Allegedly Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder Not Rat Proof

June 10, 2020

...cilmen! Just kidding. It was rats. This discovery caps off a busy week for urban wildlife in our backyard. A young coyote visited last week and, last night, our indoor cats got in a full on cat fight on either side of a glass door with a visiting outdoor cat. Our new bird (rat?) feeder has a lever that closes when a heavy animal steps on it. This is supposed to deter squirrels. As you can see from the photos, rats easily hacked their way around th...

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Campfire Cooking: Fish in Clay (& Vegetarian Options!)

Mrs. Homegrown

December 26, 2013

Food, Foraging

1 Comment

...ls, you should use clay packs instead. Pascal said that cooked this way, carrots should be done in about 15 minutes, small potatoes in about 25 minutes, full sized potatoes in an hour. To find out more about Pascal and Mia’s classes, check out Urban Outdoor Skills and Transitional Gastronomy. It’s worth a trip to Los Angeles to take a class. Their Meetup groups are The Los Angeles Wild Food and Self-Reliance Group and Foraging Foodies LA. Friend t...

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Filter Fail: How to Cure Internet Addiction

Mr. Homegrown

August 9, 2013

Thoughtstylings

21 Comments

...is an incredibly useful research tool and a great way to reach out to the urban homesteading community. That being said, I just can’t seem to stop watching those dancing raccoons. We may be well past the point where the distraction potential of the internet is beginning to adversely effect its usefulness. Preventing filter fail So what can be done on a personal level to prevent “filter fail?” Only two things have worked for me in the past: Checki...

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The High Cost of Golf

Mr. Homegrown

August 13, 2008

Lawns, Thoughtstylings

14 Comments

...rocess of settling the insurance claims. So what does this have to do with urban homesteading? A lot. It’s time for another anti-golf rant. Here are my problems with golf (especially municipal golf courses): 1. The colossal mis-allocation of land. Wouldn’t a lot more people benefit from a large community garden instead of a golf course? Most people in Los Angeles and many other big cities live in apartments and don’t have any space to grow their o...

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Gardening Resources in Los Angeles County

Mr. Homegrown

September 26, 2013

Gardening, Vegetable Gardening

10 Comments

...SLOLA.org (meetings and seed saving classes). Keeping Chickens Los Angeles Urban Chicken Enthusiasts Beekeeping Honeylove.org. How to videos starring Kirk Anderson at the Backwards Beekeepers blog. Greywater/Rainwater Harvesting DIY option: Art Ludwig’s free laundry to landscape plans at Oasis Designs. Or buy his books, Create an Oasis with Greywater: Choosing, Building and Using Greywater Systems – Includes Branched Drains and Water Storage: Tank...

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