I love this episode, as well as I love each and every one that you put out. I'm so happy to see waddles AKA Duckie To be adopted! I love how longer loves you in the video by licking you constantly I love that dog and your homestead animals... and I love your meaning behind each video including this one.. planting trees is very important to life for harvesting and nature..❤🌳🐑🐏🐕🦢🦆
My Saturdays always start with yours and Carrie's videos. Best way to start the weekend and a reminder to be positive and mindful. Thank you both so much
Hey Alex great vid. Just wanted to add a little bit of insight to your comment about the ozone layer. The hole in the ozone was created by Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are produced in industry and were in a number of household products. There was a global effort to reduce using CFCs which has helped slow down the depletion of the ozone. The hole is largely over Antarctica but over NZ and Aussie the ozone is weaker compared to what you would be used to in the northern hemisphere. That’s why our sun is so brutal!
Yes agreed my friend, homesteading/farming is a spiritual journey/ part of being fully human. I have a small homestead on the big island of Hawaii. Thankyou for sharing your homesteading adventures 😊
When you were planting the tomatoes it brought back memories of my uncles farm in Whangarei as a child. The noise of the birds. In all of my travels I have never heard anything like the sound of birds in New Zealand. When I hear it I get nostalgic memories. I did read that the early European explorers to New Zealand wrote that you could hear the birds not long after you could see it.
I laughed out loud watching Lanka eat grass with his friends the horses. I'm about to move house in 3 months... 5 beds with land been here 26 years, down to 2 bed apartment and you've spurred me on to start some packing. A little a day... keep chipping at it and the rewards will be great. Thanks for the videos.
Thank you, this was a delightful vid. I appreciate that even in your busy work day, you still make an effort to capture pics of the little animals going about their little lives too. It's so enjoyable and adds to the peaceful flavour of the life we see, thanks for that. Your vege gardens are looking great, well worth all the effort you both put into them👍🏻. Enjoy all the flowers of spring while you can. It's a long time to the next Spring. 🤔 I wonder what the gang, Wool-son, Waddles and Lanka will be up to then. Waddles probably have waddles of his/her own, Wool-son, well hmmm???, and Lanka will be a little older and wiser. 🦆🐕🐑🤴👸🌻🌺🌹🌼
Great video Alex, the land is beautiful seeing all the animals makes me so happy. I’m considering moving back to NZ over the next few years. Over living in a big city. During the pandemic taking up gardening, learning canning and preserving I’m keen for a fresh start back in Nz when I was born. The vids from you and Carrie are giving me lots of inspiration.. keep them coming 🙃 it’s great seeing the changes in you both, I used to watch Carries vids back in the day when she was talk about makeup and skincare
You tube is a place where everything goes so quick. Zap zap zap. Here comes you and just bring me down to earth so relaxed and complementing. Thank you for that Alex. As a gardner I must say I wish I was gardening in NZ. The climate! A question. Why did you not settle up north on the island. I sure is favorable. I know prices especially around Auckland is crazy just like everywhere else it must be places that are not. You are so ringt about the planting of trees. It is extremely imporrtant and is something everyone should do. I wish you and your a wonder ful day. :)
You are a many facetted person. Your sheep herding was pure Fred Dagg so you need to watch "Country Calender" on a Sunday night and you will see farmers controlling sheep with a stick with a plastic bag on the end. All good fun!
I loved seeing you working the land and herding the sheep’s. You seem so content just being in the land and taking care of it. Waddle is so lucky to have a new family and Lanky looks amazing. Love and be safe. 😘🤗🌼🇻🇪
Hey Alex you and Carrie have inspired me to plant.. today I am proud mother of 2 tomato plants and one basil plant.. though I am renting I thought I could plant at least this much 😇 thank you for your thoughts and making us part of your homestead journey. It almost feels like we living with you the homestead life ❤️
@@AlexanderAyling I am just starting so don’t want to do a lot. I am still learning about gardening so eventually will grow more but have got a good start 😇 thanks to you and Carrie for the inspiration
(July 31, 2022) I smiled when you said that you need a sheepdog to herd those five "rebels." Perhaps Lanka could do with a buddy like a Border Collie? Excellent job you did with your garden. Those veggies are already producing salad greens (and red) for your table. Should you decide to acquire some sheep later on, I think one ram and two ewes are okay in the meantime. Would an energetic border collie be a good exercise partner for Lanka? Just putting across my thoughts . . . 😄❤
Looking less and less like a city slicker every day Alex lol, The property is looking spring lovely. The scene at 27.32 just wow, so lush, fresh and homely. Lanka surveying his land. Thanks for the vlog.
