My Opinion on the Ugly Urban Homesteading Trademark

On my own path to freedom I am going to start my urban homestead this spring; a little homestead in the city, per se. Oh wait…I can DO it, I just can’t talk about without giving credit to The Dervaes Institute.

Many of you have probably heard the news about the Dervaes family of Pasadena, California, and their recent (started in 2008) trademark of certain terms like urban homestead or urban homesteading. This has frustrated the urban homesteading community and has a lot of people wondering what they can say and what they can't. I don't offer any advice really, this is after all, just my opinion, and quite honestly, a rant that has been brewing for the past 48 hours. 

Their registered trademark will not stand a chance in court, if it ends up being challenged. ( Here is a petition to challenge the trademark )You can not lay claim to an idea that started prior to your use of it or implementation of it.

Can I trademark the term “homeschool” or “homeschooling”? I do not have exclusive rights to that term. I did not “coin” it nor was I the first one to implement the idea of homeschooling in my own life.

I am disappointed in the Dervaes family. In casting off the bonds of corporate America, they became a corporation themselves.

As for using the terms “urban homestead” or “urban homesteading” and having to put a big fat ™ after each of those generic terms used by people all over the globe, I will not do it. Nor will I put a big fat ™ after the word Meijer or Blackberry when making reference to them. Will those trademarked companies hunt me down and force me to give them credit for using their “name”…no, I really doubt it.

I think the following letter from the Institute of Urban Homesteading to its students (after receiving one of the “letters” from the Dervaes family, is great. It proves that the Dervaes family is in fact sending out those “letters”.  Response letter from the Institute of Urban Homesteading

What it boils down to is this: Registering a trademark is not the issue. There are many trademarked phrases or words (that the Dervaes family points out here Path to Freedom- "The original urban homesteaders") that we as a community of “simple living-backyard garden folk” use every day: “hobby farm”, “square foot gardening”, and “gardener”, to name just a few. The issue is not whether or not these terms are trademarked, the issue is whether or not the “owners” of those trademarks are going to hunt down every organization in the nation and put them in a legal headlock to try and stop everyone from using “THEIR” word. It seems counterproductive to the urban homesteading movement itself. If I want to have a little farm and name it Monica’s Hobby Farm are the owners of the magazine “Hobby Farm” going to care? I don’t know, maybe they would…but I highly doubt it.

The Dervaes corporation wants us to link back to them every time we use the phrase urban homestead because they started the concept and were the "first" to implement it…sorry to tell them, but urban homesteading was in my vocabulary long before I happened upon their site a year ago.

With that said…I am really looking forward to getting my chickens and planting my garden this year. I hope to one day have an urban homestead of my own…or should I say non-rural yard garden. Maybe I’ll move out to the country and trademark the word “Farm”.

If I seem a little perturbed…I am. I shall move on, I shall continue on my path to freedom and venture into my own urban homesteading adventure, but some things are just not right. 

For the record- the path to freedom, the original path to freedom, is Yahshua our Messiah, the Word of Yahweh, and the Spirit of Truth.  So now, every time those words are used..."path to freedom" do we have to link back to The Dervaes Institute?

One more thing- The Dervaes family states that they wanted to trademark the aforementioned terms to keep it out of the hands of greedy corporate giants, and for that, I commend them. What happened after is what most people have an issue with. They became the greedy corporate giant. 

“ We didn’t come up the name but we came up with the application.... We didn’t mean to bully anyone. These marks are what people do to make sure no one infringes on their ideas – they’re to give people who develop something protection. That’s why people like Apple and Nike do it. We did what other normal people would have done.” - Jules Dervaes

(You came up with the application? I think they believe they are the only urban homesteaders in the world. What else could you possibly mean by that? And for the record...Nike ain't normal people. They have possibly one of the worst enslavement, er...manufacturing practices in the world.)

