[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…
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.
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.
Another local write-up about the urban homestead that includes Jordanne’s Ginger Soda Recipe (note we use glass bottles but for the article recommend using recycled liter soda bottles for safety reasons)
Farming a 1/10 Acre Urban Homestead by Chris Bertrand / Mountain Views News
The Dervaes family live simply and richly, farming their Urban Homestead in Pasadena
On [...]
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 [...]
Nothing says ‘I love you’ better than homegrown veggies
There’s a slew of photos from last weeks work and happenings here on the urban homestead (from cheese making to brewing a spring garden tonic with weeds) in queue but first I liked to take some time remind folks that spring is just around the corner and [...]
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 [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
In Episode 16 we talk with Jules Dervaes of the Path to Freedom . Our discussion ranged from how Monsanto has gained control of Mother Natures seeds and have exploited them for profit, to discussions on self-sustainability and what Jules is doing in his own life to be self-dependent.
Listen to the podcast – 1 hr [...]
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 [...]
We’ve been getting back positive feedback from our first foray’s into offering safe, secure (and free) seeds (thanks!)
When we visited Freedom Farmer S’s plot on Sunday we were thrilled to see his Freedom Seeds growing so well. The veggies were so beautiful that I had to snap photos of the patch of Ashworth Yellow Corn, [...]
Another picture post. Enjoy!
Chillin’ chickens
More soil blocks filled with peppers
Wild bergamont
The beginnings of a summer garden
California currants
Huge radishes (these were grown in a homemade self watering container using ollas)
More delicious carrots
Cob oven
Checking in on the bees
This & That
As you can see from one of the photos, this year we’ve had one of our best [...]
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 [...]
Upgrades are happening as we speak to our homegrown social network – Freedom Gardens. FYI – the upgrades and database wrangling will be happening throughout the day so please be patient with us as we try to get the site back into ship shape.
However, lot of the bugs, glitches that were vexing and bothersome should [...]
The National Gardening Association estimates that a well-maintained vegetable garden yields a $500 average return per year. A study by Burpee Seeds claims that $50 spent on gardening supplies can multiply into $1,250 worth of produce annually”
Our household loves facts & figures especially when it comes to keeping track of our progress here on the [...]
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 [...]
If we aren’t already busy enough the days just got busier. My day goes something like this (while others are similar if not busier than mine)
Wake up, eat, emails, tidy up, feed the animals, spring cleaning, work on e-newsletter, send out e-newsletter, lunch, help pack seeds, print more seed labels, sort seeds, work on compost power point [...]
Dusting off the archives, just kidding. But, seriously, this CBS story was actually shot back in June 2008 and then a small snipped again in August 2008 when Mr Whittaker actually come to shoot his stand up walking in the garden sound bite,
After 9 months and many false alarms, the piece FINALLY aired last night.
(CBS) [...]
What: Film Screening of FOOD MATTERS & Local, Vegetarian Potluck
When: Sunday, April 26 (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, sound system, and purchase of eco friendly, compostable dinnerware
Space [...]
It’s good to be home. The garden is growing, happy animals, busy bees, seeds to plant, warm earth to dig, loads of peas to pick and more.
We’ve done the cross country trip many a times before either by car or train so we knew what to expect; however, this trip was a little different because [...]
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 [...]
It’s not even lunch yet and it’s a four post morning (my favorite entry from this morning is Fairlight peeking her head out – makes me laugh every time) !
And don’t forget to check out this post about a recent threat to local food security. This is a MUST READ!
Definitely a lot happening these days [...]
Already in the 1800’s it was well-known for his tree-nurseries. ‘De Coninck’ is a well spread family name in our village. Different branches of the family ‘De Coninck’ were very active in tree-nursery. One of them founded in 1848 the ‘Boomkwekerijen – Pepinières De Coninck’. An other tree-nursery (founded in 1847) belonged to the ‘Dervaes’ [...]
What: Film Screening of EATING ALASKA & Local, Vegetarian Potluck
When: Sunday, March 29 (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, screening licensing fees, sound system, and purchase of eco friendly, compostable [...]
There’s a fight on our hands. Our food and seed supply have been taken hostage and our only chance is a fertile resistance. A fight that will determine who owns the very essence of plant life on this planet. Our mission promote seed varieties that free of any corporate controls, seeds that are grown [...]
Eating Your Veggies: Not As Good For You?
If the economy isn’t grim enough for you, just check out the February issue of the Journal of HortScience, which contains a report on the sorry state of American fruits and veggies. Apparently, produce in the U.S. not only tastes worse than it did in your grandparents’ days, [...]
With nearly 400 request for the 2009 Freedom Seed list and just a couple handfuls of orders, we figured this dilemma called for a seed survey. Yes I am on the seed bend again and will till all the seeds are sold – that’s my mission and I am sticking to it.
Thanks to those of [...]
(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 [...]
These photos were taken yesterday and what a difference a day makes. Just as it was starting to get cold again with a frost danger, can you believe it’s raining again? It was only last weekend that we were under a deluge of rain – 4 plus inches to be exact. Pretty soon we are [...]
I know, I know another seed post. But we have seeds on the brain and we came up with this plan over lunch to try and move all these seeds out of our dining room. Just to give you an idea how much seeds we invested in – we have 4 1/2 five gallon buckets [...]
All packed in used shoe boxes
Labels made
First seed order shipped out
Multiple ways Monsanto is putting normal seed out of reach
People say if farmers don’t want problems from Monsanto, just don’t buy their GMO seeds.
Not so simple. Where are farmers supposed to get normal seed these days? How are they supposed to avoid contamination of their [...]
Counting. One two three four five….
Then weighing
Justin the seed addict loves seeds, Jordanne pleads “I can’t possible count any more of those itty bitty seeds” and me, well, don’t disturb I am counting 150, 151, 152…… drats, where was I…. 1, 2, 3, 4
Our entire dining room has turned into a seed storage and [...]
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 [...]
[UPDATE 3/02/09 FreedomSeeds.org web site is up & open for business]
Moving right along here. We just wrap up companion website to the film Homegrown Revolution – well, almost. A few things need written and linked. But you can now order a copy of HGR!
Now onward to our other venture!
The Freedom Seeds website is not ready [...]
Yard work
Winter tomatoes
Farmer J shows off his heads of broccoli
And another beauty
Dining room turned seed business
Justin packing seeds for Sunday
With the prospects of of a dryer than normal season, thanks to La Nina, (our normal is between 14″ & 19″ — see rainfall totals for the past 130 years) it’s not hard to gander that [...]
Winter sunflowers. That’s right we have a huge patch of self sown sunflowers that are in full bloom in January no less!
Garden in winter – assorted greens, garlic, broccoli, peas and onions.
A gorgeous head of broccoli.
Kumquats almost ripe. Though semi ripe, I just can’t wait and have been nibbling on them already! Enjoying the [...]
The gardening game
Do you know where your seeds come from?
You may be surprised…
Somehow I always thought the seeds, bulbs, and roots I purchased from mail order companies came from a quaint American farm, somewhere in the heartland, with burgeoning rows of high quality vegetables and flowers. I was as wrong as a two-headed frog
….
With [...]
