Not your average bear

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Unbeknownst to us, and without any effort whatsoever, we have become what some may consider to be a bit unusual.

Could be the front lawn's slow metamorphosis itself into tomato central. Maybe it's the request that our neighbors save all their kitchen scraps? I'm sure it has nothing to do with rabbits, worms, fly control, or at any given time we could be found in our pajamas with cowboy boots and hats picking arugula seeds with a chicken on our backs who apparently has taken it on herself to sing the poultry national anthem at six in the morning.

Unusual for city folk? Maybe...

For more info on us, click Arizona homestead and homeschool.

Edible Flowers

When making the transition from casual gardening to homesteading, one of the hardest things was dealing with the aesthetics of it all. Because we live smack dab in the middle of the city and want to keep farm animals, we have to be very careful with how Casita is planned and maintained. Though we have very cool neighbors who have been supportive thus far, they may change their tune if they come home one day and we've replaced the front lawn with a goat pen.

One way we have overcome this issue is by utilizing edible flowers throughout the year. For instance, in the summer we plant the father of all edibles, the sunflower. We try to choose southwest natives but any sunflower will do. The only other summer flower we've tried is marigold. In the cooler season, we use nasturtium, pansies and cornflower.

You can find a detailed list of edibles here.

For the record, that is the first time I have ever written "smack dab." It's kind of fun. "Smack dab." Everybody now: "Smack dab!"

For more info on us, click Arizona homestead and homeschool.

Am I Really an Urban Homesteader?

It's nine o'clock on a Saturday morning and I'm standing in Home Depot halfway between the seed aisle and the veggie transplant aisle.

On one shoulder sits the angel homesteader, whispering in my ear, "Seeds are the only way to go. You cannot be a real homesteader if you are buying those awful transplants. After all, they came to this huge chain store on a huge truck that required a huge amount of gas causing a huge carbon footprint on...on...well on wherever carbon walks." On the other shoulder sits the devil homesteader, yelling in my ear, "Don't listen to that self righteous, tree-hugging hippy. It's so much easier to just buy the four pack of pumpkins, stick them in the ground and use the rest of the day watching chicken olympics in a lawn chair with a six pack, (of home brew of course).

There are so many factors that go into self-sustainability. Sometimes the hardcore homesteader in me takes over and I'm all set to pull the plug and jump head first off the grid into the 18th century. Plow the front yard, we're planting corn. Then there are times like that morning in Home Depot, where the chickens need wormed, the bean poles fell prey to the wicked monsoon storm and the aphids have considered Casita to be ground zero.

I make sure nobody is looking and quickly grab that four pack of pumpkins put them in cart under the tomato cages and head for the checkout.

For more info on us, click Arizona homestead and homeschool.