Little Homestead in the City: The Self-Sufficient Dervaes Family

Did you read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books when you were a kid? Those idyllic days of self-sufficiency are long gone...or are they? The Dervaes family in Pasadena are "urban pioneers" and they live their life as green as they can.

They grow their own food in their front and back yards (more than 300 kinds of produce!), hand wash their clothes, burn scrap wood instead of turning on central heat, and...use a bike to operate a blender.

Their site, UrbanHomestead.org, is chockfull of information about greening the home as well as cooking tips and energy conservation. But the most inspiring section is their journal where family members constantly update on events happening in the garden and the home--as well as challenges and setbacks.

[ Photo of the Dervaes' home with their edible front yard from the Urbanhomestead.org ]

Originally posted by Grace on AT:LA.

Comments (2)

I would love to rip up all of the grass in my yard, cultivate it, and have it look exactly like that picture!

And roosters...and peacocks.

I'm picturing the reaction of all my conservative neighbors....

posted by hdtex on March 28th 2008 at 6:48am
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I sold my first home to get away from the type of rules that wouldn't allow this. The county would have had a field day writing citations.

posted by madampince on March 30th 2008 at 11:54am
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