Urban Homesteading is the home and garden of a person or family engaging in sustainable small-scale agriculture and related activities designed to reduce environmental impact and increase self-sufficiency.[1]
Mesa's Agriculture HeritageWhy is Urban Homesteading Important to West Mesa?
It fits the character of the area. Quite simply, Urban Homesteading and West Mesa have a great relationship IQ- Both metaphorically and pragmatically.
It is a new way of thinking based upon forgotten and old-fashioned sensibilities. Mesa has long been known for it's late adoption of popular cultural imperatives. The texture of West Mesa's older neighborhoods and the way they evolved can still support small scale agriculture and even livestock.
What was once considered to be just plain sensible by tough, pragmatic people, is becoming relevant once again. Sustainable urban farming and gardening is a minor revolution that promises to increase in importance with each year.
What was once considered to be just plain sensible by tough, pragmatic people, is becoming relevant once again. Sustainable urban farming and gardening is a minor revolution that promises to increase in importance with each year.
It's hard to see today- to look past the noisy streets and stale storefronts. Mesa has a tremendous agricultural history that still lingers.
The Hohokams
For over a thousand years during pre-historic times, the Hohokam people populated this valley. It's estimated that there was a city settlement here, made up of nearly 50,000 Native people, and that it was arguably the largest ancient settlement in North America. They did it without modern air conditioning, without fertilizers or farming equipment. No electricity, and no technology- almost.
The Hohokams developed sophisticated techniques to turn this desert valley into an agricultural jewel. Their most remarkable construct was a massive network of irrigation canals that carried water from the Salt and Gila rivers into cultivated fields- as far west as Buckeye and as far south as Casa Grande. Some of the original engineering is still in place, and the redevelopment of the original Hohokam excavations is what gave form to the Phoenix canal network and the agricultural history of Phoenix and it's surrounding cities.
Park of the Canals
Park of the Canals
The park features both Native and Pioneer canals, and a Desert Botanical Garden.
Northwest Mesa is also a stepping off point for a change in elevation and the network of canals- an Eastern gateway from which the network branched outward from the Salt River, flowing west from it's sources in Northern Arizona. A marker for that area is the Mesa Grande Platform mound in Northwest Mesa. An active Archeological site, the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission has designated Mesa Grande an official Arizona Centennial Legacy project.
The Mesa Grande Interpretive Trail is maintained by the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa, and can be toured on selected dates.
West Mesa
A map of West Mesa in 1950 would show many new housing subdivisions that were then downright rural (Duke Manor included). There was simply very little development then between Downtown Mesa and Downtown Tempe, and the neighborhoods that did exist were relatively isolated. It's no surprise then, to find neighborhoods in West Mesa full of modest 1950's homes on large irrigated lots. The expectation then would have been that people would want to raise food and/or keep animals on their property. Some still do.
There are numerous properties in West Mesa that still have agricultural designations and irrigation rights. Duke Manor is one of those neighborhoods.
Fitch Farm
At the corners of Center St and Brown Rd in Northwest Mesa stands The Historic Fitch Farm.The farm received a Historic overlay from the city of Mesa in 2010, protecting it as a historic asset to the area, but remains fully functional.
The Mesa Historical Museum has a documented account of the Fitch Family as part of their collection. It is a recorded interview with Mr Fitch which covers his being
"one of the last farmers to hold farm land inside the city limits of Mesa, Mr. Fitch discusses the difficulties of holding onto his land and farming in the city. He talks about his career as a farmer working with dairy, sheep, cotton, citrus, and hay. The Fitches have been in Mesa since it was a town of about 4000 in 1928, and have lived in the same house on N. Center since 1933."
Citrus
"one of the last farmers to hold farm land inside the city limits of Mesa, Mr. Fitch discusses the difficulties of holding onto his land and farming in the city. He talks about his career as a farmer working with dairy, sheep, cotton, citrus, and hay. The Fitches have been in Mesa since it was a town of about 4000 in 1928, and have lived in the same house on N. Center since 1933."
Citrus
Mesa Citrus Growers Association
Landmark Distribution Building
[1]. http://urbanhomestead.org/urban-homestead-definition
[1]. http://urbanhomestead.org/urban-homestead-definition
I remember seeing a commercial on TV a long time ago -in which Tammy Wynette sang "I was country when Country wasn't cool". Of course being very young I thought that it was weird and had no idea what it meant. She just didn't seem to get it...
But it reminds me today- of how common sense is somehow cool. How ideas that were at one time just practical facts of plain living are once again relevant- even desirable. There is a bit of irony to be observed here, but more importantly
Capturing rain water in the desert is an old idea. Using decaying vegetable matter for fertilizer was something that you had to do.
Coal trucks would rumble down their brick alleyway and Trolley cars sail past in front, but in the small back yard, My great grandmother would keep chickens and grow vegetables. My own mother who grew up in Rural Ohio told me stories of watching the women in her family butcher chickens as part of the Sunday ritual in making dinner.
It didn't used to be "Cool" to be sustainable- we didn't even know what it was- becasue it was based upon survival. Somehow it speaks to something that already exists in Mesa- that people have held on to- for better or for worse.
3). In the low desert we can grow nearly 12 months a year.
In an area when people increasibngly see any kind of "yard work" as a waste of time.
In a state where condominium amd patio home living is considered desirable. All one has to do is do a home search on any real esate website. You'll quickly find that outside of places like South Florida, Southern California, and Arizona- that single family homes are consiered condominiums are still considered a cheap substitute. Casual, easy living is still not as popular as the perceived stability, formality and status that a traditional home represents.
the poulation is in
In contrast, many neighborhoods in West Mesa provide a different way of life. Horses stand in lots next to main roads, many neighborhoods brag of deep lots with mature plantings, wide streets, and hidden citrus orchards and
To learn more about what Permaculture is:
Irrigated neighborhoods are an oasis in the desert.
In an era when yardwork is seen as unpopular, and hundreds upon thousands of newer homes have the requisite desert landscape- many of Mesa's older neighborhoods offer the potential for a decidedly different lifestyle. Large lots, wide streets, mature trees, and flood irrigation create a slower pace.. The shade created by mature landscaping specimens creates not only an overall colling effect, but also a variety of growing conditions where vegetable gardens can enjoy protection from the seasonally brutal sunlight here.
While I admire what many of my peers are doing in Phoenix, choosing to be "Urban Warriors"- I prefer to stay where I am. I think that freedom from retail centers, crowded roadways, and pressure to conform and compete superficially while having proximity to Sky Harbor, Papgo Park, Mill Ave, Old Town Scottsdale, the Superstition Mountains and Apache Lake offers a better quality of life.
Of course it requiares someone with pragmatic thinking to look past
but also a variety of growing conditions where vegetable gardens can enjoy protection from direct sunlight while they soak up gentler ambient light for hours each day.
argest single body of land irrigated in prehistoric times in North or South America, and perhaps in the world". The system utilized at least 1000 miles (1600 km) of canals and irrigated over 100,000 acres (40,470 hectares
