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.
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 [...]
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 [...]
We interrupt our regular posting schedule for some important news…..
Path to Freedom Urban Homestead needs your support. As the year comes to an end, please consider donating to help sustain our ever-expanding outreach and help us grow to the next level.
Our nonprofit is looking to raise some “grass roots” funds to help keep our webmistresses [...]
{note: this entry was written over ONE week ago, and delayed in publishing by the injured duck }
There’s some interesting goings on around the urban homestead The guys have been filling up the driveway with piles of sand, lumber is being brought in, coils of huge black hoses and more!
Yep, there’s some serious work going [...]
Via THE FILM YAP.com
“HomeGrown” is a documentary about a family running an urban organic farm that holds a twofold fascination: The amazing process by which the Dervaes clan reaps such a bountiful harvest from a miniscule piece of land, and the way living in tune with nature binds them together as a family.
Jules is the [...]
What: Film Screening of CONSUME THIS MOVIE! & Local, Vegetarian Potluck
When: Sunday, July 19 (5:30 PM – 9:00 PM)
Where: 626 Cypress Ave, Pasadena CA (see map)
Cost: $10 (children under 12 are free) A small entrance fee is required to help pay for facility rental, dvd screening fee, sound system, and purchase of eco friendly compostable dinnerware
Space [...]
It’s been three years since we brought Lady Fairlight and Blackberry home with us on the bus (read New Kids on the Block). Yeah, you read right – baby goats on a bus!
They’ve certainly earned their stay here on the urban homestead offering us countless hours of entertainment, loyal companionship and are the best composting [...]
Growing Your Own Food
Benefits, Techniques and Resources
Monday, May 11, 6:30PM
Santa Monica Main Library, 2nd Floor
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Money is tight and putting your yard to productive use by growing
fruit and vegetables seems like a great idea, but how realistic is
this goal?
This event will explore the just how easy it is for one [...]
Never a day goes by without some case of crazy animal antics. The animals are an integral part of the urban homestead; not only do they provide a great composting service (most of them) but also hours of delightful entertainment (we don’t have cable TV).
Here are some of our animals, sticking their noses and paws into [...]
What: Film Screening of ARE WE RUNNING DRY & Local, Vegetarian Potluck
When: Sunday, May 24 (5:30 PM – 9:00 PM)
Where: 626 Cypress Ave, Pasadena CA (see map)
Cost: $10 (children under 12 are free) A small entrance fee is require as it helps pay for facility rental, dvd screening fee, sound system, and purchase of eco [...]
At the Pasadena Smith & Hawkens store on Saturday April 18th over 40 plus people turned out to hear Jules Dervaes talk about composting methods he uses around the urban homestead. He covered about a dozen different types and composting methods that he’s used over the past twenty five years.
From simple methods like: mulching, [...]
In the day. We have one more busy week to go with Earth Week and then everything should (hopefully) go back to normal.
I have two weeks of meals sitting here on my desk (um that didn’t come out right – the menu list NOT the actual food), loads of photos from this weekend’s events and [...]
Well, it’s the end of the week (almost) and I just got through publishing three journal entries – one about the “ugly side” of urban homesteading, compost and urban bees.
There’s more where that came from so hopefully will have some more time tomorrow to get you all caught up – especially one about the meeting [...]
It’s that time again to empty out the simple cinder block compost bin that we dumped most of our green/yard and animal bedding waste in. It stands 5 bricks high and 5 wide. We use the lazy method of composting – dump, leave & empty. Yeah, we aren’t too big on the intricacies of composting – [...]
I said before April is shaping up to be an incredibly busy month. Although I promised to get back to musing from the urban homestead (have some really neat posting in the queue!) we have a few important happenings that we’d like to highlight.
I will be sending out a newsletter later today (hopefully) but in [...]
Hey Fairlight going shopping? Or are you just showing off how hip you are that you bring your own bag.
“What me shopping?” “Why would I need to go shopping? I got people here to do everything for me.”
“What I really want is another bag with those tasty dried sycamore leaves”
Yum, another bag full of tasty [...]
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 [...]
It’s crazy! Everyone’s busier than a bee on a blue basil – well, our ’stead bees. Anyhow, we are just plum out busy.
Skuttlebut has it that the long overdue and anticipated upgrades to Freedom Gardens is close, really close! We’ve waited – and waited, biting our nails over delay after delay after delay. Hopefully this [...]
Orlando Home & Leisure Magazine, October 2008
A Landscape Good Enough to Eat
Save your money, improve your cooking and help save the planet by transforming your lawn into an edible landscape.
By Cindy Heroux
No, we’re not suggesting you chow down on that boxwood hedge or dine on dracenas, but there’s a growing movement called “urban farming” that [...]
Prunning fruit trees
Bed of young snow peas
The last of the summer crops, tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash and a few volunteer sunflowers
In what’s seems like overnight the gardens’ taken on a whole new feel. The towering bean vines and squashes are slowing coming down giving way to cooler weather crops like broccoli and peas.
Even the [...]
click here for more videos like this
Host Elizabeth Chambers chats with Jordanne about the benefits of citified farm animals.
Since 2002, Jordanne and her family have shared their urban homestead with a menagerie of animals — chickens, ducks, two rescued cats, red wiggler worms (which compost garbage) and two goats (Nigerian Dwarf and a Pygmy goat. [...]
We are certainly blessed with some tasty crops coming in. After waiting a whole year to enjoy some of these fresh fruits and veggies it’s hard to tire of eating the same thing meal after meal, after meal. Though you may want to check back with us in September. We may have changed our tune… [...]
Path to Freedom – Living a simple, yet sustainable life with Jules Dervaes
Published in July Issue of 31tenMagazine.com
With headlines about rising food costs, soaring gas prices, and skyrocketing foreclosure rates that reach directly into everyone’s wallets, as well as sobering reports about the state of the earth’s environment, there is mounting pressure for some relief. [...]
The monthly co-op pick up is today. I am hoping the olive oil order will be on that truck since I need to make some soap soon. The herbs are drying well (thanks to the nice warm weather) and will be using them to make some secondary products for ourselves and possibly for [...]
Thanks to Linda for inviting PTF to speak at the Pasadena Smith & Hawken store. We appreciate her enthusiasm and encouraging support. Also thank you to all the S&H staff there for a warm welcome.
Power Point Highlights
The presentation lasted over an hour. Here’s an overview of what Farmer D had to share about some of [...]
On our 10 acres, we didn’t have to really concern ourselves with proper methods of composting since we were basically in the boondocks. We had a huge vermicompost system located under an oak tree out by the garden, a goat and a low spot towards the back of the property which we threw all [...]
Some Bold Steps to Make Your Carbon Footprint Smaller
Help us help others. Spread the word about PathtoFreedom.com urban sustainability mission and the urban homesteading lifestyle (unforunately, NY Times failed to mention the website). Share this video with your all friends, family and anyone interested in making the world a better place to live. Together we can make [...]
I had a different title for this post, but changed it after describing the last photo in the sequence. I couldn’t help but start humming a retro TV tune to myself. You’ve been warned!
Urban farmer, Justin, on top the simple, cinder block compost pile at the back end of the property
With [...]
