You Tell Me: Urban Homesteading?
Urban homesteaders find ways to grow their own food, despite a lack of space.
I’ve been on a back to the basics kick lately. I’m growing my own vegetables, earning my own income from home, baking my own bread, and soon I’ll be line drying my laundry again (if I can figure out how….my clothesline broke).
I never knew there was a name for this kind of self-sufficiency, until I was reading Oh My Aching Debts last week. Apparently it’s called Urban Homesteading.
Now I’ve known about homesteading for a long time. I used to live in a fairly rural community, and there were a lot of families who lived on their own little farms, homeschooled their kids, and basically provided for themselves, rather than relying on city conveniences. I know some of you readers live this sort of lifestyle, and you have no idea how much I look up to you.
But I’d never heard of homesteading in the city until I read Cindy’s article. Which led me to another article, explaining it further.
The thought of self-sufficiency has always appealed to me, even though I’m somewhat addicted to modern conveniences (like eating out). I never realized how much you could do for yourself, even in the confines of living in a duplex in town. My neighbor even has chickens, though I haven’t dared experiment with that yet.
Now that I know there’s a name for what I aspire to do, bring on the urban homesteading! This summer I want to learn how to can food, and I want to find the U-Pick farms around here for the fruits and vegetables I’m not growing myself. There’s just something I love about eating fresh, locally grown food, rather than eating colorless tomatoes from Winco (probably the taste!).
Here’s the you tell me part. I need all the advice I can get. Where can I learn about canning? How do you put up a clothesline when you rent and can’t put concrete in the ground? What vegetables are you growing this year? Have you heard of urban homesteading before? Does it appeal to you? What other advice or ideas to you have for me? I want to know everything!
Photo by LollyKnit.
If you like this article, please sign up for free weekly email updates.
Author
By Lynnae McCoy, on May 2, 2008
I'm Lynnae, wife of one and stay-at-home mom of two. I'm committed to getting out of debt by being frugal with my choices in life.
Freebies
- Credit Sesame: Get free credit score
- Personal Capital: Free money management tool
- Ebates: Get $10 to sign up, plus earn cash back on purchases
- 360 Checking: Open a checking account and get $50
Popular Articles
- How to Save Money and Cut Spending: 93 Ideas
- Homemade Cleaning Products: Cleaners That Won't Break The Bank!
- 168 Money Saving Tips to Stretch Your Dollar
- How to Make a Budget That Works
- What if I Can’t Afford to Pay My Mortgage Payment?
- 52 Ways to Save Money in College
- My Experience Buying a Used Car with Cash
- 7 Easy Part Time Jobs
- My Husband Lost His Job: How to Survive a Job Loss
- Why the Minimalist Lifestyle Appeals to Me
{45 Comments}
Leave a Reply
Disclaimer and Legal Mumbo Jumbo
I'm just an average mom, trying to live a frugal life and get out of debt. I write about things that have (and haven't) worked to improve my family's financial situation. What works for me may or may not work for you, and you should always consult a financial advisor before making important financial decisions.
In accordance with FTC guidelines, I state that I have a financial relationship with companies mentioned in this website. This may include receiving access to free products and services for product and service reviews and giveaways.
Any references to third party products, rates, or websites are subject to change without notice. I do my best to maintain current information, but due to the rapidly changing environment, some information may have changed since it was published. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers.
For additional information, please review our legal disclaimers and privacy policy.
First, thanks for mentioning my post. I’m glad it inspired you to try homesteading. There is SO much that you can do. To find Pick Your Own farms check out http://www.pickyourown.org/ They have a listing of farms all over the country. I don’t can a lot so I can’t help you there. I prefer freezing.
Urban homesteading — that’s perfect! As a kid, I was really bummed that I had been born too late to be a pioneer. Now’s our chance! Last summer I canned jam, tomatoes, sweet cucumbers, beets, and peaches. It’s pretty easy and actually quite soothing. Just be careful to keep everything really clean and don’t vary at all from the directions.
