10 Years No Dig at Homeacres
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.ค. 2024
- Showing the changes that have happened since I arrived here autumn 2012, without a masterplan. It was "space out of doors" with almost no garden, a small house which appealed to nobody, and good soil.
I thought to make a teaching garden, developed another market garden, and created a base for educating through social media.
Every year the expanding garden, the trials, and the new structures have created a more beautiful place, with great opportunities to learn, inspire and share.
Plus you see parts of Homeacres that we don't often show, and some of my no dig market gardening in the 1980s.
Filmed and edited October 2022 by Edward Dowding my son, winner of Paul Mellon Foundation award 2022 edowdingfilms.onfabrik.com
00:00 Introduction
01:38 How I found Homeacres
02:39 How the conservatory happened and was built
03:19 No dig HQ
03:55 My background, from a farming family, becoming a gardener
04.42 Sharing the knowledge
05:14 The first two beds serve as template for the garden - no masterplan!
06:10 Homeacres market garden 1960s, perimeter trees
06:59 Letting in the wind
07:30 Making compost, my learning and sharing
08:13 Confusion of information about how to make, buy and use compost
09:40 How the main compost making structure evolved, started with two pallets
11:32 Creating smaller structures for making compost
12:25 The cabin, why it's here and the inside
13:58 Running out of space • Creating New No Dig Be...
14:48 A new opportunity
15:54 What to do with the new land?
16:14 Mulching bindweed and a New Area playlist • First Steps For No Dig...
16:47 New shed, pond and bees
18:00 What next? Spreading no dig knowledge and the links to human health
#nodigday is 3rd November every year, do join in on social media.
Music by Jacqui Vincent on Bandcamp, from her song Homeacres. jacquivincent.bandcamp.com/tr...
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/ @charlesdowding1nodig - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Thank you Charles. You continue to inspire - here's to the next 10 years!
I've been following since near the beginning, your story has been a continuing inspiration over the years. Thank you for bringing us along on the journey!
Wonderful to hear Mark, thanks
The happiness I feel everytime you release a new video is astounding. I started vegetable and flower gardening using no dig with whatever materials I have available during the and I'm so happy I did. I have a small rental space in London and get better results each year, thank you for your work and teaching.
I'm so glad to have a garden full of flowers, veg, birds and insects.
Your comment makes me happy, and others! Gratitude is powerful.
Thank you Charles for this look back into the beginnings of Homeacre, and a dip into your vision. I will always be profoundly grateful to you for spreading the word of No Dig throughout the planet. I only wished I had found you sooner as I spent my life up until my retirement 8 years ago as a solo working gardening Mum following a double dig crop rotation practice. Because of this I was never able to grow what I could have with No Dig. But now I'm on track and feel the need to pay it forward here in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Again, thank you!!!
Thanks Annie, and yes it's tragic how people have been misled and confused for so long. I'm grateful for having the Internet to spread this hopeful method and message!
Do keep talking to as many people as possible in your country!
Congratulations on your many successes in the last 10 years at Homeacres. And thank you for sharing your vision and all your No Dig knowledge with so many. What a wonderful legacy! 💚
Cheers JC
THERE IS SOMETHING VERY PRIMACULTURALLY PLEASING ABOUT MAKING HOMEMADE COMPOST !!!! THE SMELL, THE SCIENCE, THE LITTLE VOICE IN THE BACK OF YOUR BRAIN THAT SAYS “HEY…DON’T WORRY. EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT BECAUSE WE WON’T GO HUNGRY” !!!!!!!
Oh Charles, thanks for sharing your special story. I watched totally and felt your enthusiasm as you worked through your step-by-step plans. I love how your plans weren't written in stone. 👍And I hope your No-dig method keeps covering more and small and not so small gardens👩🌾👍
Take care My Friend 🌿💚🌿
My pleasure Peggy, appreciate you writing
Oh my goodness, Charles...I honestly feel moved to tears by this video. It's how I've lived my own life - not by plan but by inspiration. It's that energy that propelled me to start my no dig flower border and now the no dig veg garden, having arrived at this house just under a year ago. I've read a lot of gardening books and watched many different videos over the years, and it's your approach that's taken hold of my heart. I feel as if I have a gardening mentor alongside me, one who thinks and behaves as a living component of the natural ecosystem he exists within. I seems that you speak from within the experience of gardening (and life itself), not about it. What a blessing to have recently discovered your channel. I'm grateful you followed the impulse that nudged you towards teaching.
