Meet Erin, a Bay Space city farmer and astrologist who sees Bitcoin and homesteading as community-focused methods of changing into self-sufficient.
On this version of the “Bitcoin Homesteaders Interview Series,” I spoke with Erin, who constructed an city farm within the yard of her rented condo within the San Francisco Bay Space.
I initially met Erin at a Bay Space Bitcoin Meetup and was struck by her large pursuits — from astronomy and astrology to Bitcoin and doomsday prepping. When not tending to her farm, she’s engaged on a PhD in Earth and planetary science and operating a podcast known as “Hell Money” with Casey Rodarmor (the Ordinals man).
She’s additionally reaching children together with her adventures into city farming by way of TikTok — so observe her there if you happen to’d wish to be taught extra about how she produces abundance out of her yard.
Erin and I talked about how she bought her begin with homesteading by probability, the distinctive challenges and benefits of city farming, paying it ahead, the longer term for San Francisco and the astrology of Bitcoin. I hope you take pleasure in!
Sidd: Thanks for becoming a member of me, Erin! Simply to kick off, are you able to inform me a bit about the way you began homesteading and the place you’re at now?
Erin: Positive. So, I began homesteading sort of accidentally. I moved out to the Bay Space about 4 and a half years in the past. And when my boyfriend and I have been looking for a spot to stay, we have been simply wanting on Craigslist for a spot with a yard. We knew we needed to do some gardening, however we didn’t have huge plans.
We got here throughout a Craigslist advert with no photos — it was perhaps two sentences lengthy saying principally, “Hey, I need a sublet for six months. If you are willing to feed the chickens, I’ll give you cheap rent.” We responded to it, although we thought it could be pretend. But when it occurred to be actual, we thought it will be a great spot for us.
We came upon the one who posted the advert was Novella Carpenter, who’s virtually a neighborhood Bay Space celeb. She’s an city homesteader who wrote a ebook known as “Farm City” in 2009. It was a memoir of her life in Oakland the place she began squat gardening on an empty lot subsequent to her home. After she gardened for a protracted whereas, somebody lastly confirmed up and informed her it was their lot — however they provided to promote it to Novella.
She purchased it and constructed out a complete city farm that’s known as Ghost City Farm. She emailed us from her private e mail whereas we have been going backwards and forwards concerning the itemizing, so we came upon who she was. So, the itemizing appeared actual to us after that, and since she didn’t ask for any cost forward of time we figured it wasn’t a lot of a threat.
We drove throughout the nation in a U-Haul and confirmed up with out seeing a single image of the condo. We simply resolved to stay there regardless. It felt like a synchronicity, a lovely factor to be welcomed into.
That six-month sublet ended up turning right into a 12 months residing at Ghost City Farm. Nevertheless, she ended up leaving after that 12 months, since she solely owned the lot subsequent door and never the home she was residing in. When she left, she requested us if we needed to take the chickens. We agreed and located one other six-month sublet that was keen to have our chickens within the yard. We stuffed a U-Haul stuffed with fruit timber in trash cans, cuttings in planters and eight chickens.
We moved in a month earlier than COVID.
As soon as we settled into the brand new place, we discovered that we bought together with the owner and felt comfy being there extra completely. That allowed us to extra deliberately design our backyard. Then COVID hit, which truly labored out completely for us as a result of we have been house all day, on daily basis. We spent the primary three months simply working within the yard and setting all the pieces up. The yard itself is lower than 1 / 4 acre. It’s not an enormous yard. However we’ve sort of been in a position to determine a state of affairs with some raised beds, some stuff within the floor, after which the chickens.
Humorous sufficient, many of the yard once we moved in was truly concrete. The man who owned the home earlier than our landlord was a concrete layer who would check out new mixes in his yard. So, there’s concrete about 16 inches deep in our yard.
We thought we’d take the concrete out, however that was far too tough. As an alternative, we contacted native arborists — people who reduce down timber — and we bought three large a great deal of mulch. We coated the whole yard in mulch and simply began planting on prime of the concrete and mulch.
Tip: Arborists gives you free mulch everytime you’re in a position to take it, as a result of they only must eliminate it.
