Looking back on our goals from last year Justin (Jethro) got his fish project underway,  the grey water project too.

Jordanne (Ellie Mae) revamped our two social networks, Freedom Gardens and launched Backyards & Barnyards and did get around to organizing a lot of mess.  Not to forget the launced her super amazing Natural Poultry Supplement Mix which is receiving rave reviews!

As for me (Granny),  the mountain of fabric and yarn still looms like a huge shadow but the craft-music room is coming along nicely.  Not sure if I am talking less and listening more – guess I’ll have to ask my family & friends that.

The 7K bonanza harvest wasn't the only highlight from 2010

We went back to Wild & Scenic located in the quaint mountain town of Nevada City and had a chance to meet our favorite author, John Robbins.  Had a workshop at the Eco Farm conference in lovely grounds Asilomar (didn't get to spend as much time on the beach as we'd like since it was soooo cold and rainy!).   Not to mention numerous articles and video pieces which all were featured here on the blog – our favorite being the recent So Cal Connect piece , I am Los Angeles , Private Chefs of Beverly Hills,  Sis and I were "Cover Girls" & with an article featured in this online magazine and I wrote about my home school experience for another

Our home made film "Homegrown Revolution" won  many awards including : Best Environment & Ecology Film North America - Swansea International Film Festival, U.K.; Prize of the Mayor of the Capitol City of Slovakia - Ekotop Film Festival of Sustainable Development, Slovakia; Best Short Documentary - Southern Appalachian International Film Festival, Tennessee; Honorable Mention: Westpac Award Best Short Film - Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival, New Zealand.  (You can purchase a DVD copy)

We traveled to back to the homestead in New Zealand where I was born (more pics and tales to come) and with our biggest turn out ever to a presentation on urban homesteading!

After the New Zealand trip: Other outreach opportunities included four university appearances by "Farmer D" and a presentation for a public school district's student gardens fundraiser.

On the urban  homestead

Keeping it real.  As with any journey, we had our ups and downs.

Passing of dear old Clementine (the poster chicken & darling of the UH movement) and our duck Amy after freak accident which never fully recovered from.

The cycle of life continued, Though there were sad deaths there was new life with four additions to our flock.  Our southern belles  - Annalee, Lulu Belle, Beulah and Opal.

Pushing the envelope in urban sustainability we added new projects:  hops for beer and 50 tilapia for aquaponics fish farming and wrote about the challenges that we face of growing food in the city.

Wrote about necessary Urban Homestead apparel and "Natural Beauty, "  "Homesteader Hygiene", & Living Without AC,  Washing Clothes by Hand & threw an amazing  "Girlie" Tea Party under $50!

Long time customer, Elements, who featured our many of our homegrown items on his menu unceremoniously dumped us (having money issues)   When one door closed, it opened up our produce to the public with the launch of the Front Porch Farm Stand featuring local foods and goods.

Weather continued to be a problem with a record heat wave in October & record rainfall in December

Though we had one of our best honey harvest in years, Varroa Mites (and early cold weather) wiped out all of our of beehives except one.

I dropped the ball on the Weekly Meal wrap ups (sorry readers) posts but I picked up guitar which I am enjoying relearning – well, except for the sore finger tips.   Ouch!

There you have it!  Some of the highlights of 2010,  I know I just touched the tip of the ice berg otherwise I’d be here all day.

So what our plans/goals for 2011?   That’s certainly a good question and a lot to digest ….  we do know are going to have sadly terminate some projects because of the lack of support.   It’s a bitter pill to swallow put sometimes you got to cut things that are weighing you down.  I’m talking to myself here… have to keep saying that!

Also like to thank all of you readers who have supported us via donations or purchases from our online store.    Not to mention all the wonderful letters, cards and emails.   THANK YOU!

While I try to shake off a awful case writers block, if you are new or a lurker to this blog, this is a good time to swap howdies or better yet TELL US what your FAVORITE post(s) of 2010 were!

So pull up a chair and give us a holler ya hear and hope 2011 is off to a good start for 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

Tropical cherry upside down cake

Blueberry Muffins

Tabbouleh

Steamed green beans

More tabbouleh

Fried squash blossoms and tabbouleh

Homegrown toppings

Avocado sandwich and carrot salad

Spaghetti and salad

Spanish rice

Goodbye June, hello July!