🌱 😍 Lisalea
She's so nice Lisa and thank you for sharing. It's nice for me to imagine people like you embracing these methods and living more happily!
Cheers for the first ten years of Homeacres, Charles. You have really made it into an amazing place, and created more than just a garden. You have created a worldwide community, together with your family. Thank you for everything!
It is pretty amazing how much he's accomplished in only 10 years!
💚 thanks Francesco
Francesco - great logo with that bottlegourd! It is a tasty variety here in Italy. Zucchini e zucca
@@TheNutritionalMystic thank you 😆 where I live in northern Italy we call it “trombette di Albenga “
@@TheNutritionalMystic thank you 😆 where I live in northern Italy we call it “trombette di Albenga “
I loved watching this video Charles. I admire your openness in talking about how much the property cost when you bought it and also the extra land. You’ve come such a long way and inspired so many millions of people including myself. It was absolutely lovely to listen to the story of this beautiful little house with its land, how are you developed it, and also the history before you had it thank you for sharing this with us
Thanks so much Tina! 💚
SIR CHARLES’ COMPOST MANGER BRINGS THE THREE WISE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER!!!!!! BROWN, GREEN, AND ANIMAL DUNG!!!!!!!!!
Really inspiring story Charles. Always learn alot from your methods. Thank You.
Thank you for the 10 year update, Charles. Like many others, you continue to be an inspiration, and in my 66 years, I have tried many garden methods, including a backbreaking method called 'double-digging'! No-dig works so well and I love to see the soil improve each year...Thank you!
Ug...I remember "double digging". Broke my shovel handle and almost my back!
Cheers Steve!
LETS HOPE THAT ANOTHER TEN YEARS WILL BRING A HUGE SPREAD OF NO DIG ALL ACROSS THIS GLOBE!!!!!! ROCK ON AND HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY HOMEACRES !!!!!!!!
Thanks so much 💚
It's a pleasure to hear more backstory on Homeacres and your work with it. Quite the journey so far and looking forward to more, Charles. Thank you so much.
💚
It's always a pleasure when a new video is up! Thank you Charles and here's to the next 10 years! 🥂
I've been waiting for this video for a long time, thank you.Fantastic to see your journey and its accomplishments. I'm looking forward to hearing about energies from the soil.
My biggest pleasure this month has been showing my mum of 76 years old the no dig method with her new vegetable patch.She has more time for the thermos, now she's not turning the soil! All thanks to you.Thankyou very much.
More to come Jonathan, lovely about your mother!
SIR CHARLES APPARENTLY HAD NO IDEA THAT HIS COMPOST HEAPS WOULD MORPH INTO A LARGE MULTI-BAY, COVERED MANGER-LIKE STRUCTURE CAPABLE OF IMMACULATE COMPOSTING !!!!!!!!
As a norwegian, my love for timber houses will probably never fade. But i must say, those stone houses the brits are known for are equally beautiful as well. Look at the rolling hills and stone dwellings scattered around. 15:50
That's nice, thanks Thor
Always a pleasure tuning in, Charles.
Been watching for a few years now. Interesting how it all started.
Married to France and with no any knowledge of farming; you are the spoiling I found for my vegetable gardening work. I am a Taiwanese lives now in Charente Maritime. The No Dig is still my goal to reach. Watching this video is a such pleasant experience to see the transformation and part by part slowly finished. Thank you very very much. So much knowledge to share with us each time.
Thank you; Charles.
That is awesome! I farmed in France 1992-97, a fascinating country and people :)
What a beautiful Homeacres life story you shared with us 🥰 Love this video a lot, it touched my heart, especially at the end of the video! You are a bright and good person. You shine the light! 😊 Long live Charles Dowding and his teaching! 🙌🌞🎉
Glad you enjoyed it Tatjana, many thanks
Made me smile to hear how you talk about your piece of heaven.