Here’s a great website to get you started. I often referred back to it: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publicati....._usda.html
Boiling-water canning on the stove is inexpensive, but takes a lot of time. You also can’t can low-acid vegetables. This summer, I’m planning on freezing strawberries, corn, rhubarb, and peppers instead. Since it’s too early in the season to can yet, I think I’ll go post about the joys of canning right now!
Good for you!
When we lived in the city I simply put a rope between the two sides of our fence for a clothes line. It wasn’t huge, but good enough for a load.
The best info for canning is the USDA. Check with your county ag extension office. Here is a site that has a lot too
http://nchfp.uga.edu/publicati....._usda.html
The Ball cookbooks are great resources too.
I plan to talk more about canning at Stop the Ride too as I’ve had a lot of questions about it recently.
And homesteading appeals to me so much we moved out of the “urban” to the “rural” :)
Do you have a basement? At my last house, we put hooks on each side and ran a clothesline across (with a couple loops coming down from the ceiling to support the middle). It worked quite well. It’s not for every basement, ours was only partially finished so we didn’t have carpet or anything useful down there (probably because it flooded a lot).
A couple of good drying racks can help, but then you have to break down your laundry across several days.
For the clothes line consider a retractable line that simply attachea to one side of a fence or similar structure and then anchors to another when uncoiled. We used one with the privacy fence once making a diagonal in the fence corner to attach the line to both sides.
As you know, we also have a square foot garden where we are growing tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, carrots and a variety of peppers. I’d like to at least double our quantity by either adding another square foot garden box, or by doing some in-ground planting (which is still intimidating to me).
As far as canning goes, you can borrow books from the library, but a good source of information is on http://www.backwoodshome.com on the Ask Jackie blog. It’s a wealth of information and inspiration. Also, a cheap way of getting canning jars might be your local Goodwill or other thrift store. My fiance’s aunt works in one and they get so many canning jars that they throw them out. You might want to approach the manager about it. Hey, you’ll never know if you don’t ask! The great thing about canning is that you don’t have to worry about a finite space. You can store jars under your bed or behind your sofa!
I grew up in the country surrounded by farms and now live in the suburbs but with plenty of land. We do most tings that we can do ourselves and call it being self-sufficient. :)
I know you already got answers to most of these but :. Our favorite places to learn to can, though I have a deep freeze and plan to freeze more than I can.
As for a clothesline I had one that could be hooked anywhere for a long time–it was basically an extra long bungee cord designed for putting in the bathroom. It worked pretty well. I also put a rope between two trees like my mom did but had to stop due to my RA and our allergies.
What veggies? We are growing lots of lettuce (easy to do and cheaper and healthier than store bought), beans, radishes, carrots, probably peppers, tomatoes.
Have you heard of urban homesteading before? Does it appeal to you? Yup.
What other advice or ideas to you have for me? Freezing is easier than canning if you have the freezer space. My mom got 3rd deree burns canning pickles growing up so I am leary of too much canning but freezing is very simple and easier. Do your baking all one day for the week instead of daily. It saves gas/electricity and time. Make your own yogurt and yogurt cheese. It is quick and easy and tastes better since you can flavor to suit.
I learned about canning from people who knew and from my Ball Blue Book which, fortunately, came with pictures. Are there older ladies in your church that you can ask? You might need two types of canners. You can do fruit and tomatoes in a boiling bath, but veggies go in a pressure canner.
As to the clothes line — my husband put eye hooks on our house and the shed and ran the line between them. We have a cement block to put the pole in.
I hope that helps. More power to you and your urban homesteading! :)
I’m thinking Foxie’s almost ready to get in on all this action, too. :P I’ve seen a couple of people talking about indoor gardens or mini gardens or what not, and now I want to try! I remember when I was younger and picking and eating peas and green beans right off the vines, yummy… My big concern is my lack of a green thumb, I have a nasty habit of being able to kill a lot of plants. :( (I’d love to get some of the berry bushes they have at Lowe’s, too. And a grape vine, yum!)
When you go to the church ladies for help, make sure to call it the Ball Blue Book of Canning. I’m not sure if you intended for your comment to be a joke, but I sure thought it was funny!
