A journal of modern day pioneers forging a new frontier in the city through intensive agriculture and extreme sustainability in urban homesteading.

Reviving the old-fashioned "can-do" spirit of self-reliance and resourcefulness, they have faced many challenges. With faith and determination, these once-ordinary city dwellers are boldly reclaiming their lives and land. continue

urban farmer rss

April 23, 2010

The guy love wearing caps — it’s a must in their urban farmer apparel.  Um, that and camos.  Farmer Justin digs camo’s and for a down and dirty guy camos make a lot of sense – you can wear dirty clothes and not look dirty (saves on laundry and water). Yep, Farmer J is one [...]

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February 4, 2010

A major tv media outlet is looking to:
” profile someone who is in the LA area (from San Diego to Santa Barbara) that is in process of transforming his/her life as a combined result of the economic conditions and who is taking the Dervaes’ message as the inspiration for that transformation.  The more radical the [...]

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May 11, 2009

Growing Your Own Food
Benefits, Techniques and Resources
Monday, May 11, 6:30PM
Santa Monica Main Library, 2nd Floor
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Money is tight and putting your yard  to productive use by growing
fruit and vegetables seems like a great idea, but how realistic is
this goal?
This event will explore the just how easy it is for one [...]

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April 10, 2009

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) [...]

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January 15, 2009

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 [...]

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September 23, 2008

Plots of opportunity on urban eco-farms (The Natural Food Merchandiser)
by Vicky Uhland
The Dervaes family’s 1,500-square-foot vintage Craftsman bungalow, set on a standard city lot a mile from downtown Pasadena, Calif., is an unlikely homestead for a working farm. And yet Jules Dervaes and three of his children manage to grow 350 varieties of plants and [...]

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August 14, 2008

Here on the urban homestead one never knows what strange creatures will show up on the kitchen counter.  This week’s unusual edible is a tiny little cucumber with spiky warts – not very appetizing!   The urban farmers here tell me it’s called a West Indian Gerkin
So these little spiky creatures not meant to be eaten [...]

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May 5, 2008

Urban farmer and homesteader, Jules Dervaes, will be a guest this afternoon on Chicago’s RADIO ISLAM at 4:10 PDT.
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW ONLINE

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The Urban Homesteaders
Jules DervaesJustin DervaesAnais DervaesJordanne Dervaes
Cast of Characters
    
   
    
    
    
 
Blogging Since 2001
Got an hour or two or a couple of days?

Clear your schedule, kick back, and follow the Little Homestead in the City chronicles through the years. Please read responsibly and in moderation. Remember to feed your family and or pets and water your garden...

There's 2,568 posts so it might take awhile. Consider yourselves warned.

COMPLETE URBAN HOMESTEAD ARCHIVES:



LOCATION
Pasadena, CA
(Northwest Pasadena, one mile from downtown Pasadena 100 yards from 11 lane freeway)

PROPERTY SIZE
1/5 acre (66' x 132' / 8,712 sq.ft.)

GARDEN SIZE
~ 1/10 acre (3,900 sq.ft. / ~ 66' x 66')

GARDEN DIVERSITY
~ 400 different vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries

FOOD PRODUCTION
~ 6,000 lbs annually / 99% of our produce $75,000 savings

URBAN HOMESTEAD SUPPORTS
4 full-time resident adults, a menagerie of animals, volunteers, and many clients

ENERGY USAGE
$12 a month / 6.0 kwh day

WATER USAGE
$600 / 175,000 gallons a year

SOLAR POWER PRODUCED
12,410 kwh as of 5/12/10

GALLONS OF BIODIESEL MADE
2,500 gallons as of 5/12/08

FACTS N FIGURES
Learn more about the Urban Homestead
Full Stats Summary