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I've followed the news about a local family who has been defying the big city dependence on "buy everything at the local retailer" and as they experimented with turning their very urban home into a productive homestead. Their story reminds me of my own childhood in Arkansas when my parents defied the trends and reared their children with organic gardening, milk cows and productive poultry...and lots of fresh air.

So, I'm delighted to find that the Dervaes family have launched an online store of practical "urban pioneer" products that can help others live a more productive homelife.

The Peddler's Wagon Urban Pioneer

"This is not your ordinary online store and neither are we ordinary shopkeepers," stated Jules Dervaes, owner. "Instead, what shoppers will find at this website is an old-fashioned business harkening back to the time when an industrious peddler would frequent Old West towns to provide isolated settlers with the necessities of life on the frontier. His horse drawn wagon, a 'small box' store, would be stocked with handy tools, practical merchandise, and eclectic wares useful for the struggling pioneer family carving out a homestead in the wilderness."

Mr. Dervaes, assisted by his three adult children, sees himself as an old-time proprietor who, in this digital age, can bring to modern eco-pioneers green products that can help them live sustainably in a world threatened by global warming. His version of the peddler’s wagon carries a hand-picked assortment ranging from garden tools to solar ovens, from metal water bottles to rain barrels, from slipper socks to toilet lid sinks. Ollas (clay pots), an ancient method of irrigation, are a best seller. Also sold are appliances such as a coffee grinder, blender, and food processor-all manually operated-to assemble a kitchen, unplugged.

Peddler's Wagon has received Co-op America's seal of approval for its socially and environmentally responsible business practices. By investing in a carbon free fund, customers can choose to offset the effects of the carbon dioxide emitted when their purchases are shipped.

When there are so many businesses using the green label, it is important to look behind the slogan to see who is running the store. Since 2001 the Dervaes family has been building the original 21st century urban homestead in the heart of downtown Pasadena, California, defining the venture as Path to Freedom. First and foremost, the family strives to make a living by micro-farming on a one-fifth acre residential lot and harvesting as much as three tons of produce per year. "Yet, I understood we were not in this just for ourselves," said Mr. Dervaes, "and so we had an obligation to pass along what we have learned about sustainable living, giving others an opportunity to change their world."

To this end, the family provides extensive how-to resources and inspiration at www.pathtofreedom.com, reaching thousands of readers daily from over 120 countries. To earn the extra income needed to support this rapidly growing worldwide outreach, in late 2006 these visionary farmers launched their vanguard 'wagon.' Moreover, to further maximize their impact on the planet, they have dedicated 10% of the net profits for development and relief organizations.

Today, when there is such a pressing need to walk a new path, 'right to your door' comes Peddler's Wagon, backed by the trail blazing work of Path to Freedom. Committed to truly living green, shopkeeper Mr. Dervaes offers a neighborly hand while pitching his homespun philosophy: "We decide our future each day by the choices we make. Every product one buys is an investment in tomorrow. So, it is vital to invest wisely in order to ensure that there will be a good and safe place for our human family to live—our home, earth."

About Peddler’s Wagon

Peddler's Wagon is an online business run by urban homesteaders who, drawing from years of real-life experience, can offer the best of sustainable, practical wares for the eco-pioneer. Established in 2006 at Path to Freedom in Pasadena, CA, this old-fashioned store stocks a carefully selected assortment of "homestead-tested," environmentally friendly products for household, garden, apparel and personal care needs. For more information, visit www.peddlerswagon.com