You and your wife are bloody legends mate! If you can "impose" this on yourself and stick to it at a time where it's not a necessity, you could thrive in this situation if it presented itself for real! I have loved every step of this experiment, and would be interested to see how it would play out in each of the seasons. Well done guys!
I think this is a good challenge for gardeners to try for 1 day, 1 week, 2, a week? Like others mentioned it can show you weaknesses in your system if you're aiming for self-sufficiency.
Mark, could please do more videos on preserving your food like the sun dried tomatoes and others...? I dry a lot and I have a big freezer, but would like to know more about other ways.Thank you.
I really do what to create more videos on preserving and cooking right here on this channel. Honestly, I'm frustrated at the moment with all the administration I am currently doing behind the scenes to improve my websites and get things organised so I can host better articles and videos for people to easily browse and interact with and then I can work more on creating content rather than fixing IT issues, etc. I hope to be in a better position to launch more content including recipe videos such as preserving very soon. Cheers :)
@@SelfSufficientMe2 Sure, I totally understand running the one man business. Your channel is growing so much, might be worth getting a pro to deal with this part or some of the other time consuming tasks for you. I still have little bit of time here in France before my crops start to produce, but definitely will be a lot ;-) Good luck with everything Mark.
If you still have lettuce, here's a cold soup that I look forward to every summer. Slice lettuce very thinly to fill 3/4 of a large mixing bowl. Dice several red radishes. Chop 4 green onions, whites & greens. Juice 1 lemon. Mash 3 or 4 hard boiled eggs. Add all to the bowl of lettuce. Top with cold water just to the top of the lettuce. (I would also be adding 2 Tbsp finely chopped rolled oats for texture but the soup is excellent without as well). Add salt & pepper and chopped fresh dill to taste. You could add more lemon if you think you need it. This is amazing with a baked potato. Enjoy!
This is very much how I feel during Lent. When we were leaning more towards veggies, I found a delight in Asian and Indian recipes. You may consider growing various dal. They provide a dense food source, but perhaps they require different growing conditions or growing space. I loved the mung bean and the black urad dal.
I hope you know how much people enjoy your videos and your knowledge. I know making youtube videos and dealing with some commenters can be difficult and irritating at times. I hope you enjoy making these videos as much as we enjoy watching them. Thanks Mark
You will be surprised at how sweet fruits and other treats will taste after you have been off sugar for a while. Jicama is good in a stirfry as a water chestnut substitute.
Sweet potatoes have been a mainstay in the southern United States for as long as I can remember and I'll be 70 in January. They were grown on most farms and homesteads long before I was born. Sweet potatoes might have become popular in the UK and Australia over the past 20 years but we have been enjoying them for at least a century. On a homestead we couldn't run to the store several times a week. We did have to buy coffee, tea,sugar and flour and we bought them in bulk, people ground their own corn for cornbread. As one of eleven children we all had good teeth because we seldom had sweets. Mom preserved figs, berries etc.and she made bread pudding about twice a year and a 8 layer chocolate cake at Christmas. Other than the natural sugars in the sweet potatoes, figs,berries and such we had very little sugar in our diet. We also raised our own meats, plus my dad and brothers were avid hunters. We always had some kind of meat even though we didn't have a freezer.
at the end of your self sufficiency experiment it would be interesting to see what you could try for next year given time to prepare and whether possible to develop a meal plan that addressed the shortcomings realised this time around. We now have a much better idea of how quickly our world can change; imagine how bare the supermarkets might look if no overseas oil shipments for a month. You could simulate some products like almond milk by purchasing almonds and planting the trees for future supplies. Plant a grain patch, 200 m2 would give you a year's supply.
Loving the new channel. Hopefully you can do more poultry videos as well as more DIY and cooking videos. Maybe bee keeping? The possibilities seem endless!
Hello there, came up to Seattle from Pine Grove, California to visit my son and new 5 week grandson. He, my son, is subscribed to your show. I’ve been totally enjoying your show and learning a lot. Thank you
As a millenial, I giggled 😁 it's been so inspirational being able to watch this. It's a life goal to grow a sustainable amount of food to live on for a time. Thank you!❤
What a great point about the refined sugar and sugary drinks. I have been cutting out sugary drinks and alcohol, replacing them with herbal teas. Cabbage is also one of my new favourites, keeps well to.
You can easily make starch from both potatoes for tempura and sweet potatoes for noodles which is a very Asian thing to do and you can still cook/eat the shredded potato left overs. Starch easily separates from the fine shreds in water and settles to the bottom of the bowl. Pour the water off for a soup and add clean water to the starch, let settle and pour off again. You can then dry the starch and store or use immediately. Works with mung beans as well for glass noodles or wraps.
I'm REALLY excited to learn what lessons you and Nina have come away with! And you are a very good husband to give your wife first pick of the chicken eggs. I almost want to recommend that you set up a go-fund-me for shipments of protein and cabbage!