I live in an RV right now, and I had no idea there were books on it. I’m just trying to hold on to my sanity. After 9 months, it’s about gone.
For canning, I also highly recommend “The Ball Blue Book of Canning.” A new one comes out every year or so. It very clearly lays out the methods of steam & pressure canning, as well as freezing.
The downside is, if you say the title enough times too quickly, you will eventually slip up and say something embarrassing. Probably to your grandmother. Not that I’d know or anything.
I love Fridays, because I get so many great suggestions from all of you with the You Tell Me posts!
I will definitely look into The Blue Ball Book of Canning. And there are definitely some older ladies at church I can turn to for help, so I’ll look into that as well.
As far as the clothesline, we have no basement. I used a retractable line between our fence and our deck last year. It actually had 4 lines, but it was made of plastic, and it broke. There’s only about 4 feet between the fence and the deck, so not a lot of room.
The rest of our fence is short. We have a front yard, but no backyard. I think I might try some drying racks. I spread my laundry out over the entire week, so if I got a couple of good drying racks and a single line retractable line, that might be enough room.
Someday I’ll have my own house, and I’ll be able to set it up the way I want to.
I love the clothesline. Years ago I put my own large (height) poles up by digging a 3 foot hole, the shape of the post. I was exact in my measurement of depth, using a ruler. I pre put the hook and rope at the top of the post along with a bent up sharp can lid nailed into the top to keep the birds away. I have never had a bird on my posts or clotheline. I compacted the dirt, even added extra. This is a sturdy clothes line without cement. You couldn’t get this post to move.
Just a hint to make sure to put a post up that is tall enough for sheets and bed linen.
I also cut old bedsheets and tied the lines together inbetween heavy articles. The cloth also helps to clean the clothesline. This is a lot less expensive than purchasing the plactic one.
I can tell you how to put up a clothesline when you’re renting–we’re renting and we put up a clothesline. Of course we asked permission, but if they don’t want to leave it, it will be easy to take out.
What we did was go to a place that makes concrete statuary and collect some chunks of broken concrete from their pile in the back. You could use broken bricks or (if you have them–we don’t) medium sized rocks. After you put the pole in, put a few pieces of concrete around it (the biggest and sturdiest should go on the side toward the other pole) and pack dirt around them. Then put more pieces and pack in more dirt.
If you’re having problems with the lines caving in toward the middle, you might put a rebar (how is that spelled?) stake on the other side of each pole at an angle, like a tent stake, and tie the poles away from each other to the stake. This should help keep the poles from leaning too much over time.
Also, please don’t get the kind of clothesline that has two-piece poles–especially with the stretchy nylon “wire”. The nylon will stretch and sag and the poles will bend at the connection.
Hope this helps!
Urban homesteading – under whatever name has been going on forever. Think of WWII’s Victory Gardens, or Boston’s ‘Have your own cow’ or chickens during WWII to Back to Nature in the 60s & 70s.
Whatever means you have, growing your own, preserving, wild harvesting – DO IT! You’ll be amazed at how much you can do for yourself.
Look for library books on Windowsill Gardening, Living on a Boat, Living Full-Time in an RV – they will give you wonderful ideas for ways to provide for yourself. Books on identifying wild edible plants (may want to have someone actually show you) like purslane, dandelions, fox grapes, mulberries, elderberries, can add significantly to your diet. Most can be found in vacant lots, along city streets, in parks.
Multiuse plants are great too – think of sunflowers (flowers & seeds), Jerusalum Artichokes (flowers, screening plants and tubers), pole beans (screening, flowers & beans). Sprouts can be grown without any direct sunlight.
Take a walk thru the neighborhood to see what others grow, read a gardening magazine from your state (for me it’s Florida Gardening)it’s info you can use with local resources to garner you more info.
Whatever you choose – enjoy all aspects of it, and good luck.
I have a clothesline without any concrete posts. What I did was tie the line to the top of my concrete fence on one side and the pole for the chain link fence of my dog run on the other side. You could even put in a couple of chain link fence type poles without concrete just pound them in pretty deep so they don’t come out.
