RSS

» The Urban Farm

  • It’s Your Mother Calling…No really!
    By GregPeterson on January 7, 2010 | 1 Comment1 Comment  Comments

    Click the player below to listen to your Mother…ItsYourMotherCalling New Years Resolution, that is.

    This text will be replaced by the flash music player.

    If Mother Nature truly had a voice what would she say? Give Mother Earth a voice and see what comes out. Messages with a green twist from your other mother…Mother Nature. Gentle reminders. Maybe you’ve heard them before.

    “When you have your own apartment, you can make the rules.”

    Sound familiar? There’s probably not a mother on the planet who hasn’t used that line. And, now, ANOTHER mother is finding her voice and delivering those same “mom-isms.” Mother Nature says:

    “When you have your own planet, you can make the rules.”

    She’s kept quiet all these years while her kids have stomped, four-wheeled, drilled and dumped all over her. Finally she’s speaking out! That is the premise behind ItsYourMotherCalling.  To take home your own piece of Mother Nature check in with her at www.ItsYourMotherCalling.com

    Get your weekday dose at:  Facebook and Twitter

    Plus check in here each week for an audio message from Her.  Listen to this week’s message from your Mother…ItsYourMotherCalling New Years Resolution

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , , , ,

  • Our Weekly Ennovation
    By GregPeterson on January 6, 2010 | 3 Comments3 Comments  Comments

    My daily mission is to inspire people into their own level of greenness.

    As I go through life doing this people sometimes share with me that it is too expensive for them to go green, stating that they can’t afford a new hybrid car or solar panels.  When in reality there are so many things that we all can do for little or no money to live a green lifestyle and that in some cases can actually saves us money.

    Living green is paying attention to the resources that we use in a manner that reduces our future impact. It is a multifaceted process that touches our health, the environment and our pocketbooks.  It also involves many choices along the way. Mostly they are choices of awareness.

    • Can you use just one straw at a restaurant or in my case no straws at all?
    • Can you plan your errands so you can drive out once and do multiple tasks?
    • Can purchase a stainless steel water bottle?
    Each one of these types of actions in its own way makes an impact.  Then when we string all our choices together and add all our friends and family to the mix our reduced environmental impact expands.

    My only rule for living a green lifestyle is that “There is no suffering allowed!”  Living green is not about giving up.  It is about making choices that work in your lifestyle.  If it doesn’t work don’t do it.  When it does that is what inspires us.

    Each week YourGuideToGreen.com publishes our Weekly Ennovation to help us all better understand the intricacies of the choices that we can make around living green.

    This weeks article I Have a Secret is by Stephanie Starks about her struggles with parking her car in the garage.  I know that I resemble this remark and decided a few months ago to clean out my proverbial garage by getting rid of 80% of my old stuff.  Although I got a great start on it I am thinking that the 80% mark is a yearlong process.

    Oh and one of the big things that I learned along the way is that if I don’t buy things in the first place I don’t have to get rid of them later.  Yet another step toward living green.

    So on Wednesdays look for our Ennovation and ideas about simply living green.

    Greg

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , , ,

  • Urban Farm 101
    By GregPeterson on January 4, 2010 | 1 Comment1 Comment  Comments

    Hi all,

    I live in the heart of Phoenix Arizona, and over 20 years ago I purchased my home on 1/3 of an acre to expand my gardening habit, as it had always been my goal to be an organic farmer.  A few years ago I went back to school and in one of my classes I had to define a mission and vision for my life. I had always dreamed that I would go out there somewhere and be an organic farmer…what I discovered in that class was that I was already doing what I wanted – that was to teach and showcase.

    In 2001 The Urban Farm was born. These days I call The Urban Farm an environmental showcase home featuring a primarily edible landscaping (including over 80 fruit trees), three different kinds of solar panels (Photovoltaics, thermal air and water heating), rainwater harvesting, greywater harvesting, plus a remodeled 800 square foot patio primarily made from reclaimed materials. My intent is that I create all of this so that it fits into a mainstream lifestyle, and when visitors arrive they can imagine that they too could implement some of the changes I have made at The Urban Farm, in their own urban farms.