I appreciate that you didn't make sure you were fully stocked on everything yummy before starting this. It wasn't the optimal time as far as your harvests go so you had to make major adjustments
Have you ever made Chow Chow? I don't know if it is a regional thing to the South in the US, but main ingredients are cabbage and green tomatoes. We mix it with our beans, usually black eyed peas, crowders or field peas. It is sweet as opposed to a sauerkraut and can be made either mild or hot. Most believe it was invented as a way of using up the last of the harvest of tomatoes that ran out of time to ripen, much like fried green tomatoes.
Look at you go Mark. Well done! I have to admit I was a bit skeptical if you would stick to it, but you did. So now you know you are in a good spot just in case. One thing I thought of when you were talking about the juice is that you take from your trees and you don't add any sugar to the juice. Sadly that is not the case with a lot of juices. Just a really good idea is to read the labels as best you can.
Sir Mark. Been eating sweet potatoes in my living memory. 52 years. Many southern USA crops were deemed "slave food". But was tasty and very nutritious. Man, some purple hull peas, potatoes, okra, peppers, carrots, peanuts, black eyed peas, any bean.
Simple Living Alaska did this challenge, fortunately they had alot of salmon canned. I recall them using alot of 'cowboy candy', sauerkraut, picked things and salsas for flavors. It gave them alot of insight into what they wanted to plant more or less of and preserve for next year.
Glad all is well Mark, you're an inspiration to all of us. I'm in my early 20s and have been growing some veg in pots and even built a raised bed this season. Its helped keep me sane during this virus bs
We just finished 28 days of fruits and veggies only - most of which came from my garden here in Stockton California, USA Zone 9. I am so happy I grow so many herbs! I was able to add different herbs to the dishes and totally change the end dish I served. Herbs... the answer to eating the same thing every day for 4 weeks!!!! Also... the thyme is a virus killer so we eat it daily, also the marjoram is eaten by the people in the islands off of Greece where the people live to over 100 years old and active until the day they pass on. So yes, we eat both of those daily!
I think you've done great. Watching you inspired us to do a first weekend of self sufficiency. We are in the UK and are currently much more limited than you currently are but as you said, self sufficiency isn't always easy and like you, we didn't prepare. We missed spices which we usually use a lot of and I think if we did it any longer, I think we would have quickly got bored. Next year should be better as more stuff is preserved this year. There's an aussie video on TH-cam called That Sugar Film which is very interesting and a fast way to stop you missing sugar. All the best Karen
I've seen other people also say they missed spices. Have you considered growing herbs and spices? I'm in a similar climate to you and oregano, dill, thyme, rosemary, basil, parsley, coriander, mint, sage all grow pretty good
Yeah that and sugar, coffee, cream and or creamer were the hardest for me too. I now have a 5 gallon bucket of sugar, (27 kilos), salt, and various quantities of other convenient items on hand for just such occasions. In the US our Federal Emergency Management Admin says have 3 months supply of food on hand. Corona kind of awakened me that, that is not a bad idea. Though I 'm close.
@@jenniferspeers2453 hi there. Yes we grow a lot of herbs which we did use but it was the Indian and Mexican spices we missed. Long term we would use those still but gave ourselves that restriction for the weekend.
Forty years ago I'd summer sometimes on my uncles farm. He'd make decisions based on soil and climate and what would return the most for his harvest. Sweet potato was king.
Learning a great deal from your experiment. Thanks for sharing. I've drawn a number of conclusions so far - preserves, rely on fructose as source of sugar intake etc. Thank you so much.
Now, you know to grow more potatoes and sweet potatoes than the farti-choke or the yam. The citrus or orange juice itself helps to keep colds at bay. I eat a lot of fruits, berries, and citrus and I rarely get sick. Many of my friends and family are always having flu-like issues. Yes, cabbage is so good. Besides sauerkraut, make cabbage steaks, yum. Do some more dill pickles. Oh my, I am excited thinking about vegetables to grow in the garden.
What about growing beans and legumes that you could dry & store for the next survival experiment. It would bulk up your meals very well & leave you satiated & good protein. Just a suggestion.
You have no meat but Broths in the morning are pretty good. My grand parents flavored their morning tea and coffee with peach, cherry, grape, and apple jellies. Fruit peelings make a good addition to morning tea as well. Apple peels and any citrus are easily dried and stored. Having a miserable time eating things you hate, and suffering through loved and destroyed morning routines only makes a bad situation worse. Sure we can get through it but why? Enjoyed this. Very informative and thought provoking. Thanks Mark!
Great job from both of you😊 Grow mushrooms for next year, you can inoculate some eucalypt logs easily with some shiitake plugs from a supplier and induce fruiting by throwing them in your pond for a day or two. The logs can last you up to 7 years and the shrooms have a great meaty flavour. 🍄
I love following along as you go. This is interesting because I am trying to prepare for winter here in USA if we get hit hard. So this might be what my husband and I will be facing.
Love this experiment. I had the opposite issue dealing with Covid. I didn't shop for 4 mnths ( being a Nurse, it was priority not to risk any Covid exposure to my patient's at work) and lived off canned, powdered products, dehydrated, and non perishables. What I missed the most was fresh veg and spices I ran out of. Indeed an egg or piece of meat as well. I had a ton of carbs lol. I learned alot about my diet and what I need to have stored and grow. I only can have one small garden but planted it wisely now. I am filling my gaps and planned to dehydrate for winter. But its a fact..couldn't sustain from a 16x16 garden. And I rent so I cannot change it at this time. So..I store what I can and trying to use my small garden now more crucially to needs.
