A Community of Faith

There is a movement in this country. It is an extension of a movement that was alive and well forty years ago, carefully preserved and nurtured like an heirloom apple tree by a small but dedicated group of urban and not-so-urban farmers/homesteaders. A few years ago this movement began to grow again. It touched something in the deep dissatisfaction many of us felt from living a suburban life where our hands were always clean and our food came in plastic.The urban homesteading lifestyle burst into the mainstream. People with little more than a postage stamp of a yard found a way to produce real food and take some control over their own diets. Those of us with a little more land took inspiration from them and incorporated some of their techniques into our own small scale farming enterprises.

But now there is a family trying to control the words we use, claiming ownership of this entire movement. It is not right and it deeply saddens me as I had admired this family's efforts. The news is all over the web. The Dervaes are laying claim to the phrase Urban Homesteading along with many other phrases that have been in use by individuals and organizations for many years. They have trademarked these phrases are are doing all they can to prevent anyone else from using them. Facebook has received "takedown" letters and many pages related to our movement are gone.

The authors of this book have found themselves unable to promote it. After all their hard work they can't even write about their own book anywhere on the web. A book that was written BEFORE the D family trademarked the phrase that is the title.

I believe we all deserve to make an honest buck, even the Dervaes. But this is wrong. I am not an articulate writer so let me offer you some links to people who do a much better job of expressing themselves.
http://www.rootsimple.com/2011/02/urban-homesteading.html

http://www.seasonsinthesoil.com/index.php/2011/02/20/how-to-destroy-your-business-and-goodwill-in-one-easy-step/

http://stitchandboots.com/home-ec/around-farmhouse/urban-homesteading-you-cant-own-who-we-are/

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2011/02/riding-fences-urban-homestead-trademark-complaints

and here is the Facebook page for Take Back Urban Homesteading.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Take-Back-Urban-Home-steadings/167527713295518

Please join if you feel offended by the Dervaes actions. The authors of this book have asked that, if you feel you'd like to help please make a donation to EFF (the organization in the 4th link from the top) so that it can continue to defend free speech and fairness on the web.

For many of us pursuing self sufficiency by growing our own food has become a spiritual activity. We've rediscovered our connection with this Good Earth. We've found that quiet place inside ourselves where our connection to a Higher Power lives and thrives. We display our gratitude by being good stewards of the soil. We also claim our independence from the domination of corporate (or D family) greed.

I personally will not be linking to or visiting any website run by the Dervaes family nor will I support their enterprises in any way.

Anticipation

It's 24 degrees outside. The roads are clear now but the ground is still covered with 4 inches of snow. The weather channel promises that the temperature will rise to 41 degrees today. AND we're supposed to get a full week of nights above freezing! Woo hoo!
Earlier this week it all looked like this.

Now I'm hovering over weather.com, waiting for the temp to rise above freezing so I can pull the row covers off the spinach and see what survived.
I can't tell you how I long for spring. Winter has always been something to "get through" for me. I'm sure this week's taste of spring will lift my spirits and have me feeling like myself again.

Carpool nightmare

Please lend me your advice. How does anyone survive a carpool? I've got girls who don't want to ride with me because I make them wear seatbelts. Hello, its the law. So they tell their moms stories so they can phenagle a ride home with a cute boy.
Sigh.
If I were rich I could just drive my child everyday myself. But I'm not so I can't.
Anyone wanna buy some fertile White Plymouth Rock eggs and contribute to the Help-Elly's-Mom-before-her-head-explodes fund?

nnnnnnnn

We Are Fully Chicken Operational

The eggs keep rolling in...update on chickens.
Last summer I purchased 25 white plymouth rock chicks with the intention of putting them all in the freezer. They grew nicely and all but one rooster gave himself up to feeding us. But then life intervened; the freezer looked like it might not last and between college and work I just plain ran out of time. The chickens received a procrastinator's pardon and they've been happily scratching up the back yard all through the fall and winter. Actually I had an alternate idea in mind. I've learned to always have a Plan B. I found the Ameraucanas weren't giving enough eggs for us and the CSA so I was hoping the White Rocks would provide.

They have really outdone themselves. The new girls began laying about 4 weeks ago. Just a few at first, little pullet eggs. But now we're collecting 10 to 12 big brown eggs every day! So yesterday I bought one of these.

Yes, okay. So I swiped that photo from a website. But its a Little Giant styrofoam incubator. Not the fanciest one on the market but I have some friends who have one and are willing to walk me through the process. I did get the egg turner, too.

Hatching chicks seems like the next step in a natural progression. But today the concept really sunk in - I could conceivably have an endless supply of meat and eggs for my family. I can cross two things off my grocery list - PERMANENTLY. Unless I get a yearning for another breed (or the unthinkable happens) I need never purchase a chicken from the store. So this is how this sustainability thing works. This is how we get off the treadmill. Oh yes, I save seeds from each harvest to plant the next year's crops. But this is much more tangible.

And very, very satisfying.

Emu?

Who let the emu in the chicken house?

Decisions, decisions

This week I received some wonderful news. I've been offered a scholarship to an organic farming conference. At first I was elated, then I began to add up all the costs of attending that weren't covered by the scholarship. Yikes! The reality of it all took the wind out of my sails. I have another week to mull it over before I have to decide whether to accept the scholarship or let it pass to another worthy recipient.
What to do, what to do? There's the 8 hour drive each way, plus two days off work, hotel, food, and dealing with a teenager who doesn't want to go but can't stay home alone.
Then there's the opportunity to learn lots of skills from people who are really doing this organic farming thing.
If I go I'll be dead broke for months. If I don't go I'll be sorely disappointed.

What do you think I should do?

More Stuff We Don't Buy

Now that I've had my rant on food, here's how I combat consumerism at home.

1. No cleaning supplies.
That is, no prepared concoctions designed for cleaning. Just baking soda, salt and a spray bottle with cider vinegar solution. By keeping it simple I'm avoiding toxins and saving a bundle, too.

2. Laundry soap
Almost a year ago I bought a box of borax, two boxes of washing soda and 4 bars of Fels Naptha soap. Now, I don't really know what's in Fels Naptha soap so I'm hoping to use some homemade soap once I'm out of this stuff. (waste not, want not) I mix up a batch of gel laundry soap in a 2 gallon bucket and it lasts us at least 5 months. I do love Seventh Generation laundry soap but the goal is to be as self sufficient as possible.

3. Body/face soap
I'm not making my own soap just yet. But dear Charlotte up in Jackson makes some of the loveliest hand made soap I've ever seen. She sets up at the Winter Farmer's Market there so if I run out I know where to find her. I even use her soap to wash my hair sometimes. I'll bet there's someone near all of us who makes soap in her kitchen and would love to sell you a few bars. Shop local.



4. Moisturizer/ hair conditioner
Charlotte's soap is so wonderful I don't really need moisturizer anymore but if the weather gets too cold or dry I give myself an all over rub with olive oil in the shower.

5. Facials/deep cleansers
Here we go with the olive oil again. Just warm up a little on the stove, not too hot just warm, and massage on your face and neck. Then get in the shower and scrub with some salt. If you like you can add a couple of drops of lavender oil to the salt to make it smell delightful.


Next installment, closing the loop in the garden.