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?
With all that’s going on, figure it’s high time I sit and collect all the newbytes and articles that ya’ll may have missed this week. On Fridays I am going to try to make it a weekly habit to post some highlights. Git along little dawgies!
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
On the food front… The figs are finally ripe so we devoured our first fig quesadilla of the season. I know, sounds odd but it’s soooo delicious!
The summer harvest is now just started to pour in and what a blessings. We are so thankful for the bounty that the earth provides. This week we revisited and revived our 100 Foot Diet Challenge
Farmer of food now turned fish farmer, Justin, checking on his aquaponics experiment. He spent a good 5 minutes or so floating the net back an forth, “Here fishy, fishy!”
[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…
This episode of Two Beers kicks off with a short chat about Jules’ appearance on a reality show on the Food Network channel. It’s a lively and humorous discussion
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 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.
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.
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.
Whew doggie! It’s been a busy week here at the urban homestead. Busy with bees (getting ready to harvest some honey!), battling bad bugs, moving the tender greens to cooler spot in the yard and getting things ready for a major can-a-thon.
The FIVE winners, chosen by random.org, of our Homestead Blessings DVD giveaway are:
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 [...]
So how are you liking the new blog and boat load of new posts to boot (12 new entries in 18 days!)?
We took a bit of a break after the BIG revamp, but we are right back working on more improvements as we speak. There’s much more to come, but in the meantime, we’d [...]
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”
On a cold, drizzly, gray day in February two chefs were dropped off at the Urban Homestead.
See what happens when they have to whip up a tasty meal with ingredients from the garden and pantry in this “foodie’s” drama.
Winter, visited us briefly again last week. Thankfully for us it didn’t get too cold ( just windy and nippy)- but for others north of us the unseasonable cold snap along with hail, snow, freeze has devastated gardens and fruit crops.
The cold didn’t last very long temps are going to warm up yet again.
Are [...]
“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 [...]
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 [...]
Front porch farm stand
Getting to know your farmer and where your food comes from.
Our urban farming foray’s started back in the early 1990’s when Farmer D smother the front lawn to grow food. After 15 plus years supplying local restaurants we are now expanding our homegrown produce sales to be csa-like.
These days, folks are dropping [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
I just wanted to let you know how much I love the calendar! It is exactly the inspiration I hoped it would be. Beautiful photographs and printed on that nice thick paper, really great quality. Thank you
-Elizabeth
LITTLE HOMESTEAD IN THE CITY 2010 CALENDAR
(11″ x 17″)
Looking for something to inspire you (and others) throughout 2010?
Buy [...]
WHEN: February 9, 2010 / 7:30 PM
WHERE: Orange County Garden Club Silo Building at Orange County Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa, CA
88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626-6598
Jules Dervaes will show his award winning short film “Homegrown Revolution”-(BUY the DVD) and a presentation on the 10 Elements of Urban Homesteading
Now to the biggest, best farming conference in the West!
Monterey Bay/Asilomar, EcoFarm Conference Jan 20-23
Before the conference started, we needed a place to stay for night or two before we were given our designated rooms on the conference grounds and were blessed with a place to stay beachside. (A big thanks to the Bakke family [...]
We are right in the middle of our travels!
Santa Cruz Jan 18
On the road again and the rain started coming down – pouring from the sky in torrents. We aren’t used to rain like this!
It was certainly a wet and wild drive! Our next stop before the EcoFarm Conference was Santa Cruz to meet John [...]
Meadow Vista Jan 17-18
Saying our goodbyes to all the wonderful folks at Nevada City Wild & Scenic Festival (read all about it in case you missed it!), it was time to mosey down the mountain to a little one stoplight town nestled amongst the pines, Meadow Vista, where we were to meet up with a [...]
Well, I thought I was going to be posting about our travels, but it’s taking longer than I had anticipated – because there is so much to share! Still trying to catch our breaths here…. as the tidal wave of work washes over our return to the urban homestead!
I will hopefully get to the travel [...]
We are back after a wet (cold) and wonderful trip to Northern California. Arriving home late last night after a long but gorgeous drive down the coast!
Details and photos of our trip coming soon (have to remember everything that happened – certainly crammed in a lot in such a short time) Have tons of photos [...]
Thanks to those who wrote and offered us accommodations – appreciate all your offers.
Once again, here’s our Northern California itinerary schedule from Jan 15-23.
We kick off the year,right back where we started last year at the best environmental film festival in the West Wild & Scenic Film Festival
Here’s a blurb from their latest e blast:
Our [...]
The Little Homestead in the City calendar arrived - FINALLY!
Looks great and pictures of the animals are just too cute, and the garden – well you are going to have to see for yourself.
For those of you who ordered a LHITC calendar they will be coming to you VERY soon. We are very sorry [...]
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead
The Year of the Urban Homestead
My sis and I were talking about “the good ol’ days.” And one thing she brought up that I had forgotten was how we were constantly asked, [...]
“With Pomp, Power & Glory the world beckons vainly, In chase of such vanities why should I roam? While Peace & Content bless my little thatched cottage, And warm my own hearth with the Treasures of Home.” — Beatrix Potter
Not sure if you are getting tired of these pictorial posts since comments have been sorta [...]
Celebrating 10 Years Online 1999-2009
To commemorate our decade long online presence we’ve put together a pictorial urban homesteading calendar highlighting our favorite photos of the garden, animals, flowers, butterflies and more!
Don’t pass up this opportunity….
Support our growing online presence and outreach to the next level.
LITTLE HOMESTEAD IN THE CITY 2010 CALENDAR (11″ x 17″)
BUY [...]
As I said in my last travelin’ post, I am taking a holiday (not to mention celebrating 10 years of our being online!!!!!)
A holiday, from the normal musings here at LHITC to share with you a few blessings that we experienced this past year as our outreach continues to grow worldwide!
I’ll try to keep things short [...]
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 [...]
Justin is the earliest riser of us siblings. He’s got a lot of energy and wants to get out in the garden first thing in the morn. Yep, he’s a born farmer – got dirt in his veins.
While we gals are still rubbing the sleepiness from our eyes, Justin’s out checking if all’s well in [...]
Here on the urban homestead we are slowing saying goodbye to summer crops – though we are still harvesting beans, peppers, eggplants, tomatoes and a few squashes the garden is going thru a major transition to cooler weather crops – garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, greens and more.
We are enjoying cool morning, evenings and sunny, [...]
Anaïs and Jordanne Dervaes give a video tour of the Pasadena homestead where they keep chickens, ducks, and goats (VIEW ONLINE VIDEO FEATURE running time 4:00 minutes)
LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE ONLINE EXTRA
By Wendy Witherspoon LAmag.com, October 19, 2009
If you’ve ever looked at your pet dog (especially after “cleaning up” the lawn) and wondered when he was [...]
As we say adios to many of the summer crop, she’s not through yet. The peppers, eggplant, bean, tomatoes and even the squash are still growing and we hope to they continue to produce until the first frost – which usually happens in November or December.
The second summer crop of tomatoes are doing well; the [...]
It’s starting to FINALLY feel like FALL! To celebrate the change in season we cut open one of of our first winter squashes (Burgess Buttercup) yum!
SATURDAY
Breakfast – homemade/homegrown pancakes topped with homegrown strawberries
Dinner – homemade flour tortillas, homemade spanish rice (homegrown onions, peppers, tomatoes) with homegrown sauteed pepper and local avocado and onions with raw [...]
