Josh is turning 50. Wow I wish I was that young again. hahahaha I just turned 79 and still out slaving in our huge garden. We have a little over 800 acres here in Manitoba with all the animals, trees and garden space a person could ever want. We still have time for horse riding and play. A person needs to love their life and themselves. My only medical problem is a little arthritis in the legs but I do fine. You guys are fantastic. You mentioned Gabe Brown who is a rancher. He does not touch his soil at all nor does he add any nutrients. He has videos on U Tube for those you may be interested. You mentioned corn's root system that may go down into the soil for over 10 feet. You mentioned GMO crops. GMO's mostly are cross pollinated by the wind and corn pollen can travel over 10 miles in windy places. The same with soya beans. I hope this helps folks. God Bless Joe Scott
I am so glad you guys are addressing what’s on everyone’s mind.... with what’s going on. You guys are a light in the darkness, a city on a hill. You always remain calm, collected but realistic and solutions based. Thank you!
I live in a trailer park, I have built 10 small grow beds in my backyard, I have all my herbs in planters along my driveway and porch, I also use cat litter containers and laundry buckets throughout them all to have more grow areas. I grow small amounts of tomatoes, peas, green beans, squash, pumpkin, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, radishes, beets, peppers, cucumbers, and celery. Thank you for all that you share with us, it truly does help us little gardeners. Much love and respect from Utah
I just moved from an apt. I had no usable dirt. Just cement. I now have .22 acres!!!! So happy I am now planning my first garden. Nervous and excited. I am so happy to have you tubers to learn from.
@@missannie8012 congratulations, just a word of caution, start small and expand from there because trying to do too much all at once can be overwhelming and lead to more frustration and failure than you might think. But otherwise, I wish you an abundance of harvest.
@@missannie8012 Congratulations!! That's so exciting!! I wish you the absolute very best of luck with your new garden! If I may offer some advice, a used billboard tarp is probably my most useful gardening tool. They're amazingly useful for prepping new garden space, and a good way to terminate cover crops, as well. Also, check your local feed store first, before buying amendments. A 50lb bag of alfalfa pellets is massively cheaper than alfalfa meal marketed as a garden amendment, and exactly the same product. Things like beet pulp and various minerals for livestock work just as well as what the garden shops sell, but you'll save so much money. The markup on garden stuff is crazy. Just be super careful about bringing in any kind of grass product, like straw or composted manure, because aminopyralid contamination has become so widespread it's almost guaranteed, and you definitely don't want that stuff anywhere near your garden or compost pile. I'm a little bit jealous at how much fun you're about to have. 🙂 Again, good luck! I hope you start a channel and document the progression!
@@missannie8012 So happy for you! I would suggest you start with a 4'X8' bed first. However have a maximum sq foot plan in mind. Look up the book "square foot gardening" by Mel Bartholomew. It will give you a good idea of how much food you need or may want to grow. You will adapt any gardening ideas from all sources for your area... so look up your gardening zone. Good luck, happy gardening!!
I have a bunch of things I do to make gardening less over whelming and less work over the season. Tarps. We use them to kill lawn to make new garden beds. Stake the tarp down and leave it for 3 to 8 weeks till the grass is dead. We have raised beds and use cardboard and wood chips as mulch between the beds to reduce weeds and watering. Once our seedlings are established we use mulch hay and grass clippings to mulch around the plants. This reduces watering and weeding. We use cattle panels and t posts for sturdy trellises. Growing vertical reduces space needs, and plant diseases. Don't make you garden beds too wide. I keep mine 24" to 36" wide so it is easy for me to work them sitting on a stool. Narrower beds also allow your children to help in the garden and not have to step on you garden soil and compact it. We use silage tarps in the fall to cover annual garden beds. We keep them on over the winter and only remove them right before we are ready to prep and plant in the spring. We lay a network of hoses and splitters across the entire large garden so I never have to move a hose more than 20 feet to water various parts of the garden. I use low flow sprinklers from Dramm so I don't stress our well. Market gardeners have all sorts of tools and techniques to reduce the work load and many of them can be adapted for the homestead sized gardens. Curtis Stone, Elliot Coleman, JM Fortier, and Never Sink Farm all have great information on cold climate small scale market gardening. If you are in a hot climate I sure you can find other market gardeners like this to learn from. Keep in mind it takes me more time and work to harvest, process and preserve the harvest than it does to grow it. If you expand the garden this year make sure you buy all the tools, supplies, and ingredients you will need to preserve it now. Canning jars, lids, vinegar, salt, clear gel, pectin, spices, dehydrators, fermenting lids and weights, mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, vacuum sealers, and bags, and pressure canners have been impossible to find in late summer and fall these last couple of years.
Our family has to plan around the county fair. Other than things that the kids plan to enter, I aim to have the harvest gluts happen a couple of weeks before and then nothing much the week before and week of, then back into preserving. There's always bean varieties that go faster than they are listed that then over-ripen while we're gone for the week and are lost!
My mother grew up in the depression in a county in Northern Washington, Usk USA. The people who lived close to the land not only survived but thrived. It now spills over and blesses my everyday life. Being sustainable has many levels. Thanks for helping us all I becoming more self-sufficient ❤
My great grandpa grew up in Yamhill Oregon during the depression. He thanked God they were sharecroppers living on some land because it allowed them to have a garden for vegetables. There were also a lot of plum trees and wild rabbits which they survived off of.
Here’s the reason I started watching you guys: I’m thumbing thru some RUclips videos, and there are you guys sitting in the pig’s pen talking. The pen is clean, the pigs are clean. One of the pigs snuggled up next to Carolyn to get a few scratches. I started remembering all the times I yelled at my daughter to go clean her room because it looked and smelled like a pig sty. I must stop here to apologize to your pigs. If they ever get a little messy you can tell them that their room is starting to look like Bob Peterson’s daughter’s bedroom; however, I don’t think they could ever get that bad. So now I’m hooked on you guys, and look forward to watching your pantry chats.
Just remember, Josh, in early Bible days 50 was practically an infant. 😎 Also, I don't understand the folks who would skip the chit chat. In this crazy pandemic, that's the closest I get to adult conversation. Lol Love your videos. Thanks for all of your knowledge and insights. Happy early birthday. 😊
Hi as much as i injoy watching you guys and gain more knowledge of home steading i want to see you guys doing gardening and showing to peaople practical work in farm thanks.
Happy birthday! My fifties have been the happiest part of my life so far, so I don't mind the gray hair. 🙂 I like the idea of instead of years, it's levels like a video game. I'm not 52 years old, I'm level 52. Lol
Plotting: thru backyard, I pass by she shed, then walk between hay barn and husband shop, thru gate into equipment yard where chicken coupe and compost is located, I collect eggs, circle to back gate behind hay barn into garden and high tunnel, circle back next to dog pen, behind she shed raised beds, stone path to fire pit where my pretty flowers and some potted summer herbs, to the back door.