Ohhh, I hope you do a series of posts on Urban Homesteading. i would like to try some of it.
But I need tips on keeping the dogs out of the garden; everything I plant, they eat!
I’ve been on that same kick! I had no idea that’s what it’s called. I’ve been thinking of it as a more robust version of “simple living.” Love that it has a name and a movement.
Re: canning, if you want a fun thing to do with a friend, take a free class at Sur La Table. That’s where my friend and I learned about canning and we had a lot of fun canning together one summer. I still have all the stuff, just need to get motivated….
AACK, you already made that embarrassing mistake I tried to warn you about! Ball Blue Book, not Blue Ball Book. ;)
We put in a rotary clothes line by buying a ‘stake’ made for the purpose. You buy the spear head looking thing and hammer it into the ground. A sledge hammer would probably be best. Getting them out without digging is just about impossible though. The good thing about them is you can just pull out the washing line for storage and you would not even know the hole is there. Sometimes in Spring I have a hard time finding it!
Hadn’t heard the phrase Urban Homesteading before, but like it! Not only appeals – I do it! In the city,watch zoning-ours does not allow any livestock including chickens or rabbits.
Clothesline- Remember tetherball at school? Find two old tires, put cardboard in the bottom, mix concrete in a 5 gal bucket, pour in, set the pole in it and brace til concrete hardens. Tie a couple lines to it. It easily rolls to where you want it.
Canning – Our Local extension office gives lessons every spring or summer (Tillamook,Oregon) Fun, informative, and you’ll meet other canners. Also library has videos and books. I dry a lot with my dehydrator (garage sale). Any spice, herb, or veggie that is going into winter stews is dried. Storage in less space. I also freeze a lot. Canning jars frequently found at garage sales at give away prices, especially estate sales.
Gardening – check out square foot gardening and vertical gardening, as well as container gardening. Vertical is the way to go in small spaces – also lessens mildew and rot (Oregon coast is very damp!)
I live on a small city lot 52×105. I planted dwarf and semi-dwarf apple, pear, cherry trees, all multi variety/multi-season. Edible Landscaping used – hedges of raspberry, gooseberry, currants, grapes, chard, rhubarb, strawberries, chives, blueberries, walking onions, herbs. Those are all in permanent beds and part of the landscaping. My summer veggie garden is mostly vertical up against the posts of the patio. A lot of these you could put in pots and barrels if you are renting.
Swiss chard is one of my favs – fresh greens all winter long right at the doorstep. I use it instead of spinach as it grows like a weed. In the spring, make sure to head the seeds off so it will continue growing and not go all to seed. Lasts for years.
Re: Dogs in the garden – If you are not adverse to it, sprinkle cayenne pepper around the plants. Dogs will sneeze but not be hurt. A couple sneezes and they will stay away.
Good luck with your urban gardening. Would love to hear more!
Here’s my idea for the clothesline in a rental. Get one of those “umbrella” clotheslines (you know, the ones that are a square of clotheslines on a single pole), one of those large buckets from a hardware store, and some readymix cement stuff. You can fill the bucket with cement, place the pole of the clothesline in it and let it dry. Hope this helps!
This past summer I taught myself how to can…well I had a little help from a friend who had done it before.
Buy yourself the Ball Blue Book of Canning. It is about $5 and worth it. Follow the directions. Start with something small like making freezer jam and then move up to tomatoes. (nothing like fresh tomatoes canned and then used mid winter for chili or spaghetti!!!!)
We are Urban Homesteaders and homeschoolers in Chicago. The absolute best go-to guide for gardening without acreage is LeeValley.com, where you will find all the stuff you need at the best prices. Also, Vermontcountrystore.com sells a number of clothesline options. Our best investment to date is an Energystar-rated freezer for garden produce and sides of beef, hogs, etc. By the way, Chicago is trying to outlaw backyard chickens, too, but we’re gonna fight City Hall. Wish us luck!
ps – Forgot to tell you about the bees. Everyone should keep bees, especially in the city! Put a hive on your roof, your balcony, or your local community garden. The planet will thank you.
