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?
[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…
You never know when friends drop by the urban homestead for a visit – even better they never know what to expect!
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 [...]
Ok, we aren’t done having fun! This is what happens when you don’t have cable – uh, life!
First we had Fairlight modeling hats trying to drum up support, now we have her wielding the trusted tool of the urban homestead movement – a trowel (you can buy the very one here or here) We’ll make sure Fairlight [...]
Here’s a pictorial post from our weekly goat stroll in the Arroyo Seco on Saturday evening
The rains have brought mushrooms to the “Sherwood forest”
Wonder if these are edible? Does anyone want to try it?
Under the Colorado Bridge. Blue skies and fluffy white clouds
Moss grows on the rocks
The “Big Muddy”
Fairlight and sunlight
The ever dramatic San Gabriel [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
While I took a brief holiday from happenings on the urban homestead to give you a glimpse at our travels this year to Greece, Israel, Italy and India – life on the urban homestead goes on and I am going to try to catch you all up on the happenings.
But before we go back to [...]
Here at LHITC we’ve dedicated lots of entries to the crazy antics of our chickens and goats — even our cats. The ducks have quacked their objection, informing me they are just as cute and would like equal coverage.
They are right (sorry) and I’ve obliged them their request.
Because of the rain, we turned over the [...]
Looking to the right…..
To the left. The garden is all tucked in under covers
20, 26, 28 It’s not, um. shall we say “measurements” but what the thermometer’s read these past three nights. BRRRRR
Homesteading, urban homesteading for the matter, in the city – especially in Southern California– one really has it “easy” when it [...]
Along the stream bed Justin and Sergio play with rocks
Going for a stroll
Sunday morning was spent as usual here on the urban homestead – planting, cleaning, chores, etc.
Sunday afternoon, we spent a good part of the afternoon reconnecting with friends who dropped by.
One friend needed an “eco project” for school so we suggested making [...]
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 [...]
{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 [...]
Fire burns right above the Rose Bowl
Massive fire raging over the San Gabriel Mountain range
This view is what the fire looked like last night from our garage roof
The Station fire continues to burn out of control scorching over 35 miles/20,000 acres. Yesterday we thought the smoke was bad but today – today is much worse. Everyone [...]
We are on a canning spree here on the urban homestead and it looks like it won’t let up anytime soon. Today we put up some tomato sauce and sweet pickle relish (pictures coming…. probably Sunday)
This week the peaches have ripen and peaches means jam and a few (er bunch) eaten raw. Covered in sticky [...]
It’s canning time here on the urban homestead.
Yesterday was a warm one so I decided once again to can a little later in the evening – about the time Jordanne let’s the goats out to hang out with the humans.
Water’s on the stove, glass jars heating in the stove and green beans from the garden [...]
We have a pair of mockingbirds that have a nest in a nearby tree and they’ve taken to taunting Spanky on a daily, hourly basis. They are doing what they instinctively should do – defend their babies from predators However, you see Spanky, is not really a predator or cat he’s a a “wussy cat.” [...]
One thing about raising goats is that you can watch their individual personalities take shape and it’s very entertaining (given that we rarely watch TV nor do we have cable)
Just when you think you have their quirks and habits down they surprise you with another one of their crazy antics.
Blackberry, being the smallest, is a [...]
Off with the wry winter coat!
Trading for a sleek, shiny summer one
Just about the time the goats were shedding their wry winter coats So Cal had an exceptionally cool/grey June. Normally the goats just shed down to a light summer coat but this year especially with Blackberry the shedding was more extreme. In fact it [...]
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 [...]
There are going to be a few posts (this one and a few after) that are going to catch you up on the happenings which are now a part of our lives. For me, this online journal is all about keeping records of the events in our lives and, sometimes, such goings on happen in bunches!
After [...]
Another busy weekend!
Later on going on a picnic with friends and our goats – yep another local “home holiday”!
I have a bit of catching up to do, not only here (like with the weekly meal wrap up post) but around the urban homestead. One friend commented to me yesterday when I was running around organizing [...]
It’s been awhile but I am finally getting back to all those good ol’ homesteading skills that were suspended.
Since we are awash in radishes, I am wanting to make another batch of kimchi but waiting on some cabbage from a local Freedom Farmer
In the meantime, there’s lots of other projects to do – building another [...]
Now that the flurry of earth celebratory activities have passed we had this weekend to ourselves. And boy did we take advantage of it – stepping away from all computer and public activity.
The goats were thrilled because that meant it was goat walking time on Saturday evening in the lower Arroyo Seco. Goats [...]