    Down on the Urban Farm are my musings and observations of just what goes into making our urban areas more sustainable. I will include stuff of a local interest such as all the classes and tours that we offer as well as pictures and processes that can be integrated in your life whether you live in an apartment in New York City or have some land in Santa Fe.

    On my blog is specific information on growing and being green in Phoenix, AZ.  Check out the Urban Farm Video on the homepage of my blog, the Desert Planting Calendar, AZ Farmers Market List, Using Greywater in Your Home, and the Arizona Regulation on Greywater.

    I also delve into the notion of living green anywhere where you live.  Plus, check my Tuesday posts about your Urban Farm where I will feature your urban farms.  So please tell me your stories.

    Enjoy.

    Greg Peterson
    The Urban Farm Guy

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , , ,

  • To New Beginnings
    By GregPeterson on January 3, 2010 | 2 Comments2 Comments  Comments

    Hi all,

    2010 is a year of new beginnings for many of us.  The past decade has presented its challenges and rewards and it is time to be thankful for what was and move on to the exciting times ahead.  As part of this renewal process I joined the National Speakers Association to expand my knowledge and ability to reach out with my message of living a green and sustainable life.  One of the awesome opportunities that showed up was the 2010 NSA-AZ Blogathon which I am participating in (see below for the list of my Blogathon Buddies.)

    So it is time to start blogging and tweeting.  Follow me at Twitter

    Each week I will be following the five different themes listed below.

    Monday – The Urban Farm – Sharing my green lifestyle and my environmental showcase home — how easy it is to live and love living green.

    Tuesday – Your Urban Farm – Tell me your stories.  Watch for excerpts from my book Grow Wherever You Go and more stories of urban farm successes and challenges.

    Wednesday – Weekly Ennovation – In keeping with our many years of themed weekly tips on living green, this year we will expand the Ennovation to include video.

    Thursday – It’s Your Mother Calling – Each week Mother Nature will report in and share with us what is going on in her world.

    Friday – Green Or Not – So is it REALLY green.  Stories and information on living, being and buying green. Are you sure the choice you are making is green?

    Hope you enjoy my posts, comment and let me know what you are thinking.
    Greg Peterson
    The Urban Farm Guy
    NSA-AZ BLOGATHON 2010

    *Jackie Dishner
    BIKE WITH JACKIE

    *Stephanie Angelo
    Human Resource Essential Blog
    *Andrea Beaulieu
    True Potential
    Conspiracy of Love

    *Beth Terry
    Cactus Wrangler
    http://www.CactusWrangler.com

    *Debra Exner
    Collaboration Pays Off

    *Deborah M Dubree
    Clear Edge
    *Eileen Proctor
    The Top Dog’s Blog

    *Mimi Meredith

    *Suzanne Holman
    Dr. Eileen R. Borris
    Finding Forgiveness

    Bonnie F. Mattick, M.A. Ed., MBA, CPT
    Mattick & Associates, LLC
    www.bonniemattick.com
    Blog: www.YourBusinessDetective.com

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , , , ,

  • Book 4 – Grow Wherever You Go
    By farmergreg on November 16, 2009 | No Comments  Comments

    Hey all,

    Join me tonight at Changing Hands in Tempe AZ for the release of the Urban Farm’s Simple Sustainability Book Series – Purchase Link. Here is book four of four installments of the unique mini books I am publishing.

    • Grow Wherever You Go, Discover the Place Where Your Garden Lives, By Greg Peterson
    Where does your garden live? No matter where you live you can grow something to eat. Shift your thinking and you’d be surprised at the places your food can be grown! Windowsill, fire escape and rooftop gardens have the same potential to provide impressive harvests as backyard gardens, greenhouses and community spaces.

