My ambition this year is to make the house in Malibu fully self-supporting.
I bought the Malibu house two years ago after selling the property I had owned in Whitstable for nearly thirty years.
The Whitstable house was a slim, 1880’s, three floored, terrace. Clad in white ship-lap it looked over the Swale and I would sit on my wide, all weather balcony watching the sea crawl over the long, shallow beach. Sea Gulls wheeling over the ocean, huge cargo boats on the horizon.
The Malibu house could not be any different. Built in 1972 the house was originally one large family home but had been divided into two apartments in the mid 80’s.
Frankly, it was the ugliest house I had ever seen: Big Sur interior meets Scandinavian sauna. Acres of dark wood, bad carpet, virulent yellow paint and stained glass windows. When I moved in I threw away thirty clinking clanking wind chimes. The downstairs apartment, where I originally moved, was beautifully proportioned and very cozy but upstairs, where I now live, had towering ceilings and mahogany Shindleresq detailing.
By far the most beautiful aspect to the house was the view over the Pacific. I traded cargo ships for schooners and sea gulls for pelicans. In February, every year, the great hump back whale migrates across my view.
The house is either ‘wonderfully isolated’ or ‘terribly isolated’ depending on who you have visiting. It was made more isolated in 1984 when a portion of Rambla Pacifico, the road that leads directly to my house, was destroyed in a landslide cutting off hundreds of people from their homes-mine included. Thankfully, this April, the road will be rebuilt after 26 years. So, instead of a 7 minute drive through the Santa Monica Mountains from the Pacific Coast Highway it will take two minutes.
Why, you may ask, did you buy the house in the first place? Well, the house may have been ugly and isolated with no direct road from the PCH but the three acres of garden was an oasis beyond description. The moment I stepped into that garden I realized that I would have to buy the house.
A long drive, planted with palms and lavender and fruit trees, leads past a deep fish pond to a wide granite path weaving through grandly planned terraces stepping from the top to the bottom of the property. Under a canopy of Brazilian orchid trees the paths are dappled with sunlight.
In the spring, after the heavy rains, waterfalls gush down rough-hewn gullies and then a miracle happens the arid mountain is transformed, becomes lush with wild flowers and green grass.
There are fruit trees planted all over the property and my first year in the house I harvested bananas, plums, grapefruit, figs, lemons, mangoes, guava, oranges, nectarines, peaches, walnuts and tangerines.
There are foxes, coyote, deer and bob-cats. There are hummingbirds, hawks, and quail. At night huge white owls feast on gophers and field mice.
I pride myself on knowing the names of trees and shrubs where ever I live. I could tell you the name of every species that makes up an English hedgerow. I knew nothing of native Californian flora and fauna so I threw myself into learning what was what in my new garden. I found Rye, Coast Live Oak, Black Live Oak, Baby Blue Eyes, Morning Glory Wild Lupins and California Poppy to name but a few.
With my possessions arriving from Whitstable I had to make upstairs livable.
The first great simplification! I painted everything in the huge, upper apartment a pale cream, covered up the stained glass windows, painted the kitchen cupboards a pale blue-gray and one accent wall a Sottsass pink. I hired migrant workers and planted empty parts of the garden with native grasses and drought resistant cactus and the like.
My furniture arrived from London and seemed to suit it’s new home.
My friend Maury Rubin who owns the legendary City Bakery in New York moved into the apartment below and I got hooked to the Internet and the parameters of my Malibu estate.
Today, instead of abandoning Malibu I have decided to move back into my home to enact the second part of this Californian story of how the west was won and hopefully I can take you all along with me.
My intention is this: to get off the grid, to be fully self-supporting, to grow vegetables and graze goats on the property. I want chickens and a pig. I want more than fancy fruit. I want tomatoes and onions for chutney and green vegetables to keep me moving. This year will be the year of the great growing and cooking experiment and we’ll throw some personal drama into the pot no doubt-but this year is about growth of the natural and the personal kind and it will all begin on January 1st 2010.
I am quite sure there is a community of market gardeners and goat owners only moments from my house and to whom I am going to reach out and make this dream come true.
I have no idea if I am even allowed to do any of this-or what laws I may break or if any or all of this is possible but that’s what this new blog is for: to bring you along as my trials and tribulations unfold. I know that you’ll help me, you’ve helped thus far. Let’s have another adventure shall we?
nothing is better than getting your hands and feet dirty in soil and having vegtables grow..and then get to eat them!
And you think its the most wonderful tasting thing youve ever ate. Have fun with it Duncan, it just doesnt nourish your body, gardening nourishes your soul. Are you going to try organic gardening? {im excited for you, because i have a long winter before i can go play in the garden} 🙂
Sounds like a wonderful adventure! Your writing style is refreshingly honest, so I look forward to reading about this new chapter in your life.
Chickens are the greatest. Fresh eggs every day. Araucanas are my favorite.
You must do this. It is a noble endeavor.
I’m glad you will be staying, and continue blogging. I love reading what you share with us. Can’t wait to hear more about the garden and animals to come.
Watch out for Little Dog! I live in a semi-rural area, neighbour’s shitz-tzu was killed by coyotes recently! Sadly, they weren’t very good about keeping track of that dog. It was often seen wandering on the busy road. Poor dog. I’m sure you know where the pup is at all times…and she you!
I so look forward to reading of your new adventure! The descriptions of your house were so articulate and wonderful. I first saw you on Vh1 and was instantly drawn in to your story. I think your a beautiful person and I wish you the best.