Looking after everyone else but not yourself - a typical nurse! Thanks for your dedicated service to others. And good on you for still growing! All the best :)
I love your channel. Been on a low carb eating plan for a year. The repetition can get to you. If y’all had a way to produce some fat you’d feel fuller Longer. Maybe use your egg yolks for salad dressing? A nice green salad dressed with egg yolk, salt and pepper is quite good.
I can’t remember if you said there was a reason why you haven’t culled a few quail. Perhaps they are not the right age or you don’t have any at present? Anyway, you’re doing a cracking job and it will drive you to plant new things and create even greater diversity in your garden, in future seasons. Brilliant! 🙌
Have you tried growing cassava? Also known as mandioca or yuca (not to be confused with yucca). It's about double as much energy dense as regular potatoes or sweet potatoes. It is typically grown in subtropical climates as far as I know. Cooking it is quite a hassle but definitely worth it, if only for variety! Also, for meat, have you considered adding pigs and/or rabbits? Or is it just more convenient to focus on breeding a lot more chicken and ducks?
For the future Mark, will you be planting more bean varieties for drying? That would be a great protein addition and filler for soups, curries and chillies.
Just cut the heads of the cabbage and leave the plant. It will put out some little head at the base of the extra leaves. They are good if fried or in soup.
We always had a House Cow when i was growing up. jersey cow or Guernsey cows , Very rich milk and a small cow . easier to handle , and can make butter , cheese . all good .
Mark, kudos to you and Nina for your progress with the 21 day experiment, as well as your frankness about the experience! 👏 I will be interested to hear how you feel after that first big steak meal you mentioned. Until January of this year, I was primarily a carnivore - mostly beef and poultry - and now consume very little animal protein. You may be a bit surprised. 😉 Keep on keeping on!
Mark don't know if you got McCain chips over there but McCain have just started selling their potatoe varietys they use as seed potatoes now so you can grow your own. Could be a good couple varieties to try if you're into your chips like i am.
Jerusalem artichoke, yacon and jicama all store there energy in the form of inulin which is a carb that is unable to be processed by the human body. It just goes straight through you without providing many calories. That may be part of the reason for losing weight. Also did you know you can eat the sweet potato leaves? They are pretty high in protein for a green and are delicious lightly stirfried
Tell nina to roast some of the vegetables with lemon juice and toast what ever nuts you have. Also you should be eating between 3 and 4 cups of vegetables to get about 200 calories in veggies after adding 1/2 cup of nuts it will go up to 250 - 300. Also she can add half of a cup of her favorite beans to her salad to keep from getting hangry or as I say wanting to eat the moon. My husban and I do a planned 40 days every year.
I've been watching your channel(s) a lot over the last 2 weeks and really appreciate the advice you give. I live in central Tokyo for now and have about 2m x 0.5m for a balcony to grow on, lol... but you have tips still that are relevant for me, I utilize the space to grow things that are impossible to buy here, like super hot peppers, and other things that are just silly expensive here. Though in regards to the struggle you're having with proteins now in this experiment... believe me, I'm a red meat eating Yank, but I find chickpeas to be extremely satisfying and have no meat craving at all afterwards. I have no idea how difficult they are to grow in Oz but you seem to be somewhat of an expert in that area, really recommend you try it.
Would you grow jackfruit for next time you do this? That way you’d be able to have additional options for meals as it’s a great meat replacement for us veggies. You’re doing great, keep going 🙂
I can't say that I'm too keen on jackfruit, unfortunately... And, that's why I haven't planted a tree here but I get what you mean and this is part of learning what other foods we can use as substitutes. Cheers :)
@@SelfSufficientMe2 oh dude i hate fresh jackfruit... But cooked jackfruit is AMAZING. And the seeds are good boiled! i eat it at veg restaurants here in saigon
Hey Mark love the videos. Regarding the citrus I wouldn't worry about the sugar content but more about it's acidity and the amount of vitamin C it can bring. Few years back I had a great aunt that would replace sodas with orange juice and drinking 4 or more glasses per day. After a normal doctor's appointment she was told that she was basically overdosing on vitamin C and really hurting her body. Just wanted to share just in case. Keep doing what you do and be safe.
Hi I love your channel ! Since you’re talking about jicama I want to say it is very good the way I eat it is I peel the jicama than slice it into pieces and Squeeze a lemon than sprinkle some salt and Cayenne pepper for me The first time I tasted jicama it was better than cucumbers
I love your new channel! And we love sweet potatoes too. Have you thought about growing twice as much sweet potatoes next time and then canning the rest to eat during the off season. You can make pies with them too.
Yeh, it's not easy being vegetarian, it takes a lot of commitment, dedication and a lot and i mean a lot of planning. I really had to learn a whole new mindset, be creative and expect quite a few failures with my concoctions. What you are doing is very interesting, seeing the reality of what you have set up against what you thought it could do for you if you needed it to support your family. By just watching i can see where i need to change what i do and finesse some inbalanced areas, very brave, well done.
