Fishing Hole #2

Fishing Hole is an opportunity for me to share sites of interest I have found while fishing on the internet.  This week I have been reading about Urban Homesteading.  Since I realized I was actually involved in urban homesteading, I have wanted to read all I can about it to learn more and be able to maximize the use of the small space I have here in Olympia, Washington.

Olympia is the capital of Washington and considered a city.  Since I am from the Eastcoast, I do not consider Olympia a city as I know cities.  Yes, it covers 18.5 miles, has approximately 47,000 residents, is the county seat and is the home of Evergreen State College.  But the feel is that of a town.  There aren't any sky scrappers and there are probably more parks than parking lots. 

I live in the unincorporated section of Olympia,  my neighborhood is a residential area on the edge of a greenbelt, so I consider this an urban area.

As you might have read in my postings, I am attempting to grow as much food as possible on my small lot.  I like to use garden beds rather than open garden plots and am now collecting wood to build more.  The plan is to fill the back yard with garden boxes this winter and have them ready for the spring. 

Begining in 2010, I will weigh the food that is harvested and keep track of it to document just how well we are doing.  There are nternet sights that encourage gardeners to submit how much they are producing to document just how much  urban homesteaders are growing and their impact.  The Path to Freedom blog has a goal to reach 10,000 pounds on 1/10th of an acre!

I am not that adventurous and industrious but I am curious just how much we produce. I am working on purchasing  only food items that are grown within 100 miles of my home but last I checked there wasn't a lot of sugar cane grown in Puget Sound.  There are just some things I would have a difficult time giving up.  I plan on growing stevia next summer and am hoping for the best.

I  additionally hope to raise chickens in the spring (that is if Mister T the Dachshund will allow such a thing). I also plan to expand the raspberry vineyard, add grapes and build two more strawberry boxes to produce more fruit. The pear and plum trees I planted last year might produce a pear and a plum. Yes, it will be a huge undertaking but I believe it is doable and necessary.  The economy is going to force all of us to take matters into our own hands and grow our own food.

So here is the result of my fishing expedition.  I am not recommending all of these sites.  I am just letting you see the list of the blogs I am watching.  If you can recommend other Urban Homesteading blogs please let me know in the comments section below so everyone else can see them too.

Urban Homesteader


Home Grown Evolution

Sustainablog

Ledas Urban Homestead

Schell Urban Homestead

Quince Urban Homestead

Sustainable Urban Homestead

My Little Homestead

Denver Urban Homesteads

Barge Urban Homestead

The Self Sufficient Homestead

Off Grid Survival