This recent article stresses the importance of how we all should start taking gardening seriously.    Growing your own food in the city: it’s a challenge but a good one - an a very important on too!

Garden As If Your Life Depended On It, Because It Will - Alternet

There are at least five reasons why more of us should take up spade, rake and hoe, make compost and raise good soil and garden beds with a vengeance, starting this spring and with an eye toward forever.

READ MORE

It's officially Spring and what a rocky start  weather wise.   We spiked into the 90’s for a few days and then dipped back under 60 with gray skies  and drizzle.  Crazy!

Busy, busy, busy - bees, biodiesel, soil blocks, picking, packing, watering, planting, building, etc. Where does the time go?  Not complaining; it’s good to have longer days to work on the farm here in the city.

Sis handed me a “to plant list” of things she needs for her home canning operation.    She makes a mean jalapeno jelly and wanted to make sure that I didn’t forget to plant them!

Squash, tomatoes, peppers and beans are all up and ready to transplant into the garden.   The new strawberry starts are filling in nicely. We are expecting to harvest berries in early June and the potatoes are just about ready to be dug up.  I know I’ve been looking forward to homegrown potatoes – they are way better tasting than the store.

The small invasion of aphids is now under control, sweet!  We spotted a couple ladybugs and have already noticed a huge difference on the chard and kales.    Thanks to the exceptionally warm weather last week, the greens seem to have grown a few feet (ok, inches) overnight.  We are now offering a slew of assorted greens at the front porch farm stand.  Sis is manager and CEO ("chief" for short) of the front porch farm stand and she’ll be posting more of what the stand has to offer.   It’s a wonderful feeling to feed the family and be able to offer the surplus produce to folks who are wanting to eat closer to home.

The hennery is cranking out eggs – yeah!

Last week, I helped a friend who manages a few urban bees divide a few hives for spring expansion.  Of course, we had to suit up on the HOTTEST day of the year (so far).   It was sweltering!  Hive work waits for no man, so we both suited up.  Long pants (I HATE long pants), long sleeve shirts and were sweating buckets just after a few minutes work.   I got some delicious honey comb in trade for a couple of hours work. What a treat and worth the (sweaty) effort!

The rescued hive is still here, bees going to and fro. It’s a wonderful site to see bees working the citrus.

March Harvest Tally

252 lbs Produce

Eggs      Chicken 91   Duck 160

2011 Tally to Date

663 lbs Produce

Eggs      Chicken 117   Duck 345

ORGANIC GARDENING

SQUARE FOOT GARDENING

EDIBLE LANDSCAPING

VICTORY GARDEN

SEEDS OF CHANGE

THE PIONEER WOMAN

SIMPLE LIVING

LOCAVORE

HOMESTEAD GARDENS

BACKYARD FARMS

GAIA

VEGE

HONEYBEES

HOMEGROWN

BIODIESEL

BICYCLING

GARDENER

URBAN HOME & GARDEN

COMPOST MASTER

HOMEGROWN HARVEST

LIVING HOMEGROWN

HOMEGROWN HIPPIE

PLANT THE SEED

GARDEN GIRL

URBAN FARMING

HOBBY FARM

URBAN FARM

BIODYNAMIC

GROW BIOINTENSIVE

SLOW FOOD

CERTIFIED ORGANIC BY CCOF

If anyone is offended by these common trademarks, please contact the respective trademark owners!

"Jack of all trades, master of none, though ofttimes better than master of one."

Over the past years, we've had dozens of book offers, all of which we've turned down (I can hear the chorus of groans). Why? Well, for one, we felt that we must continue (at this stage) to forge ahead in our urban homesteading efforts. There's a time & purpose for everything and we didn't feel it was the right time. Everyone knows that when you decide to write a book it takes up pretty much ALL your time and you can't do anything else - gardens go into neglect, projects hang in suspension, stuff gets shunted aside as one expected to meet the publisher deadlines. Plus, we have too much stuff to learn - by doing!

Since urban homesteading is our life, we are ever so busy doing and have very little time to write about what we were doing except for here on the journal - which acts as a chronology or diary of an urban homesteader. A picture is worth a thousands words and many people have told us that our urban homestead blog is our urban homesteading book! The urban homestead is not words on paper but a living-working model in production that's full of success and many a failure.

Another thing that we have learned in this 25 year urban homesteading journey is that each year that you add a different skill or project, the challenge is to keep this "plate spinning" along with the others you've started. Believe me, we've dropped a few plates in our time but we don't give up!

Learning by doing is still the best way to learn how to farm and homestead. Such times that we have learned the most about farming/homesteading have been when we were thrown into a situation and forced to sink or swim.

Here at Little Homestead in the City we are striving to keep true to the eco pioneer spirit as one family tries to keep all the plates spinning - all at once.