Trademark the phrase, then let others use it just as they have been all along. Then, IF some corporation that does not have a clue about urban homesteading comes along and uses the phrase to sell one of their over-priced products made in China, just to bank on the name, THEN send one of those letters. THEN you can try to protect it. But, don't try to protect it from the people that are trying to move it forward and make it an every day common term, and more than that, a common implementation. 

Another Homemade: Toothpaste

The toothpaste looks rather gross all sloshy in the jars, as I look at them now. At the time, I thought this was the cutest pic ever. Ah well, it was late.

Regardless of the sloshy messy look of the toothpaste, it serves its purpose and is quite cheap! 

Here is our recipe:

8 T. coconut oil

12 T. baking soda

between 20-40 drops of the essential oil of your choice. 

Combine the coconut oil and baking soda and mix until the baking soda is fully incorporated into the coconut oil. 

Add essential oil, and mix thoroughly. 

Put a bit into individual jars or other containers for each of your family members. 

Remember, this is coconut oil, so depending on the temperature of the bathroom, your toothpaste might be runny or very solid. 

Homemade Face Wash

(Those are my little glass jars I got this past week on my thrifting trip.)

My skin is dry, it's oily, it cracks and peels, and then it produces way to much oil. I thought I was cursed with bad skin. No pimples, or anything like that, just crocodile skin around my nose, between my eyebrows and under my chin. That is, until I STOPPED using expensive store bought facial cleansers and decided to come up with my own. 

It's quite simple actually, on most days I just use a simple castile soap to gently cleanse my face. But, there are times, especially in winter, that I see that the return of the dreaded crocodile skin is imminent. So, a few times a week I mix together in my little Saki cup (above) a bit of organic course grained sugar, honey, baking soda, liquid castile soap and a tad bit of water, make a thick paste and give my dry areas a good scrub. The sugar scrubs away the dead and drying skin, the castile soap whisks away dirt and oil, and the honey softens my skin like nothing else. The baking soda...well, I have just become accustomed to adding it...I'm sure it does something good. :~)

Once a week or so, I'll make a bigger batch and scrub my entire body down with it. I love the feel of my skin after a good scrub down. It's so soft, and just has a glow to it. 

When my skin is extra dry and sensitive, I'll grind up a bit of oatmeal in the blender and add that to my mixture. If I'm out of sugar, I'll use cornmeal or salt. Sometimes a bit of lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar is nice to add to the mix. There are so many variations to a homemade face wash. Use what you have, and find what works for you. 

In the summer, as I become less dry and more oily, I use glycerin water to moisturize my face. In the winter, when I need a good thick moisturizer, I use coconut oil. Last year I used olive oil, but I find the coconut oil to absorb considerably better than olive oil. I LOVE it, and it smells like a mounds bar :~) I do have a stick of cocoa butter that I use when I need some serious, serious moisturizing, but other than that, there are no lotions of any sort in my home, something that I thought would NEVER be possible. 

I love my little glass jars. I can keep a tiny bit of my kitchen ingredients right there in the bathroom. It's so convenient and pretty. 

What's even better than convenience, to me anyway, is the frugality of it all. I love saving my husband money and finding creative uses for what we already have in the house. It's one of my favorite things. 

Thrifting Finds

I love laying out all my thrift store finds.

 clothes drying rack $1

5 wide mouth quart sized canning jars $.25 each

real military issued combat boots (for my son) $1

 half bushel basket $.50 

4 glass jars with glass lids $.25 each

spoon rest $.25

clay jar with cork stopper- over priced at $1, but I've been searching for one

The Joy of Cooking cookbook $.50 

Book: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle $1

 8 glass spice jars $.50 for all

zebra print collar for my pooch Rufus $.25

 cheese grater which I needed for zesting $.25 

tongs-can't ever have too many tongs-$.25

barrette-free because she forgot to ring it up and just gave it to me

 spool holder for thread $1

 Crepe Cookery cookbook $.50

and one leather and wicker bag that is totally awesome $2.50

 (Not pictured here is the black hook dealy that is pictured down farther and I picked that up for $3)

All for under $16

 

I'm so excited about these. I LOVE containers. 