Not really looking forward to the heat of the summer. Lucky for us we've been socked in with nice gray marine layer in the morning which keeps the weather quite pleasant.    Actually wearing sweaters in the morn and evening to ward of the chill!  Of course the gloomy mornings aren't particularly good for the tomatoes, leaving them more susceptible to blight.

Tabbouleh was what's for lunch/dinner most of the week. No "007" complaints on that one. Absolutely love this summer salad. It's so simple and tasty and uses a good handful of mint that's growing like gangbusters and needs to be "controlled." At our last food co-op delivery I order both quiona and bulghur. Only the bulghur came in so will have to wait another month! Yeah, I know could just run to the local Whole Paycheck store but then where would the fun go? Besides, got a huge bag of bulghur that's not going to be used up any time soon.

Last week we enjoyed a few fruity treats like the 'tropical cherry upside down cake' and blueberry muffins. Though I love using up the homegrown fruit on hand, I hate making these fruit treats. Yeah, I know sounds crazy! But the fruit desserts are so yummy and if I don't watch it, I could end up gaining 10 lbs (or more) by the end of the summer. Jordanne didn't help things by making apricot ice cream (pics to come) not once, but twice. Oh dear. Why does this stuff have to taste soooo good. In fact, we gals are thinking about having an old fashion 'Ice Cream Social' - that would certainly be fun and fattening.

Another load of apples came in. I am so tempted to make an apple pie or two. How about one with cheese? Sufferin succotash, someone help me! Maybe should step away from the kitchen - yeah, fat chance!

Speaking of kitchen, the latest article which featured us homestead gals, we created a buzz over our beauty routine (or rather lack there of) We received a bunch of questions about "kitchen cosmetics" so we hope to address a few in later posts so stay tuned.

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 - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - summer mac & cheese (peppers, tomatoes)

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)
Dinner - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)

TUESDAY

Breakfast - french toast with honey
Lunch - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)
Dinner - tabbouleh (mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onions) with green beans

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - out
Dinner - squash blossoms stuffed with herb cheese with tabbouleh (mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers)

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - green beans and rice
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

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

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?

Here's last week eats on the urban homestead for you to savor with your eyes!

Whoops! Half eaten blueberry pancakes-- Honestly, they looked better than this before SOMEONE starting eating them.

Herbs n flowers

Farmer Sergio's citrus, lemon verbena and pineapple sage

Kale and sorrel

Beet and apple salad

Herbal, rose citrus punch with lemon juice ice cubes

Yellow squash ready for roasting

Squash blossoms

Fried squash blossoms stuffed with herbal cheese

Squash blossoms with herb cheese and green bean salad

Oven roasted beets

Meal preparations

Guests at the Urban Homestead. Dinner is served

WEEK ONE

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved / from Farmer Sergio 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
Lunch - picnic at Sergio's farm
Dinner - leftovers

SUNDAY

Breakfast - at hotel in Encinitas
Lunch - tabling at eco fair Cottonwood Creek Park Encinitas
Dinner - too tired to cook!

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - green beans over (organic) rice with salad (homemade honey mustard dressing)
Dinner - leftovers

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - kale, sorrel pesto with roasted beet and apple salad
Dinner - squash blossoms stuffed with herb cheese, green bean salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - green beans, lemon herb butter, bread and salad
Dinner - avocado, lettuce sandwich with beets, strawberry and carrot salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - summer veggies with rice, salad with carrots
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with roasted yellow squash, peppers, garlic with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - grilled cheese sandwich with jalepeno jelly
Dinner - no knead bread,kale, sorrel pesto with roasted beet and apple salad

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?

Ok, I am going to have to do a better job of taking photos of the meals.    Funny how you get out of routine for just a bit and, well, it's a struggle to get back!

So one of these days, I will tie the camera around my neck and take some food pics!

