Selasa, 28 April 2015

Inspiration Friday 5 Achievable Goals for Every Urban Homestead

Homestead Revival: 5 Achievable Goals for Every Urban Homestead
Many believe that to homestead its necessary to move out to the countryside and live on a few acres. If it were only possible for everyone, I think it might be heaven on earth! My heart goes out to all the urbanites who crave for some space to fulfill their homesteading desires. Sometimes we just need to "bloom where we are planted".

Besides bringing some immediate joy, focusing on what you CAN do will put you ahead of the game if you ever realize your dream to make that "move to the country". I was just listening to a video clip of Eliot Coleman who mentioned that at one time, 1/16th of the land inside Paris was covered with urban gardens. Wow. Imagine how that would transform a vast area of cement and buildings! If thats possible in a grand city like Paris, its possible in your corner of the world.

If every single home practiced just a few things in order to grow SOME of their own food, it would revolutionize lives. Theres lots one can do in a community, but what can you do in your own apartment?

1. Grow balcony gardens. There are so many ways this could be done, but unfortunately, few utilize the space that they DO have! To help you out, Ive created a pin board with just photos and links for Balcony Gardens. Before you begin, just check your HOA and citys ordinances to verify what you can and cant do in your small space. 

Inside Urban Green 
2. Keep a worm hive. Compost kitchen scraps and make nutrient rich soil for potting plants and window boxes to grow more food. can be placed in a corner of a balcony, on a porch, or even in a laundry room. If you manage it really well, you could even put one in a closet. I find mine stays odor free unless I dont lift the lid. (These can be purchased as well since most apartment dwellers dont have access to wood working tools.)

MiaU and One20Farm




3. Put up your own food. By utilizing farmers markets, urban homesteaders can build up their own larder. All you need is some canning and dehydrating equipment as well as some storage space, which can be found just about anywhere. Even a temporary wall unit will work and create that pantry feeling on one wall of your dining space.

Design Sponge
4. Install an indoor clothesline. There are several ways to do this, but an indoor clothesline is green, keeps you from being in the laundry mat as long, prolongs the life of your clothes, and allows you to be less "dependent" on electricity. And it gives you that "line dried" feeling to your clothes. Not much space? It can even be hidden in a cabinet!

Just About Home
5. Add a skill. Many homesteading skills are things done right inside the home. Utilize your library or the internet and pick one thing to master this coming year. Heres some ideas to get you started...

• making soap 
• candle making 
• bread baking
• fermenting foods
• spinning and knitting
• sewing
• learning herbal remedies
• growing mushrooms (another balcony idea!)
• culturing dairy products (including cheese!)



Just because youre living in the city, doesnt mean you cant live a homesteading lifestyle. Yes, you may be limited, but the time invested in these 5 areas certainly arent wasted. Your family will experience the benefits immediately and youll be that much more connected to the land. 



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