Did you know? Forager bees will fly about 500 miles before their wings wear out and they die. PBS Nature

For those of you who’ve been following our urban bee saga (Checking Bee Traps), late last night a friend of ours dropped off a feral colony he had caught. (Thanks, Janice, for the tip and, David, for picking them up.)

Every weekend the girls check the bee traps that we scattered throughout the lower Arroyo Seco.   So far, no luck. Even the massive wild colony in the old sycamore is no more.   With the onset of this serious “winter kill,” we were happy, indeed, to get a hold of this wild colony.

We’ve been hearing that it was a bad winter for local urban bees.  Hives are dying or disappearing.      There has been lots of speculation as to what’s causing the bees to  disappear. (Silent Spring)  Of course, after 30 years of keeping bees (10 of which have been in an urban environment), our hives disappearance has left us scratching our heads.

It’s good to see bees back on the 'stead!   Hope they are here to stay!

The mysterious vanishing act has decimated approx. 40% of North America's bee population. - Why Are Bees Dying?

What Causes Winter Kill
Overwintering Honey Bees

- William Wordsworth rewritten for our times

In winter, when surplus greens are scarce, we supplement our backyard poultry's diet with wheatgrass. Justin sows a few dozen trays and each morning the feather menagerie get a flat of "grass" to nibble on.  Boy, do they go to town on the grass flat!

Not only does their health benefit when the chickens/ducks has the opportunity to graze on “grass” but the people's health also benefits from eating their eggs with increased egg nutrition  (high in Omega 3-s and vitamin D)

The old saying "You are what you eat"  comes to mind,  but also what your critters eat too.

With the front porch farm stand’s customers numbers growing on a daily basis, one thing I’ve learned that there’s still much to be done in educating the public about seasonal produce and eggs. Our modern, convenient eating habits are no longer defined by season and place.    Food routes and patterns are forgotten, thanks to the advent of supermarkets.

Local eggs are in such high demand these days thanks to the recent salmonella scare but raising such a small flock here in the city one, unfortunately,  can’t supply the demand.    And it’s dealing with the demand that really tests your commitment to stewardship and sustainability.    It's so easy to slip into "if only we had more land/acreage - more animals."   True, that would help the situation to have a bigger farm; however,  "how big" is too big is the question - one that leads to very lively (sometimes heated) discussions around the dinner table.

Egg production slows down in fall-winter due to molting and less day light hours.   We believe in the humane raising of animals.  Therefore, to supply the demand, would we install "lights" in the coop to "force" our girls to lay in winter?   Or just, like sis (head writer over at Barnyards and Backyards ) says, "Let nature be."  With our 24-7 food culture, there’s a point when some things just aren’t available and it's pointless to "force" even if the method is "harmless."   Our chickens and ducks are happy and our customers should appreciate that fact.

This month I’ve had to tell customers, "Sorry, no eggs, the chickens are moulting."    With a quizzical look they ask, "Moulting?"  "Yeah, that’s right" I answer back ""They are shedding their feathers which stresses them out and so no eggs."    I try to make them feel better and say that we are desperate for fresh eggs too!  The other day Jordanne wanted to bake something only to go to the poultry house and come back with one egg when she needed three.  So guess what?  She had to find another dessert recipe.

Food sustainability is, by far, a great and complicated balancing act and sometimes you just have to let our modern concept of food go.  By raising and growing your own food, you connect with season and place.   Nature is the best teacher, and you learn that you can’t have all food all the time.

:: Resources ::

During autumn, many household poultry keepers, particularly people keeping poultry for the first time, are puzzled because egg production markedly declines or ceases despite their laying birds appearing healthy. This seasonal decline in egg production occurs when birds go into a condition known as the 'moult'.

Moulting is the process of shedding and renewing feathers. During the moult, the reproductive physiology of the bird has a complete rest from laying and the bird builds up its body reserves of nutrients.

The provision of new feathers or a coat (a feature inherent in most animals) is a natural process, designed by nature to maintain a bird's ability to escape enemies by flight and better protect against cold winter conditions.  -- Moulting - how, when and why chickens moult

Scrambled Eggs: Report Spotlights “Systemic” Abuses in Organic Egg Production

Who Owns Organic

Free Range Fiasco

Barnyards and Backyards

Photo courtesy ORGANIC CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE

“In the old days, people had relationships with nature and connections with animals,” he said. “When you remove that and put it in a factory someplace far away, people forget about it. When you have a different relationship with your animals and with your plants, when you treat them real well, they respond. Your own health and the health of the planet are intimately related, and as a society we’ve gotten away from that. So we just brought this all to pass in the city, in our Urban Homestead, and we’re spreading the word far and wide.”  - Jules Dervaes

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 carrying produce brought thousands of miles for the convenience of their customers. But inside, Jules Dervaes and his children have created what they call an Urban Homestead. Virtually every square inch of land they have available to them—a tenth of an acre in all—is utilized for growing their own food. In addition to the hundreds of varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, there is a beehive for honey, ducks and chickens for eggs, and goats for numerous purposes.