I love this beautiful property but what real strikes me that you guys have this very unusual birds sounds. Wow, I just can’t get enough. Thank you for every video you make!
Thanks for sharing your ew life. I love the sense of growth, the pride and enjoyment you gain from this country life. For me my days of striving and living with nature are past. Love to you and the animals.
3 reasons why the sun is harsher in NZ: • Ozone depletion adds 10% UV. The actual hole is over Antarctica, but it still affects NZ. • Clean air adds 20% UV (compared with corresponding latitudes in the northern hemisphere). Smog can act as a sunscreen. • The sun being closer during summer due to Earth's elliptical orbit adds 7% UV.
another great video and you dont realise how fast a the grass grows till you have a lot of land .I been watching our landscapers/ builders building our deck and pool pad and have so much respect for them working in all this weather conditions cranking it out they have achieved so much in a week and a bit and it mean we are one step closer to getting our property to what we want to enjoy it to the fullest and looking back on what we have accomplished admist lockdowns and flooding an delays in contractors due to lockdown its crazy how much we still have managed to do
I know Carrie mentioned something about canning, but are you guys able to invest in like a large chest freezer to store frozen items made from the garden to be used in the winter? I did that for my garden this year and being able to eat “fresh” pesto, zucchini, and tomatillo salsa from the garden in the middle of the winter was life changing 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
I recommend an upright freezer - like a fridge but all the compartments are freezer drawers. We find it much better than a chest freezer - we have ours in the shed.
I have just started building a garden bed and a great gardener friend gave me a few tips that you might find useful. Think of crop rotation, companion planting and pest control. Rotation is not to plant crops in the same location for more than 2 years altho each season is great. It reduces damage from insect pests, to limit development of disease and to manage soil fertility. Companion planting is to group plants that is beneficial to themselves as well as other plants around them. Eg potatoes are great with beans, cabbage, peas, sweet corn but do not grow well with cucumber pumpkin, sunflower, tomatoes, or near apple cherry and raspberry.eg apple tree are happier when grass is kept away as grass roots can shriver the root tips of the apple tree. Apple scab is a pain - plant chives under it, or make tea from chives or horse tail Fox gloves could be grown around or beneath fruit trees resist disease to other plants growing nearby. Keep carrots and potatoes away from apple. Carrots will turn bitter and potatoes become tasteless and start to rot Natural pests control for vegetables plant dill basil and marigolds around it
I'm on my day off, so it's time for my catch up on my favorite vlogger, it's painfully hard work but you done it, shepherding sheep is a patience thing, they have a stubborn streak, when one don't want to go they all follow that one and then they all run "everywhere" but. 🤦🏽♀️ I help my Sis who has around 80 odd and no dog "great exercise though running the rolling hill, thank you Alex another fantastic video 👍🏽
Hi Alex, firstly I want to say thanks for your weekly vids, they really put a smile on my face and are a great way to start my weekend as I sip on my first coffee each Saturday morning. And I really enjoy Carrie's vid's too, you're both such warm, lovely and motivating people, so thank you! Just a thought for your orchid and other paddocks too, have you considered keeping geese? Apparently they make great grazers for orchids, plus their poop is good for the trees. All the best :-D
Thank you Kirsten!! The previous owners had some geese but they’ve moved up the valley and don’t come through here often. They are in some previous videos in this series though
A couple of Kunekune pigs would help keep the grass down and would provide good fertiliser. They're the only pigs that graze so they won't tear up the land, also incredibly friendly and easy to raise.
Everything's starting to fall in to place and take shape bro. Congratulations it wouldn't have been easy. You and the Mrs deserve a break somewhere this summer bro
So in sync with that tree message at the end. Just got ~100 natives in; going for a mini Tiritiri Matangi. Lots more to go. Each time I get another into the ground, I cheer it on to grow and gobble carbon ❤️ Can’t wait for your floors project 🥳
I love seeing your place move into summer. The past few months have really flown by! It always amazes how much of the English ecosystem the European immigrants seem to have transported there. All those trees and buttercups and clover to boot! And meanwhile, I live in Europe, surrounded by American oak trees and serviceberries. Crazy stuff! It would be great if you could plant some native trees too. (And teach us outsiders about them!)
