Connie Flachs has started a homesteading project in her expansive backyard in the city. So far she has built a 4x4 foot raised bed and grown some vegetable seeds and herbs in containers on her front porch. She wants to balance food growing areas with open spaces for recreation. After watching videos of other homesteads, she brainstormed elements for her homestead, grouping them into structures, animals, and plants. This exercise revealed gaps in her knowledge and how much she has yet to learn about creating a sustainable homestead.

1. +
Backyard Homesteading
Assignment 1
Connie Flachs

2. +
My Homestead
 I am a new homeowner with an expansive backyard, especially
for a house in a city! I have plenty of undeveloped space and,
while I want to keep some of it for recreational purposes, like
laying out in the sun, I’m definitely interested in growing my
own food.

3. +
What I Have So Far
 I’ve built a raised bed (4x4 feet) and started some
vegetable seeds. I also have a front porch where I can grow in containers
(somehow I find this less intimidating than growing in the ground). I’ve
started some herbs and lettuce this way.
 I am single and have two lovely room mates who, while not at all against
gardening, don’t have the time or energy to help out. I have to remember
that projects I undertake must be within my time and energy reserves.
 I want to make sure that there a parts of my property that allow for just
hanging out or chilling, like campfires, lying in a hammock, or playing
catch. Therefore, I want to leave some of my space undeveloped.
 Finally, I want to be as sustainable as possible, reducing and reusing
materials. I hope this also correlates to less money spent, as I’m on a
budget!

4. +
Elements of My Homestead
 After watching the video describing Janet Barocco and Richard
Heinberg’s beautiful and efficient homestead I felt inspired. I
hadn’t ever heard of an “energy garden” nor had I thought of
the idea for a zen garden that provides a relaxing and calming
space. I appreciated that they were not anti-container
gardening, as this is a method I enjoy! I began to brainstorm…

5. + Structures
For Fun
Animals
Herbs
Fruit
Flowers
Veggies

6. +
First Grouping
 For my first grouping I arranged my cards into functional
structures, things that were more “for fun”, fruits, veggies,
herbs, flowers, and animals I’m considering.
 I find it much easier to brainstorm the multitude of foods I want
to grow. As I’m not well educated in the various aspects of
homesteading, I don’t know much about what else can
constitute a homestead and therefore have a harder time
coming up with ideas beyond things I can eat!

7. +
Animal
Related
Built by Humans
Plants

8. +
Second Grouping
 As I switched around cards I decided to settle on a simple
grouping. I divided my ideas into animals or animal related,
plants, and human made things.
 The animal category made me realize that if I want to have
certain organisms as a part of my homestead, whether they are
worms, chickens, or bees, I have to create an environment for
them. This point was brought home in the Suburban
Permaculture video when they discussed their wild flower
garden. Their wild flowers were beautiful but also provided a
habitat and draw for pollinators, such as birds and bees.

9. +
Aesthetic Things
Dirt and Grime
Neutral

10. +
Third Grouping
 This final grouping reveals how little experience I have working
with the soil. I chose to group my cards into those that will be
aesthetically pleasing and beautiful, those that are “icky” or
may require a shower after dealing with, and those that could
be either or neither.
 I am aware that I may be proven wrong. A pond may produce
scum that I may find gross. The bee hives could end up being
beautiful structures that decorate my yard. Hopefully more
education will help me assess these preconceived notions.

11. +
Reflection
 I realized that my largest category is certainly edibles. While I do want to grow
a large number of things, I also want to incorporate elements that are
aesthetically pleasing and create a beautiful environment. Furthermore, I’m
sure I am missing some important elements of homesteading that I hope to
learn in this course.
 I did not have a category of sustainability. I suppose I could have placed “rain
barrel” in that category. I would love to have included solar panels, but know
they are not in my budget. I’m eager to learn what other elements of a
homestead can be sustainable and efficient.
 The most out of place card may be “campfire”. While I am sure that I would
love a fire pit in my backyard, it doesn’t seem as relevant as other elements.
I’m also not sure that it can be connected to much (although it could burn yard
waste!).
 Overall, this exercise made me aware of how much I have to learn about how
to create an efficient and self-reliant homestead. I’m excited to begin the
learning process.