This was a little pricey ($2.50), but I just couldn't resist this. It is super sturdy and well, just cool. 

Here's that black hook dealy that I forgot to put in the picture above. 

I think it's going to go in my kitchen. I need something to hang our aprons from. 

I can't wait to use this, either for drying clothes or pasta! It's great, and for $1? I could not pass it up.

I have been wanting to make crepes and this is going to give me the motivation to do it. 

The Joy of Cooking? A classic must have that I didn't have.

I love to go thrifting and so do my kiddos. I hate spending retail for anything because I know sooner or later I'll find what I need at the thrift store. I love that my husband finds pleasure in seeing all the things I find, and that he never complains about this great love of mine :~) When I bring home a table full of useful things, he knows I've spent his money well. He knows I am happy and that we are well taken care of. Before winter I bought my youngest son and myself each a pair of nice winter boots at the thrift store for a total of $1.00. I saved probably $60 on that purchase because I didn't have to buy them new.

After moving to Wyoming with whatever we could fit in the back of our Explorer, I needed to replace a lot of stuff. Thrifting has made it possible for us to have "new" furniture, cookware, blankets, and other needful things. It is amazing to me that when we need something, the Father knows it, and more times than not, I find it at a thrift store. 

Homemade Laundry Soap

There are so many great recipes out there for laundry soap. I had some criteria that needed to be met while researching a recipe I was going to use for my own soap. It had to be cheap, super easy, have readily accessible ingredients and of course it had to CLEAN.

I first started using equal parts of borax, washing soda, and grated felsnaptha soap, but after two weeks of washing my clothes, they became stinky from the felsnaptha. So, since Ivory soap is so cheap I decided to go with that.

Here is my recipe:

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1 cup powdered Ivory soap

Grate your Ivory soap with a cheese grater and then whiz it in a blender until it has a more powdered consistency. I find that if you leave the bars unwrapped for about a week before you grate and whiz, the soap is dried out and is much easier to handle.

Mix equal parts of the borax, washing soda,  and the powdered soap together and whiz in the blender. Do this again and again, a small amount at a time, until all your ingredients are blended together.

I store my laundry powder in an old coffee container. Use 1-2 tablespoons per load. Shake the container every once in a while as the soap is heavier than the rest of the ingredients and sort of settles a bit.

For an all natural fabric softener and laundry rinse, fill a downy ball half full with white vinegar and pop that into your wash. No need for any other fabric softeners and the vinegar will clean the soap residue from your washer and clothes! It's great. You can add a few drops of essential oil, like lavender in your downy ball as well.

I like the powdered soap because it's easy. Our clothes get clean and the Ivory soap makes them smell great. I am sure you could use any soap you wanted, but I like Ivory because its cheap and doesn't contain a lot of the harsh chemicals that other soaps contain. It's definitely better than felsnaptha in the chemical department! It's about $3.50 for 10 bars. That's an awesome price.

Enjoy!

Family Cloth

The alternate title of this blog post was "Mom's Crazy Ideas", and was probably my family's preferred title, since they definitely do think I'm nuts.

"What is family cloth?" you might be asking yourself. That was what my family asked, as well. They had an idea, but their idea was far from what "family cloth" actually is.

So what is it? 

Reusable toilet cloth!

I know...I know. It sounds crazy. But, I tell you, lots of people are doing it. I have been on a quest to lower our monthly budget and simplify, for quite a few years. We stopped using paper towels, paper plates and other such non-essentials and have not gone back. We have a stockpile of dish towels and rags and find them to be quite useful in soaking up messes. So, I suppose family cloth was the next logical step. 