We have been really enjoying your. Content. My family and I visited NZ in 2019 and have been trying to find work to get a visa ever since. We would like to live on a small homstead, lifestyle property such as yourself. I'm really interested in knowing more about how your internet works. You mentioned putting in a satellite internet system. Were Educators and work from home online. We're also from California. Thanks
Hey man loved this video your thoughts on trees is very True,there is a question people ask,when is the best time to plant a tree the answer is 20 years ago 😂👍👌 enjoy your content man you've got a really nice place 👌 plant more trees 🤠
Yeah man could make that happen over the summer period I don't have I.G only FaceBook and I hardly go there either, TH-cam and Patreon are about the only social platforms I use ✌️we will connect up one way or another 👍
My family always just put electric tape on stakes around the trees. Then you can move them and take them up and down easy. Also very handy if you only want the to graze half a paddock at a time, or for moving them.
Really enjoying your thoughts on life, seeing your connection to nature and listening to the birdsong; mother nature’s reminder to be in the moment……maybe Lanka could learn how to help moving the rams, you’ll need a shepherds whistle 😉 ✌️
Love it all! Great inspiration for planting trees and such wisdom there. I hope your avocado trees grow and produce like crazy. You definitely need a sheep dog. :) We had a border collie when we had sheep growing up and it was like he could read your mind. He'd just round up the sheep for you and put you where you wanted 'em. Sheep can be tremendously frustrating to herd. You did a great job! I kept thinking about goats for your weed and pasture management since they can be used so effectively for weed control in the U.S. but I think they might do some damage to your trees. You'd have to intensively manage them to make it work. Loving all the progress and the plant growth. Thanks for the video!
It's like you were talking to me directly about putting off a job namely clearing some weeds out. As always a fab video, a relaxing thought provoking half hour. I'm off to pull weeds 🥴
Alex the sheep herder was fun to watch, especially when you used your firm voice. Lanka licking the salty sweat from your arm so lovingly was so sweet. I love walking the property with you guys and getting your chill vibe. Once a week is not enough!
Sheep should be ok in orchard when trees are a bit more mature. The other option is to make hay from one of the paddocks...winter feed for Woodson, bedding for chooks etc, grass fires aren't common here so not a worry while spring growth is on.
@@AlexanderAyling You might be surprised, it may be worth asking around. Making the small hay bales doesn't necessarily use large equipment. If it's feasible for their equipment, contractors will pay you to cut and bale your standing grass - they get the hay to on sell, you get your grass cut and a little bit of cash (or a few hay bales for yourself).
The metal stakes are called waratahs here in NZ. Not sure why. Cattle? Nah unless you want to constantly round them up as they are masters of escaping and eating trees and bushes you want to keep. Plus they shit a lot and it really does waft a fair distance. But they are gentle animals mostly. Sheep are easier by far but they too wanna eat juicy saplings…agreed about effort has its own rewards. Break down big jobs into smaller by bit by bit and over time you’ll find as you seem to have that things come together and get under control. Good onya mate, awesome work there!
I'm in the U.S. Have been tracking the NZ weather using Auckland. Not to pry, but I'm also observing the weather in your posts, and wondering if there's a different town/city hear you I could select to get a better feel for your weather? Hoping to at least be a summer visitor to NZ asap. Love your videos. Been where you and Carrie are now in homesteading adventures a few times.
@@xamojjomax One of the 'problems' with forecasting NZ weather is that you are never far from the coast here and the climate and weather vary greatly. The "Four seasons in one day" cliche applies!
@@Moamanly I live in Washington State, U.S., about an hour from our coast. I've been observing NZ weather since my first (and so far only!) visit in Feb 2020 (!). From what I'm observing, it looks a lot like our weather. :)
The main cause of ozone depletion and the ozone hole is manufactured chemicals, especially manufactured halocarbon refrigerants, solvents, propellants, and foam- blowing agents (chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), HCFCs, halons), referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Not NZs fault! just global usage up until the 90s were a big thing and the gases concentrate nearer the poles.
