It covers growing and juicing wheatgrass, making cordials, alteratives to paper products in the home, and soapmaking.  It’s meant to be printed, double-sided, on an 11″x17″ sheet of paper.  Enjoy!

UHL Broadside #7 (pdf)

Several months ago, I was strolling through the Union Square Farmer’s Market when I first spotted the booth of the Urban Homesteaders’ League. There were swap items on a table, a kombucha demonstration in progress, an inviting collection of how-to books in the corner, and a big banner that read “Urban Homesteaders’ League.” I stopped dead in my tracks. I had been making a long string of changes in my life over the past six years in order to adopt more ecological practices around my basic needs. I had started making my own bread, granola, and herbal tea. I was growing herbs, melons, and greens in my community garden. I had joined a CSA, sold my car, stopped using household paper products, and had started buying all of my clothing second-hand.

I was doing everything that I could to wean myself away from the wasteful consumer life-style in which I had been raised. I was finding such fulfillment learning how to make and do things for myself. But I didn’t realize there was a name for this or even a group of like-minded folks nearby who were moving in the same direction. When I saw the banner for the Urban Homesteaders’ League, I realized–of course! Urban homesteading is the perfect way to describe what I’ve been trying to do!

I ran home from the booth to look up the organization online and easily found the UHL Meetup Group based in Cambridge, MA. The robust range of activities planned for this group was eye-popping. I had felt somewhat isolated in some of the life-style choices I had been making, and UHL seemed like a perfect opportunity for finding and building the community I craved.

Not long ago, I saw a posting on the UHL Meetup home page of a woman who was involved with work that fascinated me. I sent her a greeting and learned that she was presenting a skillshare at the UHL farmers’ market stand. We corresponded about her presentation, and at one point she said: “Why don’t you present something that you’re doing in your life? It seems like you have a lot to offer.” What? I’m the novice and the amateur. I’m doing easy things that anyone could do. Then I thought about it. Maybe I could talk about using cloth replacements for some of the basic paper products that people use everyday. Maybe I could actually think of myself as inside the tent rather than watching eagerly from the outside!

As I helped Lisa set up the UHL booth this past Saturday morning, I thought: “Isn’t life grand? Isn’t it amazing how three months ago I was walking by this very booth and feeling the excitement of finding a group of people who were doing something organized and constructive about the issues I felt so passionate about? Isn’t it wonderful to be here sharing something about my life and seeing how the world is full of tremendous possibilities when we join hands and move forward together?”

There was just enough time for me to go buy some cheese and chocolate before Turil’s session on wheatgrass. Now let me be clear- I had ZERO interest in wheatgrass. I’d tried the shots and found them gross. I was just there because I had to be.   But Turil’s session was totally engaging. She explained why I’d hated my shot (wheatgrass is so strong you need to build up to shots.) She showed us amazing, flourishing stalks- planted 5 days earlier! We tried stalks- and they were delicious! I wound up a total convert and got to take some seeds home as my reward.

I headed back to the market and got stuck admiring the lovely handmade soaps two stalls down. But before I could buy any, I remembered it was time to get back to the stand- to learn about soapmaking with Alexa! Soapmaking sounded kind of scary (apparently lye, the key ingredient, is very dangerous) but after smelling Alexa’s cinnamon-orange soap, I started making plans for a soapmaking party.  AND I got to take some soap home, so I smell very good right now.

Last was me, talking about making cordials. The headset I had to wear seemed unnecessary, given my teacher voice, but made me feel like a cool telecaster. Unlike my last skillshare, since we were outdoors this time, nobody got to taste my cordials. So, not as exciting as wheatgrass. But still fun- we got quite a good crowd, and some great questions. I look forward to finding out how the guy who wanted to try single varietal apple liqueur does- I hope he has a tasting!

Afterward I talked to the other presenters til closing- and probably longer if we didn’t have to pack up. All 3 were interesting, mart, socially aware people- just the sort I like to hang out with. My only regret was that this was the last skillshare- next summer I’ll definitely try to make a lot more!

In all, there were four skillshares. Kat kicked off the day with a discussion of eco-friendly habits and what may stand in the way of adopting these. All of the participants had an interesting discussion about how convenience and social support often help us make the eco-friendly habits stick.

Next, Alex demonstrated how to ferment fall root vegetables.  He got his raw materials right there at the market, chopped them up, added salt, and stuffed the mixture into jars. Mike and I took one of the jars as part of the swap table and have been diligently opening it and pushing the contents every day. As a reward for our diligence, the stuff got really juicy and bubbly and seems to be alive in that jar – can’t wait to try it!

My skillshare was next. I got to talk to a number of knitters from the crowd and, I hope, some of the onlookers were also interested in what I had to share.  I am still surprised that reusing yarn from old knitted garments is such a novel idea for many people. My mom has been doing it for years! I guess I am helping the “spread the word” on my blog, with the skillshare, and by just talking to other knitters.

Finally, Tessa shared her experience with growing chickens in the back yard. Even though we are not in the position to have chickens in our backyard (we are renting, so it’s not even ours), I was very curious about the topic. Turns out that if you only have a couple chickens, they are not smelly and not too loud (since you don’t need a rooster). Tessa also shared photos of different chicken coops in Madison, WI area (where she used to live) – it seems that the sky’s the limit when it comes to coop design…

As always, there was a free broadside with information on the above topics for anyone to take.

It was great to meet everyone and to spend a day at UHL’s Market Stand!

10:00a.m. Alternatives to Household Paper Products w/Lorie Reilly
10:45a.m. Intro to Growing and Juicing Wheatgrass w/Turil Cronburg
11:30a.m. Making Soap w/Alexa Photopoulos
12:15p.m. Making Cordials w/Jaime Alberts

We hope to see you there!

Kat Friedrich presenting on developing eco-friendly habits.

Alex Lewin getting ready to lacto-ferment some root vegetables.

Getting a little help from the crowd.

Listening attentively...

The scene.

Iryna Merideth talking about recycling old sweaters into knitting yarn.

Tessa Lowinske Desmond talking about backyard chickens.

A full swap table.

The broadside.