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Although humanity is depleting natural resources and destroying the environment, there are still plenty of people who urgently call for decisive measures to preserve the ability to live on our planet. But are they being heard loud enough?
And while some think, others act. That’s what the American Dervis family decided, and on a plot of land of 400 ares they created an autonomous ecological farm that not only feeds them but also allows them to earn a decent living. It turns out that even without dubious fertilizers one can have a rich harvest on a small piece of land.
The Dervis Family
Growing vegetables
The Dervis family moved to Pasadena (a city 15 minutes by car from Los Angeles with a population of 130,000) in the mid-1980s. They had an 800-are plot available, half of which was occupied by an old house and an outbuilding. The American dream of “independence and 4 acres” (about 200 ares) ran up against harsh reality.
However, the Dervis family decided to use the resources 100% and built a real home farm for growing vegetables.
Using resources 100%
“When we got into it, our friends thought we were crazy. At first we only thought about growing for our own needs. It never occurred to us that we could make money by selling the excess,” admits the head of the family, Jules Dervis.
Years of composting
We faced many obstacles. Instead of soil it was just a pile of dirt. The Dervis family year after year built the soil up with compost, chicken manure and microorganisms.
A real urban farm
Today Urban Homestead is a true urban farm in California, where the family grows more than 3 tons of crops on a plot of 400 m2.
But they cannot eat that much of the vegetables they grow and sell the surplus. According to the head of the family, that’s about 35% of all crops grown.
Cost per person – 2 euros
They thus earn around 15,000 euros a year. This harvest covers up to 90% of the family’s needs. When you add up the items they don’t know how to grow and must buy, the cost per person per day is 2 euros.
“Instead of looking for fresh fruit and vegetables around town, I brought the whole town to us,” says Jules Dervis himself.
400 varieties of vegetables
On the farm they grow about 400 varieties of vegetables, fruits and edible flowers. Chickens, ducks, goats and even a couple of bee colonies live in the backyard and supply them with eggs, milk and honey. The only thing they have to buy is grains, but those are cheap.
Fearing global ecological problems, Mr. Dervis installed solar panels on the roof of the house, which reduced the electricity bills to $12. The family acquired a biofuel-powered vehicle that owners of local cafés and restaurants provide as a thank-you for free fresh produce.
Drought as the biggest problem
The only thing that causes problems for the Dervis family is drought. For irrigating the soil they use an old-fashioned method — watering with clay pots. On the rest of the plot they also have vertical beds and green walls. The farmers use mulching to get rid of weeds and, of course, to reduce the amount of moisture evaporation from the soil.
Even though the natural conditions are not ideal and there are many pests, the Dervis family is sure that a good harvest can be achieved if you choose the right approach to selecting crops, planting, and that honest hard work will bring results.
It’s amazing how a simple desire for fresh, chemical-free ingredients turned into a family farm. Today the Dervis family shares their experience with the whole world and even runs courses for those who have been inspired by their way of life.