Oh, and we are also going to try to get together some recipes that ya'll can download.   Certainly a plate full of "to do's"

WEEK ONE

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

SATURDAY

Breakfast - out
Dinner -potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - coleslaw (red cabbage, carrots, fennel) bread and butter radish sandwich

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - vegetable soup (winter squash, cabbage, green onions)
Dinner - leftovers

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftover soup from Monday
Dinner - baked winter squash, with salad (greens, radishes, strawberries)

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - vegetable soup (winter squash, cabbage, green onions)
Dinner - rice pilaf (celery, herbs, green onions) roasted beet salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - veggies with pasta (chard, kale, carrots, daikon, cilantro) with peanut butter sauce
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - vegetable soup (winter squash, cabbage, green onions)
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK TWO

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

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - avocado, arugula and cucumber relish sandwich

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - veggie pot pie (assorted greens, potatoes)
Dinner - veggie pot pie (assorted greens, potatoes)

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - coleslaw (red cabbage, carrots, fennel) bread and butter radish sandwich
Dinner - avocado, arugula and cucumber relish sandwich

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner - kale pesto with salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - avocado, arugula and cucumber relish sandwich
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - kale pesto with salad
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

Actually this blog is not only our attempt in sharing our journey but it's a way for us to keep track and document ours.   Like a public diary, our online book of sorts.  It's a good source of reference for us as we look back on our journey.

These days I am always thinking, telling myself, that I will catch up.  I do hope so before being swept away by the tidal wave of "to dos."

For you web savvy folks you can keep tabs with us on Facebook and Twitter where we are more apt to give you tidbits of urban homestead happenings

Cooking in the sun oven (sold on our online store)

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK ONE

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

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner -potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - nettle pesto with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - radish, broccoli, pea stir fry
Dinner - avocado, squash pickle, raw cheese sandwich with coleslaw

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - green onion, peas, broccoli casserole with rice
Dinner - avocado, cucumber relish, raw cheese sandwich with coleslaw

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK TWO

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

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - leftovers

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - vegetable lasagna with salad
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce
Dinner -  tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK THREE

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

SATURDAY

Breakfast - crepes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - vegetable lasagna and salad

MONDAY

Breakfast - crepes with strawberry sauce
Lunch - vegetable lasagna and salad
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, carrots, peas casserole
Dinner - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - out

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

Well, I definitely did a better job at taking photos of the last two weeks worth of meals.  Now that I am finally caught up, I hope to go back to just 'Weekly Meal Wrap Ups' minus the x2!

There's new things in season and that means new eats to enjoy - like peas, mushrooms, cabbage and more!

Oh, and for those asking, I posted the recipe to the skillet granola a few years back - here's the link to the recipe again.

SATURDAY

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

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Filming

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - avocado , lettuce, squash pickle sandwich with pac choi, radish salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - avocado , lettuce, squash pickle sandwich with pac choi, radish salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread

out

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with dried tomatoes, pickled garlic, peppers and green onions with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce, mushrooms and pasta topped with Parmesan cheese with salad, radishes

SATURDAY

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

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner -flour tortillas with broccoli, mushroom, green onions and cheese with salad warmed in the sun oven

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli cheese casserole with salad
Dinner - avocado, lettuce, squash pickle sandwich with cabbage pac choi slaw

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - potatoes, broccoli, cabbage with herb lemon butter
Dinner - broccoli, green onion cheese casserole with salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli cheese casserole with salad
Dinner - herb pizza crust topped with pickled garlic, green onions, tomatoes, peppers

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - pac choi, peas, green onions with CA organic grown rice
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with pac choi, radish salad

For those of you who are internet savvy you can follow happenings on the urban homestead on FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

Weeks are going by so fast, by the time I turn around I am already behind in posting our week's worth of meals.   Oh well, better late than never I suppose.

A reader had a suggestion (a good one) so will take his advice.  He suggested have a disclaimer on each weekly meal wrap up that says something to the effect:

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

Will save some time and repetitiveness - a good thing, so thanks for the tip Cody!

Oh and once again I did a rather pathetic job at photographing the meals (too busy taking critter and garden photos!)  I'll do better next time (I hope)

I know many of you will be shocked that we changed breakfast eats.  Yep, I told you change was coming - gotta use up all those jars in the cupboards.

Guess you can tell by the menu what was in season, surplus this week - broccoli!!!!

