiasts who are fed up with foreign oil, frequent food miles and high food prices.
It’s not finished yet, but no matter, we are celebrating small victories here today. The PTF team is pleased to say that our social network site, Freedom Gardens, has been relaunched.
Of course, as with any site, there’s a few kinks, glitches, bugs and wrinkles to be work out and some redesign and color issues. First the cake, then the icing right?
Despite all the issues that remain we are growing forward!
What’s New on Freedom Gardens
Check out the new (and easy) navigation bar (click on “SITE SECTIONS” and open up a whole new world!)
New member areas include: e-newsletter, journal, events, meetup, swaps and more
Fiddle around and…
sort networks by state, county, province by country - NOTE: make sure to go in a re edit your profile location so that your location and be properly categorized
invite friends
instant messaging (when friend are online you will be notified at the bottom of the screen)
find your friends
polls
my freedom garden journal (you very own online journal!)
chat room
upgraded forum
new message platform
subnetworks - NOTE: make sure to go in a re edit your profile location so that your location and be properly categorized
More still to come like
blog with featuring contributors
library (growing guidelines, pest ID etc)
answers - you have questions, we have answers
wiki
kitchen - what to do with all those tomatoes?
So while we sit here and squash digital bugs and wrestle with coding, check out our new look
What do you think? You dig it?
(6 votes)
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Filed under: Posts by Anais, Website Updates |
Tags: event, events, freedom garden, freedom gardens, Garden, swap, victory garden
Keep This Site Growing: Did you get some inspiration or glean an informative tip from this post? Please support this site by either making a tax deductible donation or a purchase from our online store. Thank you!