I'm going to share what I'm doing right now to plan my garden. I'm focusing on 4 different harvests. Daily eating, large amounts maturing at once for preservation, some boxes i want to sell with fun varieties you'll never find at the store, and extra harvest to sell at a stand by the road. At this moment I'm going thru each variety of each plant, deciding how much I need for each thing, how many plantings I can do in my season and tailoring different varieties of the same thing based on how hot they can get. I have a calendar and I color code seed starting with the amount, planting out, harvest, and direct seeding. I write everything in on the Monday of each week. Right now I'm doing turnips. I have different varieties based on temp, storage, and unique colors for my produce boxes. I pick the Mondays each one would be best to harvest, storage varieties later in the season, fast heat tolerant for some fresh eating all season, some purple and pink for an early June produce box, and then count back the weeks to when I need to plant them out and/or start seeds. I use the garden planner from farmers almanac to track each month on where i have room and notes I want to remember like pests, comparing varieties, how well it canned, and as I flip thru each month I get a general idea on if I have to much or if I have room to squeeze in another crop. As the season starts I'll use this calendar but as nothing ever goes to plan, in my homesteading journals calendar I will put in the actual dates I do each thing with updated harvest windows. I also go thru each variety and have a list of how I want to preserve it with recipes printed out, how much of each thing I want to can or freeze, recipes for fresh eating and dinner ideas for when its in season, and recipes ready for the boxes I'll sell for items people haven't eaten before. The hope is when I'm busy working my full time job I will have a better idea what I need to have on hand to best utilize what I'm growing and be prepared to eat, preserve, and sell it. Its a lot of work but I just do one at a time and keep pushing thru. Every year should get easier as I have all of the info from the previous year.
Totally agree with your explanation of prepper vs homesteader. I am a prepper learning to be a homesteader! You are spot on about learning now what we may need in the future. Now retired after running a business full time and selling it, feel I have the time now to really learn what I need to. Your channel has been very helpful! Thank you.
I've gardened for 5 years (late bloomer - pun, lol). Grew up a hurricane baby, so I approach life with a "be prepared" mindset. Ive wanted, dreamed and planned to be self sustaining for years. Y'all have been excellent teachers, inspiring in your outlook and being down to earth, I've grown confidence as well as vegetables. I keep returning and you never fail to give me new knowledge. God bless you and yours. P.S. I've read the same books, got about 109 classics on the shelf next to my homeschooling materials
Thank you for sharing all your wisdom! Carolyn, as a fellow homeschool mom, I love your calm demeanor. And the longer I watch, the more comfortable you seem. You are showing your silly side more and more. Love it!!!
Happy birthday! Yes, 50s are good! 60s are good too if no major health problems! So ready for Spring and seeing the last of the snow! Adding as much as possible to my little garden this coming warm season. Some prepping is normal for the winter, we just do more of it when things are questionable. Its been questionable since 911 for many of us. Nothing wrong with trying to be prepared all around for these times
Since we're moving through a Dalton Minimum, with its cooler weather, and potential unexpected frosts, we need to build some strategies for protecting our crops from unexpected events.
I really love your channel and you folks! You really are awake and have the answer. The best way to rebel against tyranny is not violence, it is living outside of all those systems, as you all are doing. The more people trust Government and Corporations and follow their lead, the closer we get to going off the cliff. Thank you for doing what you do. My husband and I just moved to the mountains, and we have almost 8 acres. I plan to start gardening and preserving, and I am so excited!! You are my mentors!!
I just re-read 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 and let our kiddo (14) choose 1 this year. Now she has Screwtape Letters. Very useful considering it's not the same era as when we were kids. But there are a lot of great musicals and fun reads to temper the tougher ones, thankfully. And I really appreciate your clearly differentiating between homesteading and prepping. Homesteading is essentially more of a farm-to-table and preserving lifestyle, whereas prepping tends to be a fear-based reaction of buying things that sadly may end up wasted because fear doesn't thoughtfully plan use, rotating, healthy storage, or adequate applications. That's just a simple task, not a lifestyle. But done in haste and fear, it leads to shelves of random things that most likely won't be used or will spoil before used. Homesteaders have purpose, rotations, and uses in sight. So waste is counter-productive
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I agree if out of site, out of mind. My garden is about 1/2 acre from house and it works well, however I need the daily food closer. (Kitchen garden). If I couldn't see my garden I would forget it was there. Probably wouldn't take care of it better.
Good morning guys. I just started watching your blog. I really enjoyed it. I just did bucket of eggs for later use. I put 210 eggs in it!! Crazy. My checken laying eggs like crazy. I really enjoyed your recipe for the preservation of the eggs. Thanks. A I would like to wish your husband healthy and happy birthday 🎈🎈🎈.
I sure wish the whole prepping thing would fade away , Always based on guns , fear , apocalypse , etc.,etc. All people in our world have always tried to put away food and every other kind of resources to survive through winters , failed crops , conflicts , loss of income or jobs and it's just what intelligent people AND squirrels , etc. do to be safe and fed . How bout not wasting anymore time talking about prepping and just talk about living a sensible and forward thinking life and how to do that . I'm sorry you feel compelled to discuss it because of all the attention to it . You make beautiful programs that are so helpful and uplifting so thank you for that . Watching you guys has inspired me so much while I lived through a big loss of money , home and land and income and some days I couldn't find any hope but I could watch you making your herb garden or fermented carrots , YAY !!!! Love and thanks !
Homesteading is a farm-to-table and preserving lifestyle that is producing what is used and caring for the land so it continues to be healthy and productive. Prepping is not producing anything; it's buying what you need in a higher quantity. Basically it's just a task.
This is an interesting point to ponder as there is unquestionably much overlap between the two. Both emphasize skill building and saving for a rainy day. In my experience, the main difference lies in motivation. Homesteading is motivated by a desire to live simply away from the bustle and stress of modern life. Prepping is motivated by survival in a bad situation, because bad situations inevitably happen. It would make a good discussion, and I’m interested to hear what other folks think. I hope they do make a video just on this topic so we can all discuss it.
I live in Alabama and we have a very long growing season so thank you for touching on planting later because I’ve noticed that when I plant sweet potatoes it doesn’t get cold enough here to store them that’s my most complicated thing with humidity in warm weather is finding a place to store root vegetables for winter.. So if you have any old ideas of ways to do this I would love to hear it I had thought of doing a mock root cellar out of a old deep freezer being buried in the ground and putting in in a shady area .. But my harvests are coming in too early for me to store and if I leave them in the ground like some of the places say up north It end up getting eaten up under the ground by pest … If you could point me in any direction that would be great I have garden for over 12 years but still learning every time what to do and what not to do and what works best for me so blessed to have you guys as examples
I am in Phoenix, Arizona with a year long growing season. We have the same problem with root veggies not storing very long because we simply don't have cooler temps long enough. We get a couple months of raw veg storage, We enjoy the fresh veg as long as we can and can the rest. Like you, if they are left in the ground too long the bugs have a feast. I am interested to hear other solutions for root veg storage as well. Canning sweet potatoes, potatoes, beets, carrots etc. works well but prefer them fresh.