Our new landlord took the clothesline we had DOWN. Ugh. I have dried things inside on a drying rack in the bathtub and hung things from the shower curtain rail…an eldery neighborhood has put out her own drying rack outside.
I always thought urban homesteading was going into an iffy urban area which was a bargain and working to upgrade it. I did that years ago when I moved into this apt. bldg. & it certainly has paid off. We even have a nice garden out front now. (I worked on the original one until the professionals took over. Ditto cleaning up the inside driveway area.)
If you’re interested in urban homesteading, I highly suggest you look into permaculture. This website would be a good start http://www.permaculture.org Happy reading!
Ashley
One thing you can do for a clothesline is used the premade concrete post stabalizers that can be used for decking. They are in a pyramid shape for stablity, and are buried in the ground. You can then attatch a 4×4 post (cut to the appropriate height) to the bracket that is attached to the concrete stablaizer. Put two of these in the ground and attach an eyehook to either one, and attach a clothesline to the eyehooks. That should be both stable enough, and attractive enough in your backyard. You could also paint these with some exterior paint color to brighten them up as well.
I am all about this lately! Canning is not hard if you stick with high acid foods like tomatoes, peaches, pears, applesauce, cherries, pickles, and so forth that just use the hot water bath method. If you put up vegetables you have to use a pressure cooker to avoid getting botulism, the very idea of which scare me so much I haven’t tried it yet. I want to, but I’m chicken. We hang our clothes inside and they do dry really quickly but I guess that wouldn’t work if you live where it is very humid. We also wash in cold water, which save a lot of energy.
wow oh how i would love to do all that u do. i have an eight month old baby and i am wanting to make his own food i am just worried to. i am afraid that we wont use it before it gos bad i am real bad at that. but it is costing us alot. some of the stuff he needs i dont know how to grow half the stuff. and the fruit wow where do i start. and i am thinking about getting him reuseable diapers too just for when we are at home which is about every day all day long. my husband is overseas with the army so we are on a low money fund here. even when he is over there fighting. here at our house i try evey thing to cut use i dont use my dryer that much i made a clothes line on my deck freaked out my husband but it works. i have fans all over my house so i dont have to have the AC on and when i do i will still have them on just to move the air around it will help the AC have to work less i am told. hey does anyone know how to make goats milk soap my sister made some and i havnt use it yet but i would like to make some and see if i can sell it. to make some money for me to do stuff and save money. i know money isnt every thing but when your husband is putting his life on the line and u can save a penny any money will help. well hey if u dont know of any way send me an email at mleanne13 at yahoo dot com and dont send spam i have a good spam blocker. thanks
There is a family in Pasadena who are pros at urban homesteading. They live on 1/5 of an acre 3 blocks from a freeway on ramp. They are planning on growing 10,000 lbs. of food this year on their lot. Truly amazing and such an inspiration. Their website is http://urbanhomestead.org/
Enjoy!
Lisa
Hot Dog! I am so glad to find your blog! I am living in a two bdrm apt in the middle of Los Angeles and I am *trying* to do better about Urban Homesteading. I do dry my clothes on an IKEA drying rack and I highly recommend it. I bought it for about $15 and it fits behind my dresser when folded up. Yet, it holds about two loads of laundry on it. I set it up in the living room and time my laundry so that it drys overnight and while I am at work the next day. Or, sometimes I put it out on our balcony. I also use hangers and hang stuff all around the perimeter. It’s very stable and has never fallen over. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/cata...../50095091/
Just now I saw that they have a collapsable version for sweaters. I may have to invest in that soon. I have also taken to washing some of my clothes in a bucket in the shower. Our laundry went up to $150 a load and it seems such a waste for delicates that require a small load.
Cool! I am doing container gardening because my soil is very clay and rocky. I am hoping to add laying hens to our little mini homestead as well. We can’t have a goat because of our homeowners’ but hope to be able to buy land soon anyway! Good post.