I think Lanka is too gentle to be a sheep dog. You just gotta watch dog trails if you get the opportunity or you tube. When I was young (NZer) Sheep Dog Trials was on TV, it was the best TV ever ! Alex you will need to get the shepherd whistle going with and or without a whistle. My Mum and Dad have cool shepherd whistles being bought up around farms in NZ.
Sometimes it is easier to get seeding out of trays with the blunt end of an old knife like knife and fork knife. It's a bit smaller than the little garden trowel and will do less damage over time when removing seedlings from trays
Wiltshire sheep Alex. You could maybe borrow your neighbours horses at times as they like long grass - only if it’s horse friendly grass though - not rye/clover if they’re grass affected
@@AlexanderAyling No I don't, too much of a towny (Aucklander), but I think my brother might have some, or at least know what breed they are. I'll get back.
@@AlexanderAyling Ok there's three breeds readily available here, they're Whiltshire, Damara, & Dorper. My brother has "Meatmaster" which are a cross between Damara and Wiltshire, they are coloured and shed their wool. He has yearlings and weaned lambs, $120 for wethers and $150 for ewes.
In 2020 the biggest Ozone 'hole' ever (the size of North America) 'closed'.....but from what I have read, each Spring NZ is affected by varying degrees of ozone depletion. Sun screen is essential.
Hey Alex - the reason you are surfing with so few people is you are going to the wrong beaches/ breaks. There are so many spots in the Wairarapa better than Castle Point
Should I feel guilty for hard I laughed while you were herding the sheep? Sorry, I couldn't help it. Maybe you could train Lanka to be a sheepdog. I got stuck in 'New Zealand traffic jams' and the farmers were driving their sheep down the roads using 4-wheelers.
I am not usually political on here but as a Kiwi I feel I should say something. 🙂 Don't you think the large hole in the ozone layer down here in the pacific, may be as a result of the large amount Nuclear bomb testing in the recent past by other countries ,,,,,, I don't think the sheep and cows have as much to do with it as is thought.
You look completely worn out. Take some time out dear boy x No-one works out at the gym for 8 hours a day, and that is what you are doing with land work.
Animals and trees. You mentioned wanting walnuts at one point but I think that's not such a good idea near livestock. Some natives similar, eg kowhai. They will graze what they can reach as you are finding out!
Love the part you said about doing things that are painful and that you don’t look forward to, but that will help you grow as a person. In a brief phase right now where I’m wanting to make changes, but they’re going to be really hard, and I’m not looking forward to it. Hearing this feels like a message from the universe reminding me to keep on, and that I’m on the right path.
I’m so glad the message resonates -I’ve found the hard things, the things we don’t want to do, are always the things we have to in order to continue to grow
Regarding the avocado trees. They will be fine over summer but will for the next 2-3 years will need to have frost covers in winter. I have one in Hamilton and it's survived meany frosts
Hello friend, I just wanted to say I really enjoy the pace and content of your videos. I am writing this from Calgary, Canada, largely bedridden with quite severe chronic illness, and it brings me so much peace and comfort to see you flow through your beautiful and flourishing life. I also have dreams of living on a small rural homestead with an organic garden in a peaceful pocket of nature with lots of trees. I also related to you talking about your previously very busy life, as I was once an avid traveller and passionate language-learner. New Zealand was a place that I felt immediately at home. I hope one day I can live in a healing and nourishing place similar to yours, and grow a deeper sense of happiness and connection with the world I live in. Thank you for sharing your life and flooding my heart with a sense of ease and parting comforting and authentic insights that bring me a sense of optimism. Much love to you, Carrie, Woolson, and all your other animal friends 🌿🐑🌳🦆🌤🐕🪴🌸
I get so excited for your and carries videos. I always talk about yous wen people ask who I watch on TH-cam. It's so awsome to see how far yous have come and settled in here in our beautiful country. Awsome videos can't wait til next weeks video have a awsome week 😊
Just a thought, perhaps if you were able to pick up an old cheap wooden dinghy, and plonk it in the pond, then if you ever found yourself with a bit of spare time it might be relaxing to just float around in the sun with a book, or just have a snooze while the world goes by.
So happy to see Waddles get adopted, living her best duck life!
