Neighborhood Homesteads – Beyond the Home Garden In the United States the homestead concept began in the 1860’s through the appropriation of land for the purpose of creating a resilient population. Essentially the government saw soil, water and timber going to waste; however, they felt that through the management of these resources the country as a whole would become more self-sufficient. Today, a vast population of Americans live in suburban environments where an ox and plow is not a way of life, but at the heart of both settings is the drive for self-sufficiency. Neighborhood homesteading is the seed to resilient, sustainable community development. The homestead principles provide the homeowner with a sense of place and purpose. In the small lots of suburbia it’s difficult to combine all the elements of self-sufficient living on an individual level. Instead, a collection of homes, a neighborhood, needs to be seen as a single homestead where each household manages a community resource. If each home only focuses on some of the homestead elements (rainwater catchment, edible gardens, energy conservation practices), specific homes can focus on elements that can be shared. One neighbor can dedicate a larger area to chickens while the next to fruit trees and another to a nursery. Together, through a neighborhood homestead model, a community of self-sufficient, resilient individuals is grown. Through consultations and workshops High Tide Permaculture is working with individuals, community groups, schools, local businesses and nonprofit organizations to foster the development of resilient neighborhoods.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:18:04 +0000
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