I have gardened for 18 years & have always done a 3 year crop rotation. I recently saw a video on back to Eden gardening that said crop rotation isn't necessary. The idea that plants aren't rotated in God's nature really got me to thinking. Same as you mentioned about the overhead watering. Maybe rotation isn't necessary. What are your thoughts on crop rotation?
Market Gardeners use timing of crops, crop rotation in one season and companion seasoning can all be used to maximize your garden space and timing your harvest. I tend to keep a good selection of short season direct sow seed varieties to use as companion plantings, replanting spots that I just harvested and to fill in spots when I do I have a crop failure. Summer squashes, zucchini, bush beans, lettuce, carrots, snap peas, basil, cilantro, spinach, kale, cucumbers, pac choi, and radishes are all seeds I have used to get an extra crop by filling in empty spaces.
I think the overall end game for the general prepper is to homestead. Like myself I can't get there yet so I have stuff while I hone the skills I can in suburbia. Canning, cooking, gardening and animal husbandry (on a small scale) lol.
Love this!! I have 1984 on my to read list! Also on your counter behind you, are those candles in a mold? Do you make your own candles? I would love more info on that! Never skip the chit chat, that is mostly what I watch these videos for! Lol
I’m not able to plant directly in the ground. What are some main things to consider when using pots, grow bags and garden towers? Like if you get a big enough pot can you grow anything or will something just not work with limited root room? Should watering be done differently to avoid root rot? How about amending soil? Also do y’all have a different podcast channel from pantry chat? Or are you no longer doing podcasts? Thank you!
Thank you for a wonderful discussion about considering harvest times when planting. Where I live, beets planted as soon as possible are ready to harvest in the heat of summer. I only eat beets pickled, so that's hours of cooking them to peel the skin off, cooking the brine, processing the jars - all in the heat of summer - and I don't have AC. A few years ago I realized I could postpone planting beets for a cooler weather harvest. For some reason, that thought process didn't transfer to other crops, but it will now. When I'm done watching RUclips I'm pulling out my seed packets to start a list of veggies & their time to maturity.... Thanks again!
I have to say, while I do appreciate the desire for solution and encouragement, as well as the rightly placed desire to not dwell on darkness, some of the best stories in scripture come from anguish to rejoicing. I know we can appreciate the Psalms all the more because we can see that transparency in the psalmist having anguish and turmoil and then reminding and encouraging himself to trust in the Lord with confidence. Not to mention, the most important theme of all, death and resurrection to life.
I agree about your book choice. No doubt about parallels but ugh.. what a soul-sucker. On a lighter note, the five minute bread is now a staple in my house, ate the canned beef stew (Caroline taught me) and can't wait to get in the garden. Thank you two as always.
Good video chat. I can’t wait to begin planting this year’s garden. @12:34, it definitely isn’t a cold, or the flu (it’s man made & contagious). Nothing to be afraid of for most of us. 🙂
J. B. : And are you willing to bet your life that you aren’t one of the 2 to 3 percent who die from the disease? After this is all over, let us know if you are still around.
Could you discuss how to start seeds indoors? I’ve never done that and usually purchase my plants from the nursery. I would love to learn how to seed start. Thank you!
Planning for harvest is such a good idea! I didn't put a garden in last year, in part because my mom passed away in April and I didn't feel up to it, but also because I had a great garden the year before and was so overwhelmed by the amount of produce that came out of it and needed dealt with and I felt so guilty about wasting so much.
@Justin W I threw a lot of tomatoes and sliced peppers in the freezer and we had an awesome onion crop that I seasoned and saved but a lot got composted. It was going bad before I could process it. I did end up saving a lot of produce but it was more than I could deal with at one time.
So sorry for your loss. Don't (try not to) feel guilty. Your spirit needed the time. My mama passed years ago. When I go to my garden, I remember her - in the yard. Green thumb Goddess who could grow ANYTHING. I talk with her and laugh at the memories, sometimes cry a bit. The thing is, she's never really gone. She's inside the heart and goes everywhere with you. I hope this helps you in some way. Best to you and for you.
I like to do multiple smaller plantings so I have smaller batches of harvest to deal with at a time and have a longer harvest season. I will plants patches of short season bush beans from mid May till late July for fresh eating and a pole bean that produces late summer into early fall for filling the freezer. Lettuces , spinach, snap peas, carrots, pac choi, cabbage, broccoli, and kale all get planted in the spring and again in early August for second crop. I plant picking cucumbers in 2 plantings. One timed for making pickles, and the other when I have peppers and the other ingredients ready for relish. It is easier than having to do both at the same time. Some things like basil, dill, bush beans, zucchini and summer squash get planted every 2 to 3 weeks from late May till late July for a smaller crop over a longer harvest.
Don’t feel bad! Grief and energy level are very real challenges and are not to be discounted. You can only do what you can do. Burning yourself out is the real waste, whether its on garden chores or family obligations or employer obligations. The key is balance. I lost my dad 2 years ago and I actually dived into expanding my garden as a way to deal with my grief and to find some me time away from my employer and family obligations. I made a lot of work for myself and kept running out of time to for garden chores and produce processing. The busy was good but exhausting so, i think I am still searching for my balance even after 2 years. While my expanded garden experiment has done well in some areas and flopped horribly in others, i dont see any of it as wasted because i have learned from it. So find your balance, and, if you enjoy gardening, then get your hands in the soil (even if its just for a few flowers). You have my sincerest wishes that your garden helps you find some peace.
Atlas Shrugged is a good book choice but I STRONGLY suggest the unabridged version of Gulag Archipelago. I do audiobooks and it's scary as hell to know how evil people can be. Everyone needs to read/listen to it. I haven't"read" Expatriate but I will now.
Thank you for all of these great informative videos. I just found you guys and I’m addicted. We just bought a house on 5 acres of property a year ago. We’ve only had a garden for a handful of years and I was pretty clueless and winging it. We are getting more serious about saving money and as you said with the world and economic situation, some form of homesteading seems to be the smart thing to do. Anyway, we are looking to start a garden here this year. One of my issues with my previous gardens, were pests. Mainly bugs. What do you use to deter bugs? Obviously trying to stay organic and use the healthiest approach. Things like lettuces, Brussels sprouts etc, bugs just take over. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again for these informative videos!! 🙂
This probably going to seem like a stupid question but I'm new to outdoor gardening. If I plan to put in a fence about 30 ft long to grow a crop on, should I run the fence north to south or east to west? Does it matter at all? Any help would be so appreciated! Love you guys... you are so awesome to watch and just full of good information. Thanks.
Just a side note about the book you read…if you haven’t already and you have the time, you should read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. A look into what society could turn into if all the brilliant minds were gone. 😊
Hi guys, love the channel, you both have inspired my wife and I to do so much and thank you for that. Would it be fair to say that prepping is for City folk whereas homesteading is for country folk who have the space to do it right?
