OMG, the planets dying! There are so many people and we don’t have any resources! As of late you hear these things all over the news and social media and you ask yourself; what can I do to help? In my Social Issues in Urban and Regional Development class at the University of New Mexico, we have been studying real-world solutions and theory on these subjects. Halfway through the semester, the one that caught my interest by far was the idea of urban homesteading.

 

Urban Homesteading is simply taking the old ideas of a self-sustaining 1-acre farm into a small quarter-acre lot in the middle of a dense urban sprawl. Whether it be a sole property or a whole block, the goal is to be self-sustainable and limit the reliance on outside production. One example I found that is very impressive is the Dervaes Family in Pasadena, California. Moving from a small town with over 10 acres of land to a 1/10 acre plot they still had the desire for the old farmhouse vibe. They, in turn, converted their small yard into a lush private farm that produces more than 7,000 pounds of a harvest a year! This food turns a profit for the family but also cuts their food cost (which is vegetarian) to only $2.00 a day per person. This homestead has been keyed as one of the most renewable and sustainable projects in the country. You can read more about their project at http://urbanhomestead.org/

 

Now for those who don’t know, why does being a sustainable and eco-friendly matter? Well, our planet’s dying and we are to blame. With the exponential rise in population, advances in the production of goods dating back to industrialization, we haven’t taken a step back from expanding our empire to view the consequences. Our earth cycles are being changed due to additions of greenhouse gases, our resources are running out, and there’s simply no avoiding it. This is where ideas like urban homesteading come into play. Over time we have strived to somewhat isolate ourselves from our neighbor. Hence suburbia, having all your own appliances and relying on big box stores for all your needs. This has been our way of living ever since post-WWII, and it is not a sustainable system. Urban homesteading takes us back to the old ways of living off of those around you. There is no need to have items shipped across the country, you simply just walk to your local garden, neighbors house etc.

 

Personally I have always known the idea of urban homesteading on different scales, but never really defined it. At the simplest would be my dad growing some corn, chiles, tomatoes, and squashes every summer. This gave our family a little something extra to add to a meal, but nothing to really live off of. Spending time up in Taos, New Mexico I learned much more colorful and in-depth techniques of being self-sufficient. Partly based on the necessity of living in the middle of the mountains, you don’t really have a choice but to provide your own food. Along with food, materials are scarce as well. You don’t have a Lowes around the corner and you have to work with what you got.

 

One person in my life who has gone above and beyond in my eyes to be self-sufficient is my good friend Daniel. Over the past few years, he has built a house on a 2-acre plot with very radical building techniques. The structure of the house is a huge cement dome with cutouts for doors and windows. Seeing this made was a sight to behold, you simply have a giant beach ball then just cover the whole thing with cement until you’re satisfied. Everything runs off of solar from the power to even his hot water. 3 years ago he invested in a plot of land in the Sangre De Cristo Valley that was previously a dump. Over a long and continuing process, he has converted it into a functioning wheat and bean farm. He has always been very involved in his community and has used this site for education among many local children. Using old tribal practices of farming and new innovative ideas, he makes farming in the middle of the desert seem like a breeze.

 

While urban homesteading may seem pretty radical to most people, it is happening widely across the country. With the looming cloud of a global crisis, we as a community have to change the way we do things. We have to start producing on our own and relying on the resources and people around us. Thank you for taking the time to read about this issue, which is very dear to me. I hope I have started a spark under somebody somewhere out there.