From an city soil perspective, loading mulch on that concrete is definitely an amazing factor to have the ability to do since you don’t actually know what’s within the soil in an city setting. Even when one thing’s not close to a present-day construction, the percentages that somebody had a bizarre shed or no matter with lead paint on it, for instance, should not zero. Until you actually go foot by foot and check the soil in your yard, you gained’t know what you’re rising in. It’s an enormous drawback for city homesteading. So, beginning contemporary on prime of concrete and constructing new soil truly eradicated numerous potential points.
We’ve been right here for 2 and a half years, so we’ve seen a few seasons right here now. That’s the story to date.
Sidd: And what’s your private background? What else are you doing outdoors of homesteading and the way did you uncover Bitcoin?
Erin: Properly, I’m initially from Pennsylvania, and that’s the place I lived till we moved out right here. I moved to the Bay Space to start out a PhD program in Earth and planetary science at UC Berkeley. I’m at present within the PhD program, and that’s what I do for cash.
I fell in love with Bitcoin once we have been residing at Ghost City Farm initially. That was the primary time I ever purchased bitcoin as effectively. So, beginning homesteading and entering into Bitcoin have been on an identical timeline for me.
Exterior of that, I even have a podcast known as “Hell Money.” I do numerous astrology stuff as effectively, which we will get into later.
Sidd: What are you producing proper now in your homestead?
Erin: So, we have now orange and lemon timber, a few of that are nonetheless in trash cans, and a few of that are within the floor. Placing timber within the floor is a fairly everlasting factor to do as a renter. We’ve tried to place issues within the floor that aren’t going to be an enormous potential drawback once we transfer out some day.
Then we have now 13 chickens in a single space producing eggs. Though, I’ll say, even in Northern California winters, they don’t produce very a lot until you could have a warmth lamp. We get numerous eggs — sufficient for the 2 of us — after which some additional in the course of the spring, summer season and fall.
We now have two areas when it comes to rising. There’s a perennial permaculture space that’s largely herbs and crops that simply keep within the floor and produce a brand new harvest after they’re prepared. Then we have now two raised beds that we use for crops that we harvest on an annual foundation and that we rotate.
Proper now, the beds are empty. We’re simply getting issues began for subsequent 12 months. It’s our fourth summer season residing on this home, so we’re attending to the purpose the place we have now to essentially care about soil well being for annual crop rotation. Once you backyard within the first 12 months or so, in case your soil is in fine condition, all the pieces’s nice. After that, if you happen to’re not occupied with find out how to fertilize issues and guarantee that your soil is effectively balanced, it might probably actually begin to go unhealthy.
We’re targeted on getting soil checks performed to get a way for our soil well being, so we will keep that into this 12 months. We even have worm composting, which I like to recommend to anybody who even has similar to a tiny yard.
Worm composting is principally a system of Tupperware-like giant bins which have grates on the backside. Stack 4 or 5 of them on prime of one another with smaller and smaller grates as you go down the stack. Put your compost within the prime bin and add worms. The worms eat your compost and because it breaks down, compost falls to the decrease ranges and the worms unfold out. You produce nice fertilizer so shortly in a really space-efficient method. The underside container will get full of black gold.
Sidd: So, in these first three months, was it full-time give you the results you want and your boyfriend to construct beds, lay mulch and plant all the pieces? What was the method of getting it began once you correctly kicked off?
Erin: I’d say it was a full-time weekend job for 2 to a few months. We each work full-time jobs in the course of the week, however we have been working from house. That helped with a number of duties, like tending to new chicks. It’s actually onerous to have a nine-to-five workplace job and lift chicks. You want to have the ability to do quarter-hour of upkeep or checkup in the course of the day — that makes an enormous distinction. So, a distant job the place you’re working from house is ideal.
Fortuitously, it was additionally a very nice option to see pals at the moment. Within the early days of COVID, folks have been not likely leaving the home or doing something. So, folks have been keen even to return over and transfer mulch round for 4 hours. That meant we bought numerous assist.
I feel residing in an city setting, so many individuals don’t have entry to nature or the enjoyment of cultivating one thing. It’s very satisfying work. So, even when we have now huge duties which are loads for simply two folks to do, we’re often capable of finding some pals that wish to make a cute sort of cottage day trip of it.
Sidd: How did you learn to arrange and run your homestead?
