Urban Homesteading

One definition of "Permaculture" is "The conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally- productive systems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. 

Wikipedia's is "A system of agricultural and social design principles centered around simulating or directly utilizing the patterns and features observed in natural ecosystems.  

David Holmgren, who coined the phrase "Permaculture", defines it as "A creative design process based on whole-systems thinking informed by ethics and design principles".  

By using critical thinking skills to facilitate this mimicry of natural systems, we are able to creatively exist as a less detrimental component of the macro (general) environment.   Thus, our behavior will be shaped to embrace efficiency/use fewer finite energy and resources."

Interestingly, a common thread to these definitions include the concept that these principles are applicable to other aspects of life, including how we create and use the built environment, product and consumer choices, and even how we interact with each other.  

Part of taking responsibility for our impact upon the Earth and its finite resources through Permaculture principles is, to us, taking a "do it ourselves" approach to meeting our needs of daily living through  Harnessing creativity, exercising competence and empowering ourselves through achievement.  At the Homestead, you will have the opportunity to learn what alternatives exist to products which are often expensive, laden with toxic ingredients and packaged wastefully.  Through projects, workshops & craft sessions, we help foster curiosity and learn together to identify efficient systems of operations and homemade products which support them.      

Some benefits enjoyed as a result of our good-faith effort toward growing & raising food, making personal & cleaning products, improvements and repairs include:

Fresh, organic vegetables and fruit grown on site during 10+ months of the year:

• tender & bitter greens
• root crops
• seasonal delectables and staples such as beans, corn, squash, peas, cucumbers, tomatoes & more garden favorites 
• cane fruit such as kiwi, grapes, raspberries
• other fruit such as strawberries & blueberries
• tree fruit such as plums, peaches, figs, pears, cherries and apples

Chickens grown (& "processed") on site for meat and eggs, in exchange for a lot of TLC
Bee hives on site, which provide honey and pollination in exchange for a little TLC 
Items locally sourced off-site: 

• grass-fed pork & beef
• whole, raw milk 
• organic staple food & baking ingredients

Making nutritious meals, value-added products, and home preserves from scratch, including:

• homemade butter
•  jams, jellies, syrups, juice & fruit sauces
• chutneys
• dried vegetables & fruit
• kombucha
• probiotic, naturally-carbonated beverages
• whole-grain bread
• condiments such as mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, relishes

Homemade products from basic household ingredients, all for "pennies on the dollar" and with less packaging:

• soap for body, face & hands
• Soap for various types of cleaning, from laundry to toilets to floors to dishes
• personal care products such as toothpaste, deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, salves, etc.