Read complete article at Organic Connections Magazine

[ Just to clarify!   Khaki Campbell ducks not "Camel" ]

:: Resources ::

Rock Dust - remineralize your soil

Freedom Seeds - seeds grown by the people for the people

Snapping up nesting materials

Funny thing has happened here on the urban homestead! With the recent shacking up of two scrub jays to raised their brood in one of the pineapple guava trees the mocking bird, who last year stole many a flower (potential fruit), is no where to be seen.   The scrub jays are notorious in defending their nest -- we have our very own watch birds!  That means don't have to worry about bird netting not to mention more pineapple guava fruit this year!

Pineapple guava blossoms

Scrub jay wonders "Do ya'll have any worms?"

What sorts of wildlife are you seeing in your and how you coexisting?

Giving her warm baths during the egg binding crisis

We've dealt with our fair share of problems & pain - having more animal increases the chance of one running into some illness, injury and even death.  That's a farm life - nature gives and nature takes away.

Dawn had a leg injury awhile back - with a bit of arnica and daily massages she's almost as good as new.  Still gimpy at times (when there some cold weather),  but she's happy as a lark, or as any duck could be.

There was Old Clem (who's 100 in human years - blimey!) whom we nursed back from the brink of death with a bad case of sour crop (due to her old age).

And Bella, who has a slight heart problem, is prone to a mild case of prolapse. Spent a night in our beds as she once had a small fever.

Not to mention the times we've nursed cats thru all sorts of stuff.  The list could go on and on.

Last year's freak accident with Amy (when, in an excited flurry, she must have pinched, twisted a nerve in her wing) who has  taught us a lot about the tenacity of creatures and how they can pull thru with a bit of help.

For all you new readers (welcome!) You can read about her story here

Now, with this latest incident, we are not sure what the future holds for Amy.   We figured nature would have her lay when she was better.  Since she hadn't laid an egg for 5 months, we didn't figure anything bad might happen  in spring time with the body's natural reproductive cycle and her doing better,  But, she was doing so well that she started, unfortunately for her, laying again.

Right now, she is fine, but what another ordeal!  She's back with her buds, eating, drinking and being a duck. But as any poultry owner knows egg binding is a serious issue.  A problem all its own for an healthy duck, but what about an "invalid" duck.

She had a really bad case of egg binding because it seems that the nerves haven't completely healed or something isn't healed in that little body of hers.  The eggs drop/get to a certain point and she can't pass them like a normal duck.

In Amy's case, she had three eggs - one was one inside the other.  The first one, pushed by, the extra huge one behind it was the first one we dealt with.  Soaking her in warm water did the trick but then next morning - there was another egg; but this one didn't even get to the vent.  That was bad and we knew that if she didn't pass the egg soon we were looking at 50-50.  No amount of warm water, heat would bring the egg into the vent area - she just wasn't pushing as she couldn't feel that she had an egg.  With her still being somewhat unstable in her balance,  while we were giving her a warm bath, we felt the egg just break.   Oh, dear - a broken egg is not good.  Not good at all.  Her chance went from 50-50 to a miserly 2%.

So ,we did what we thought was best - flush and hydrate, flush and hydrate.   With such treatment, she didn't develop Egg Yolk Peritonitis but there was another problem.  Another egg!   The egg that crushed revealed another smaller egg. Crap!   This was the mother of all egg binding.

Of course, she couldn't feel or pass this egg either.

After a few days, the situation got critical and we surmised that if the egg didn't come out - she was a goner and, if we broke the egg, she could also be a goner due to infection, etc., etc.   Nature/she broke the second egg; but this one would be our doing.

What did we have to lose?  So, we (Jordanne did the "honors") gathered up some courage and one of Justin's sharp tools and gently pushed it up the vent and broke the third egg.

Dealing with egg binding isn't very pleasant; but this last and final egg gave us a surprise. When the sharp tool punctured the egg, it made a sound like a balloon had popped.  It was a "wind egg!."  How bizarre!  The egg shells collapsed and then it was the flush and hydrate routine.  We could tell she was running a slight fever after this ordeal but we managed to get past that.