Erin: Loads of it was Novella, initially, since we lived on her farm which was at that time about 15 years previous. She was our largest mentor. After we took cuttings from her crops, we have been already accustomed to how they behave in the event that they’re doing effectively or not.
I didn’t develop up doing this, and neither did my boyfriend. Our experiences with Novella and the web bought us right here. We do have a ton of homesteader books, however I haven’t cracked open most of them as a result of any query I’ve I can simply Google round for whereas I’m out within the backyard. There are numerous boards with folks figuring it out on-line.
I additionally discovered the free permaculture course from Heather Jo Flores very useful and gratifying as a result of it goes into the ideas behind permaculture. These ideas assist me to maintain asking, “What is it I’m actually trying to do here?” so I put extra thought into my designs.
Our studying path has been a mix of that preliminary mentorship, numerous Googling after which simply experimenting and willingness to fail. We’re not doing this for revenue or attempting to stay utterly off our land which implies we have now an enormous margin for error.
Sidd: What labor is concerned now in operating your backyard and the chickens?
Erin: It relies on the time of 12 months, and since we’re doing it for enjoyable as an alternative of to outlive, it additionally relies on how motivated we’re and the way a lot time we have now to commit. Within the spring, from February to April, is probably the most intensive time since you’re sprouting seeds and it’s a must to plant all the pieces. That’s the planting and sowing seed stage.
As soon as all the pieces is within the floor, we have now drip irrigation. We don’t must go on the market and water on daily basis. The chickens have a feed factor they will simply step on to open to allow them to get meals. We simply should refill that like as soon as each different week and accumulate eggs, which isn’t work — that’s enjoyable.
The door to the hen coop opens and closes with the solar utilizing a lightweight sensor, and the chickens are like robots — they know to go out and in of the coop. So, the extent of labor is truthfully as much as how a lot effort we wish to be placing in. It finally ends up being a Saturday or Sunday, perhaps each different week or so, changing into a chosen work day to do a little bit of upkeep.
When you’re working from house, and you may spare quarter-hour in a day to do no matter must be performed outdoors of a weekend day, I feel it’s simple to take care of one thing that’s this small. Particularly chickens.
I like to recommend chickens to everybody who has a yard. I feel they’re loads simpler than folks initially count on. I’m certain if we hadn’t inherited chickens, it will have been an enormous choice to get them. However now, we’re by no means going to stay with out chickens. They’re part of our life and now we all know how simple they’re.
Sidd: What concerning the noise from chickens — does that ever trouble you or your neighbors?
Erin: They’re noisy, and roosters could be a lot. Nevertheless, we’re in a metropolis anyway. Most individuals are used to noise. They’re anticipating it.
The principle issue for us was discovering landlords which are cool with them. On this space, neighbors aren’t the issue. It’s Berkeley folks, they suppose it’s cute and funky. We had one neighbor who put up a fuss about it, but it surely was as a result of he thought we have been simply yuppies that didn’t know what we have been doing. As soon as he realized we had a clue, he beloved us and loved having us as neighbors. That was a humorous form of rite-of-passage expertise.
Sidd: So, stroll me by means of all of the fruits, greens and herbs you might be rising.
Erin: We now have virtually infinite lemons and oranges 12 months spherical coming from two timber in trash cans and one within the floor for each of these. We even have an insanely prolific raspberry bush that produces probably the most scrumptious raspberries I’ve ever had. We randomly planted artichoke, which is perennial. It’s all the time doing tremendous effectively.
After which we have now numerous herbs. These have been simple, particularly herbs for teas and medicinal herbs. I used to be actually into that for a sec. throughout COVID, as a result of I needed various therapeutic choices. Certainly one of my favourite issues to do is an enormous harvest of herbs. I grasp them to dry after which experiment with totally different tea blends.
We now have to resolve what to plant for the summer season within the raised beds. My grandfather on my mother’s aspect was an avid tomato gardener in Pittsburgh who saved seeds each single 12 months. I used to be in a position to get a few of his seeds from the 2008 planting, and already bought some to sprout and develop. I saved seeds from people who we will plant once more.
Lastly, we develop numerous weed yearly, contained in the authorized quantity in California of six crops. We’re legally rising extra weed than we may ever probably smoke. I simply give it away.
Sidd: When you transfer, are you going to dig all the pieces up? Or take cuttings and begin anew?
