Homegrown Evolution in Chicago

...ter with: nettlesting@yahoo.com Erik will lead an informal presentation on Urban Homesteading in Los Angeles – focusing on his and his wife’s homegrown systems of adventurous experimentation of chickens, growing, greywater, brewing and more – some successful, some not so much! Copies of The Urban Homestead will be for sale. Many thanks to Nancy Klehm for arranging these events! See her website Spontaneous Vegetation for more info on other events a...

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How to save tomato seed

...afe bet for seed saving. They are self-fertile, and the structure of their flowers makes cross pollination difficult. Our seed saving Bible, Seed to Seed, says that there are only three types of open pollinated tomatoes that you can’t save seed from (without putting them in isolation): Currant tomatoes (L. pimpinellifolium) The potato leaved varieties of L. lycopersicum Any fruit born from double blossoms on Beefsteak-type tomatoes. Double blossom...

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Is the Urban Homesteading Trend Over?

...ikes that coincide with canning at the end of summer. Unsurprisingly, most homesteading topics revolve around seasons. Seasonality, by the way, is one of things I really like about this movement. A digression here–the flatness of time (see Charles Taylor)–is one of the things I don’t like about modernity. “Home canning” searches “Home canning” searches show a more dramatic decline. “Backyard Chickens” searches People research backyard chickens in...

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A Day of the Dead Altar

...similar colors. Mums for everyone, whatever the celebration. Erik likes sunflowers a lot, and so they make him happy, too. Flowers also bring the earth element to the altar. There are four candles for the four directions, and the element of fire. There is an incense burner with copal resin in it, which is the traditional incense offering for ofrendas. I also have a smudge stick of white sage which I made from my own plant. The skull is not a sugar...

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Top Climbing Rose Suggestions

...e windstorms without a hitch, and are currently blooming sweet little pink flowers everywhere.” Rachel adds, “It has the most beautiful little pink flowers (at least they’re little here in Phoenix) and when I open the back door I can smell them from across the yard.” Rosa ‘Altissimo’ and ‘Mermaid’ Rosa ‘Altissimo’. Image: Wikimedia. Rosa ‘Mermaid’. Image: Wikimedia. Ivette S. says, “I have a thing for single roses, so my favorite climbers are Rosa...

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