about us

What is Urban Homesteading? It is the practice of living sustainably, by growing one's own food (animal and vegetable) within city limits, building a sharing and barter economy, and using today's technology to relearn skills once commonplace: soap-making, aquaponics, cheese-making, gardening, hide-tanning, and so much more.

What We Are Doing

Solano Homesteading organizes free and low-cost classes or events, covering the cost of materials and rental fees, if any. Past classes and events have included: beginning soap-making, aquaponics, solar energy 101, backyard gardening, chicken and rabbit husbandry, rainwater harvesting and filtering, safe home pressure canning, and more.

Future classes and events we plan to offer: Natural colorants in soap-making, beginning cheese-making, hide-tanning, more aquaponics, greenhouse building, growing mushrooms, and many more topics suggested by our members. Group picnics and potlucks are also on the agenda.

Just as important as learning to be self-sufficient, is keeping abreast of zoning restrictions and local code concerning backyard livestock. Members affiliated with our group have been instrumental in getting code changed in Solano County cities to reflect today's urban homesteading movement. As a result emanating from a year's worth of dedicated work with the Vacaville City Council, Vacaville has approved the keeping of backyard chickens. In addition, Benicia has also changed its ordinance in favor of backyard beehives. We are working together for change, and also to help ensure that our local leaders do not place more restrictions on urban homesteaders.

We are on Facebook.

And we are always looking for people willing to share skills or learn new ones.