Erin: So, we truly stay in a duplex, and our new neighbors that moved in a 12 months in the past mentioned they selected this place partially due to all of the work we had performed. They needed to start out gardening, so we helped them construct out two extra raised beds to plant in. Now we get to share this space with folks which are like minded and wish to domesticate with us.
So, once we lastly do transfer out sometime, relying on the dynamics of who’s residing upstairs, we’d simply go away it for them. We may simply take cuttings of no matter we wish, principally. Having moved a lot from sublet to sublet, I feel it’s good to depart issues higher than you discovered them. To present the folks transferring in one thing they’re in a position to make use of and construct off is a very nice feeling to have upon transferring out of a spot.
It’s paying it ahead. If we simply moved into an empty lot, I can’t think about what we’d be doing now. We have been lucky to see different folks doing it, and there’s numerous generosity in wanting to maintain the land going the best way that it’s slightly than tearing all the pieces out and taking it with you.
Sidd: What are your ideas on the significance of genetics within the crops you’re rising?
Erin: Once I take into consideration genetics, I take into consideration biodiversity. Typically talking, I lean within the doomsday prepper route. Having a homestead is thrilling for me for the food-security facet. Our backyard hasn’t solved that drawback, but it surely does give us a buffer. That alleviates what some would name “anxiety” within the background — however I simply suppose it’s realism concerning the state of issues.
So, once we have been establishing the homestead, I used to be fixated on how there’s so little biodiversity in our meals system. So many farmers simply purchase seeds from the identical folks and so they’re genetically modified. On prime of that, lots of the hybrid seeds actually can’t be saved — they gained’t propagate on to new generations or it’s unlawful to take action.
Little or no range in seeds makes it simpler for a illness to unfold like wildfire and wipe out a bunch of genetically-identical crops. So, I used to be fascinated with discovering varieties that have been sourced from folks attempting to protect biodiversity, and likewise to optimize for issues that grew effectively in my microclimate. At this level, a pair years in, the easiest way for me to do this is to avoid wasting seeds myself yearly. Long run, I hope I can begin a seed farm and promote seeds with a view to assist keep biodiversity.
Sidd: Most homesteaders, I feel, are withdrawing from the world in numerous methods. Nevertheless, it appears you’re occupied with it in a extra communal method. Why do you suppose that’s? What function does neighborhood play in your homesteading journey?
Erin: I feel it’s a little bit of a way of life distinction given I stay in an city space. I’m not in a position to fortify and shut myself off the best way I feel lots of people who do that form of life-style are. And at this stage of my life I don’t suppose that’s one thing that I wish to do.
For instance, I like that there’s actually one Bitcoin meetup per week, at the very least in my space. I like residing someplace the place there’s loads occurring and it’s simple for me to work together with folks and be part of one thing larger than myself. I’d slightly attempt to construct up my neighborhood round me than simply survive remoted with my household.
I’m certain I bought this from someplace, however I feel rising a backyard is likely one of the solely particular person radical acts that you are able to do. Shopping for bitcoin might be one other one. Rising a backyard makes you extra independent and means that you can provide primary must folks round you. If in case you have a pair toes of filth, you are able to do that. I undoubtedly went by means of a section the place I assumed we would have liked to maneuver to the center of nowhere and fortify, however I’ve gotten previous that now.
We’re additionally lucky to stay in an space with many stable regenerative farms with community-supported agriculture (CSA) drop offs, so we have now a vegetable CSA and a meat CSA. That’s one other benefit of residing in a populated space — you could have entry to loads higher meals sources that may nonetheless be very native. We now have many choices right here from city farms to the broader Bay Space, which is why I don’t really feel such a powerful must subsist off simply what I develop. I’d slightly simply be part of that community personally.
Sidd: Again to Bitcoin. I seen a powerful curiosity in homesteading amongst Bitcoiners after I traveled throughout the U.S. this 12 months. What’s your learn on that? Is there actual curiosity in transferring again to the land and farming?
Erin: I feel it’s actual. However I feel the back-to-the-land factor is fraught. It’s the identical factor that the hippies did. I feel folks underestimate how tough and isolating it’s to really go away society. I consider in my energy as part of a neighborhood sufficient that I feel I could make change, inside the space that I’m in. I don’t know that I’d really feel that method if I lived some other place.
