Search Results for: label/urban homsesteading resources/page/2/2010/06/the-urban-homestead

451 results

Upcoming Classes: Edible Gardening and Vermicomposting

Mr. Homegrown
Events
4 Comments
A reminder: we have two very talented speakers and educators coming to the Root Simple compound to teach a series of classes. Sign up soon–they are selling out fast. The first is Darren Butler teaching his Beginning Vegetable Gardening series, starting Oct. 4, and his Intermediate series starting Oct. 18th. The second is Nancy Klehm’s teaching an in-depth Vermicomposting class on October 23rd.  Details below: Consulting Arborist...

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Grab and Go

Mr. Homegrown
Preparedness
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So it’s time to go over what’s in the SuriviveLA compound grab and go bags. These are the backpacks we have for each person here just in case we find ourselves surrounded by zombies and decide its time to run. Conveniently our grab and go bags are the same ones we use for hiking and backpacking. In fact the contents of the bags are based on what the Sierra Club used to call the “Ten Essentials“, which has now been expande...

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The Boy Scouts Suck

Mr. Homegrown
Thoughtstylings
24 Comments
SurviveLA did not get a wink of sleep last night while staying in the Joshua Tree National Park campground due to a bunch of Boy Scout dads who stayed up talking and laughing until 2:30 am in spite of the presence of dozens of other nearby campers. Thanks Boy Scout dads for setting a nice example for your kids, some of whom also stayed up until 2:30 engaged in a loud multi-player game boy tournament while others chased desert mice, and a specia...

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Mistakes we have made . . .

Mr. Homegrown
Animals, Chickens, Permaculture, Thoughtstylings
13 Comments
reliably every year while growing in terrible alkaline soil with no added water or fertilizer. The problem with the prickly pear is that it is too prodigious, and that’s the kind of problem you can hope for as an urban homesteader. 3. Newspaper seed pots Those newspaper seed starting pots we linked to earlier this year . . . well, there seems to be a problem with them. I think the newspaper is wicking the water away from the soil. While in...

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Vermicomposting Class

Mrs. Homegrown
Composting, Events, Vermiculture
4 Comments
If you live in or around LA, we encourage you to take this unique class that we’re hosting in the Silver Lake area. While it’s pretty easy to get basic information on starting a worm bin, it’s rare to be able to dig deeper, especially with a teacher as knowledgeable as Nancy Klehm. GET YOUR LOOP ON!A workshop on extreme vermicomposting for the city dweller. October 23, 20119am – 1pm $45 includes foraged snacks and tea $2...

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Greywater Workshops in Los Angeles

Mr. Homegrown
Events
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The folks at the Greywater Action Team asked me to spread the word on a few workshops they are doing in the LA area in October: Going Green with Greywater When: Friday October 14, 2011 – 9:00am – 12:00pmWhere: LA Eco Village 117 Bimini Pl Los Angeles CA 90004Cost: Sliding scale $25-50 limited work trade positions availableRegister hereReusing greywater, water from sinks, showers, and washing machines, is a great way to save water! I...

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June: National Bathroom Reading Month

Mr. Homegrown
Thoughtstylings
2 Comments
By bikin’ friend Colin informed me last week that he had heard a report on National Public Radio about June being, “National Bathroom Reading Month”. Doing a little digging revealed that, sadly, it was just a publicity stunt for a series of un-funny bathroom humor books and did not have the backing of our congress, senate or president. Nevertheless we thought we’d celebrate bathroom reading month anyways with a look at wh...

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Mulberries

Mr. Homegrown
Food, Foraging
8 Comments
The Mulberry trees (Morus nigra) along Houston’s Buffalo Bayou are producing their delicious fruit. The picture above is an immature berry–this particular tree produces a dark purple berry when ready to eat. Some sources on the internets, as well as Delena Tull’s excellent book Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest warn against consuming the unripe fruit, claiming that doing so produces an unpleasant, mildly psyc...

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A Review of Williams-Sonoma’s Agrarian Line

Mr. Homegrown
Thoughtstylings
21 Comments
Last week upscale retalier Williams-Sonoma announced an urban homesteady line of goods they call “Agrarian”. A number of Root Simple readers responded to the news after I linked to a Wall Street Journal article about the Agrarian line. One reader likened the “Agrarian” items to Marie Antoinette’s 18th century cosplay mini-farm. Another hoped that mainstream acceptance of things like chicken coops and beehives might...

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Saturday Linkages: The Calm After the Storm

Mr. Homegrown
Saturday Linkages
2 Comments
...Blog: Large DIY Solar Space and Water Heating System in … http://www. builditsolarblog.com/2012/10/large- diy-solar-space-and-water-heating.html?spref=tw  … Primitive Skills Roland Trevino of Altadena Makes and Uses the Ancient Atlatl: http:// dirttime.com/?p=2741  Gardening What to do with storm damaged trees: http://www. treesaregood.org/pressrelease/p ress/firstaid.aspx  … Check out The vegetable garden by M.M. Vilmorin-Andrieux, of...

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