Great Article and Links from Civil Eats on Urban Homesteading and DIY

Posted on January 29, 2010 by in Beginning Farmers, Events, Farming Practices, Farming Resources, Gardening, Local Food, Publications, Sustainability, Urban Farming and Gardening // 2 Comments

A great article reviewing a recent presentation on ‘Urban Homesteading’ was recently published on the Civil Eats Blog. The article, entitled DIY Life: Urban Homesteaders at Kitchen Table Talks was written by Naomi Starkman, and is available in its entirety HERE. Below is an excerpt from the article, along with it’s list of resources related to Urban Homesteading and information on upcoming workshops in San Francisco.

If you are interested in this topic, you should also check out our Urban Farming and Gardening Page at: https://beginningfarmers.org/urban-farming/

“At the most recent Kitchen Table Talks in San Francisco close to 100 City dwellers came out in the pouring rain to hear stories from local urban homesteaders, who shared their experiences and insights on ways to become more self-sufficient. Kevin Bayuk, Heidi Kooy, and Davin Wentworth-Thrasher discussed growing and preserving your own food; keeping worms; composting (including the art of the compost toilet); greywater and rainwater catchment systems; and raising goats and chickens (Heidi’s chicken, Sweet Pea, graced us with her beautiful feathers).

In case you were wondering, “urban homesteading” has been defined as:

1. Growing your own FOOD on your city lot.
2. Using alternative ENERGY sources.
3. Using alternative FUELS & TRANSPORTATION.
4. Keeping farm ANIMALS for manure and food.
5. Practicing WASTE REDUCTION.
6. Reclaiming GREYWATER and collecting RAINWATER.
7. Living SIMPLY. Developing back-to-basics homemaking skills, including food preservation and preparation.
8. Doing the work YOURSELF. Learning to do home and vehicle maintenance, repairs and basic construction.
9. Working at HOME. Earning a living from the land or hand work done at home. Developing a home-based economy.
10. Being a good NEIGHBOR. Offering a helping hand for free. Urban homesteading is a community-based way of life, not a business opportunity. Being a neighbor, not a business person.

Our three homesteaders employ almost all of these ideals and inspired us with their stories and ideas…”

Read the entire article at: https://civileats.com/2010/01/28/diy-life-urban-homesteading-at-kitchen-table-talks/

For more information on urban homesteading, check out these other great resources:

Organizations/Web Sites

Berkeley Ecology Center

San Francisco Bee Keeping Association

Urban Homesteading Institute

How to Homesteading Videos

Path to Freedom: The Original Modern Urban Homestead

Books

The Self Sufficiency Handbook

Wild Fermentation