We spend, on average, depending on the brand, no less than $1.00 a day on toilet paper. Maybe this is an expense you are willing to pay for the convenience of toilet paper, but my goal is to give you enough information that you will at least want to try family cloth. $365 a year is a lot of money to spend on something you are just going to throw in the toilet! We've been using family cloth for a little over two weeks now, and I love it. My family has stopped thinking I am crazy (well, at least in this area) and I actually heard from my 14 year old son, "mom, family cloth isn't so bad". 

It cleans better. Doesn't leave little paper dust behind. It's pretty. Smells good. Easy to use. Easy to make. Cheap. And is saving us money! 

So...how do ya do it?

Gather old cotton t-shirts or flannel shirts. Cut out seams and make large squares out of the material. Cut those large squares into smaller 5 x 5 inch squares. Sew two together to make an extra thick cloth. 

Get yourself a small plastic bin, like the one above. Mine cost about $2 from walmart. It has a hinged lid that clips down, sort of like a baby wipes container. You can use one of those as well! Anything will work as long as it has a lid as these are moist wipes and you don't want them drying out.

Place your finished cloths in the bin and mix up a cup of wipes solution. There are many recipes out there, but I am using this one at the moment.

2 drops lavender essential oil

1 drop eucalyptus oil

1 T. glycerin

1/2 t. Doctor Bronner's liquid castile soap

1 cup of purified water

You can find tons of recipes at this site that I just love. Makes me want another baby...well, everything makes me want another baby :-)

So...anywho, mix up your solution and pour over your wipes. Flip them over a few times to get them all saturated and then squeeze out any excess liquid. You don't want them sopping wet, just damp. Also, please note that I have only filled my bin about half way full. You don't want your wipes sitting in there wet for more than a few days. Only put about three days worth of wipes in, as you are going to want to wash these every three days. You'll find out how much solution and how many wipes are right for your family as you start using them.

Now for the part that makes people cringe. What do you do...after...?

I bought this 10 gallon garbage bin at walmart for $5. Add a few drops of tea tree oil, maybe 5 drops or so, I forget to count :-) and then fill the bin half full with water. This is going to be your "soaking" water for three days. Every time you use your family cloth, you are going to stick it in the bin after you use it. The tea tree oil inhibits the growth of bacteria, you can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil as well, as it does the same thing.

After three days, empty the water as best as you can in the toilet, being careful not to dump your family cloth in there as well! Wash the cloths in your washing machine with hot water. I soak mine in hot water first and then do a regular wash. They come out clean every time and do not smell. I don't even use regular store bought detergent, I use a homemade soap and they still come out clean and smelling fresh.

You don't have to dry these, just stick them back in the lidded bin and add your solution. Easy peasy!

I love family cloth and we will continue to use it. We still have toilet paper for company, but I think for the most part, my family is using the cloth, at least part of the time.

This might not be for everybody, but I think it is awesome after you get past the "ew" factor. Have fun, and experiment; just keep it by the toilet and see what happens. My husband and son both used it on their own volition and both liked it!

A Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window…Noisy little league baseball practice at the diamond across the street...my least favorite noise. 

I am thinking…about Tim's job and that he might get laid off soon. Trying not to think about this...

I am thankful for…My family (as in husband and children). No matter what situation we are in, we are always together, always loving each other, always supporting each other. 

From the Learning Rooms … Finishing up our math and going through all the history books we just got for FREE! Feeling blessed in this area. 

From the kitchen…I am going to try this recipe that I found for a Greek Chickpea soup. Making bread today and washing the old Atlas canning jars I found at the thrift store. 

I am wearing…grey exercise pants and black tank.  

I am creating…a clean office! I've got my boxes upon boxes emptied, and now I just have to get rid of some old books to make room for the new ones. 

I am going…to Texas in three weeks! WOOHOO! I'm so excited to be going with such great ladies and really looking forward to a week away to just be Monica, not wife or mother. It will be refreshing and fun. I'm worried about money though...as usual. Wondering if I should really go because I'm unsure about Tim's employment. 

I am currently reading…Hidden Prophecies in the Song of Moses and still reading The Screwtape Letters. READ THIS BOOK! It's so good. 