    Grow Wherever You Go helps you explore and discover just where your garden lives. So whether you choose to grow a few herbs, or work your way toward creating an entire edible landscape, the process is simpler and more deliciously rewarding than you can imagine. Be creative…discover where your garden lives!

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

  • Book 3 – How Green Am I? Simple Steps to Cultivating an Earth Friendly Lifestyle
    By farmergreg on November 14, 2009 | No Comments  Comments

    Hey all,

    Join me Monday Nov 16 at Changing Hands in Tempe AZ for the release – Purchase Link. Here is book three of four installments of the unique mini books I am publishing. It is a very interesting book exploring 14 different aspects of your environmental footprint with lots of education along the way.


    • How Green Am I?, Your Personal Environmental Audit, By Don Lotter with Greg Peterson
    Living green is simpler than you think. The gamut of green choices is endless, whether it’s paying a bill online, turning he water off while brushing your teeth, planting a garden or recycling. Everyday simple changes add up in a hurry. Awareness is the key!

    By reading How Green Am I? you will discover many places where you can paint your life a little greener. Using Greg Peterson’s ‘No Suffering Allowed” attitude, this book covers the 14 areas that make the biggest impact on our environmental footprint.

    This is the most comprehensive footprint-measuring tool on the market. Simply by filling it out you will transform the way you live.

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

  • Book 2 – Fowl Play, Your Guide To Keeping Chickens in the City
    By farmergreg on November 13, 2009 | No Comments  Comments

    Hey all,

    Join me Monday Nov 16 at Changing Hands in Tempe AZ for the release – Purchase Link. Here is book two of four installments of the unique mini books I am publishing. It is a delightfully written and illustrated book by Rachel Bess on keeping chickens in your yard. I even learned some thing when reading it.

    • Fowl Play, Your Guide to Keeping Chickens in the City, By Rachel Bess with Greg Peterson
    Why should you keep chickens in your back yard? Think fresh eggs, the thrill of the daily hunt, the chickens tilling your soil, eating your food scraps, weeds, seeds and bugs then providing great fertilizer.

    “You can learn so much about life from chickens,” explains Michelle M., a busy nurse, wife and mother of seven. “I’ve learned that keeping chickens is good for my soul.”

    Anyone can do it…no roosters required. The secrets to your success easily unfold in the pages of Fowl Play. Read and gather your rewards.

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , , , , , ,

  • The Urban Farm’s New Book Series
    By farmergreg on November 10, 2009 | 1 Comment1 Comment  Comments

    Please join me for my book release and signing of
    The Urban Farm’s Simple Sustainability Book Series
    Greg Peterson and Rachel Bess Present at:

    Changing Hands Book Store
    6428 S McClintock Drive
    Tempe, Arizona 85283
    7pm
    Monday November 16th, 2009
    Contact: Greg Peterson, The Urban Farm, 602-279-3713

    Greg Peterson and Urban Farm Press presents a new and unique series of mini books designed for the busy, fast-paced life we live. The series, called The Urban Farm’s Simple Sustainability Series, feature palm-size, single topic, and well-researched mini books that are concise and to the point with each book exploring a different aspect of living a green (sustainable) lifestyle. Topics are addressed in a guilt-free, action-oriented and upbeat manner. Designed as a quick study, the books bridge the gap between facts and action and are written in an inspirational manner for anyone with an interest in green lifestyle changes and sustainably oriented processes.

    The mini-book format features:
    • 3.5” by 5” size
    • A low price of $7.95
    • 8,000 to 15,000 words
    • Highly topic specific material
    • A quick, engaging, inspirational read, and
    • Communicate the point using less paper.