I think it’s more a mindset difference. Homesteading is about leaving a legacy of lifestyle and skills for the coming generations. Prepping is more present-times focused. Preparing for what could happen in this current generation.
When making you Complete Organic Fertilizer, which oilseed meal do you use. It seems that most suggested (soybean, cottonseed and canola seed meal) are usually GMO crops. Thank you so much.
33:31 This part made me wince a bit…I have spent the past 7 years intensively improving my soil quality at my current home, filling up that “bank account” running a composting set up on a shoestring budget and finally just starting to reap the benefits the last 2 years. Now I am moving thousands of miles away, handing that full “bank account” to someone else and I can’t bring my compost or soil with me obviously….and I will not have the money until next year to buy in compost. Starting over from scratch with only kitchen scraps. 😢I am seriously considering getting a milk cow this year rather than waiting till next year, just so I will have manure to kick start my composting! It will be a far better homestead in the long run, but there are some losses (also my orchards which have been bearing fantastically last year and some the year before). Ah well… fresh start!
I had my largest garden last year but still very small for my largerish family. I want to put in a garden triple the size but am nervous I’ll get over whelmed! My oldest is 11 and youngest is almost 2 (5 in total) what is your advice on growing your garden and doing so quickly because of the worlds state!?
Question I have some old tractor tires I was going to use for raised bed flowers possibly, is it OK to use tires for food production? Tires hold up long term with a very slow decay rate. Can they release harmful things into my soil?
If you want crops you can just place on a shelf, any winter squash variety such as butternut squash, stores well along with russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic. Those crops just need to be cured and kept in a dark dry and cool area. Carrots can be left in the ground during the winter depending on your location. So can brussel sprouts and you can harvest them throughout the winter. Kale is quite hardy and very frost and freeze tolerant. Spinach too. I still have beets in my fridge from 8 months ago! I just checked on them last week. They are still firm and when I cut into one, it left the red liquid on my knife and finger. I have kept them this long by NOT cleaning them other than knocking the loose dirt off of them. After pulling from the garden, I wrapped them in damp paper towels and stored in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer. Canning food or storing it dry like I mentioned earlier is the best way so your meal is ready to go and you don't have to feel like your food is threatened if the electric goes out.
Perfect timing for this video. I live on the side of a red clay (mostly rock) mountain in North Central Arkansas. The Only flat(ish) spot on our property is behind our home, and it's tiny. My garden spot is about 20 feet by 20 feet, raised bed with imported soil, which doesn't allow me to effectively rotate my crops. I have walked this property many times trying to find a spot where I can have another garden and it's just not there. Much of the rest of this property is covered in GIANT old oak trees that provide huge amounts of shade. Is it possible for me to plant in my small area, year after year, by adding heavy amounts of chicken and cow manure to feed the soil?
Vertical gardening will be your friend. I had raised beds up a hillside for last few years (kinda Aztec style). My guess that you may to need to add great compost every year ( which we all should). Maybe some bucket gardening too. Some plants like shade or cooler areas.... Straight chicken manure will burn crops. I put mine in my compost bed to break down seeds.... Then months later into garden. Hope this helps.
@@lauraburruss2217 Thanks. Yes I compost my manures before I use them on the garden. I've looked into terracing some of our hillside but I still have giant Oak trees that shade too much. I have contacted the man who owns the land across the road from me, to see if he will sell me an acre. He has a flat spot there that gets a Lot of sun. If I can buy that I will have no more gardening worries.
Thank you for these videos! We found your channel after putting a contract on our own mini homestead and love your videos. I would love to learn how to be a better gardener and have some meat and egg laying chickens. One question, I know you process your own chickens and watched the video on the 211 chickens in one day but do you do your own processing of your other animals, Or do you have someone come and do that for you? I think we could process our own chickens eventually but I don’t think I could bring myself to doing that to any other animals we decide to get in the future. I know there are local places around us that pick up, process and deliver back our other farm or game animals, just wondering if you did the same and how do you emotionally process that? Thanks Lauren S- soon to be resident of Grantville, GA
Little hard to hoe and chop things in a raised garden bed, mine are 24” tall. Can I pull them chop them on the ground and then lay them back into the soil for the winter? Would this work as well?
I love your pantry chat's I have learned so much thank you. I do raised beds, I keeping hearing coffee grounds are good for your garden, what is your idea on it? TY
Question: have you ever intentionally cross pollinated two open pollinated plants and saved the seeds? Either for fun or for certain traits. I imagine over several years you could have your own open pollinated variety! 🌿
@@AgainsttheGrainHomestead yes, that's why I said over several years you might be able to make it an open pollinated variety 😊 would be a fun experiment
We raise grass fed beef so we always add manure to our garden spaces to add nitrogen. Does this also add minerals? This is only the second year for us on this property. Our garden area was fresh. Does this mean we would have adequate minerals to start?
Josh is turning 50. Wow I wish I was that young again. hahahaha I just turned 79 and still out slaving in our huge garden. We have a little over 800 acres here in Manitoba with all the animals, trees and garden space a person could ever want. We still have time for horse riding and play. A person needs to love their life and themselves. My only medical problem is a little arthritis in the legs but I do fine. You guys are fantastic. You mentioned Gabe Brown who is a rancher. He does not touch his soil at all nor does he add any nutrients. He has videos on U Tube for those you may be interested. You mentioned corn's root system that may go down into the soil for over 10 feet. You mentioned GMO crops. GMO's mostly are cross pollinated by the wind and corn pollen can travel over 10 miles in windy places. The same with soya beans. I hope this helps folks.
God Bless Joe Scott
I am so glad you guys are addressing what’s on everyone’s mind.... with what’s going on. You guys are a light in the darkness, a city on a hill. You always remain calm, collected but realistic and solutions based. Thank you!
One Second After is good book too. Less of the prepper but more preparedness.
Down time is a beautiful thing I have heard .
We are under contract on 40 acres! So excited to see what God has planned for us.
May Demeter, the Greek God of Farming and Agriculture, bless you and your garden!
I live in a trailer park, I have built 10 small grow beds in my backyard, I have all my herbs in planters along my driveway and porch, I also use cat litter containers and laundry buckets throughout them all to have more grow areas. I grow small amounts of tomatoes, peas, green beans, squash, pumpkin, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, radishes, beets, peppers, cucumbers, and celery. Thank you for all that you share with us, it truly does help us little gardeners. Much love and respect from Utah
That's awesome. Good for you! I got my start in a mobile home neighborhood, too. 😁
I just moved from an apt. I had no usable dirt. Just cement. I now have .22 acres!!!! So happy I am now planning my first garden. Nervous and excited. I am so happy to have you tubers to learn from.
@@missannie8012 congratulations, just a word of caution, start small and expand from there because trying to do too much all at once can be overwhelming and lead to more frustration and failure than you might think. But otherwise, I wish you an abundance of harvest.