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 [...]
“There is a myth that there are agricultural societies, and then there are industrial societies and service societies, as if when you become an industrial or service society you don’t need food,” she says. “As we hit climate chaos, as we hit peak oil, assuming that you can get your food from far away and [...]
Summertime garden
IN SEASON
By Deborah Geering
For the Journal-Constitution
Thursday, April 02, 2009
When I walked into the Urban Homesteading workshop at the Georgia Organics annual conference a couple of weeks ago, I was expecting a speaker who was —- well —- a little nutty. After all, what kind of person does it take to turn a 1/5-acre suburban [...]
The volunteers Kelly and Sergio hang out with urban Heidi and her goats
Freedom Gardens Swap n Trade table featuring Dan’s lovely chard
The local chow line
Full of delicious food
Freedom Gardens Swap n Trade table filled with homegrown goodies
Getting ready to watch the film
Nearly 90 people gathered on a grey, slightly chilly and overcast day to enjoy [...]
Sorry for the lack of postings recently. Two weeks ago our family feel victim to a nasty flu bug that has been going around. Though we took considerable measures like herbs to combat the sickness the virus just had to take its natural course (though the symptoms were considerably less, thanks to mega [...]
(please note post was written yesterday – Wednesday )
Amen and pass the pitchfork. It’s a clear and sunny day! Honestly, the rain was getting a little much – too wet all at once.
No more soggy clothes and mucking boots for awhile at least.
It’s been so dreary and wet that we had to rig up a [...]
Most weekends we take our goaties for a walk. We normally walk the lower Arroyo Seco but, with the chance of showers on Sunday, we took them to the Rose Bowl Park, which is less than 5 minutes from our home.
We like to walk the trails on the hillside behind the Rose Bowl Aquatics center. [...]
Goats are social creatures. When we bought our kids the owners knowing this made it a major stipulation that we could not just buy one goat from them. By nature, goats are herd animals and the owners concern and “before you buy” requirement confirmed that we bought our goats from the right place.
Our two [...]
Well, sadly, our laptop died so I am behind in bringing you all the latest happenings from the ’stead.
We did get some rain and temperatures are back to normal – cold. After the rain clouds left last night up went the row covers. Good thing because this morning there’s ice. Though the warm weather [...]
Not only have the usual January rains been a no-show, it’s been downright summery. But some showers and cooler conditions are expected Wednesday through Monday, meteorologists say.
By Hector Becerra
January 19 2009, 10:30 PM PST
Another toasty day in downtown Los Angeles on Monday marked nine straight days of temperatures above 80 degrees, a record for January. [...]
The goats don’t seem to mind the hot & dry temperature. In fact, they LOVE lounging in the sun during the day in what we like to call their “goat yoga” poises.
Since winter decided to up and dissappear on us, I was commenting to Jordanne the other day, while I was sitting there giving Fairlight [...]
First off, thank you all for the wonderful anniversary wishes. We really appreciate them and we are glad to be on the path with so many kindred spirits.
After I posted the entry I got to thinking “you know that post is sort of incomplete” It just mentioned when our internet activism began and it failed [...]
This is one of those eclectic postings, lots of thoughts and stories all rolled into one.
Sorta like a jumbled post… you’ve been warned.
An easy up and salvaged canvas curtains protect the last two beds of tomatoes. Looks like a circus tent!
Protecting the crops with tarps and row covers
First Frost
The storm blew out late Wednesday night [...]
Headlines like “So Cal braces for winter storm“ have been teasing us for the past few days leave us wondering where this phantom storm is. We haven’t had a lick of rain only dreary and cold temperatures instead.
A chance of rain was predicted Fri, Sat, Sun now they are changing the weather forecast to chance of rain [...]
Since we can no longer host any public events here on the urban homestead because our community events now draw upwards of 120 people ( only have space for no more the 50, well, maybe not even that) we are making use of our very large garage. Which for awhile there, it started to become [...]
Jordanne gives Fairlight a tomato and what happens next…. we’ll just let the pictures tell the story
Every morning the goats love to visit the kitchen to see what’s all going on and perhaps get some tasty hand outs. They’ve figured out where all the tasty treats are stored. The urban homestead kitchen is a goat’s [...]
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 [...]
With little or no surplus for our clients, we’ve been concentrating on just feeding ourselves and cutting back on unnecessary store bought food items.
We’ve cut out buying raw or organic milk (operation goat milk in the works, but that’s for another post) instead buying organic milk powder. We don’t use much (‘cept for baking) or [...]
