K.Ruby Blume

K.Ruby Blume

In my rich and varied life I have worn many hats: educator, gardener, beekeeper, shearer, fruit enthusiast, author, artist, activist.

A hardcore generalist, with a thirst for knowledge, both contemporary and arcane, I have studied everything from permaculture design to sewing machine repair and have taught myself canning, fermentation and cheesemaking techniques, as well as how to set tile, install a sink, stretch a fence, spin wool, tend a beehive and repair a motorcycle. I hold certificates in permaculture design, massage, life coaching and sheep shearing and have taken courses in native plants, botany, pollination ecology, soil ecology and microbiology.

I am a passionate creator with extensive experience in the arts including work with ceramic, mosaic, glass, printmaking, puppetry, collage, assemblage, costume design, fiber arts, graphics and photography. I am known for my work as co-founder and artistic director of the art-for-justice project, Wise Fool Puppet Intervention (1989-2007). Wise Fool created giant puppets, stiltwalking characters and other magical imagery and brought them into the streets where they were accessible to all.

As a fourth generation educator, curriculum development is in my bones. I have been crafting courses and sharing knowledge 40+ years. I have taught stiltwalking, puppetry, theatre, gardening, soil ecology, natural beekeeping, canning and a wide variety of other agricultural and heirloom skills to people ages five to ninety-five.

In 2008, out of frustration with the limitations of street activism, and in response to a growing concern for food security and sustainability, I founded The Institute of Urban Homesteading (IUH), based in Oakland, CA, where I taught much of the core curriculum and provided an outlet for dozens of other teachers to share their skills. As well as offering a broad spectrum of homesteading related courses, IUH hosted the highly successful event, Urban Farm Tours, introducing the public to the possibilities for sustainability on variously sized urban lots.

I’ve shared lots of knowledge in print as well, having authored the cult puppet building tome, Wise Fool Basics (1992) and co-authored Urban Homesteading: Heirloom Skills for Sustainable Living (with Rachel Kaplan, 2011). I wrote a monthly homesteading blog for IUH for over 15 years and am excited to write more for Homestead Culture.

Since 2016 I have stewarded Faerie Road Farm, 22 acres of bottomland pasture along the Rogue River. I raise sheep and tend a mixed fruit orchard of 100+ trees as well as extensive gardens and many other critters. I currently work seasonally as a fruit tree arborist and alpaca shearer, sell fruit and other produce locally and offer a wide variety of hand-crafted, value-added goods for purchase.

I believe that knowledge is power and connection to the natural world is essential for human survival. I continue to educate, agitate, create and connect wherever possible.