@@missannie8012 Congratulations!! That's so exciting!! I wish you the absolute very best of luck with your new garden! If I may offer some advice, a used billboard tarp is probably my most useful gardening tool. They're amazingly useful for prepping new garden space, and a good way to terminate cover crops, as well.
Also, check your local feed store first, before buying amendments. A 50lb bag of alfalfa pellets is massively cheaper than alfalfa meal marketed as a garden amendment, and exactly the same product. Things like beet pulp and various minerals for livestock work just as well as what the garden shops sell, but you'll save so much money. The markup on garden stuff is crazy. Just be super careful about bringing in any kind of grass product, like straw or composted manure, because aminopyralid contamination has become so widespread it's almost guaranteed, and you definitely don't want that stuff anywhere near your garden or compost pile.
I'm a little bit jealous at how much fun you're about to have. 🙂 Again, good luck! I hope you start a channel and document the progression!
@@missannie8012 So happy for you! I would suggest you start with a 4'X8' bed first. However have a maximum sq foot plan in mind. Look up the book "square foot gardening" by Mel Bartholomew. It will give you a good idea of how much food you need or may want to grow. You will adapt any gardening ideas from all sources for your area... so look up your gardening zone. Good luck, happy gardening!!
I have a bunch of things I do to make gardening less over whelming and less work over the season.
Tarps. We use them to kill lawn to make new garden beds. Stake the tarp down and leave it for 3 to 8 weeks till the grass is dead.
We have raised beds and use cardboard and wood chips as mulch between the beds to reduce weeds and watering.
Once our seedlings are established we use mulch hay and grass clippings to mulch around the plants. This reduces watering and weeding.
We use cattle panels and t posts for sturdy trellises. Growing vertical reduces space needs, and plant diseases.
Don't make you garden beds too wide. I keep mine 24" to 36" wide so it is easy for me to work them sitting on a stool. Narrower beds also allow your children to help in the garden and not have to step on you garden soil and compact it.
We use silage tarps in the fall to cover annual garden beds. We keep them on over the winter and only remove them right before we are ready to prep and plant in the spring.
We lay a network of hoses and splitters across the entire large garden so I never have to move a hose more than 20 feet to water various parts of the garden. I use low flow sprinklers from Dramm so I don't stress our well.
Market gardeners have all sorts of tools and techniques to reduce the work load and many of them can be adapted for the homestead sized gardens. Curtis Stone, Elliot Coleman, JM Fortier, and Never Sink Farm all have great information on cold climate small scale market gardening. If you are in a hot climate I sure you can find other market gardeners like this to learn from.
Keep in mind it takes me more time and work to harvest, process and preserve the harvest than it does to grow it. If you expand the garden this year make sure you buy all the tools, supplies, and ingredients you will need to preserve it now. Canning jars, lids, vinegar, salt, clear gel, pectin, spices, dehydrators, fermenting lids and weights, mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, vacuum sealers, and bags, and pressure canners have been impossible to find in late summer and fall these last couple of years.
I just ordered a ‘Clyde’s Planner’. My seeds came in this week. Now to learn how the heck I’m gonna be able to this, lol
I recently lent my copy of 1984 to my father in law. Such an important book.
Atlas Shrugged. Now that's a book for the times. Love your show, thank you for taking the time to create your videos for us. Many blessings!
Our family has to plan around the county fair. Other than things that the kids plan to enter, I aim to have the harvest gluts happen a couple of weeks before and then nothing much the week before and week of, then back into preserving. There's always bean varieties that go faster than they are listed that then over-ripen while we're gone for the week and are lost!
My mother grew up in the depression in a county in Northern Washington, Usk USA. The people who lived close to the land not only survived but thrived. It now spills over and blesses my everyday life. Being sustainable has many levels. Thanks for helping us all I becoming more self-sufficient ❤
My great grandpa grew up in Yamhill Oregon during the depression. He thanked God they were sharecroppers living on some land because it allowed them to have a garden for vegetables. There were also a lot of plum trees and wild rabbits which they survived off of.
Here’s the reason I started watching you guys: I’m thumbing thru some RUclips videos, and there are you guys sitting in the pig’s pen talking. The pen is clean, the pigs are clean. One of the pigs snuggled up next to Carolyn to get a few scratches. I started remembering all the times I yelled at my daughter to go clean her room because it looked and smelled like a pig sty. I must stop here to apologize to your pigs. If they ever get a little messy you can tell them that their room is starting to look like Bob Peterson’s daughter’s bedroom; however, I don’t think they could ever get that bad. So now I’m hooked on you guys, and look forward to watching your pantry chats.
😄 haha.. thanks for sharing.. it took me back to when I had a family....Im retired now.
@@susanhitchmanevans1443 me too Susan; my daughter to whom I referred is now nearing fifty. As for me, seventy-seven is quickly approaching.
Keep on Truckin in 2022. I heard that 🇺🇲
All homesteaders are preppers but not all preppers are homesteaders - personal opinion. Love you guys. Thanks for the great info.
Happy belated birthday Josh! 🎂
Just remember, Josh, in early Bible days 50 was practically an infant. 😎 Also, I don't understand the folks who would skip the chit chat. In this crazy pandemic, that's the closest I get to adult conversation. Lol Love your videos. Thanks for all of your knowledge and insights. Happy early birthday. 😊
so very true!
@33:10, I’m a leaf hoarder. Neighbors don’t understand. It turns into soil so rapidly. Also, grass clippings are coveted.
Hi as much as i injoy watching you guys and gain more knowledge of home steading i want to see you guys doing gardening and showing to peaople practical work in farm thanks.
Happy birthday! My fifties have been the happiest part of my life so far, so I don't mind the gray hair. 🙂
I like the idea of instead of years, it's levels like a video game. I'm not 52 years old, I'm level 52. Lol
I liked the talk on prepper vs homesteading … homesteading is such a beautiful lifestyle that is just basic living…
Plotting: thru backyard, I pass by she shed, then walk between hay barn and husband shop, thru gate into equipment yard where chicken coupe and compost is located, I collect eggs, circle to back gate behind hay barn into garden and high tunnel, circle back next to dog pen, behind she shed raised beds, stone path to fire pit where my pretty flowers and some potted summer herbs, to the back door.
I'm going to share what I'm doing right now to plan my garden. I'm focusing on 4 different harvests. Daily eating, large amounts maturing at once for preservation, some boxes i want to sell with fun varieties you'll never find at the store, and extra harvest to sell at a stand by the road. At this moment I'm going thru each variety of each plant, deciding how much I need for each thing, how many plantings I can do in my season and tailoring different varieties of the same thing based on how hot they can get. I have a calendar and I color code seed starting with the amount, planting out, harvest, and direct seeding. I write everything in on the Monday of each week. Right now I'm doing turnips. I have different varieties based on temp, storage, and unique colors for my produce boxes. I pick the Mondays each one would be best to harvest, storage varieties later in the season, fast heat tolerant for some fresh eating all season, some purple and pink for an early June produce box, and then count back the weeks to when I need to plant them out and/or start seeds. I use the garden planner from farmers almanac to track each month on where i have room and notes I want to remember like pests, comparing varieties, how well it canned, and as I flip thru each month I get a general idea on if I have to much or if I have room to squeeze in another crop. As the season starts I'll use this calendar but as nothing ever goes to plan, in my homesteading journals calendar I will put in the actual dates I do each thing with updated harvest windows. I also go thru each variety and have a list of how I want to preserve it with recipes printed out, how much of each thing I want to can or freeze, recipes for fresh eating and dinner ideas for when its in season, and recipes ready for the boxes I'll sell for items people haven't eaten before. The hope is when I'm busy working my full time job I will have a better idea what I need to have on hand to best utilize what I'm growing and be prepared to eat, preserve, and sell it. Its a lot of work but I just do one at a time and keep pushing thru. Every year should get easier as I have all of the info from the previous year.