Right?! Such a happy update to her story :)
I love this episode, as well as I love each and every one that you put out. I'm so happy to see waddles AKA Duckie
To be adopted! I love how longer loves you in the video by licking you constantly I love that dog and your homestead animals... and I love your meaning behind each video including this one.. planting trees is very important to life for harvesting and nature..❤🌳🐑🐏🐕🦢🦆
Thank you Angela
@@AlexanderAyling you're very welcome Alex.. you and your family are in my prayers❤🙏
My Saturdays always start with yours and Carrie's videos. Best way to start the weekend and a reminder to be positive and mindful. Thank you both so much
Aww thank you 🙏🏼
That weed-whacking timelapse was very satisfying. Looks like a good work out!
Haha it was hardcore!
Thank you a lot for wonderful tour ☺
Thank you! Hope to visit your country one day
A treat for me on a Sunday watching your vids. Gorgeous as per 😊🌸🙌
Thank you Bec - I appreciate you spending some of your weekend with me 🙏🏼
You two are inspiring❤
Thank you!
Hi Alex, the animals are so happy with you and Carrie ❤️
I love the elevator jazz music while the sheep munch. I bet that’s what it sounds like in their minds most of the time
So beautiful. Nice job guys 😍
Thank you Jorge 🙏🏼
Oh my goodness you made me laugh with the sheep😂😂😂 you place is really starting to shape up!
Hahah it’s a work in progress with the sheep lol - thanks Adelien
Hey Alex great vid. Just wanted to add a little bit of insight to your comment about the ozone layer. The hole in the ozone was created by Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are produced in industry and were in a number of household products. There was a global effort to reduce using CFCs which has helped slow down the depletion of the ozone. The hole is largely over Antarctica but over NZ and Aussie the ozone is weaker compared to what you would be used to in the northern hemisphere. That’s why our sun is so brutal!
Thank you for sharing and clarifying
Yes agreed my friend, homesteading/farming is a spiritual journey/ part of being fully human. I have a small homestead on the big island of Hawaii. Thankyou for sharing your homesteading adventures 😊
Hey Katlin! Totally agree. I have relatives on the big island. Such a magic spot. Enjoy it out there
When you were planting the tomatoes it brought back memories of my uncles farm in Whangarei as a child. The noise of the birds. In all of my travels I have never heard anything like the sound of birds in New Zealand. When I hear it I get nostalgic memories. I did read that the early European explorers to New Zealand wrote that you could hear the birds not long after you could see it.
Totally agree Ron. The birdsong in Nz is top notch
I laughed out loud watching Lanka eat grass with his friends the horses. I'm about to move house in 3 months... 5 beds with land been here 26 years, down to 2 bed apartment and you've spurred me on to start some packing. A little a day... keep chipping at it and the rewards will be great. Thanks for the videos.
He’s so weird like that. Starts eating grass lol
Thank you, this was a delightful vid. I appreciate that even in your busy work day, you still make an effort to capture pics of the little animals going about their little lives too. It's so enjoyable and adds to the peaceful flavour of the life we see, thanks for that.
Your vege gardens are looking great, well worth all the effort you both put into them👍🏻. Enjoy all the flowers of spring while you can. It's a long time to the next Spring. 🤔 I wonder what the gang, Wool-son, Waddles and Lanka will be up to then. Waddles probably have waddles of his/her own, Wool-son, well hmmm???, and Lanka will be a little older and wiser. 🦆🐕🐑🤴👸🌻🌺🌹🌼
Thank you Elah! We hope Waddles has some of her own :)
Great video Alex, the land is beautiful seeing all the animals makes me so happy. I’m considering moving back to NZ over the next few years. Over living in a big city. During the pandemic taking up gardening, learning canning and preserving I’m keen for a fresh start back in Nz when I was born. The vids from you and Carrie are giving me lots of inspiration.. keep them coming 🙃 it’s great seeing the changes in you both, I used to watch Carries vids back in the day when she was talk about makeup and skincare
Aww thank you! We appreciate the support and that’s awesome you’ve been with Carrie for so long. Aotearoa is waiting for you 🙏🏼
Yes Alex enjoyed this video Kai is growing awesome the orchard is looking good and the duck family is doing well
Thank you Sharon!