We are still flushing and hydrating and there's still a bit of egg shells left.  We are hoping they will pass soon enough.  So she's not out of the woods yet.  And even if she passes the bit of egg shells - what next?  We now know she can't lay eggs properly.  She may form them but something's not right and it could be all because of that pinched nerve.

So how do you stop a duck from laying without spending a fortune for an operation (which I doubt they even do around here)?

There is a contraceptive drug that one can get from vets but it cost a pretty penny for a year (something like $300).  Ouch, not very practical, I am afraid.  I read somewhere, someone saying "livestock as pets, don't bring to the vet."

So, now what?  How do you remain purposeful but practical as an urban farmer?

Is a duck the same as a human - would natural herbs that work on humans have the same effect.?  Oh, how we wish there was a James Herriot about ;but, then again, with his being a practical man and her being poultry, how much would he really do?

Of course, it would have been easier if nature took her but it hasn't - yet.

Amy (middle) at feeding time - she almost looks like a normal duck!

Amy wolfing down greens from the garden

So, until we figure out something, we are limiting her day light hours by keeping her in the house.  But, she's not pleased; she wants to hang with her girl friends.

She's a tenacious quacker, she is - a bit of a maniac too!  We've dubbed here "Amyac"

And, while she enjoys breakfast in bed in the house (worms, her favorite, to make her feel it's worthwhile to stay inside those few extra hours a day), we pray for the wisdom to make a rather difficult, practical and, hopefully, not painful, decision.

Since she's a hen, how can she live a duck's life without being a duck?   So far, we haven't come across a "bleeding heart" vet....   Suggestions? Practical ones ,please!

Amy enjoying the new fish pond

It's been a rough week.  Just as soon as we saw such a dramatic improvement in Amy (which made us so happy) there arose some complications - laying.   Good news, bad news sort of whiplash.  Good news she was looking and doing so much better but it's been ages since she's laid - it's like not exercising and then having to use muscles that have been hiatus for months.

She hadn't laid an egg since her injury last fall but with the warmer weather she laid her first egg on Monday and had some complications.  Jordanne and I assisted her - coaxed the egg out but now there's yet another egg and that's having a bit more trouble coming out. We are trying everything we know - oil, warm baths, steam, liquid calcium.

We knew she would lay one day but didn't expect so much trouble - another lesson learned through this experience.

Of course if egg won't expel then things could get dangerous and even if we get the egg out will this problem continue.  The situation, questions and "should have done's" weigh heavy on our minds and hearts.

There comes a point when sometimes you have to step back and let nature take it's course - and that's tough.

So if you can say a little prayer for her (and us - because we got to really bond with her)

It's all in God's hands now.

Updates: Check out our Facebook page for up to date happenings

Where does the time go? One week, turns into two and I am already behind in putting up our weekly meals. Father time is going to need to slow down a bit.

Given that we are smack dab in the middle of winter and enjoying fresh tomatoes is truly a blessing what the good earth does provide.

This week,  Farmer Sergio brought over avocados and with our being days from leaving to Northern California and so much work, we've been surviving on fresh, yes FRESH, homegrown tomato, avocado and homegrown lettuce sandwiches.  Served with homegrown/preserved pickle beans and even homegrown/preserved pickled squash.  DELISH!

Now without further delay here's the wrap up from last week's and the week before meals.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade buttermilk pancakes with homepreserved strawberry sauce
Dinner - friends over for potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown green (kale, cabbage, collards) herbs and potato soup
Dinner - homemade lentil loaf topped with homemade ketchup with homegrown winter squash, homegrown salad with homegrown blood oranges

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown green (kale, cabbage, collards) herbs and potato soup
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese and homemade no knead bread

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade chili (homegrown frozen peppers, tomatoes) topped with cheese and homegrown (fresh) tomatoes
Dinner -leftovers

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftover lentil loaf sandwich topped with homegrown (FRESH) tomatoes, homegrown lettuce
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, black beans, raw cheese, homegrown tomatoes, cilantro and homegrown/canned marinated green peppers

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - raw grilled cheese sandwich with homegrown/made jalapeno jelly, homegrown tomatoes/homemade-grown zucchini pickles
Dinner - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown salad with macaroni & cheese casserole
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese and homemade no knead bread

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade buttermilk pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade spanish rice with black beans and raw cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday dinner
Dinner - homegrown green (kale, cabbage, collards) herbs and potato soup

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown green (kale, cabbage, collards) herbs and potato soup
Dinner - homegrown lima beans with homegrown herb/local meyer lemon butter with CA organic rice