When we bought our house and land the estate agent started trying to show us around the house "That needs a bit of love", and soon realised all he needed to talk about was sunlight and chickens.
Love it!!
always interesting watching a garden evolve over time.
Thank you Charles for your message. You have a little slice of heaven here on earth.
Yes, I am fortunate
Such a joy to see, thank you. Back in the mid nineties I found a booklet in a second hand book shop on a "no dig" system, I was a mature student at the time and was inspired, I even got an allotment and planned to grow and learn as you have. Well, nearly 30 years on and life never went the way I'd planned. I still don't have a garden or allotment either, I have the yearning to garden but its not really likely in the near future not even on a small scale. I have your latest book and I enjoy your videos very much, its tinged with a little sadness for me as its kind of the way I would of liked to have progressed in life myself but it is a consolation of sorts. I wish you all the very best for the future and hope to continue to enjoy your videos , keep up the good work my friend !!!!
Ah this is sad!! I feel for you and acknowledge my fortune.
Maybe 2023 Ian!!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig You never know, I always have my fingers crossed !!
I loved seeing this look back! Thank you!
A living paradise. Charles you are the man to follow. Congratulations.
💚 !
I was all smiles watching this. Homeacres is a gorgeous property and I truly enjoy your videos. I'm a no dig convert! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and you beautiful gardens.
Our pleasure!
Thank you Charles for humbly and graciously sharing your journey of discovery. Very encouraging to see what has been achieved in 10 years. Isn't nature awesome !!
So right Anne
Congratulations, Charles! Let there be more Homeacres around the world for the next 10 years 🥂
Thanks for being a beacon of tranquillity on TH-cam. You've inspired our own fruitful journey into no dig and continue to give us more beautiful reasons to continue.
So nice, thanks Paul
Long live, your getting old, thank you for the knowledge that you give
Absolutely splendid ❤
This was such a wonderful overview of your time at Homeacres. It’s so interesting to hear the story of how it was once a market garden, and how it has returned to its original size with your purchase of the adjoining land. I think some deep intuition must have made you decide not to proceed with the purchase of the other property because as a result, Homeacres has become an inspiration for so many people around the world.
Yes I hd a feeling! Thanks
Such a pleasure to watch and hear more of the unfolding of Homeacres, your gentleness and connection is always so inspiring, We were gripped throughout the whole of your story telling. We always enjoy your content and have learnt so much from you over the years - Thank you for all that you share and for being such an amazing human!
Wonderful, thanks, I wish you well
I echo all the other comments. You are an inspiration to all of us. Thank you and your team for the excellent work. Your books and calendar compliment nicely with your videos. Thank you.
Cheers Martin!
I am so glad you made this! I've always wanted to see the story behind it all, really enjoyed it, thanks, Clive.
Glad you enjoyed it Clive
So grateful to you, Charles…. Sharing your knowledge so willingly. 🙏
I am from Poland. Thank you, that you share knowledge.
My pleasure Wiktor
Thank you Charles. What an impressive development. Your NoDig gardening method is the best example of growing healthy food together with nature.
Cheers Robert
ooo very beautiful square, very beautiful garden.
Beautiful. Just shows one man can change the world for the better
🍀 I hope you are right David!
Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge and wisdom. I have been so inspired by your beautiful gardens and I am about to start my own no dig kitchen garden. I especially appreciate your teaching style. You are a joy to listen to!
Wish you well and thanks!
Another generous gift, sharing your journey and knowledge. Priceless. Thank you Charles. Blessings from Oregon.
Having just bought rural land with a ruined building in Catalonia, it's really nice to see that you started out with less perfection :D
How exciting Jonathan, may it go well for you!
Charles, I've been following you since about 2018 and have learned so much. I have expanded my garden as well as my knowledge by watching you and adapting your methods to my climate. You are truly an inspiration. Thank you.
