Our friends at Homegrown Evolution posted a video from the coolest, most envy-worthy homesteaders, Wendy and Mikey at Holy Scrap Hot Springs in Truth or Consequences, NM. They are attractive, creative, funny AND they have accomplished some incredible projects - all documented on their blog. If I weren’t so smitten, I’d want to hate them for being so incredibly interesting and cool.

The Grand Tour from Mikey Sklar on Vimeo.

They’re building a B&B on their property…an eventual visit is imperative.

The Rural Routes Film Festival kicks off its “Year of The Nomad” tour after a series of screenings in the New York area this summer. The festival exists to highlight works that deal with rural people and places. The definition of rural, they say, is up for interpretation.

To begin, on Friday July 18th, Rooftop Films in Brooklyn will be showing six shorts, including Rural Route Director Alan Webber’s film, “Dear Deer”. The tale is an urban wildlife love story tearjerker - all in under five minutes.

The screenings schedule includes a fund raising BBQ for Severine’s film “The Greenhorns”, too!

July 18 - Rooftop Films, Brooklyn, NY
August 16-17 – Greenhorns Midsummer Rabbit Roast, Pawling, NY
Aug. 4 – ImageNation, Harlem, NY
Sept. 6 – Sharon Springs, NY (benefit for small town library)
Sept. 24-Oct. 8 – Scandinavia House, New York, NY
Oct. – Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY

Eternally inquisitive, vehement in his convictions, and staggeringly creative, R. Buckminster Fuller’s legacy challenges all us to consider how our behavior impacts the planet. A look back at his life’s work: “Starting With The Universe” is now at The Whitney Museum of American Art in New York (until September 21).

The Buckminster Fuller Challenge is an annual call for “comprehensive solutions that radically advance human well-being and ecosystem health.” This video showcases several of the most notable entries:

This year’s $100,000 prize was awarded to to Dr. John Todd, for his “Comprehensive Design for a Carbon Neutral World: The Challenge of Appalachia“. In the Jury’s words:

Dr. Todd’s proposal sets forth a profound vision to heal the environmental and economic scars of the Appalachian region and a detailed strategy to build a dynamic sustainable economic basis for lasting renewal. A comprehensive design strategy, the Carbon Neutral World will use biological processes to restore degraded coal lands in Appalachia, and to use the process to return atmospheric carbon to the soil.

Naturally, we at HOMEGROWN are most intrigued by the “Vertically Integrated Greenhouse” and Building Integration projects from New York Sun Works. Essentially, using the inevitability of urban living to its maximum ecological potential.

Save Land: Vegetable yields are about 20 times the typical yields of field agriculture.
Save Water: Recirculating irrigation consumes five to ten times less water than field agriculture.
Protect rivers: Recirculating systems eliminate fertilizer runoff to surface waters.
Reduce pollution: Urban greenhouses eliminate the use of fossil fuels in tractors and trucks
Recover rainwater: The greenhouse roof can be designed to capture rainfall, reducing storm overflow. Improve food safety: Integrated pest management does not require chemical pesticides.
Improve health: Access to fresh vegetables is improved in urban communities.
Reduces waste: Waste heat from buildings can be captured to heat the greenhouse.
Cool buildings: A cover of vegetation mitigates the urban heat island effect, even under glass.
Combat global warming: Up to 0.5 kg of CO2 emissions can be mitigated for each kg of vegetables produced in a rooftop greenhouse.

Visionaries, indeed. What other ideas are out there? We’d love to hear from you!