Good job, Mark! We grow a good amount of winter squash and stock a closet with them. We roast the squash and use it in pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, and many other things including a pumpkin based pasta sauce. You could also cook a quail, you raised them. It would make an interesting video.
Thanks for the update. Enjoyed the grandfather story. Had my "nothing" concerning a potato crop in our dry weather. Your trial my be more important than you realize in letting gardeners realize what works best, and how much they need. I've been seeing "Market Misfits" ads, and an increase in gardeners locally, so things are changing. About a week ago l noticed Australia had 300 cases/million, and America over 6,600 cases/million. We're approaching 9,100. I don't think it will end in 2020. I find your videos entertaining, and informative. Thanks.
You should grow some stevia to help with the sugar fix. I use stevia for my coffee and tea and I've actually started preferring it over sugar. I haven't had any luck growing it myself but that's likely due to my lack of experience. Also, I'm proud of you for coming this far and not giving up! Just don't overindulge when the challenge is over or the kilos might come knocking!
Get inventive my friend and pack your food full of herbs and spices! I’m a meat eater too so having a dish that explodes in your mouth certainly helps with the boredom factor.
Through having diabetes, I have learned the carbohydrates in carrots become much more available when cooked. For example for 15 grams of carbohydrate I may have 1/2 cup cooked carrots or 3 cups of raw carrot sticks. For my purposes I go for the raw carrots. You may benefit from cooking your carrots.
Do you have Moringa trees? They do very well here in Phoenix Az. I hear really great things about these trees since almost all of it is edible. The seed pods look scary to me, but I read that you cut them and saute them like green beans (albeit giant ones!) I love your videos. Thank you for the inspiration.
Moringas are an amazing tree. Fastest growing plant on the planet I heard. The other amazing thing is their leaves and seeds are considered a super food but don’t go near their roots. If you ate some of the root, the Toxins causes paralysis
I think for this experiment you chose the perfect time. It makes us think what we need to put up to get through the spring food lean time before the summer crops start to come in.
For me eating fruits and veggies always makes be feel empty. I need the carbs, the potatoes, bread, and pastas.I hope you and your wife are recording how much stored foods (canned, frozen and fermented) you have gone through so that you can plan on a years worth with your next harvest and have enough when you two decide to try this challenge again. Keep rocking!
You and your wife are bloody legends mate! If you can "impose" this on yourself and stick to it at a time where it's not a necessity, you could thrive in this situation if it presented itself for real! I have loved every step of this experiment, and would be interested to see how it would play out in each of the seasons. Well done guys!
Thanks Simon and doing it seasonally isn't a bad idea at all! Cheers :)
I think this is a good challenge for gardeners to try for 1 day, 1 week, 2, a week?
Like others mentioned it can show you weaknesses in your system if you're aiming for self-sufficiency.
Tau Ceti CN m dbcg.hxgh
I’d love to hear from Nina at the end of your experiment to learn what she thinks. Love your two channels 💕💕
Ok, I'll see if I can interview her - not a bad idea - but she is never keen on being in front of the camera. Cheers :)
@@SelfSufficientMe2 she dosnt have to be in front... Maybe just you in front and she can be off screen answering questions.
@@SelfSufficientMe2 Or she could just do a voice over
Or you could tell us what she thinks after interview her
Mark, could please do more videos on preserving your food like the sun dried tomatoes and others...? I dry a lot and I have a big freezer, but would like to know more about other ways.Thank you.
I really do what to create more videos on preserving and cooking right here on this channel. Honestly, I'm frustrated at the moment with all the administration I am currently doing behind the scenes to improve my websites and get things organised so I can host better articles and videos for people to easily browse and interact with and then I can work more on creating content rather than fixing IT issues, etc. I hope to be in a better position to launch more content including recipe videos such as preserving very soon. Cheers :)
@@SelfSufficientMe2 Sure, I totally understand running the one man business. Your channel is growing so much, might be worth getting a pro to deal with this part or some of the other time consuming tasks for you. I still have little bit of time here in France before my crops start to produce, but definitely will be a lot ;-) Good luck with everything Mark.
Thanks for everything Mark, I have learned so much, both channels are excellent.
Love this more informal video!
If you still have lettuce, here's a cold soup that I look forward to every summer. Slice lettuce very thinly to fill 3/4 of a large mixing bowl. Dice several red radishes. Chop 4 green onions, whites & greens. Juice 1 lemon. Mash 3 or 4 hard boiled eggs. Add all to the bowl of lettuce. Top with cold water just to the top of the lettuce. (I would also be adding 2 Tbsp finely chopped rolled oats for texture but the soup is excellent without as well). Add salt & pepper and chopped fresh dill to taste. You could add more lemon if you think you need it. This is amazing with a baked potato. Enjoy!
