Caretakers of creation

Celebrating Creation & Holy Week with all sorts of outreach!

Although we couldn't attend all the events we were invited to (sorry, folks, perhaps next year!)  due to conflict of schedules with Holy Week, we still did have a jam packed week!!!

In Pasadena, there was a  "Harvest Homesteaders" canning class, now going on three years in a row.    Jordanne and  I agreed that these girls were the best yet.   All the jam made that morning will be donated to a local food bank.  Great job girls!

Next, Jordanne and Farmer D headed off to another school where they were guests at a school assembly (where our two bantie chickens made appearances).

After watching our film Homegrown Revolution,  all the kids were chanting "Blackberry, Blackberry, Blackberry!"   Farmer D spoke to the kids about the importance of "food miles."  The students  were all eyes and ears!

Then we were  off on a small road trip where our family was the  special honorary guest, once again, of the wonderful community of Palm Springs.   We had to leave Justin behind.  Well, actually, he REALLY wanted to stay home because, just as we were about to leave, I spotted a pretty decent swarm going into one of Justin’s traps (more about the free-bees later!)

After the screening of our award winning film and Q & A session, a local organic dinner was served - pretty neat to see a dish of nopales (cactus).    A BIG thank you to Leslie, Ward,Geraldine & Yolanda for their extraordinary hard work and warm hospitality in Palm Springs and to local teacher Lauren and administrator Jill for some great interaction with kids.

The weather was pretty wild in Palm Springs - it WAS REALLY windy!   "White caps" were spotted in the pool of the spa where we stayed.

The drive was LOVELY.  Usually on road trips, I dose off; but Southern California is gorgeous this time of year, the hills green and gold with wild mustard.  And, last, but not least, on the way home we stopped  in Corona to see our favorite farm and farmer to pick up some wonderful farm bounty.

I sure wished I could have enjoyed the trip and outings more.  But earlier  that day, I reached up and something "popped" (shudder) and I had back/shoulder pain the whole time.  Man,  it hurt so badly I could hardly lift my arm to give out HUGS (they ended more like awkward chest bumps!)

Once home, I put a hot water bottle on my back and after a good night's sleep, my shoulder is MUCH better.  Ahhhh.   Sure glad it’s better. I was worried there for a bit,  knowing I had a arms length of “heavy duty” chores waiting when I got back.

Hope everyone had a blessed and meaningful Holy Week.

Cutting up local organic strawberries purchased from farmer's market

Mashing!

Filling up the jars

Putting on the tops

Morning assembly

Educating about food miles

What's in the box?

A BIG squash!

Estella shows off

Desert Hot Springs

Introducing the film to eco particpants

This guy had a pretty cool wind mill - I want one!

Ahhh, paradise.

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to "plagiarize" means

* to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own
* to use (another's production) without crediting the source
* to commit literary theft
* to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.

In other words, plagiarism is an act of fraud. It involves both stealing someone else's work and lying about it afterward.

But can words and ideas really be stolen?

According to U.S. law, the answer is yes. The expression of original ideas is considered intellectual property, and is protected by copyright laws, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expression fall under copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some way (such as a book or a computer file).

All of the following are considered plagiarism:

* turning in someone else's work as your own
* copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit
* failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
* giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
* changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
* copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not (see our section on "fair use" rules)

Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism. See our section on citation for more information on how to cite sources properly.

Read more @
http://www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_what_is_plagiarism.html

Thank you for coming up and making our first (of hopefully many) "Homestand’s" a positive and successful event (estimated nearly 200 dropped in throughout the day).    Also a big thank you to those who came bearing homemade gifts and complimentary comments.   We appreciate your support!

Like to acknowledge all those who came as far as Redlands, Temecula, Palos Verdes and other surrounding cities!

Justin demos on how to make soil blocks

We know at times it got pretty hectic and swamped to where we couldn’t personally attend to everyone and your lists of questions.  We were so busy, we even didn’t around to doing some of the demo’s/skill share we had planned (canning, chickens, etc)!  Thank you for your understanding & patience as we know many of you wanted to hang around for longer.

Unfortunately, we were so busy (& frazzled at times, running to and fro) we didn't get a chance to snap photos of the even nor did we get around to bringing out the rose petal lemonade - ack!   Jordanne's Chocolate Cake made with ducks eggs sold by the slice was a big hit!   So was the bread, salad and preserves.

Should we do it again NEXT month?  What can we do better?   In fact, we are already working on a list of improvements!  I for one would like to see more foods - perhaps next time we could put a couple tables out with chair?   Ideas, ideas, ideas.

Remember our "Front Porch Farm Stand" is open daily Sun-Fri (10 am - 6 pm) so you can pick up that salad or bread you didn’t get a chance to buy at the stand yesterday.

Thank you for supporting local foods and farms.