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown lima beans with homegrown herb/local meyer lemon butter and homemade cornbread
Dinner -homegrown lima beans with homegrown herb/local meyer lemon butter and homemade cornbread

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch -  homegrown (fresh) tomato, lettuce, squash pickle and raw cheese sandwich
Dinner - homegrown (fresh) tomato, lettuce, squash pickle and raw cheese sandwich

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown salad with macaroni & cheese casserole
Dinner - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - raw grilled cheese sandwich with homegrown/homemade jalapeno jelly, homegrown tomatoes/homemade-grown zucchini pickles
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese and homemade no knead bread

--------------2010 URBAN HOMESTEADING CALENDAR!-----------------

Like what you see here, looking for something to inspire you (and others) throughout 2010?

Buy a beautiful calendar of stunning nature and simple living photos--and be encouraged to grow more of your own food! Plus you'll be supporting an important work of educating others how to be more self-sufficient.

The calendar is a wall calendar, and each month has a different picture. Some months have a group of pictures. The pictures are of nature and simple living topics and reflect the seasons of the year to a certain extent.

BUY NOW ($20 plus $4 shipping) and support this site.

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, "What's an urban homestead?"  Ah, those were the days!  Of course, we went through our spiel - it's farming and living a low impact, self-reliant life in the city (think Laura Ingalls but stuck in an urban setting).    Many folks didn't quite get it.  But now they do!

While going through the hundreds folders of photos I stumbled on this gem - one of our old urban homesteading displays (see photo above--think we made this one in 2003) that we went around with showing people how they can live a more sustainable life in the city by incorporating back to basics steps.

Small things do have a big impact!

State of the Urban Homestead Report

2009 shaped up to be a BIG year of growth for us - personally and in urban homesteading project reach.  Not to mention we passed the big one zero (yep, 10 years online - boy, howdy!).

Check out our rundown of highlights for 2009, especially our trips as urban homesteading ambassadors to Greece, Israel, Italy and India.

There's been a slew of media highlights as urban homesteading becomes more and more accepted by the mainstream - Oprah, Mother Earth News, Sundance Channel, UK Telegraph, CBS Evening News, The Times of India and many other tv, radio and print publications.

Our Urban Homestead Book

I handled a call the other day about our urban homesteading project, and when I finished up after telling the person to go to our website, check out our online photo gallery that contains nearly 2,000 photos, visit and read our blog that has countless photos and thousands of entries, I realized what this site really is and what it offers.

This blog is our book!  Filled with stories and photos about our 25 year urban homesteading venture.  Imagine what it would cost to print a book with color photos such as these! I believe pictures are what really, truly inspire.  One picture is worth a thousand words!  Our urban homesteading photos are tangible proof that it can be - and is being - done.

This urban homesteading blog and photo gallery are free of charge and available worldwide for anyone's viewing pleasure!  What better way to share with others than using this medium that's both earth friendly and free?

Inch By Inch, Row by Row

Putting a candle on the cake for Freedom Seeds, which is celebrating its first birthday!  Thank you to those of you who value what we are trying to do here with this little seed company.

There has been a bit of muttering going on about how limited our 70 seed variety selection is.

Freedom Seeds is only one year old, and I'm sure that if you are a gardener you understand that everything starts off small - just like a seed.  After water care and nutrients, your plant matures and then you reap the fruits of your labor.   You can't just skip over stages, it's not nature's way.

To be honest, this year we barely even covered the cost of the seeds.  To invest in more varieties, and as it is with any business, we need to have the capital to support the growth.  Simple.  So, if you would want to see more varieties then consider buying the varieties that we do offer.  Help this little seed company grow.

Feed the Soil

Which leads me another question we get a lot of these days, "Can you...?"

How about in this new year, we turn things around a bit.  Instead, consider pointing the finger back at yourself and asking, "What can I do?"

Whether it be a simple word of encouragement, understanding and patience or a link spreading the word or a purchase from our online stores, perhaps a Little Homestead in the City calendar or Freedom Gardens bumper sticker, Homegrown Revolution tee shirt or DVD,  volunteer some of your time to help with the backlog of web work that's piling up as we make improvements to our network of sites, or if you can tax-deductible donation so that we can secure our operating budget 2010 and every bit helps

We "can" only do so much.  If you grow things, one understands that if you take so much from the soil without replenishing it - you can ruin it.

Because the more we are asked to do, the more support we need from you.  The giving goes both ways.  Replenish and feed the soil and there will be, God willing, bumper results.

The Film That Seeded A Movement

Talking about Homegrown Revolution! that has inspired the modern urban homesteading movement worldwide.  Check out the YOUTUBE video that started it all (over 278,000 views!)