Lovely to hear this James
So grateful to you for your advice on bindweed. The half plot allotment we took on just over a year ago (we’re also in Somerset not too far away so similar conditions) was packed with bindweed & had been really neglected & we did find that quite a lot still came through even with no dig beds but we persevered, didn’t dig or use chemicals as suggested often to us when we took it on, just kept pulling it out as it grew, & now the places we have the most trouble with it are where it comes across from other plots or neglected areas, we have also composted what we pull. We get so many compliments on our plot which is lovely but I always feel a little guilty as it is all down to no dig & in large part to you & Huw Richards who I started watching first, & feel like we don’t put in as much hard work as people assume we do as it’s so much simpler this way! Though if you have any advice for cabbage whitefly I’d be grateful as the allotment site is full of them; we cover crops but there are so many they always seem to find their way in anyhow!
Lovely video, thank you 😊
Great to hear Sarah and well done.
For the butterflies, you need to buy as a dry powder, a soil bacteria called bacillus thuringiensis (search Agrinova Xentari, marketed for box hedges, same ingredients), which makes leaves indigestible only two caterpillars. It's totally safe, does not affect any other insects or mammals and I spray it every 18 days from about 10th of July to now
@@CharlesDowding1nodig thank you, I will give that a go 🙂
Thank you. I love watching your videos and learning from you.
Congrats on 10 years of Homeacres, nice to see those old photos of what once was there.....another market garden of all things. I'm sure your hard work and the fact it was once a productive garden must bring you great joy......cheers and may 2023 be even more prosperous.
Thankyou Roy
Congratulations on 10 years. Mine is only 2 years and trying not to spend so much, each year gets better. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Sounds promising Pam
We garden in rocky soil.
One advantage of "No Dig" is that rather than "digging down" into rocks, you "build-up" the soil, and avoid fighting with endless rocks.
So true!!
Cheers to 10 years!
I am sooo so happy that u had the will to start making videos. And sharing your journey with us Charles. It in an absolute pleasure to tune in to the channel, time and time again to see what interesting and lovely you got going on. It's a true blessing!❤😊
💚 thankyou
Thank you so much for sharing your homestead! Super inspiring!
A great story Charles. Hope you have many more years of great gardening and Inspiring us all.
Thank you Mike
You inspire us a lot, thank you 👍
Thank you Sir! You are such a blessing! :)
Wow amazing to see how it used to be and how far u have come, hopefully next year we can see the pond full again.
I hope so too Mark and thanks
Having just started my allotment this year this give me alot of inspiration
Good to see the bees!
Love this bloke and his videos
Just wish I had a place even a half the size - now a house with land is prohibitively expensive for most now
Thanks Adie, something has to give!
Would love to see you use the new land to experiment with a bit of forest/wood or agroforestry.
I am pleasantly surprised at how much of the journey I have followed you on. My thanks for giving me a positive new perspective and practical steps to having a healthier garden!
That is nice Gordon
I've been watching every video since you first began, often more than once, and I loved learning so much about your discovery and purchase of Homeacres at last.
I'm so glad Ruby and I've appreciated your comments over the many years, thank you
Who can say now that the vegetable garden is not a long-term activity! good evening from the dordogne in france
💚
Jest Pan inspiracją ogrodników, zdrowe warzywa, wielkie korzyści, dzieją się cuda w moim warzywniku dzięki No Dig, gratuluję, podziwiam i czerpię ogromną wiedzę od Pana👍 pozdrawiam serdecznie i dziękuję 💚💚♥️
Bardzo się cieszę, że to wiem, bo lubię cuda i teraz mogą nam wszystkim pomóc
Love the story. Well done and you can see and hear your passion for Homeacres. Well done. Inspirational.
Nice to hear Susan, thanks
You really must be proud of what you accomplished so far Charles. Congratulation.
Yes and amazed!
What a wonderful story of the history of Home Acres! I’ve watched all your videos now, and it was so neat to see & hear in one concise video, what you’d started with and how it grew little by little. The idea to start small & have an overall vision of what you want and let it gradually grow and change as you go is so encouraging! Especially for those of us with small property. It gives hope for being able to manage and grow till I find the limit of what I’m able to manage by myself.