I’m really curious to see the differences if you do this again during a time when the garden is pumping really well
It wouldn't be much of a challenge Lex but it still is a good idea and I'm certainly considering it and other ideas along the same lines. Cheers :)
Homesteading - preserve preserve preserve
@9:23 none taken ya legend! Keep up the great videos, hope your viewership demographic is as diverse as it should be! You have tons of info to impart.
This is very much how I feel during Lent. When we were leaning more towards veggies, I found a delight in Asian and Indian recipes. You may consider growing various dal. They provide a dense food source, but perhaps they require different growing conditions or growing space. I loved the mung bean and the black urad dal.
I hope you know how much people enjoy your videos and your knowledge. I know making youtube videos and dealing with some commenters can be difficult and irritating at times. I hope you enjoy making these videos as much as we enjoy watching them. Thanks Mark
Wait... more Mark on a second channel?!?! WONDERFUL!
You will be surprised at how sweet fruits and other treats will taste after you have been off sugar for a while. Jicama is good in a stirfry as a water chestnut substitute.
Sweet potatoes have been a mainstay in the southern United States for as long as I can remember and I'll be 70 in January. They were grown on most farms and homesteads long before I was born. Sweet potatoes might have become popular in the UK and Australia over the past 20 years but we have been enjoying them for at least a century. On a homestead we couldn't run to the store several times a week. We did have to buy coffee, tea,sugar and flour and we bought them in bulk, people ground their own corn for cornbread. As one of eleven children we all had good teeth because we seldom had sweets. Mom preserved figs, berries etc.and she made bread pudding about twice a year and a 8 layer chocolate cake at Christmas. Other than the natural sugars in the sweet potatoes, figs,berries and such we had very little sugar in our diet. We also raised our own meats, plus my dad and brothers were avid hunters. We always had some kind of meat even though we didn't have a freezer.
at the end of your self sufficiency experiment it would be interesting to see what you could try for next year given time to prepare and whether possible to develop a meal plan that addressed the shortcomings realised this time around. We now have a much better idea of how quickly our world can change; imagine how bare the supermarkets might look if no overseas oil shipments for a month. You could simulate some products like almond milk by purchasing almonds and planting the trees for future supplies. Plant a grain patch, 200 m2 would give you a year's supply.
Loving the new channel. Hopefully you can do more poultry videos as well as more DIY and cooking videos. Maybe bee keeping? The possibilities seem endless!
Hello there, came up to Seattle from Pine Grove, California to visit my son and new 5 week grandson. He, my son, is subscribed to your show. I’ve been totally enjoying your show and learning a lot. Thank you
As a millenial, I giggled 😁 it's been so inspirational being able to watch this. It's a life goal to grow a sustainable amount of food to live on for a time. Thank you!❤
“Spoilt melenial” had me in stitches. Great experiment, keep up the great work and awesome video s
What a great point about the refined sugar and sugary drinks. I have been cutting out sugary drinks and alcohol, replacing them with herbal teas. Cabbage is also one of my new favourites, keeps well to.
I love how much you are learning and sharing with us those lessons. Can’t wait to see the video with the final thoughts my friend 😊
You can easily make starch from both potatoes for tempura and sweet potatoes for noodles which is a very Asian thing to do and you can still cook/eat the shredded potato left overs. Starch easily separates from the fine shreds in water and settles to the bottom of the bowl. Pour the water off for a soup and add clean water to the starch, let settle and pour off again. You can then dry the starch and store or use immediately. Works with mung beans as well for glass noodles or wraps.
This is the REAL Mark fans channel. Damn good guy. Admirable fellow.
On ya Mark. I'm a big fan of what you do. Great job mate.
I'm REALLY excited to learn what lessons you and Nina have come away with! And you are a very good husband to give your wife first pick of the chicken eggs.
I almost want to recommend that you set up a go-fund-me for shipments of protein and cabbage!
I appreciate that you didn't make sure you were fully stocked on everything yummy before starting this. It wasn't the optimal time as far as your harvests go so you had to make major adjustments
This is one of the TH-cam channels that changes minds and lives. Thank you for this.
You and Nina are doing so well. I would have given up by now. My hubby and I love watching both of your channels, thank you for the videos you make.
Thanks for your support Belinda! :)
Looking healthy Mark! Thanks for all the helpful videos!
You know what?
I like the humor in you stories.. I always have a good laugh at your humor!
Its as good as it gets!
Have you ever made Chow Chow? I don't know if it is a regional thing to the South in the US, but main ingredients are cabbage and green tomatoes. We mix it with our beans, usually black eyed peas, crowders or field peas. It is sweet as opposed to a sauerkraut and can be made either mild or hot. Most believe it was invented as a way of using up the last of the harvest of tomatoes that ran out of time to ripen, much like fried green tomatoes.
Isn’t it absolutely beautiful remembering wonderful memories like that? It happens to me very often. Hope you’re having an amazing day my friend!
I’m growing sweet potatoes for the first time this summer. The plants are so vigorous, they make a pretty good cover crop to keep the weeds down too.
They certainly do! Cheers :)
I love the 2nd channel mark.
Reminds me of the casual conversations around the barbie that were never long enough.
Cassava is a good alternative
I have really enjoyed your journey. Your taste buds will change. Fruit gets sweeter and flavors become more intense. Energy goes up. Good journey!