It's truly been amazing to see this film spread like wildfire, inspiring thousands upon thousands of people.

Of course, with popularity comes problems.  People are beginning to see "green" in green.  If you get my drift.

So we now are going to have to take measures against this exploitation.   We'll have to inform folks to respect this film, the DIY message that it preaches, and the fact that we have not personally profit from it (any proceeds go right back into the non-profit outreach). We must stipulate that the people honor the spirit in which the film was made, as well as the story it tells, and not use the film for commercial purposes, such as selling classes, seminars, landscaping or farming/gardening services.

Coming Up

We hope to bring you a better LHITC blog (sneak peek to your left).  Jordanne is working on it as we speak. It'll be easier to navigate so that you can sift through the incredible wealth of information that lies within the "pages" this blog/book brings to you almost every day.

With the launch of the new blog, we are going to continue to hold to our principles - no "outside" ads or sponsorships. Instead, we are counting on our support coming from the generosity of readers like you in order to maintain this open source resource for another year, if not longer.

Thank You

Well, that about wraps up the yearly report.

We truly appreciate the encouraging notes and comments we receive, as well as the financial donations and support of our businesses. We also struggle with misunderstandings and demands that cannot be met given our limited resources. The strained economy has directly impacted the level of donations and all our businesses. I just wanted to share with you, candidly, things that we are facing as we work towards the future.

It's not just about growing plants but people, too.

2010 URBAN HOMESTEADING CALENDAR!

Looking for something to inspire you (and others) throughout 2010?

Buy a beautiful calendar of stunning nature and simple living photos--and be encouraged to grow more of your own food! Plus you'll be supporting an important work of educating others how to be more self-sufficient.

The calendar is a wall calendar, and each month has a different picture. Some months have a group of pictures. The pictures are of nature and simple living topics and reflect the seasons of the year to a certain extent.

BUY NOW ($20 plus $4 shipping) and support this site.

We rarely buy things (just not the type to buy just to buy) but Jordanne & I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get some handmade/embroidered aprons.  After passing stores filled with clothes, perfume, shoes, bags - stuff we didn't need- we stopped dead in our tracks at this one little store tucked in between a lingerie, chocolate shop and McDonalds (yep, good ol micky d's).   The young gentlemen who owned the shop was very nice and really loved what he was doing - and was really amazed that we thought the embroidery was done by a computerized sewing machine.  Nope, it was done by hand on a very old sewing machine that looked about 30 years old.  Talk about talent!

After the screening, the next day we took a short train trip to Bra to visit the HQ of Slow Food International.  We met up with Michele and gave her a copy of the film and we are proud to say that in their  November newsletter they featured HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION as one of the movies to see!

Whoops, I am getting a little bit ahead of myself.

First, before heading up to the film festival in Torino, we had to land in Rome.  We couldn't pass up the opportunity to see Rome so we did a bit of historical sightseeing there and then hopped on overnight train to the base of the Alps and the beautiful city of Torino.

In the Media

A HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION film review from the Italian paper

Rome

Wasn't built in a day!  Every where one looked it was full of stunning buildings, fountains and art.

Trevi Fountain

The Colosseum

The Vatican/ St Peter's Square

No pics were allowed in Sistine Chapel  (oh, well, got a postcard instead)

Inside St Peter's Basilica

One of the many beautiful fountains.

Ceilings full articulate paintings

Ancient ruins

Now off after our brief jaunt in Rome, it was time to catch a train to Torino!

Torino

Torino

One of the many Savoy Palaces

When in Rome, er Italy -you eat pizza!  Yum- pizza

Chatting with other filmmakers

Over looking the city and the Alps - yodel la he hoooo

Slow food dinner at midnight(!) with a fellow filmmaker and film festival coordinator.  Yep, we sure ate while in Torino.

In the press

Family shot

Filmmakers luncheon

A radio interview

I don't dare ask how many calories were in this beauty!

Checking out the farmers market

We visit the SLOW FOOD International HQ in Bra and meet up with Michele, who works in the Communications Office.  She took us out for....

a decadent coffee and chocolate drink!

In Torino, they had the BEST ice cream! Here, Justin hold my ice cream cone while I take a pic.... Oops, too late.

The little apron shop where we got our LHITC aprons made

The owner and his sewing machine.

We get ready for a TV interview.  At the film festival, our family was there as special guest - thanks for making our stay such an enjoyable experience (room and food was great!)

Greece, Israel, now Italy.

Next stop for our family & the film - India, where we showed the film and gave presentations in three cities!

Lots of photos to share, stay tuned!