I convinced my husband to watch a few of your videos with me a year ago. When he saw how beautiful, clean and weed free your were, he agreed to let me try no-dig again. I didn’t have enough compost so I found a friend with safe horse manure to apply over the beds. I put about an inch, since it had been a couple of years since it was tilled up. More would have been better, but in spite of that, I was able to overall keep up with weeding for the first time ever! My husband was pleased with how nice the garden looked! We started out with a rainy beginning, so when the rain stopped, I didn’t water as soon as I should have. But overall, I got a decent harvest.
One accidental experiment was my French beans: half were growing well and were a nice deep green and large plants. The other half were small, struggling & light color- almost yellowish. For a few weeks I racked my brain as to why one half was so different when I’d applied the same manure to all. Then after a month it hit me! The good beans were planted where I’d applied my homemade compost LAST YEAR! (I was able to revive the spindly beans by watering in some fish emulsion fertilizer & watering more).
So now I know even more how important the composting is! I did bag my grass this year from your recommendation, as well as keep a bucket out there to put weeds in, for adding to my compost. This year, with all the extra supplies & gathering some from a local restaurant a few times & coffee grounds from coffee shops, I had enough compost to put a thin layer on 2/3 of my garden last week! If I can even do that amount every year and rotate where it goes, I look forward to seeing improvement each year!
I’ve been using your garden diary & look forward to comparing my notes from this year to next year!
Thank you for all your instructions! You are an inspiration!
Great story Jen, thanks for following and paying close attention, much is possible as you are finding!
Very interesting to see and hear the overview. Thank you.
You are an inspiration Charles, I have one lettuce plant in my conservatory, every time I crop I think of homeacres. 😅 lol. Best wishes from Brizzle.
That is cute!!
What an amazing video, I really enjoyed it, so interesting to hear about the journey of Homeacres.
Really enjoyed this video. Thank you, Charles! xx
Congratulations on 10 years and good luck on the next 10! I am ready to expand my no-dig garden again this year. Just need to build a bigger fence as the neighborhood deer, rabbits, woodchucks, and birds come to snack.
Good luck Ken, big job, and thanks
Thanks, teacher. no dig is the best.
Since discovering you and your work my gardening confidence, enjoyment, and results have increased beyond belief. Thank you for sharing your all you do
That makes me happy to read. Those three follow from each other 🥦
This is what makes the internet so powerful. Good people spreading good information for everyone to use. Thanks Charles.
Yes 🌱 and thanks, sowing seeds of ideas too!
Thanks for sharing!
What a fantastic video! Been following you for a little over 4 years now, Charles. Great work, I hope to visit Homeacres in 2023.
Thanks Craig
Thanks for the history Charles. Very interesting.
Absolutely gutted the pond hasn't worked out. I'm sure you'll find a solution and have it full again soon. Good luck.
Thanks so much. 💦 is priority!!
Hi Charles loved your video! thank you for sharing your story lv Irene 😘 xx
Thanks Charles for all your inspiring work
🌱
We are in the process of buying a one acre property with a home. I am going to start a no dig garden, just need to design the lady out, thanks Charles for your instruction.
Best of luck Steve, nice project!
Awesome ❤
Congratulations on this landmark birthday of Homeacres. As always, your humble and honest attitude inspires. It doesn't matter that there is no great masterplan, what you are doing gives genuine joy and education to so many people. That knowledge must be an enormous payback. Here's to the next decade . . And beyond
Thank you so much Tanua and I feel grateful to reach so many, yes it helps my work
Thanks for the update! :)
Thanks charles for the learning video's. I started my own garden, and now my compost heap is my best friend 🙂
Wonderful
I've been watching your videos for about a year now Charles, and I've learned so much from you going through a year of experimenting with the things you've taught. I'm getting better at making compost and plan on expanding this autumn my efforts to increase my compost yield for next year. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas with us!!
Lovely to see this Martin
Fabulous recap of your journey.
As lovely as always, Charles.
🎉Brilliant🎉
Thank you.
Very inspiring! Congrats on all your success with this property and your business.
Thanks Charles!
Wonderfull video.Thank you
really enjoyed this video most enjoyable