You tube is a place where everything goes so quick. Zap zap zap. Here comes you and just bring me down to earth so relaxed and complementing. Thank you for that Alex. As a gardner I must say I wish I was gardening in NZ. The climate! A question. Why did you not settle up north on the island. I sure is favorable. I know prices especially around Auckland is crazy just like everywhere else it must be places that are not. You are so ringt about the planting of trees. It is extremely imporrtant and is something everyone should do. I wish you and your a wonder ful day. :)
We like the area we settled. Close to convenient town but feels like we are miles from anything. Love it here. Plus our $ went much further here :)
You are a many facetted person. Your sheep herding was pure Fred Dagg so you need to watch "Country Calender" on a Sunday night and you will see farmers controlling sheep with a stick with a plastic bag on the end. All good fun!
Love Country Calendar
So enjoying your videos Alex. Keep them coming. Love watching you and Carrie as you build your new life in Aotearoa.
Thank you Helen 🙏🏼🙏🏼
I loved seeing you working the land and herding the sheep’s. You seem so content just being in the land and taking care of it. Waddle is so lucky to have a new family and Lanky looks amazing. Love and be safe. 😘🤗🌼🇻🇪
Thank you Monique 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Hey Alex you and Carrie have inspired me to plant.. today I am proud mother of 2 tomato plants and one basil plant.. though I am renting I thought I could plant at least this much 😇 thank you for your thoughts and making us part of your homestead journey. It almost feels like we living with you the homestead life ❤️
Awesome!! Why stop there?!? We had a huge garden at our rental property in LA. Happy growing :)
@@AlexanderAyling I am just starting so don’t want to do a lot. I am still learning about gardening so eventually will grow more but have got a good start 😇 thanks to you and Carrie for the inspiration
(July 31, 2022) I smiled when you said that you need a sheepdog to herd those five "rebels." Perhaps Lanka could do with a buddy like a Border Collie? Excellent job you did with your garden. Those veggies are already producing salad greens (and red) for your table. Should you decide to acquire some sheep later on, I think one ram and two ewes are okay in the meantime. Would an energetic border collie be a good exercise partner for Lanka? Just putting across my thoughts . . . 😄❤
Thank you Placido. We shall see how spring unfolds :)
Looking less and less like a city slicker every day Alex lol, The property is looking spring lovely. The scene at 27.32 just wow, so lush, fresh and homely. Lanka surveying his land. Thanks for the vlog.
Thank you 🙏🏼
I love this beautiful property but what real strikes me that you guys have this very unusual birds sounds. Wow, I just can’t get enough. Thank you for every video you make!
The bird sounds here are unbelievable- magic
Awesome job so far. The struggle is real hearding those sheep in but yall got it done. One thing at a time.
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your ew life. I love the sense of growth, the pride and enjoyment you gain from this country life. For me my days of striving and living with nature are past. Love to you and the animals.
Thank you Wendy
Love the sight of you moving the sheep between paddocks in your jandals #sokiwi 😆🩴🐑
Hahaha
Thank you for sharing always love watching your vlogs.👍🐑
Thank you for watching and leaving a kind comment Helen. I appreciate your support
Great video Alex! Love all the animals, trees and the progress you are making each week. Glad you got the opportunity for some me time,.
Thank you Deb!!
This part right here 19:10. The bird sound is so angelic. 🥰
Right? The bird song is unreal
3 reasons why the sun is harsher in NZ:
• Ozone depletion adds 10% UV. The actual hole is over Antarctica, but it still affects NZ.
• Clean air adds 20% UV (compared with corresponding latitudes in the northern hemisphere). Smog can act as a sunscreen.
• The sun being closer during summer due to Earth's elliptical orbit adds 7% UV.
Thank you for the information. Interesting stuff
Excited to see my notification for your video Alex Great as always
Thanks Effie!!! I appreciate you tuning in each week
another great video and you dont realise how fast a the grass grows till you have a lot of land .I been watching our landscapers/ builders building our deck and pool pad and have so much respect for them working in all this weather conditions cranking it out they have achieved so much in a week and a bit and it mean we are one step closer to getting our property to what we want to enjoy it to the fullest and looking back on what we have accomplished admist lockdowns and flooding an delays in contractors due to lockdown its crazy how much we still have managed to do
That’s life though right?!? Making it work around the road blocks
@@AlexanderAyling totally
I know Carrie mentioned something about canning, but are you guys able to invest in like a large chest freezer to store frozen items made from the garden to be used in the winter? I did that for my garden this year and being able to eat “fresh” pesto, zucchini, and tomatillo salsa from the garden in the middle of the winter was life changing 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Yes!! Chest freezer is for sure happening
I recommend an upright freezer - like a fridge but all the compartments are freezer drawers. We find it much better than a chest freezer - we have ours in the shed.