The Bay Space has a powerful sluggish meals motion left from the hippies within the ’60s and ’70s, and I really feel like folks listed here are extra okay with various life. There’s an urge for food for experimenting with extra decentralized, anarchist conditions, for higher or for worse. San Francisco is on the unhealthy aspect of that, like, anarchy line. Like I mentioned, I feel the meals system is an issue you could truly attempt to sort out as a person or as a household, which isn’t the case for lots of political points.
In case you are that anxious concerning the meals system, you should purchase a few acres and begin a farm to be part of the answer. That goes hand in hand with the decentralized economics of Bitcoin as effectively. In my eyes, decentralization is a large a part of this new motion of rising issues the fitting method and incorporating animals into your rising ethically. I don’t suppose that we will have a vegan, plant-based agricultural system — we’d like animals to be part of that. And I like that a lot of Bitcoiners get that.
There’s additionally a parallel between Bitcoin and homesteading in programs design. You might have to have the ability to zoom out and admire the system as a complete. In an amazing backyard, you might be establishing the fitting rising situations in order that the stuff you plant all contribute to one another and soil well being is maintained. That’s a chic system that’s actually sustainable — not sustainable in a buzzwordy method. Bitcoin and its incentive construction are equally sustainable.
Sidd: I wish to get your tackle what’s taking place in San Francisco. In a latest “Hell Money” episode, you talked about how San Francisco has many wild dichotomies. For instance, you’ll be sipping a $20 cocktail in a pleasant bar with folks taking pictures heroin outdoors and feces on the street. What’s your learn on what’s taking place in S.F.?
Erin: That’s a tricky one. There are lots of people that make some huge cash residing in S.F., however I feel they’re not very invested in San Francisco in the long run. Once I take into consideration the folks I do know who stay in San Francisco, they go to Tahoe to ski each weekend. As soon as they’ve children, they transfer out of S.F. I feel there are extra canines than children within the metropolis of San Francisco.
This can be a generalization, however I really feel numerous tech persons are wonderful to simply order DoorDash and hand around in their condo in the course of the week, then go away on the weekends. I don’t suppose there’s the identical stage of funding in residing in San Francisco as someplace like Los Angeles or New York — which have excessive revenue as effectively.
San Francisco folks strike me as both shut-ins or outdoorsy. In each circumstances, they’re not going out within the city and experiencing issues. I’ve nonetheless not absolutely wrapped my head across the homeless state of affairs or how folks clarify that to themselves. Once I go to San Francisco, it shakes me to my core. One thing must be performed however I do not know what.
The social norm is to simply ignore it as you stroll by. That’s a horrible factor to do, however that’s all you are able to do, proper? That’s all that’s socially acceptable to do, at the very least. Homelessness has turn into such an ingrained a part of the politics right here: Nobody actually is aware of find out how to resolve it, or the options are unsavory to a progressive mindset. So, the reply is simply to disregard it, and never spend time in San Francisco.
It’s fascinating that the remainder of the Bay Space doesn’t really feel like that in any respect. Oakland and Berkeley don’t really feel like that. They really feel like lived-in locations the place folks spend their complete lives, elevating children and all. Oakland and Berkeley are most likely the most effective life-style when it comes to what I’m in search of out of life: a yard, chickens and low-key neighbors. There’s no house owner’s affiliation to cope with. However I can take the bus to work, we will bike wherever we wish, it’s a really walkable space.
Sidd: The place do you suppose San Francisco is heading? What’s going to it seem like in 20 years?
Erin: My hope is that the tech sector finally peters out of the Bay Space. For tax causes, I really feel like that’s not an unlikely situation. Then I hope that San Francisco builds extra housing and it turns into extra inexpensive to stay there. It’s a lovely metropolis with an unbelievable local weather, and that may all the time be a draw. It simply wants a reset.
Sidd: So, the very last thing I wish to discuss is your curiosity in astrology. I discover it fascinating the way you discuss Bitcoin and different social change by means of that lens. I’m curious, why are you so fascinated with astrology?
Erin: God is aware of! It’d be actually handy if I wasn’t, truthfully. The extra I discovered about it, the extra my world formed round it. I began seeing issues in that framework, and it grew to become the dominant method that I understood life.