I always cringe at the term "master (fill in the blank)." If you cease to learn, you cease to exist. Nature teaches you firsthand that one is never the master of her domain. Nature also teaches you humility and patience. Just when you think you have it "made" - she throws you a curve ball that can leave you swinging.

Another thing we've learned is that you are never REALLY "master" anything - always a student. Learning through the trials, tribulations and growing along with them.

So with, as one of our friends wrote and we are now borrowing, "Patience, Persistence & Humility" we enter another year here at the urban homestead.

Ready to be taught by our surroundings, ready to accept (hopefully with humility) what's in store for us and grateful and blessed to be able to share our journey with you.

Can't believe last week went by and I only took one, ONLY one, photo of our meals last week.  Sorry to disappoint but I have a list of excuses people! Guess that shows you how busy I am. Going to have to tie that camera around my neck. I'll try to do better next time.

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!

Harvested another 50 lbs of honey yesterday bringing the harvest honey totals to 130+lbs. There's probably one more honey harvest and then we'll leave the rest to the bees for winter.

In the kitchen, we are putting up peaches, apples, tomatoes, grapes, beans, carrots and more!

In the garden, time to get a jump on fall plantings.  Not too early to kick start the fall garden.

On the web front, Jordanne is working on a program that will allow us to publish our recipes online so stay tuned for that. Not only that but she is working on some other stuff, but for now that's under wraps!

Busy, busy, busy!

Summer's nearly over... my how time flies!

Finally, figs!

Fig quesadillas

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - cream of tomato soup with tabbouleh

MONDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - veggie patty with cucumber and tomato, basil salad
Dinner - leftover tomato soup with homemade bread

TUESDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - veggie patty sandwich with cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - summer veggie pasta - pickled peppers, tomatoes, peppers and basil

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -apple crumble
Lunch - veggie patty with rice and cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - fig quesadillas

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - summer veggie pasta - pickled peppers, tomatoes, peppers and basil
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - tomato, avocado sandwich with cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

What summer time treats/feasts are you enjoying in your neck of the woods? Are you "Eating Closer to Home?"  Then join our food challenge to reduce your FOOD PRINT

Veggie pot pie filling

Veggie pot pie warm out of the oven

Pasta cooked in the solar oven

Slice of veggie pot pie and salad

Vegetable casserole version one

Version one casserole with salad

Veggie soup

Vegetable casserole version two

Version two with salad

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.  I might as well admit to the fact that it'll be awhile before we come up for breath!

The summer produce has been, for the last few weeks, lapping at the dam.  This week it finally topped and now the fun begins.

When the trickle becomes a tidal wave.  you gotta be prepared for the onslaught.  It can come at you fast and, if you aren't prepared, can bowl you over, leaving you buried under a load of veggies and fruit.   For me, this time of year,  there are just too many darn veggies to choose from!  Should I make this dish, or that, or how about this one?   Heck, there are only three meals in a day; but, with the baskets of fruits and veggies, I feel like a kid in a candy store!  I want to eat them all.

This week with so much work, we opted to "keep it simple" and stick with "one pot" meal for lunch which we then can re-heat in the solar oven for dinner.   Saves time and uses a LOT of veggies at once - not to mention it's filling!

The trusted ol' casserole ruled the week as we tried out two versions.

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved  unless otherwise specified

and ...

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit from Farmer Sergio
Lunch - garden tea party!

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - vegetable soup (onions, green peppers, turnips, carrots, winter squash and greens)
Dinner - leftover veggie soup that was warmed up in the sun oven

TUESDAY

Breakfast - french toast with honey
Lunch - veggie pot pie (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter squash, herbs) with salad
Dinner - leftover veggie pot pie that was warmed up in the sun oven with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - veggie medley "Casserole I"  (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter & summer squash and greens) with shredded carrot and lettuce salad
Dinner - leftover veggie soup that was warmed up in the sun oven with sun cooked pasta

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - veggie medley "Casserole II"  (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter & summer squash and greens) with salad
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - leftover veggie "Casserole II" with salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce over spaghetti

Care to share what you've been enjoying, eating recently? Are you making more meals from scratch or homegrown ingredients. What new dishes have you tried and liked?

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 is limited so please RSVP by calling 626.844.4586 or filling out the online reservation form

Event Schedule

5:30 PM - event starts / Freedom Gardens Swap N Meet

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - local food potluck

7:00 PM - CONSUME THIS MOVIE! (80 minutes)

8:30 PM - discussion / pop quiz and win prizes!