Duncan,
Your voice has brought warmth, wisdom, and a healthy dose of sassiness. I’d follow you to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Wax on, and stay strong!
All best!
Jen
Yay! You’re staying! I love adventures. Thanks for inviting us!
Have you considered alpacas? They’re really cute.
It sounds basic, idyllic and hopeful. Good for you. Happy New Year!
Sounds like heaven to me!
As much as I love living in the Hayes Valley area of San Francisco, it is a concrete jungle and I yearn for a yard! My dream is to buy a little cottage somewhere and grow delicious tomatoes and fresh herbs!
I look forward to hearing more…
“Acres of dark wood, bad carpet, virulent yellow paint and stained glass windows.”
Sounds like heaven to me.
That will teach me to read the other comments before posting my own. Or will it?
your home sounds magical! absolutely beautiful! good luck 🙂
Delighted you’re staying in your Malibu home, it has your heart. It’s a healing area, so theraputic, as the land/fauna progress, so shall you. Channel your gardening expertise into a cookbook, you bloom as you’re creative. Take me with on your adventure!
Add in an imperious Penelope Keith and the adorable Felicity Kendall and you may have something.
yessss, a new adventure please!!!
it all seems rather mad, actually, but delightfully so. i’m beginning my plans to emigrate to costa rica and live on my paltry social security at the age of 67. see your mad and raise you daft.
And so it begins! Bravo.
Just found your blog and cannot stop reading. Wonderful.
I am very excited about your future blog posts. One of my goals for when I own a house in the future is to have a ton of property to plant tons of different fruits and vegetables and raise a farm. It’s gonna be fun (and probably educational) to read through your journey, I look forward to it.
Along with the others, I think this is a lovely idea. It gives you a direction in which to place your nurturing desires. Just like taking your former painful life, and making it one of joy and celebration. Take a sad, misguided, tasteless property and make it sing with color and abundance.
BTW, those are Gray whales that pass by usually, rarely Humpbacks. They travel the Mexico to Alaska route, going south to give birth and get laid and north to get fat on Antarctic krill and herring. There are some Blues way out too, but they can’t be seen from land. You can kayak to the route of your whales with practice, about a mile from shore. The Humpbacks are out by Maui, and down at the Dominican Republic. The Grays are still baleen whales, but an older species than Humpbacks. They are our druids of the sea.
Love the idea of kayaking. GREAT exercise, you’ll definitely want one with a rudder, and make sure you sit in it before you buy it. A reputable dealer will usually have demo models you can try-out. Look for a small shop that specializes in them, usually you’ll pay more, but usually you’ll get better service too.
I am up for the adventure Duncan…I would be following your growth experiment, I got a feeling coming year is going to be great for you, and I would be feeling your journey through your blog.
It’s so nice to have food to pick while admiring your own garden.
I lived in a place here in Arizona where the grapefruit tree made bowling ball-sized fruit all year-round . . . by the bushels full (we’d donate them to the surrounding retirement homes).
We had an orange tree that only produced fruit as it was supposed to seasonally, but were so sweet. Yet that grapefruit tree kept pumping out produce, almost to annoyance. (Roots under the swimming pool).
Sounds like a good plan, Duncan. Growing stuff is so positive. It’s almost like doing a good thing without noticing.
Oh, and Merry Christmas.
Gardening is good for the soul, the spirit and the earth. My mother worked out a lot of stress in that patch in the backyard. I would think you could grow nearly anything where you are.
You might want to contact your local county extension agent to get some advice on issues like goat and chicken husbandry, beekeeping (in case you’re interested), gardening, etc. There are tons of resources available from extension agencies and most of it is free.
If you decide to start canning and preserving your own food, I recommend the Auburn University guide. It’s $9 and considered one of the best on the subject. Here’s a link: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/forms/SpecificPubOrders/food_preservation.php
I’m looking forward to your garden journals. I’m predicting this will bear good fruit of many kinds.
Continuing to pray for happiness, sobriety, healing, peace and all good things for you. God bless.
How wonderful your garden is. How are you managing for water?
I am excited for you Duncan! Gardening is such beautiful work. My goal is to have a garden someday. Right now I have five rose bushes that I love to care for. They reward me with such lovely blooms, and I am grateful. Nature is an inspiring higher power! I love your blogs. Thank you for sharing your journey.
That is an AWESOME idea! I was half hoping you wouldn’t sell it because you make it sound so wonderful. Good luck with your self-supporting experiment!
I can’t wait for your adventure to start. I look forward to hearing about the good times & bad times. Keep up the good spirit it is contageous.
Well, now, this IS exciting! My mother was an organic gardener back in the 1940’s and 50’s when people considered her a “crazy” because she made compost and would not use DDT. She had a big 5 acre garden, chickens, turkeys and rabbits. She would can and freeze lots of food and have more to give away. I look forward to reading more about your projects for the property.
Thanks for sharing your lovely property with us. I’m on a multi-year mission to transform my five acres in Vermont to a garden of idyllic delights. This has been remarkably challenging and rewarding. Five years ago with a needle in my arm I only imagined a future filled with black anxiety and despair. Please keep us apprised of your gardening doings.
“Covered up the stained glass windows”?!?!?! I feel slightly ill. I’ve always wanted to live in a home that had them. Everything else about the house sounds lovely. I would adore isolation like that.