Look at you go Mark. Well done! I have to admit I was a bit skeptical if you would stick to it, but you did. So now you know you are in a good spot just in case. One thing I thought of when you were talking about the juice is that you take from your trees and you don't add any sugar to the juice. Sadly that is not the case with a lot of juices. Just a really good idea is to read the labels as best you can.
Sir Mark. Been eating sweet potatoes in my living memory. 52 years. Many southern USA crops were deemed "slave food". But was tasty and very nutritious. Man, some purple hull peas, potatoes, okra, peppers, carrots, peanuts, black eyed peas, any bean.
love following along with the experiment.
I think I got hungry about 2 min in. That happens a lot when I watch your vids. Thanks for the post.
Simple Living Alaska did this challenge, fortunately they had alot of salmon canned. I recall them using alot of 'cowboy candy', sauerkraut, picked things and salsas for flavors. It gave them alot of insight into what they wanted to plant more or less of and preserve for next year.
You are smashing this well done!!
Yes....dried/roasted tomatoes, Fresh shelling peas and beans, and, if you have space, grow some Amaranth and Quinoa!! Maybe some Kamut or Farrow.
Glad all is well Mark, you're an inspiration to all of us. I'm in my early 20s and have been growing some veg in pots and even built a raised bed this season. Its helped keep me sane during this virus bs
My goodness 😳 you are wasting away!! Proud of your hard work! Good job! You make me want to try it
This is an amazing adventure. Bravo Mark
We just finished 28 days of fruits and veggies only - most of which came from my garden here in Stockton California, USA Zone 9. I am so happy I grow so many herbs! I was able to add different herbs to the dishes and totally change the end dish I served. Herbs... the answer to eating the same thing every day for 4 weeks!!!! Also... the thyme is a virus killer so we eat it daily, also the marjoram is eaten by the people in the islands off of Greece where the people live to over 100 years old and active until the day they pass on. So yes, we eat both of those daily!
I’m loving this series, what a great idea. Can’t wait for the conclusion.
I think you've done great. Watching you inspired us to do a first weekend of self sufficiency. We are in the UK and are currently much more limited than you currently are but as you said, self sufficiency isn't always easy and like you, we didn't prepare.
We missed spices which we usually use a lot of and I think if we did it any longer, I think we would have quickly got bored. Next year should be better as more stuff is preserved this year.
There's an aussie video on TH-cam called That Sugar Film which is very interesting and a fast way to stop you missing sugar.
All the best
Karen
I've seen other people also say they missed spices. Have you considered growing herbs and spices?
I'm in a similar climate to you and oregano, dill, thyme, rosemary, basil, parsley, coriander, mint, sage all grow pretty good
Yeah that and sugar, coffee, cream and or creamer were the hardest for me too. I now have a 5 gallon bucket of sugar, (27 kilos), salt, and various quantities of other convenient items on hand for just such occasions. In the US our Federal Emergency Management Admin says have 3 months supply of food on hand. Corona kind of awakened me that, that is not a bad idea. Though I 'm close.
G'day Karen! Thank you and well done on your own self-sufficiency quest. Yes, I know that sugar film you mention - very interesting! All the best :)
@@jenniferspeers2453 hi there. Yes we grow a lot of herbs which we did use but it was the Indian and Mexican spices we missed.
Long term we would use those still but gave ourselves that restriction for the weekend.
Snow peas are wonderful carbs. They last in cooler weather.
Neat experiment, I was raised on what my grandparents grew in their garden. Never went hungry.
Forty years ago I'd summer sometimes on my uncles farm. He'd make decisions based on soil and climate and what would return the most for his harvest. Sweet potato was king.
Learning a great deal from your experiment. Thanks for sharing.
I've drawn a number of conclusions so far - preserves, rely on fructose as source of sugar intake etc.
Thank you so much.
fruits can be preserved with fruit juice and without sugar. There are commercial fruit spreads that are made with all fruit.
Now, you know to grow more potatoes and sweet potatoes than the farti-choke or the yam. The citrus or orange juice itself helps to keep colds at bay. I eat a lot of fruits, berries, and citrus and I rarely get sick. Many of my friends and family are always having flu-like issues. Yes, cabbage is so good. Besides sauerkraut, make cabbage steaks, yum. Do some more dill pickles. Oh my, I am excited thinking about vegetables to grow in the garden.
What about growing beans and legumes that you could dry & store for the next survival experiment. It would bulk up your meals very well & leave you satiated & good protein. Just a suggestion.
You have no meat but Broths in the morning are pretty good. My grand parents flavored their morning tea and coffee with peach, cherry, grape, and apple jellies. Fruit peelings make a good addition to morning tea as well. Apple peels and any citrus are easily dried and stored. Having a miserable time eating things you hate, and suffering through loved and destroyed morning routines only makes a bad situation worse. Sure we can get through it but why? Enjoyed this. Very informative and thought provoking. Thanks Mark!