Morning bro. You're making great progress with your homestead. Thanks for sharing 💯
Good morning! Thanks for tuning in each week. I appreciate your time!
I have just started building a garden bed and a great gardener friend gave me a few tips that you might find useful.
Think of crop rotation, companion planting and pest control.
Rotation is not to plant crops in the same location for more than 2 years altho each season is great. It reduces damage from insect pests, to limit development of disease and to manage soil fertility.
Companion planting is to group plants that is beneficial to themselves as well as other plants around them.
Eg potatoes are great with beans, cabbage, peas, sweet corn but do not grow well with cucumber pumpkin, sunflower, tomatoes, or near apple cherry and raspberry.eg apple tree are happier when grass is kept away as grass roots can shriver the root tips of the apple tree. Apple scab is a pain - plant chives under it, or make tea from chives or horse tail
Fox gloves could be grown around or beneath fruit trees resist disease to other plants growing nearby.
Keep carrots and potatoes away from apple. Carrots will turn bitter and potatoes become tasteless and start to rot
Natural pests control for vegetables plant dill basil and marigolds around it
This is such great advice. Chives will be planted under our apple trees!
Omg I’m laughing so hard! You are turning into a true kiwi! There is no way you would go out looking like that in the states lol!!! Love it
I'm on my day off, so it's time for my catch up on my favorite vlogger, it's painfully hard work but you done it, shepherding sheep is a patience thing, they have a stubborn streak, when one don't want to go they all follow that one and then they all run "everywhere" but. 🤦🏽♀️ I help my Sis who has around 80 odd and no dog "great exercise though running the rolling hill, thank you Alex another fantastic video 👍🏽
Aww thank you Meg! I appreciate you spending some time with me :)
@@AlexanderAyling Your welcome Alex enjoy the rest of your day 👍🏽
Watching you herd the sheep was hilarious 😂
🤪
Hi Alex, firstly I want to say thanks for your weekly vids, they really put a smile on my face and are a great way to start my weekend as I sip on my first coffee each Saturday morning. And I really enjoy Carrie's vid's too, you're both such warm, lovely and motivating people, so thank you! Just a thought for your orchid and other paddocks too, have you considered keeping geese? Apparently they make great grazers for orchids, plus their poop is good for the trees. All the best :-D
Thank you Kirsten!! The previous owners had some geese but they’ve moved up the valley and don’t come through here often. They are in some previous videos in this series though
A couple of Kunekune pigs would help keep the grass down and would provide good fertiliser. They're the only pigs that graze so they won't tear up the land, also incredibly friendly and easy to raise.
LOL, those "rods" are called star pickets.
Called Waratahs here 🤪
@@AlexanderAyling By "here", do you mean NZ? I'm in Aus, and that really surprised me! Thanks. :)
I agree. I think we should plant as many trees as we can. Well done mate!!
Cheers Stephen!
Everything's starting to fall in to place and take shape bro. Congratulations it wouldn't have been easy. You and the Mrs deserve a break somewhere this summer bro
Thanks mate! Looking forward to a good roadie with the caravan
So in sync with that tree message at the end. Just got ~100 natives in; going for a mini Tiritiri Matangi. Lots more to go. Each time I get another into the ground, I cheer it on to grow and gobble carbon ❤️
Can’t wait for your floors project 🥳
Planting trees is what it is all about! Stay tuned for the floors!
I love seeing your place move into summer. The past few months have really flown by! It always amazes how much of the English ecosystem the European immigrants seem to have transported there. All those trees and buttercups and clover to boot! And meanwhile, I live in Europe, surrounded by American oak trees and serviceberries. Crazy stuff! It would be great if you could plant some native trees too. (And teach us outsiders about them!)
Yeah plants travel and spread a lot too. More natives on the way!
We have been really enjoying your. Content. My family and I visited NZ in 2019 and have been trying to find work to get a visa ever since. We would like to live on a small homstead, lifestyle property such as yourself. I'm really interested in knowing more about how your internet works. You mentioned putting in a satellite internet system. Were Educators and work from home online. We're also from California. Thanks
We bought a Starlink set up. It’s great :)
Check out babydoll sheep. They have them at Yealands vineyard for grazing. Tiny and smiley little sheep :)
Thanks Kelly!!