:: Resources ::

Soil Block Maker

Wind farm right outside the city limits

Sunday was a great day for Palm Springs! Thank you, Dervaes family, for being there for the kids, teachers, and Palm Springs Unified School District -- so much enthusiasm shared by all!! A truly great day. A special thanks from me to Justin, who pitched in above and beyond duty to help me move all those tables, chairs, and gizmos out of the hot sun. You kept going until it was done. I couldn't have done it without you, honest. WE HAD FUN!! YOU GUYS MADE A DIFFERENCE!!  - Leslie

Today was Awesome - thanks to the Dervaes for sharing so much of themselves with everyone had a great day  - RJ

The kids at the high school have started a wonderful raised bed garden.  Way to grow, guys n gals!  We look forward to hearing about your progress. You make sure to keep us posted, ya hear.

Over 100 people turned out from all over the south land.  Thanks for coming out and making this just a wonderful and high energy event! Many of us talked that day till we were hoarse.  It was really such a pleasure to meet our readers - some of you who have been following us for years and years and years!  Oh, I'd love to hear how you are enjoying the preserves!

On the way home, we stopped by Sergio's farm.  Check out his winter sowing and pick some of that wonderful weed - nettle.  Which we'll brew up.

Here are some snap shots from last Sunday's event in Palm Springs.   Wish we had taken more photos but it's hard to take pics and be involved in answering questions at the same time.

Growing a better and healthier future

Ayrton, one of the students, gave Farmer D a rousing introduction

Urban Homesteading presentation, breaking down the elements

Kids whip up healthy smoothies on our bike blender

Jordanne answers questions

Justin fields gardening questions

We chat with some really nice folks

Part of the Palm Spring's high school garden club

Picking nettles at the farm

Thank you to all those whose effort and enthusiasm made this a successful event.

Don't forget to tune in to KCET, So Cal Connected tonight, there's going be a segment on our urban homestead

Also, hope to see many of you on Sunday at the Free Urban Homesteading event in Palm Springs The whole family will be there to answer all your questions.

Home preserves for the front porch farm stand

Flowering pineapple sage

Carnations

Bee feeder filled with organic sugar and essential oils

Mr Handsome

Sissy

Purple grapes

Hanging out

March, one two three four. Pick up those legs!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

With slipping Freedom Seeds & Urban Homestead Supply sales and donations on the decline due hard economic times, it's come as a great boost to our morale when reader's step up and show their support!    We were happily surprised and extremely grateful to the The Ridgewood Boys of Kentucky who are holding benefit concert for Path to Freedom's growing outreach.

This father and son duo serve up cld-time and early bluegrass music throughout Kentucky, central Tennessee, and southwest Virginia

Date: November 26, 2010
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Kentucky Coffeetree Cafe
Address: 235 W Broadway Street Frankfort, KY 40601
Cost: Donations

Full event details

Let's see that they have a great turn out ya hear!

Check out online CALENDAR for more upcoming EVENTS

Sure wish we could have a fiddle, bluegrass old-timey benefit concert in these here parts.

We'll be hitching up the wagon and traveling a few hours south to attend.

Sunday, June 6, 2010  10 am - 4 pm
Cotton Wood Creek Park, Encinitas CA
Admission is FREE

Path to Freedom will be tabling and screening their award winning film HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION at 1:00 PM

Stop by their pictorial and informative booth, be inspired to transform your home into an urban homestead.   Their practical & back to basics advise will put you on a more sustainable path.

:: Resources ::

Encinitas Environment Day

Growing community

Check out our updated calendar of events for May-June that include screenings of our homemade film - Homegrown Revolution (buy the DVD) at various venues across the globe (UK, Seoul, New Zealand and here locally!)

The Dawn of Smart

On June 7 at the Reel Earth Film Festival in New Zealand,Homegrown Revolution (buy the DVD) will be screened before  the featured film The Age of Stupid.

In the last two years, our little film is having a huge impact!  Sowing hope for the future.

How has this film impacted/changed your life?  Care to share?

Keep your fingers crossed that the move goes "easy peasey" and without a hitch or glitch.

Jordanne will try her best to wrangle the website as best and fast as she can.  She's had her fill of avocado chocolate cupcakes and the pot of coffee is brewing so we are off to a good start.

If you need a LHITC fix then keep up to date with homestead happenings on our Facebook or Twitter page.

Don't forget to check out our updated May Calendar of events.

We'll see you on the flip side.

And like my sis likes to say "Toodles" for now.

I would say over 50 "familiar" looking folks came by to swap howdies, of course ask about Amy and inquire about our new projects that are happening on the urban homestead like grey water, fish farming and making our own fertilizer out of a common, stinging weed.

"Homegrown" goodies from the urban homestead. Like the "homegrown" sign? You can purchase it here at our online store

We had TWO tables full of information, pics, displays!  Check out the homegrown tromboncino squash - seeds are sold at Freedom Seeds.org

Actually we had people coming over an complimenting our how pretty our tables were!

Enjoying a laugh with a friend

Crowding around. Our table was hopping thru out the day

By the end of the day we all were suffering from "hoarse throats" as we were constantly talking and answering everyone's questions.

We warm up lunch using our sun oven (purchase your own via our online store)

Justin shows off his hauling bike

I scored a FREE shawl at the "Free Market" table.

There's more! For more photos of the festival visit our Facebook Photo Album

Afterwards we invited volunteers and friends over for some fellowship, munchies and even a little guitar music!

Conversations and chickens.  One our our friends brought her chicken, "Peeps," to sat "howdy"