Great job from both of you😊 Grow mushrooms for next year, you can inoculate some eucalypt logs easily with some shiitake plugs from a supplier and induce fruiting by throwing them in your pond for a day or two. The logs can last you up to 7 years and the shrooms have a great meaty flavour. 🍄
I absolutely love these *off the cut* videos. I love seeing the real Mark Valencia.
I love following along as you go. This is interesting because I am trying to prepare for winter here in USA if we get hit hard. So this might be what my husband and I will be facing.
I just had my first complete meal outa this years veg patch happy to see your still on it I’m waiting on my purple flesh potato’s with anticipation
I love stories - keep sharing!
Love this experiment. I had the opposite issue dealing with Covid. I didn't shop for 4 mnths ( being a Nurse, it was priority not to risk any Covid exposure to my patient's at work) and lived off canned, powdered products, dehydrated, and non perishables. What I missed the most was fresh veg and spices I ran out of. Indeed an egg or piece of meat as well. I had a ton of carbs lol. I learned alot about my diet and what I need to have stored and grow. I only can have one small garden but planted it wisely now. I am filling my gaps and planned to dehydrate for winter. But its a fact..couldn't sustain from a 16x16 garden. And I rent so I cannot change it at this time. So..I store what I can and trying to use my small garden now more crucially to needs.
Looking after everyone else but not yourself - a typical nurse! Thanks for your dedicated service to others. And good on you for still growing! All the best :)
Looking good Mark!
I love your channel. Been on a low carb eating plan for a year. The repetition can get to you. If y’all had a way to produce some fat you’d feel fuller Longer. Maybe use your egg yolks for salad dressing? A nice green salad dressed with egg yolk, salt and pepper is quite good.
I can’t remember if you said there was a reason why you haven’t culled a few quail. Perhaps they are not the right age or you don’t have any at present? Anyway, you’re doing a cracking job and it will drive you to plant new things and create even greater diversity in your garden, in future seasons. Brilliant! 🙌
Looking forward to seeing what you have learned over this time. You're doing great
Have you tried growing cassava? Also known as mandioca or yuca (not to be confused with yucca). It's about double as much energy dense as regular potatoes or sweet potatoes. It is typically grown in subtropical climates as far as I know. Cooking it is quite a hassle but definitely worth it, if only for variety!
Also, for meat, have you considered adding pigs and/or rabbits? Or is it just more convenient to focus on breeding a lot more chicken and ducks?
Hi Mate bring on the fishing I’m really keen to see it!!!! Good on ya
For the future Mark, will you be planting more bean varieties for drying? That would be a great protein addition and filler for soups, curries and chillies.
Yes and preserving in other ways also. Cheers :)
Just cut the heads of the cabbage and leave the plant. It will put out some little head at the base of the extra leaves. They are good if fried or in soup.
I'm doing a corned beef & veges plus a beef shoulder on the Kettle today.
You need to check the BBQ Pit Boys out, Mark.
We always had a House Cow when i was growing up. jersey cow or Guernsey cows , Very rich milk and a small cow . easier to handle , and can make butter , cheese . all good .
The indonezian recipe would help. 4:15 brown tuber, i dont know what you call in Australia. Its a great for salad.
Jicama is its name
Mark, kudos to you and Nina for your progress with the 21 day experiment, as well as your frankness about the experience! 👏 I will be interested to hear how you feel after that first big steak meal you mentioned. Until January of this year, I was primarily a carnivore - mostly beef and poultry - and now consume very little animal protein. You may be a bit surprised. 😉 Keep on keeping on!
You are a excellent role model! Giving your wife the lions share 🥰
Mark don't know if you got McCain chips over there but McCain have just started selling their potatoe varietys they use as seed potatoes now so you can grow your own. Could be a good couple varieties to try if you're into your chips like i am.
Jerusalem artichoke, yacon and jicama all store there energy in the form of inulin which is a carb that is unable to be processed by the human body. It just goes straight through you without providing many calories. That may be part of the reason for losing weight.
Also did you know you can eat the sweet potato leaves? They are pretty high in protein for a green and are delicious lightly stirfried
Tell nina to roast some of the vegetables with lemon juice and toast what ever nuts you have. Also you should be eating between 3 and 4 cups of vegetables to get about 200 calories in veggies after adding 1/2 cup of nuts it will go up to 250 - 300. Also she can add half of a cup of her favorite beans to her salad to keep from getting hangry or as I say wanting to eat the moon. My husban and I do a planned 40 days every year.
Knowing Nina, Mark probably doesn't have any nuts left 😁
I've been watching your channel(s) a lot over the last 2 weeks and really appreciate the advice you give. I live in central Tokyo for now and have about 2m x 0.5m for a balcony to grow on, lol... but you have tips still that are relevant for me, I utilize the space to grow things that are impossible to buy here, like super hot peppers, and other things that are just silly expensive here.
Though in regards to the struggle you're having with proteins now in this experiment... believe me, I'm a red meat eating Yank, but I find chickpeas to be extremely satisfying and have no meat craving at all afterwards. I have no idea how difficult they are to grow in Oz but you seem to be somewhat of an expert in that area, really recommend you try it.