9:00 PM - event ends

Film Details

See this movie when you're happy to be alive. Check out this movie when you want to make a huge difference. Absorb this movie again and again for profound insights about all our lives. But - whatever you do - Consume This Movie!”
— Ed Begley, Jr., Actor

Are Americans too materialistic? Are we willfully trashing the planetary ecology in order to serve the desires and drives of the ego? And what, or who could be driving this powerful force of seduction? Consume This Movie takes a critical look at social injustice, peak oil, resource depletion and our deep need to feel connected to each other through what we choose to consume. This 80 minute documentary also examines the frenzied pace of fast-lane materialism that is beggining to burn us out. We Americans are just now beginning to yearn for a simpler life, but is it too late? Have we set in motion a runaway train that threatens to undermine the ecological, social and spiritual cornerstones that make the pursuit of happiness possible in the first place? Walk, don't drive to see this powerful documentary film, while supplies last!

Woven into this exploration are interviews with Dr. Peter Whybrow, American Mania, Juliet B. Schor, The Overspent American, simplicity guru’s Cecile Andrews and Duane Elgin, photographic artist Chris Jordan, advertising expert James. B. Twitchell and Post Carbon Institutes Julian Darley among others.

Potluck

Bring something (preferably vegetarian) to contribute to the potluck - bring enough food for yourself/family and a bit to share. The primary focus of the ‘Locavore’ potluck is to promote eating whole foods, in their nature-made state, focusing on fresh food from local sources (or as local as possible)

If not FROM BACKYARD then locally produced.
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

Freedom Garden Swap N Meet

Join local homegrown revolutionaries - swap crops, seeds, expertise and more.

Growing for 21st century food security, FreedomGardens.org is a free interactive, online social community of gardening enthusiasts who are fed up with foreign oil, frequent food miles and high food prices.

To reserve space for this event fill out this easy regisration form or contact 626.844.4586

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 friendly, compostable dinnerware

Space is limited so please RSVP by calling 626.844.4586 or filling out online reservation form

Event Schedule

5:30 PM - event starts / Freedom Gardens Swap N Meet

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - local food potluck

7:00 PM - clay pot irrigation demo followed by film screening ARE WE RUNNING DRY (80 minutes)

8:30 PM - discussion / pop quiz and win prizes!

9:00 PM - event ends

Film Details

“As in the rest of the world, significant water problems exist in the Southwestern states because of severe drought, urban development, agricultural uses and population growth. The overwhelming need to solve these issues in the United States and the world is crucial through education and planning. The severity of the American water crisis cannot be underestimated.”

Jane Seymour, Narrator, “Running Dry”

Nearly every state in the American Southwest is affected by a water crisis and is struggling with record dry conditions. On the heels of the American Southwest’s drought, and in an effort to raise awareness, The Chronicles Group with support from grants from the California Water Association, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Southern Nevada Water Authority and other public and private entities, Vegas PBS will present “The American Southwest: Are We Running Dry?” directed, written, and produced by Jim Thebaut, president of The Chronicles Group, a Los Angeles based non-profit public information/education film production company

Featuring narration from Emmy® Award-winning actress Jane Seymour, “The American Southwest:  Are We Running Dry?” is a definitive look at how the water crisis affects the American Southwest states and its escalating economic toll.
Potluck

Bring something (preferably vegetarian) to contribute to the potluck - bring enough food for yourself/family and a bit to share. The primary focus of the ‘Locavore’ potluck is to promote eating whole foods, in their nature-made state, focusing on fresh food from local sources (or as local as possible)

If not FROM BACKYARD then locally produced.
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

Freedom Garden Swap N Meet

Join local homegrown revolutionaries - swap crops, seeds, expertise and more.

Growing for 21st century food security, FreedomGardens.org is a free interactive, online social community of gardening enthusiasts who are fed up with foreign oil, frequent food miles and high food prices.

To reserve space for this event fill out this easy regisration form or contact 626.844.4586

A big thanks to FGer "MrsMeyers" for her vigilant tallying efforts from all those participating in the challenge.  Here's the figures so far.

March's Tally Totals

735lbs of produce (plus blackthorn's 12.6 grams:)

1525 eggs (1437 chicken, 88 duck)

39 quarts of maple syrup

Total Harvest Tally

2257.75lbs of produce!!!!

3184 eggs (chicken, duck and turkey)

68lbs of meat/eggs

55lbs of produce traded/collected from outside source

39 quarts of maple syrup

Care to weigh in? (NOTE you have to be logged into Freedom Gardens.org to view results)

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 is limited so please RSVP by calling 626.844.4586 or filling out online reservation form

Event Schedule

5:30 PM - event starts / Freedom Gardens Swap N Meet

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM - local food potluck

7:00 PM - film screening FOOD MATTERS (80 minutes)

8:30 PM - discussion / pop quiz and win prizes!