Impressive!
Totally agree with your explanation of prepper vs homesteader. I am a prepper learning to be a homesteader! You are spot on about learning now what we may need in the future. Now retired after running a business full time and selling it, feel I have the time now to really learn what I need to. Your channel has been very helpful! Thank you.
The logical progression of prepping is homesteading.
I've gardened for 5 years (late bloomer - pun, lol). Grew up a hurricane baby, so I approach life with a "be prepared" mindset. Ive wanted, dreamed and planned to be self sustaining for years. Y'all have been excellent teachers, inspiring in your outlook and being down to earth, I've grown confidence as well as vegetables. I keep returning and you never fail to give me new knowledge. God bless you and yours.
P.S. I've read the same books, got about 109 classics on the shelf next to my homeschooling materials
Yay another homeschoollwr!
I learn so much from you! Thank you.
Great content... great homesteading! I'm learning a lot!
Thank you for sharing all your wisdom! Carolyn, as a fellow homeschool mom, I love your calm demeanor. And the longer I watch, the more comfortable you seem. You are showing your silly side more and more. Love it!!!
I like the chit chat, too!!
Happy birthday! Yes, 50s are good! 60s are good too if no major health problems! So ready for Spring and seeing the last of the snow! Adding as much as possible to my little garden this coming warm season. Some prepping is normal for the winter, we just do more of it when things are questionable. Its been questionable since 911 for many of us. Nothing wrong with trying to be prepared all around for these times
Josh, I used to live by you in muddy pond! This is great stuff.
Love y'all,
Blessings, julie
Since we're moving through a Dalton Minimum, with its cooler weather, and potential unexpected frosts, we need to build some strategies for protecting our crops from unexpected events.
Happy Birthday! It can get better and better with the right frame of mind, which you have. Keep up the good work..
I really love your channel and you folks! You really are awake and have the answer. The best way to rebel against tyranny is not violence, it is living outside of all those systems, as you all are doing. The more people trust Government and Corporations and follow their lead, the closer we get to going off the cliff. Thank you for doing what you do. My husband and I just moved to the mountains, and we have almost 8 acres. I plan to start gardening and preserving, and I am so excited!! You are my mentors!!
I just re-read 1984 and Fahrenheit 451 and let our kiddo (14) choose 1 this year. Now she has Screwtape Letters. Very useful considering it's not the same era as when we were kids. But there are a lot of great musicals and fun reads to temper the tougher ones, thankfully. And I really appreciate your clearly differentiating between homesteading and prepping. Homesteading is essentially more of a farm-to-table and preserving lifestyle, whereas prepping tends to be a fear-based reaction of buying things that sadly may end up wasted because fear doesn't thoughtfully plan use, rotating, healthy storage, or adequate applications. That's just a simple task, not a lifestyle. But done in haste and fear, it leads to shelves of random things that most likely won't be used or will spoil before used. Homesteaders have purpose, rotations, and uses in sight. So waste is counter-productive
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I agree if out of site, out of mind.
My garden is about 1/2 acre from house and it works well, however I need the daily food closer. (Kitchen garden).
If I couldn't see my garden I would forget it was there. Probably wouldn't take care of it better.
Good morning guys. I just started watching your blog. I really enjoyed it. I just did bucket of eggs for later use. I put 210 eggs in it!! Crazy. My checken laying eggs like crazy. I really enjoyed your recipe for the preservation of the eggs. Thanks. A I would like to wish your husband healthy and happy birthday 🎈🎈🎈.
For a better read, try It's NOT Meant to Be a Secret by Nathan French. We love what you bring to us. Thank you!
Great chat.. we have black walnuts trees so I have to be creative & strategic..
I sure wish the whole prepping thing would fade away , Always based on guns , fear , apocalypse , etc.,etc.
All people in our world have always tried to put away food and every other kind of resources to survive through winters , failed crops , conflicts , loss of income or jobs and it's just what intelligent people AND squirrels , etc. do to be safe and fed . How bout not wasting anymore time talking about prepping and just talk about living a sensible and forward thinking life and how to do that . I'm sorry you feel compelled to discuss it because of all the attention to it . You make beautiful programs that are so helpful and uplifting so thank you for that . Watching you guys has inspired me so much while I lived through a big loss of money , home and land and income and some days I couldn't find any hope but I could watch you making your herb garden or fermented carrots , YAY !!!! Love and thanks !
Loving the pantry chats!
Please do a discussion about compare and contrast of homesteading and prepping.
Homesteading is a farm-to-table and preserving lifestyle that is producing what is used and caring for the land so it continues to be healthy and productive. Prepping is not producing anything; it's buying what you need in a higher quantity. Basically it's just a task.
This is an interesting point to ponder as there is unquestionably much overlap between the two. Both emphasize skill building and saving for a rainy day. In my experience, the main difference lies in motivation. Homesteading is motivated by a desire to live simply away from the bustle and stress of modern life. Prepping is motivated by survival in a bad situation, because bad situations inevitably happen.
It would make a good discussion, and I’m interested to hear what other folks think. I hope they do make a video just on this topic so we can all discuss it.
I live in Alabama and we have a very long growing season so thank you for touching on planting later because I’ve noticed that when I plant sweet potatoes it doesn’t get cold enough here to store them that’s my most complicated thing with humidity in warm weather is finding a place to store root vegetables for winter.. So if you have any old ideas of ways to do this I would love to hear it I had thought of doing a mock root cellar out of a old deep freezer being buried in the ground and putting in in a shady area .. But my harvests are coming in too early for me to store and if I leave them in the ground like some of the places say up north It end up getting eaten up under the ground by pest … If you could point me in any direction that would be great I have garden for over 12 years but still learning every time what to do and what not to do and what works best for me so blessed to have you guys as examples
I am in Phoenix, Arizona with a year long growing season. We have the same problem with root veggies not storing very long because we simply don't have cooler temps long enough. We get a couple months of raw veg storage, We enjoy the fresh veg as long as we can and can the rest. Like you, if they are left in the ground too long the bugs have a feast. I am interested to hear other solutions for root veg storage as well. Canning sweet potatoes, potatoes, beets, carrots etc. works well but prefer them fresh.