I feel perception and religious construction are a pure a part of the human expertise. So, you’ll be able to both be self privy to it, acknowledging what you consider and that it’s not one thing you’re going to logically justify. Or, you’ll be able to attempt to fake you don’t should consider something — however that simply makes you much less conscious of the road between your perception buildings and your logical mind.
It’s onerous for me to think about how I’d make sense of something with out astrology. I by no means stopped eager to study astrology, and I all the time discover new methods to grasp the world with it. Nevertheless, I additionally take into account myself a science individual that enjoys considering logically. I simply consider them as being totally different instruments in a instrument belt. Each have their limitations. However once more, if you happen to don’t have the religious understanding, I feel you’ll fill it with one thing else. That might be an ideology or a form of spiritual interpretation of science, however you’re going to create a perception construction even if you happen to suppose you don’t consider in something.
Sidd: You’ve talked about the astrological age of Aquarius many occasions in podcasts: What’s that and what does it say about all the pieces we’ve talked about?
Erin: So, the age of Aquarius is an astrological age. Astrological ages are decided by the precession of the equinoxes of the Earth. Over a interval of 1000’s of years, the Earth wobbles on its axis. This implies the equinox factors in a unique route over time, into totally different constellations. The equinox factors towards every signal for roughly 2,000 years.
So, we’ve been within the age of Pisces for the final 2,000 years, and we’re transitioning out of it now. Jesus is commonly considered a really quintessential Pisces power, as a result of Pisces is all about spirituality and dissolving the self into the opposite. I really feel like faith because the opiate of the plenty is a really age of Pisces sort of power.
The final 2,000 years have been so dominated by the most important monotheistic religions, with the best way folks decide what’s good, what’s helpful, what’s authorized even, all derives from these monotheistic buildings. Even the Gregorian calendar we use in the present day began 2,000 years in the past, with the daybreak of the age of Pisces. Monotheistic faith is such an enormous a part of the framework in the present day; of the soup that we’re residing in.
Now we’re transitioning into the age of Aquarius. When the age truly begins is extremely debated, however I’ve heard lots of people say the 12 months 2000 and even the 12 months 2140, unrelated to Bitcoin. In any case, the age of Aquarius is marked by themes like decentralization and expressing individuality whereas nonetheless being a part of a collective.
The web involves thoughts with age of Aquarius vibes. I additionally suppose the transition to the knowledge age and the dissolution of the hierarchical construction we had earlier than are huge themes. There are all these totally different sorts of decentralized methods of figuring out what’s helpful and true, like Bitcoin, however they’re additionally so chaotic proper now. That’s age of Aquarius power.
My Bitcoin journey is definitely tied to astrology as effectively. I wasn’t following it carefully, however I used to be shopping for small quantities as a doomsday prep of types as a buffer in opposition to an economic system that appeared pretend. Then, on the finish of 2020, there was a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius. I felt like all this Aquarius power would are available in, filling the void left from COVID.
The day of the conjunction, as we have been driving out to the seaside, I checked out my telephone and realized bitcoin was again as much as $18,000. That felt like age of Aquarius power. Throughout 2021, bitcoin’s value adopted the traits of Jupiter carefully. So, seeing all these Aquarius transits occur with Bitcoin, I resolved to be taught extra about it. I discovered an in-depth article concerning the astrology of Bitcoin and it simply clicked for me. This and the web are how we will dissolve this corrupt, top-down monetary system that everybody is aware of is damaged.
Sidd: One final query: Is there an astrological rationalization for the latest bitcoin run up?
Erin: So, this weekend I’m assembly up with some Bitcoin astrologers. After all, this isn’t an astrologically-random time: we’re assembly up for the brand new moon in Aquarius. So, in the present day is Tuesday the seventeenth of January, and there’s a brand new moon in Aquarius on Saturday the twenty first. The brand new moon might be in the identical space that Pluto will go into between March and June this 12 months. So, I feel this might be a sneak peek into what Pluto in Aquarius will convey. After Pluto leaves Aquarius this 12 months, it can re-enter in 2024 and keep till 2044.
So, we’re getting somewhat blip of what that new power coming in could be.
Sidd: Thanks for sharing your ideas, Erin!
This can be a visitor submit by Captain Sidd. Opinions expressed are completely their very own and don’t essentially mirror these of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Journal.
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