Would you grow jackfruit for next time you do this? That way you’d be able to have additional options for meals as it’s a great meat replacement for us veggies. You’re doing great, keep going 🙂
I can't say that I'm too keen on jackfruit, unfortunately... And, that's why I haven't planted a tree here but I get what you mean and this is part of learning what other foods we can use as substitutes. Cheers :)
@@SelfSufficientMe2 oh dude i hate fresh jackfruit... But cooked jackfruit is AMAZING. And the seeds are good boiled! i eat it at veg restaurants here in saigon
It’s really great slow baked! Excellent pork replacer
Sweet story love your channel so much i been sharing it. So others will see please tell us where did you order but purchased those garden steel beds
Hey Mark love the videos. Regarding the citrus I wouldn't worry about the sugar content but more about it's acidity and the amount of vitamin C it can bring. Few years back I had a great aunt that would replace sodas with orange juice and drinking 4 or more glasses per day. After a normal doctor's appointment she was told that she was basically overdosing on vitamin C and really hurting her body. Just wanted to share just in case. Keep doing what you do and be safe.
Hi I love your channel !
Since you’re talking about jicama I want to say it is very good the way I eat it is I peel the jicama than slice it into pieces and Squeeze a lemon than sprinkle some salt and Cayenne pepper for me The first time I tasted jicama it was better than cucumbers
Love both your channels, great vids! Fun content, informative, and they always seem to put a smile on my face. Thanks, Mark!!
I love your new channel! And we love sweet potatoes too. Have you thought about growing twice as much sweet potatoes next time and then canning the rest to eat during the off season. You can make pies with them too.
I have thought about (or wished) I had grown much more sweet potato yes... Cheers :)
Doing great, man!
Finish line is in sight!
Yeh, it's not easy being vegetarian, it takes a lot of commitment, dedication and a lot and i mean a lot of planning. I really had to learn a whole new mindset, be creative and expect quite a few failures with my concoctions. What you are doing is very interesting, seeing the reality of what you have set up against what you thought it could do for you if you needed it to support your family. By just watching i can see where i need to change what i do and finesse some inbalanced areas, very brave, well done.
Good job, Mark! We grow a good amount of winter squash and stock a closet with them. We roast the squash and use it in pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, and many other things including a pumpkin based pasta sauce. You could also cook a quail, you raised them. It would make an interesting video.
Show us how you dehydrate the tomatoes
Thanks for the update. Enjoyed the grandfather story. Had my "nothing" concerning a potato crop in our dry weather. Your trial my be more important than you realize in letting gardeners realize what works best, and how much they need. I've been seeing "Market Misfits" ads, and an increase in gardeners locally, so things are changing. About a week ago l noticed Australia had 300 cases/million, and America over 6,600 cases/million. We're approaching 9,100. I don't think it will end in 2020. I find your videos entertaining, and informative. Thanks.
Thanks Michael, yes mate I think you are right... All the best :)
You should grow some stevia to help with the sugar fix. I use stevia for my coffee and tea and I've actually started preferring it over sugar. I haven't had any luck growing it myself but that's likely due to my lack of experience. Also, I'm proud of you for coming this far and not giving up! Just don't overindulge when the challenge is over or the kilos might come knocking!
If you haven't already you should make a video on how you make and preserve sauerkraut, love the channnel(s)!
Get inventive my friend and pack your food full of herbs and spices! I’m a meat eater too so having a dish that explodes in your mouth certainly helps with the boredom factor.
Through having diabetes, I have learned the carbohydrates in carrots become much more available when cooked. For example for 15 grams of carbohydrate I may have 1/2 cup cooked carrots or 3 cups of raw carrot sticks. For my purposes I go for the raw carrots. You may benefit from cooking your carrots.
I like the rambling style of this
Don't starve yourself though, Mark! You work bloody hard! (Sorry, just me..
🍊) Love your work, mate!
Do you have Moringa trees? They do very well here in Phoenix Az. I hear really great things about these trees since almost all of it is edible. The seed pods look scary to me, but I read that you cut them and saute them like green beans (albeit giant ones!)
I love your videos. Thank you for the inspiration.
Not yet but I am looking into growing them yes so thanks for the suggestion! Cheers :)
The pods are better in form of soup. Cut them up and boil with salt etc
Moringas are an amazing tree. Fastest growing plant on the planet I heard. The other amazing thing is their leaves and seeds are considered a super food but don’t go near their roots. If you ate some of the root, the Toxins causes paralysis
I think for this experiment you chose the perfect time. It makes us think what we need to put up to get through the spring food lean time before the summer crops start to come in.
For me eating fruits and veggies always makes be feel empty. I need the carbs, the potatoes, bread, and pastas.I hope you and your wife are recording how much stored foods (canned, frozen and fermented) you have gone through so that you can plan on a years worth with your next harvest and have enough when you two decide to try this challenge again. Keep rocking!
My friend thank you for sharing a amazing idea.
I love it experiments turn into greatful..
Eat vegetables and root crops are good to our body. As you said avoid soft drinks.Thank you i keep watching.you.i am here in Davao City PHILIPPINES.
Thank you and keep good health
Good to see u..