In the burbs of Pasadena, California — 30 minutes north of Los Angeles — is a burgeoning tiny farm tucked between three major freeways. For more than two decades, the Dervaes family has proven the impossible dream can come true and happily share the trials and tribulations of their Urban Homestead with the world. Using Laura Ingalls Wilders’ autobiographical Little House children’s stories as a sweet-dream lifestyle, their chosen model for sustainable self-sufficiency is now dubbed: Little Homestead in The City.
The family of four raises more than 350 varieties of fruit, veggies, herbs, and berries on 1/10 of an acre, which translates to a 66′ x 66′ garden space. The tiny farm is also abuzz with bees making honey, while chickens and ducks lay eggs and lend their considerable skills to insect control. Other animals share the farm but are safe since the family adheres to a vegetarian diet.
The entire homestead is 1/5 of an acre, which includes their home, outbuildings, and the porch-market for shoppers. All told, the farm yields more than 6,000 pounds of organic food annually.
Aside from their personal consumption, the Dervaes yearly sales top $20,000 in fresh organic food, herbs, and edible flowers to local restaurants. They also host a variety of events and workshops through outreach programs and services to help keep the world and their cash flow moving in the right direction.
Together we can ignite a revolution of spirit that will
truly change our world for the better.
~ Jules Dervaes
A family that grows together, stays together. Emotional scraps dissolve quickly when everyone is too busy to hold grudges. Besides, there’s too much work to do when there’s a farm involved, and it is never a good idea to go to bed hungry or grumpy.
Vertical gardening is a must for tiny farms. Grow up!
At the end of the day, by tuning into the elevated vibration of plant life, the Dervaes demonstrate that self-sufficiency begins and ends with a clear understanding that all success is bound up in one simple, elegant realization: Love is the Answer.
Carmen Allgood © 2016
Images Courtesy Dervaes Homestead
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