You guys are awesome. I truly enjoy listening to you and learn so much from you. Thank you!!
Thanks for the insight and advice about scheduling with harvest times in mind!
Happy birthday & thank you for sharing so much wonderful info
I always enjoy the chat chit part. Happy Birthday!
I have gardened for 18 years & have always done a 3 year crop rotation. I recently saw a video on back to Eden gardening that said crop rotation isn't necessary. The idea that plants aren't rotated in God's nature really got me to thinking. Same as you mentioned about the overhead watering. Maybe rotation isn't necessary. What are your thoughts on crop rotation?
Market Gardeners use timing of crops, crop rotation in one season and companion seasoning can all be used to maximize your garden space and timing your harvest. I tend to keep a good selection of short season direct sow seed varieties to use as companion plantings, replanting spots that I just harvested and to fill in spots when I do I have a crop failure. Summer squashes, zucchini, bush beans, lettuce, carrots, snap peas, basil, cilantro, spinach, kale, cucumbers, pac choi, and radishes are all seeds I have used to get an extra crop by filling in empty spaces.
I think the overall end game for the general prepper is to homestead. Like myself I can't get there yet so I have stuff while I hone the skills I can in suburbia. Canning, cooking, gardening and animal husbandry (on a small scale) lol.
Such great and useful information. 6 mos ago bought Heavy Cream Powder at $9 ea. Now it is over $14. Thats outrageous!
Love the patriot. Read it a couple of times. I do it via audible which I cannot recommend enough.
Very informative and crazy to think about the cross-pollination problem with GMO...
Love this!! I have 1984 on my to read list! Also on your counter behind you, are those candles in a mold? Do you make your own candles? I would love more info on that! Never skip the chit chat, that is mostly what I watch these videos for! Lol
So encouraged by your “pantry chats”. Putting a garden by the kitchen is a wonderful idea.
I’m not able to plant directly in the ground. What are some main things to consider when using pots, grow bags and garden towers? Like if you get a big enough pot can you grow anything or will something just not work with limited root room? Should watering be done differently to avoid root rot? How about amending soil?
Also do y’all have a different podcast channel from pantry chat? Or are you no longer doing podcasts?
Thank you!
Oh wow have a blessed birthday
Good to see you both ,good topic
Wow! That is so scary! I will really be more careful where I get my seeds. But it's probably not going to put a stop to it.
I'm finding out about winter-sowing and looking at when to plant certain seeds based on my last frost date in zone 4b
Would love to here your takes on community gardens, especially those where there isn’t a readily available water source
Thank you for responding to my gmo comment! Now I see what you meant in the other video. Something I'm going to have to keep an eye on
Thank you for a wonderful discussion about considering harvest times when planting. Where I live, beets planted as soon as possible are ready to harvest in the heat of summer. I only eat beets pickled, so that's hours of cooking them to peel the skin off, cooking the brine, processing the jars - all in the heat of summer - and I don't have AC. A few years ago I realized I could postpone planting beets for a cooler weather harvest. For some reason, that thought process didn't transfer to other crops, but it will now. When I'm done watching RUclips I'm pulling out my seed packets to start a list of veggies & their time to maturity.... Thanks again!
Happy Birthday!
I have to say, while I do appreciate the desire for solution and encouragement, as well as the rightly placed desire to not dwell on darkness, some of the best stories in scripture come from anguish to rejoicing. I know we can appreciate the Psalms all the more because we can see that transparency in the psalmist having anguish and turmoil and then reminding and encouraging himself to trust in the Lord with confidence. Not to mention, the most important theme of all, death and resurrection to life.
I agree about your book choice. No doubt about parallels but ugh.. what a soul-sucker.
On a lighter note, the five minute bread is now a staple in my house, ate the canned beef stew (Caroline taught me) and can't wait to get in the garden. Thank you two as always.
Good video chat. I can’t wait to begin planting this year’s garden. @12:34, it definitely isn’t a cold, or the flu (it’s man made & contagious). Nothing to be afraid of for most of us. 🙂
J. B. : And are you willing to bet your life that you aren’t one of the 2 to 3 percent who die from the disease? After this is all over, let us know if you are still around.
Could you discuss how to start seeds indoors? I’ve never done that and usually purchase my plants from the nursery. I would love to learn how to seed start. Thank you!
Planning for harvest is such a good idea! I didn't put a garden in last year, in part because my mom passed away in April and I didn't feel up to it, but also because I had a great garden the year before and was so overwhelmed by the amount of produce that came out of it and needed dealt with and I felt so guilty about wasting so much.
You can freeze excess produce or compost it back into your garden.
@Justin W I threw a lot of tomatoes and sliced peppers in the freezer and we had an awesome onion crop that I seasoned and saved but a lot got composted. It was going bad before I could process it. I did end up saving a lot of produce but it was more than I could deal with at one time.
So sorry for your loss. Don't (try not to) feel guilty. Your spirit needed the time. My mama passed years ago. When I go to my garden, I remember her - in the yard. Green thumb Goddess who could grow ANYTHING. I talk with her and laugh at the memories, sometimes cry a bit. The thing is, she's never really gone. She's inside the heart and goes everywhere with you. I hope this helps you in some way. Best to you and for you.
I like to do multiple smaller plantings so I have smaller batches of harvest to deal with at a time and have a longer harvest season. I will plants patches of short season bush beans from mid May till late July for fresh eating and a pole bean that produces late summer into early fall for filling the freezer. Lettuces , spinach, snap peas, carrots, pac choi, cabbage, broccoli, and kale all get planted in the spring and again in early August for second crop. I plant picking cucumbers in 2 plantings. One timed for making pickles, and the other when I have peppers and the other ingredients ready for relish. It is easier than having to do both at the same time. Some things like basil, dill, bush beans, zucchini and summer squash get planted every 2 to 3 weeks from late May till late July for a smaller crop over a longer harvest.
Don’t feel bad! Grief and energy level are very real challenges and are not to be discounted. You can only do what you can do. Burning yourself out is the real waste, whether its on garden chores or family obligations or employer obligations. The key is balance. I lost my dad 2 years ago and I actually dived into expanding my garden as a way to deal with my grief and to find some me time away from my employer and family obligations. I made a lot of work for myself and kept running out of time to for garden chores and produce processing. The busy was good but exhausting so, i think I am still searching for my balance even after 2 years. While my expanded garden experiment has done well in some areas and flopped horribly in others, i dont see any of it as wasted because i have learned from it. So find your balance, and, if you enjoy gardening, then get your hands in the soil (even if its just for a few flowers). You have my sincerest wishes that your garden helps you find some peace.
Atlas Shrugged is a good book choice but I STRONGLY suggest the unabridged version of Gulag Archipelago. I do audiobooks and it's scary as hell to know how evil people can be. Everyone needs to read/listen to it. I haven't"read" Expatriate but I will now.