I am hoping…that I can remain motivated in MANY areas of my life.

I am hearing…construction on the water tower by our house and men swearing at each other in Spanish, as well as kids screaming at baseball practice. Time for some music. 

On my mind…So much. Am I dying to self? Really? 

Noticing that…Life is consuming.

Around the house…Books to be put in their places. The coffee table is full of new learning books. 

One of my favorite things…Coffee with girlfriends. I need a coffee date. 

A few plans for the rest of the week...Starting summer school. Finishing Screwtape. Organizing the rest of the office and cleaning out bathroom cupboards. Putting away winter clothes. Hanging curtains in the boys room. Making a menu for Tim and prepping foods for when I am gone. 

A picture thought to share...

Father's Day

I love this pic! My husband is so funny and just awesome. I am so glad he liked the shofar we got him and the new bath robe. I'd say he's looking like an Israelite! He would have looked more like it if he still had the full beard. 

My Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window… It's raining on the freshly mowed lawn and there are no diners at the bird feeders this morning.

I am thinking…about my dreams...how much money CAN one make in a year...and could we possibly move out of the states?

I am thankful for… My husband who works his butt off so we can have the things we have.

From the Learning Rooms … Still enjoying the first bit of summer, and Monday we start our summer schooling. Math, writing, and reading and studying a book called Material World (this is our social studies as well as a guide for prayer for different people groups throughout the world)

From the kitchen…A mess...last night we celebrated Gavin's 8th birthday and we didn't even do the dishes...I've got a lot of apples I need to use up, so maybe some apple crisp or crockpot applesauce.

I am wearing…a black and white long skirt as a dress and a black cardigan. My basic hangin' around the house clothes :) Barefoot as usual.

I am creating…I am painting chairs and redoing their seat covers. I can't wait to see how they turn out.

I am going…to my volunteer job at the pregnancy center today.

I am currently reading…C.S.Lewis- The Screwtape Letters

I am hoping…That my son Isaac is safe on his first missions trip in a few weeks.

I am hearing…cars driving by, clock ticking, and the sound of silent children still sleeping...aaaahhhhhh...

On my mind…So much. Will we make enough money this year? Will I be able to get re-organized- back to the way things were before I got sick this past year? Will I be able to order my day better than I have been?

Noticing that…I have organization on my mind...

Around the house…things need to be organized :) Liking my new pillows and curtains in the living room. I needed something to spruce up the old futon that replaced my broken couch...it's a little better...still not great. But at least I can close the curtains at night and have a little privacy.

One of my favorite things…Sabbath day. Resting and reading and writing and discovering the insights God has for me. This Sabbath we are having family and friends over for cake and ice cream, but I still hope it is relaxing. 

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...Well, the week is nearly over, thankfully. Next week- Dentist, organizing the house, cleaning out the "office", washing windows, and re-organizing the chore list and schedule. 

My past home...hopeful future

Sitting in the living room of our 900 sq. ft. house, I have a 180 degree view of our property. The sun has just peaked over the horizon and a heavy fog rests upon the tall dead grasses of the fall. Naked trees, reaching skyward with their spiny arms, bask in the blue-gray tones of the morning. There is a quiet that pierces through every aspect of this place. A serenity that blankets us, as the fog blankets the earth. It is peace. To the south, the morning commute has begun. Even in this peace, I can still hear the rumbling of heavy trucks carrying goods for consumption. There are cars bustling here and there; people rushing off trying to capture the American Dream. Can they even hear this silence? Do they notice the peace that now surrounds me? As I sit here in this drafty old place, wood fire crackling, flames dancing and welcoming me this coming morn, I see luxury in this life. I see something that I believe others long for. Simplicity. Life unadorned by unwanted needs. Peace, serenity, and the ability to sit and feel not the weight of society upon ones shoulders, but the weight of the fog, creeping up towards the windows, welcoming you with silence. And a welcomed silence it is.