SATURDAY

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

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from Sat dinner
Dinner - broccoli, green onion soup

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, green onion soup
Dinner - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, green onion soup
Dinner -broccoli cheese casserole with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - broccoli cheese casserole with salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - baked squash with salad
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

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

Thanks to a recent gather we had loads of extra organic split pea soup (thanks Harold!)  and guess what was for dinner?  Yep, you guessed it - soup!

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner -potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - avocado, lettuce, squash pickle raw cheese sandwich

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - broccoli cheese casserole
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

Around the urban homestead we've been busy.  There's so much to do, I can't even begin to start.  Spring is so about "happenings"  don't you think?  And we are ready to roll... are you?

Linked'em

Oh, and before I post another pictorial dispatch, seems have to clear up a few things.

Folks have been commenting and emailing asking for us to post recipes - like the Three Citrus Marmalade we just made.  Though the recipe wasn't posted in the post per say it's there!   Since I only linked to the recipe we used.

And there' also been a few who wondered where they can buy the ollas -  once again the word "olla" in posts are in fact linked to the source.

So, if you see  green colored underline wording therein probably lies the answer all your questions!

Portablella mushrooms popping up

And in a weeks time - ready for picking and eating.

Late winter garden, raised beds filled with broccoli, onions, chard, cabbage, radishes, garlic and all types of salad greens

Lettuces and greens

Radishes.

Ok, I don't know what it is - stars aligned or something.  But these year the radishes taste out of this world.  No joke!  The are so sweet and juicy - almost like eating an apple.   These days you can catch me popping these beauties in my mouth - a little dirt and all.

Remember all these gorgeous vegetables you see here can be purchased via our online seed store - FreedomSeeds.org

Potato harvest - we had these tender, creamy beauties with some homegrown broccoli and meyer lemon, herb butter.  More about our meals here on the urban homestead in an upcoming weekly meal wrap up!

Happy faces

and sleepy ones

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

This is what goats do MOST of the day!   What a life I tell you!

Oh, Blackberry you look so cute!  Did you hear me?  I just said "what a life" you lazy daisy!

Hey what about me?  Yeah, so what about you your ladyship?

Going to say something there Fairlight, huh, speak up, we are listening!

Muffins cooking in the solar oven

Ollas are here!

Last week we finally got our spring shipment of ollas (there are now in stock on PeddlersWagon.com)

When the ollas come we gals go shopping!  Yeah "shopping" -- urban homestead style.

Seriously, since these babies are packed, wrapped in second hand clothing and we gals pick thru and find duds that fit us.

There were a few scores in this batch.  We got a few nice long sleeve shirts, long pants for us and flannels for the guys.  And for the clothes we can't fit, we re-use in packing/shipping these ollas out.

Front yard farming

Backyard intensive production

Central planting station! Getting ready to make some soil blocks

Thanks to the guys hard work over winter, we have a new garden shed and potting table/area!

Farmer Justin gets out the ol' soil block (we've had that thing for over 15 years - one of the best investments we've ever made!)

Like to get your own nifty soil block maker?  They are in stock and flying off the shelves!

I lend a hand, or two, and in my apron pocket are a bunch of labels that I scribbled.

In one day we make up a few hundred soil blocks and planted squashes (winter & summer), pole beans, basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplant and more!

Most of the seeds are from Freedom Seeds a few we got at the seed swap at the Eco Farm Conference and others from Farmer Sergio.

What a relief that planting day was, not only was it fun to get your hands dirty (three days later I still have dirt under my fingernails!).  We had been so busy with other projects but we had to get seeds in and now!  Whew, now with a jump start on plantings I can sleep a little better at night.

The cabbage heads are growing bigger and more gorgeous by the day.  I am so proud of Farmer Justin!  These head are so beautiful I am going to hate to eat them.

Remember all the vegetables you see here are from our little seed company, Freedom Seeds - profits help support this site too.

Are you growing Freedom Seeds?  Care to share how well they are growing for you?

Peas

Bee on flowing broccoli

And apple blossoms.

Spring is here!

Coming up

Weekly Meal Wrap Up x2 and details for a GIVEAWAY in March!