Do you know anything about Moringa and its benefits? I am just learning about it
Thank you for all of these great informative videos. I just found you guys and I’m addicted. We just bought a house on 5 acres of property a year ago. We’ve only had a garden for a handful of years and I was pretty clueless and winging it. We are getting more serious about saving money and as you said with the world and economic situation, some form of homesteading seems to be the smart thing to do. Anyway, we are looking to start a garden here this year. One of my issues with my previous gardens, were pests. Mainly bugs. What do you use to deter bugs? Obviously trying to stay organic and use the healthiest approach. Things like lettuces, Brussels sprouts etc, bugs just take over. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again for these informative videos!! 🙂
I'd be really interested to hear the discussion about homesteader vs. prepper. I have my own ideas, but would love to hear other thoughts 👍
You guys Rock!!! Thank you so much for all of your videos!
🎉🎁Happy birthday 🎁🎉
Hey for me the 70's are the new 50's
You are enjoying the today's
This probably going to seem like a stupid question but I'm new to outdoor gardening. If I plan to put in a fence about 30 ft long to grow a crop on, should I run the fence north to south or east to west? Does it matter at all? Any help would be so appreciated! Love you guys... you are so awesome to watch and just full of good information. Thanks.
Just a side note about the book you read…if you haven’t already and you have the time, you should read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. A look into what society could turn into if all the brilliant minds were gone. 😊
Hi guys, love the channel, you both have inspired my wife and I to do so much and thank you for that. Would it be fair to say that prepping is for City folk whereas homesteading is for country folk who have the space to do it right?
I think it’s more a mindset difference. Homesteading is about leaving a legacy of lifestyle and skills for the coming generations. Prepping is more present-times focused. Preparing for what could happen in this current generation.
When making you Complete Organic Fertilizer, which oilseed meal do you use. It seems that most suggested (soybean, cottonseed and canola seed meal) are usually GMO crops. Thank you so much.
33:31 This part made me wince a bit…I have spent the past 7 years intensively improving my soil quality at my current home, filling up that “bank account” running a composting set up on a shoestring budget and finally just starting to reap the benefits the last 2 years. Now I am moving thousands of miles away, handing that full “bank account” to someone else and I can’t bring my compost or soil with me obviously….and I will not have the money until next year to buy in compost. Starting over from scratch with only kitchen scraps. 😢I am seriously considering getting a milk cow this year rather than waiting till next year, just so I will have manure to kick start my composting! It will be a far better homestead in the long run, but there are some losses (also my orchards which have been bearing fantastically last year and some the year before). Ah well… fresh start!
💜
Have you covered when to use manure in the garden?
💖
I had my largest garden last year but still very small for my largerish family. I want to put in a garden triple the size but am nervous I’ll get over whelmed! My oldest is 11 and youngest is almost 2 (5 in total) what is your advice on growing your garden and doing so quickly because of the worlds state!?
Question I have some old tractor tires I was going to use for raised bed flowers possibly, is it OK to use tires for food production? Tires hold up long term with a very slow decay rate. Can they release harmful things into my soil?
What are the more storable crops, such as corn, beans etc… canning, freezing, or just placed on a shelf.
If you want crops you can just place on a shelf, any winter squash variety such as butternut squash, stores well along with russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic. Those crops just need to be cured and kept in a dark dry and cool area.
Carrots can be left in the ground during the winter depending on your location. So can brussel sprouts and you can harvest them throughout the winter. Kale is quite hardy and very frost and freeze tolerant. Spinach too. I still have beets in my fridge from 8 months ago! I just checked on them last week. They are still firm and when I cut into one, it left the red liquid on my knife and finger. I have kept them this long by NOT cleaning them other than knocking the loose dirt off of them. After pulling from the garden, I wrapped them in damp paper towels and stored in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer.
Canning food or storing it dry like I mentioned earlier is the best way so your meal is ready to go and you don't have to feel like your food is threatened if the electric goes out.
What books would you recommend re homesteading - especially for beginners?
Perfect timing for this video. I live on the side of a red clay (mostly rock) mountain in North Central Arkansas. The Only flat(ish) spot on our property is behind our home, and it's tiny. My garden spot is about 20 feet by 20 feet, raised bed with imported soil, which doesn't allow me to effectively rotate my crops. I have walked this property many times trying to find a spot where I can have another garden and it's just not there. Much of the rest of this property is covered in GIANT old oak trees that provide huge amounts of shade. Is it possible for me to plant in my small area, year after year, by adding heavy amounts of chicken and cow manure to feed the soil?
Vertical gardening will be your friend. I had raised beds up a hillside for last few years (kinda Aztec style). My guess that you may to need to add great compost every year ( which we all should). Maybe some bucket gardening too. Some plants like shade or cooler areas....
Straight chicken manure will burn crops. I put mine in my compost bed to break down seeds.... Then months later into garden. Hope this helps.
@@lauraburruss2217 Thanks. Yes I compost my manures before I use them on the garden. I've looked into terracing some of our hillside but I still have giant Oak trees that shade too much. I have contacted the man who owns the land across the road from me, to see if he will sell me an acre. He has a flat spot there that gets a Lot of sun. If I can buy that I will have no more gardening worries.
@@krickette5569 even if he won't sell maybe he will rent you the space. It have water? Can you fence it to keep deer from eating your garden?
@@lauraburruss2217 It has everything I need to be able to garden except I will have to add fencing on two sides.
Thank you for these videos! We found your channel after putting a contract on our own mini homestead and love your videos. I would love to learn how to be a better gardener and have some meat and egg laying chickens. One question, I know you process your own chickens and watched the video on the 211 chickens in one day but do you do your own processing of your other animals, Or do you have someone come and do that for you? I think we could process our own chickens eventually but I don’t think I could bring myself to doing that to any other animals we decide to get in the future. I know there are local places around us that pick up, process and deliver back our other farm or game animals, just wondering if you did the same and how do you emotionally process that? Thanks Lauren S- soon to be resident of Grantville, GA
Little hard to hoe and chop things in a raised garden bed, mine are 24” tall. Can I pull them chop them on the ground and then lay them back into the soil for the winter? Would this work as well?
I hope that you have a Happy Birthday
I love your pantry chat's I have learned so much thank you. I do raised beds, I keeping hearing coffee grounds are good for your garden, what is your idea on it? TY
Question: have you ever intentionally cross pollinated two open pollinated plants and saved the seeds? Either for fun or for certain traits. I imagine over several years you could have your own open pollinated variety! 🌿
David the Good recommended a book on that topic. Hmm, I'll see if I can find it.
The saved seeds would be hybrid seeds then.
@@AgainsttheGrainHomestead yes, that's why I said over several years you might be able to make it an open pollinated variety 😊 would be a fun experiment
Hahaha! I love that joke!
We raise grass fed beef so we always add manure to our garden spaces to add nitrogen. Does this also add minerals? This is only the second year for us on this property. Our garden area was fresh. Does this mean we would have adequate minerals to start?
We are newbies. I have 7 4 by 8’ raised beds. How would you suggest amending those? We have chicken that we let in those in fall and almost spring.