    The current series contains the following four books to be followed by an additional six planned for release in 2010:
    • My Ordinary Extraordinary Yard, By Greg Peterson
    • Fowl Play, Your Guide to Keeping Chickens in Your Yard, By Rachel Bess with Greg Peterson
    • How Green Am I?, Your Personal Environmental Audit, By Don Lotter with Greg Peterson
    • Grow Wherever You Go, Discover the Place Where Your Garden Lives, By Greg Peterson

    Each book contains helpful, factual and interesting information designed to inspire readers into action.

    Urban Farm Press and Your Guide To Green are established, reliable sources of information on green living. Therefore the information is educational, fact-based, substantive, and well-researched — based on well-documented sources. Books are written in an upbeat, positive, non-preachy, no guilt voice that is fun and easy-to-read.

    It’s simply rewarding.

    • My Ordinary Extraordinary Yard, By Greg Peterson
    You can create your own urban farm. Creating your own urban farm is as simple as planting you flowerbeds with edibles. The payoffs can include home grown food and a deeper connection to the earth. In this unique mini-book, Greg Peterson shares how his yard went from grass and hedges to his very own Urban Farm, full of vegetables and fruit trees with plenty to share. His motto ‘food grows abundantly – lets grow it and give it away.’ This insightful book about how Greg’s Urban Farm came to be will inspire you to create your own urban farm.

    • Fowl Play, Your Guide to Keeping Chickens in Your Yard, By Rachel Bess with Greg Peterson
    Why should you keep chickens in your back yard? Think fresh eggs, the thrill of the daily hunt, the chickens tilling your soil, eating your food scraps, weeds, seeds and bugs then providing great fertilizer.

    “You can learn so much about live from chickens,” explains Michelle M., a busy nurse, wife and mother of seven. “I’ve learned that keeping chickens is good for my soul.”

    Anyone can do it…no roosters required. The secrets to your success easily unfold in the pages of Fowl Play. Read and gather your rewards.

    • How Green Am I?, Your Personal Environmental Audit, By Don Lotter with Greg Peterson
    Living green is simpler than you think. The gamut of green choices is endless, whether it’s paying a bill online, turning he water off while brushing your teeth, planting a garden or recycling. Everyday simple changes add up in a hurry. Awareness is the key!

    By reading How Green Am I? you will discover many palces where you can paint your life a little greener. Using Greg Peterson’s ‘No Suffering Allowed” attitude, this book covers the 14 areas that make the biggest impact on our environmental footprint.

    This is the most comprehensive footprint-measuring tool on the market. Simply by filling it out you will transform the way you live.

    • Grow Wherever You Go, Discover the Place Where Your Garden Lives, By Greg Peterson
    Where does your garden live? No matter where you are you can grow something to eat. Shift your thinking and you’d be surprised at the places your food can be grown! Windowsill, fire escape and rooftop gardens have the same potential to provide impressive harvests as backyard gardens, greenhouses and community spaces.

    Grow Wherever You Go helps you explore and discover just where your garden lives. So whether you choose to grow a few herbs, or work your way toward creating an entire edible landscape, the process is simpler and more deliciously rewarding than you can imagine. Be creative…discover your garden!

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , ,

  • Greg’s Speaking this afternoon
    By farmergreg on April 25, 2009 | No Comments  Comments

    Saturday, April 25, 4PM
    Lecture by Greg Peterson: Living Green…Just What Does It Mean?
    Library Auditorium
    Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251

    Greg Peterson will present his lecture, “Living Green…Just What Does it
    Mean?” Join Peterson, of “Your Guide to Green” for a dynamic discussion
    about how easy it really is to go green. He points out how inundated
    we are with so many shades of green these days. So what “should and
    shouldn’t” we do? Peterson is a regionally acclaimed green living and
    sustainability innovator with a mission to “inspire people to embrace their
    own greenness.” A resident of Phoenix for the past 40 years, he received
    his Masters degree in Environmental Planning in December 2006, and his
    Bachelors degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at ASU in 2004.

    Bookmark and Share

    Technorati Tags: , , ,