9:00 PM - event ends

Film

"Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine, And Thy Medicine Be Thy Food." - Hippocrates

"Food Matters is a must see for those looking to take control of their health."
- John Gray, PhD, NY Times Best Selling Author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

"Outstanding"
- John Robbins, author of Diet for A New America

"Anyone who is serious about their health needs to see this stunning film."
- Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom, The Wisdom of Menopause and Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom

"Thought provoking, informative, and compelling, this film matters."
- Rory Freedman, Coauthor of #1 NY Times Best Seller Skinny Bitch

Food Matters' is a hard hitting, fast paced look at our current state of health. Despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new so-called cures we continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and every day maladies. Patching up an over-toxic and over-indulgent population with a host of toxic therapies and nutrient sparse foods is definitely not helping the situation.

‘Food Matters' seeks to uncover the business of disease and at the same time explore the safe, cheap and effective use of nutrition and supplementation for preventing and often reversing the underlying causative aspects of the illness. With the premise of the film being: access to solid information helps people invariably make better choices for their health.

The ‘Food Matters' duo have independently funded the film from start to finish in order to remain as unbiased as possible, delivering a clear and concise message to the world.

Potluck

Bring something (preferably vegetarian) to contribute to the potluck - bring enough food for yourself/family and a bit to share. The primary focus of the ‘Locavore’ potluck is to promote eating whole foods, in their nature-made state, focusing on fresh food from local sources (or as local as possible)

If not FROM BACKYARD then locally produced.
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

Freedom Garden Swap N Meet

Join local homegrown revolutionaries - swap crops, seeds, expertise and more.

Growing for 21st century food security, FreedomGardens.org is a free interactive, online social community of gardening enthusiasts who are fed up with foreign oil, frequent food miles and high food prices.

To reserve space for this event fill out this easy regisration form or contact 626.844.4586

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 dinnerware

Space is limited so please RSVP by calling 626.844.4586 or filling out online reservation form

Event Schedule

5:30 PM - event starts / Freedom Gardens Swap N Meet

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM - local food potluck

7:30 PM - film screening EATING ALASKA (57 minutes)

8:30 PM - discussion / pop quiz and win prizes!

9:00 PM - event ends

Film

A wry journey for the "right thing" to eat

"Eating Alaska makes us ruminate, laugh and stand in awe, all at the same time."
-Gary Nabhan, Author, Coming Home to Eat and Where Our Food Comes From

"Eating Alaska asks all the right questions and urges us to find our own answers. The film is a very useful and heartful tool for talking about food justice and food systems and to help all of us to create a new story about food." 
- Peter Forbes, Co-Founder  Center for Whole Communities

What happens to a vegetarian who moves to the last frontier?

Eating Alaska is a serious and humorous film about connecting to where you live and eating locally. It is about trying to break away from the industrial food system when that means not only buying fresh seasonal food from local farmers, but taking part in a world of hunting and gathering. Made by a former city dweller now living on an island in Alaska and married to fisherman and deer hunter, it is a journey into regional food traditions, our connection to the wilderness and to what we put into our mouths.

The film portrays a wry quest for safe, healthy, meaningful, and sustainable food that leads to climbing mountains with women hunters, scrutinizing food labels with kids, talking moose meat with teens in a small village public school, and exploring how others in the last frontier, Alaska Natives and non-Natives, are eating.

Eating Alaska takes viewers from a lower 48 farmer's market to the tundra to look for caribou, from fishing for wild salmon to visiting a vegan cooking class in Wasilla. Along the way we will visit with people who are grappling with what is on their plates and trying to balance living off the land with the convenience and speed of reaching for what's on the shelf at the supermarket. This is a story about connecting to where we live, urban or far from it, and coming to terms with what we eat and how we come by it.

{Please be advised this film does show the human impact of hunting and consumption of meat. However it is sensibly depicted without graphic images.}

Potluck

Bring something (preferably vegetarian) to contribute to the potluck - bring enough food for yourself/family and a bit to share. The primary focus of the ‘Locavore’ potluck is to promote eating whole foods, in their nature-made state, focusing on fresh food from local sources (or as local as possible)

If not FROM BACKYARD then locally produced.
If not LOCALLY PRODUCED, then Organic.
If not ORGANIC, then Family farm.
If not FAMILY FARM, then Local business.
If not a LOCAL BUSINESS, then Fair Trade.

Freedom Garden Swap N Meet

Join local homegrown revolutionaries - swap crops, seeds, expertise and more.

Growing for 21st century food security, FreedomGardens.org is a free interactive, online social community of gardening enthusiasts who are fed up with foreign oil, frequent food miles and high food prices.

To reserve space for this event fill out this easy regisration form or contact 626.844.4586