loved the eat real festival! the chorizo sandwich from el huarache loco was delicious!

As a person who considers herself and family to be Urban Homesteaders I find that this article misses one of the core ideas of Urban Homesteading,the idea of DIY.By paying others to do your work for you a person really is not getting the point at all.

haha, I don't know where that sign in the photo is posted, but I've never known any farm to have a "wake-up" time of 10AM...farmhands are eating lunch by that time!

I come from a family of farmers and a farming community. My brother & uncle still make their living at it. I'd laugh my ass off to see "urban homesteaders" spend just one week on a real farm. Most people who think it's hip to play at farming really don't have a clue about the work involved.

Thanks for the article! Encouraging people to treat food with respect, eat fresh and grow what they can is a wonderful thing. And providing services to help people get started makes it much easier for more people to join the cause. Most of the people I know who are interested in this kind of life, aren't playing around. And while tending a garden and preserving food (etc) takes work, I don't think anyone I know would compare it with running a full-scale farm.

"Most people who think it's hip to play at farming..."

"Most of the people I know who are interested in this kind of life, aren't playing around"

Then that comment wouldn't apply to those people you know, would it? The comment is directed at the people who have never stepped foot outside the city and think it would be quaint to "buy a few acres and have a cow, chickens, and a goat or two" but don't have the slightest clue how much work even that little bit of livestock and a large garden takes, let alone a larger operation.

And yes, there are a shocking number of people who don't have a clue how much work farming or raising livestock is and think it's something to "retire" to.

So people are angry that hipsters are into farming but have no clue how much work is involved... how on earth do you expect them to learn? Go back in time and grow up on a farm, maybe during the Great Depression? I fail to see a down side to getting people even just a tad closer to the realities of farming and agriculture.

No, I think all the hipsters who are riding the "homesteader trend" should go buy themselves some land and cattle and have themselves a blast...because, you know, all it really takes is an interest and a few lessons at the annual festival.

Ok, HELLO PEOPLE - the point of urban homesteading is that it DOES NOT take place on a real farm. It is specifically an activity for people who live in urban areas and ARE NOT farmers, but want to know the sources of their food and live more sustainable lifestyles. And to the commenter who mentioned the DIY - Nicole's parties are instructional and sell supplies so that you can DIY.

Perhaps some forget that farmers can relocate to urban areas. I too come from a farm and my family still struggles to make a living at farming. I've also lived in San Francisco for 10 years and love that these brave souls are helping people understand where food comes from, and helping provide the tools and skills necessary to get started on DIY projects and understand the hard work involved in (urban!) farming.

It's not about hipsters v. farmers, and it's certainly not about paying people to do it for you. That's what we do every time we shop at major supermarket chains with no idea what the ingredients in our food are nor where they come from.

I salute all three of the orgs mentioned above and can't wait to host a homesteading party soon!

Thanks for the great discourse. You all inspired me to write about what it means to call yourself an urban farmer! http://www.farmcurious.com/902/