It’s great to see urbanites take control of their lives and make changes towards food security, self-sufficiency and independence. I know that reading the Dervaes website at pathtofreedom.com and urbanhomestead.org/journal has inspired me to look at things differently and start seeing what is possible where I am now. The family purportedly coined the word “urban homesteading” years ago (early on around 2001 I think because that’s about how long I have been reading their journal). This amazing family has literally “written the book” on urban homesteading by walking down the sustainable path and have become the model urban homestead for so many of us who want to follow in their steps. They have made me see (and now others ) that it is possible to do something without moving out of the city. It’s good to see that their longtime outreach efforts and inspirational lives have had made such an impact on the lives of others.
I just found your blog and loved this post! I am like yourself, just getting into all that urban homesteading entails. A while ago, I came across a link for a free online canning and preserving class you might be interested in: http://nchfp.uga.edu/exception_account.html
Also University extension offices offer things like that as well. I don’t know where you live, but in Illinois, the live classes can be found at the University of Illinois Extension offices. I have emailed them twice and they are not that great with responding so it is best to call them and be aggressive with enrolling.
Let us know if you end up taking the canning classes!
I wanted to share a link free online canning classes but I can’t find it. I think it’s done via an extension… sorry I’m no help.
I also recommend The Ball Blue Book. I use it every time I can.
I just finished 48 quarts of grape juice (we have a steam juicer), and we’re going to do applesauce next, as soon as I find some cheap bulk apples.
There’s nothing like seeing all the jars lined up on your shelf and knowing that you put them there.
If you have any specific questions about canning, email me- I’d love to help you get started.
alliegator321 at gmail dot com
On October 2, I planted an experimental winter garden here on the north coast of Oregon. On October 13, I am happy to say that things are sprouting.
Miner’s Lettuce, Vit/Corn Salad, and Swiss Chard. As last Friday and Saturday mornings were in the upper 20′s and freezing, I was surprised that they came up. There are about 6 other things planted also – so I am anxious to see it they too will make it up and out of the ground for my winter garden. It was late to plant, but the dirt (at my work) was 4 weeks late arriving :(
I’m just tickled that the bosses are allowing me to garden at work (provided it looks decent!) and had the dirt/compost hauled in for my spot :)
I have lived in a suburban town for most of my life, but as kids, my sister and I had paper routes and bought our own horses. My mother did have to drive us to go out to feed and ride them, but we joined 4H and a local riding club. I think we had the best of both worlds. One summer my sister and I worked a a riding stable. Our chores weren’t just taking out trail rides and taking care of the horses. When it was slow, like a rainy day, we ended up helping out in the farm house. We scrubbed floors, washed clothes in a wringer washer and hung them outside on nice days too. It was a lot like stepping back in time and as young girls, most of the time, it was an adventure. We learned so much, without even knowing it at the time!
I may not be urban but I do homestead… we have goats that I milk .. make butter, ice cream, cheese, yogurt and soap from their milk. we also eat the meat from left over bucks that have not sold…. we raise chickens (or I should say my 10 year old does) for eggs, and meat…. my eldest daughter (17) raises steers and pigs for the table. she also along with my 14 year old daughter kill and process the chickens…. we do interactive teaching here to educate people on farm living and how to get started… we have a acre garden that we can veggies from also.. it is not a money maker but a great way to live… my children also go to other farms and help out when needed and work at a dog kennel part time… they know how to work hard….
Great post. I’m doing the same thing. There are tons of books out there on canning, but the Ball Canning book is good. Also, remember you can use FreeCycle.org in your area to ask for free canning and gardening supplies. I was able to get enough cinderblocks to build two 3-foot by 16-foot beds.
Yeap…When we lived in the city we put a rope between the two sides of our fence for a clothes line. It wasn’t huge, but good enough for a load.
Google TV looks rather awesome. I am not sure if I want to purchase a television with it integrated or simply a independent box.
It is very tough to Utilize a clothsline in a deed estricted community. THey are more concerned with astectics rather than frugality which not only benefits the individual but benefits the community. I was told that it gives the community a lower standard of living look. These deed restrictions should be outlawed.
What could really help is if the First Lady put a line up at the White House. What a huge statement!
Maybe we should all write anote to her and our lawmakers.
What do you think?