Hey man loved this video your thoughts on trees is very True,there is a question people ask,when is the best time to plant a tree the answer is 20 years ago 😂👍👌 enjoy your content man you've got a really nice place 👌 plant more trees 🤠
Kia Ora bro! Thank you. Totally agree but we gotta do what we can now right? I’d love to join you for a Ruahine hunt soon. Shoot me a DM on IG 👍🏽
Yeah man could make that happen over the summer period I don't have I.G only FaceBook and I hardly go there either, TH-cam and Patreon are about the only social platforms I use ✌️we will connect up one way or another 👍
My family always just put electric tape on stakes around the trees. Then you can move them and take them up and down easy.
Also very handy if you only want the to graze half a paddock at a time, or for moving them.
Weed philosophy wad good 👍
Really enjoying your thoughts on life, seeing your connection to nature and listening to the birdsong; mother nature’s reminder to be in the moment……maybe Lanka could learn how to help moving the rams, you’ll need a shepherds whistle 😉 ✌️
Thank you Vicki
Love it all! Great inspiration for planting trees and such wisdom there. I hope your avocado trees grow and produce like crazy. You definitely need a sheep dog. :) We had a border collie when we had sheep growing up and it was like he could read your mind. He'd just round up the sheep for you and put you where you wanted 'em. Sheep can be tremendously frustrating to herd. You did a great job! I kept thinking about goats for your weed and pasture management since they can be used so effectively for weed control in the U.S. but I think they might do some damage to your trees. You'd have to intensively manage them to make it work. Loving all the progress and the plant growth. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for sharing Janelle. Maybe a border collie is in the cards?
Hi Alexander we live around in dorsets road and have some tree protection sleeves you are more than welcome to have.
You should build a little foot bridge to that islet in the middle of your pond when everything else is done. Will make for a nice reading spot.
It’s on the list for sure
It's like you were talking to me directly about putting off a job namely clearing some weeds out. As always a fab video, a relaxing thought provoking half hour. I'm off to pull weeds 🥴
Enjoy it. There’s some serious therapeutic value in the process of pulling weeds and cleaning up
Alex the sheep herder was fun to watch, especially when you used your firm voice. Lanka licking the salty sweat from your arm so lovingly was so sweet. I love walking the property with you guys and getting your chill vibe. Once a week is not enough!
More uploads???
@@AlexanderAyling Pleaseeeeee 🙌🙌🙌
New video! 🥳🥳
Yes! Thanks for watching Cinthya
Sheep should be ok in orchard when trees are a bit more mature. The other option is to make hay from one of the paddocks...winter feed for Woodson, bedding for chooks etc, grass fires aren't common here so not a worry while spring growth is on.
Thanks Eileen! I don’t think I could get one of those big tractors in to make hay in those paddocks
@@AlexanderAyling You might be surprised, it may be worth asking around. Making the small hay bales doesn't necessarily use large equipment. If it's feasible for their equipment, contractors will pay you to cut and bale your standing grass - they get the hay to on sell, you get your grass cut and a little bit of cash (or a few hay bales for yourself).
Was that a seal surfing the waves near the rocks at the beginning of the video?
Yeah a few seals there
The metal stakes are called waratahs here in NZ. Not sure why. Cattle? Nah unless you want to constantly round them up as they are masters of escaping and eating trees and bushes you want to keep. Plus they shit a lot and it really does waft a fair distance. But they are gentle animals mostly. Sheep are easier by far but they too wanna eat juicy saplings…agreed about effort has its own rewards. Break down big jobs into smaller by bit by bit and over time you’ll find as you seem to have that things come together and get under control. Good onya mate, awesome work there!
Thanks Kerry! I think one or two little sheep should do the trick
I'm in the U.S. Have been tracking the NZ weather using Auckland. Not to pry, but I'm also observing the weather in your posts, and wondering if there's a different town/city hear you I could select to get a better feel for your weather? Hoping to at least be a summer visitor to NZ asap. Love your videos. Been where you and Carrie are now in homesteading adventures a few times.
Try Masterton new Zealand, it's the biggest town in the wairarapa province.😊...I'm sure Carrie and Alex said they're in the wairarapa
@@Auckland-girl Cool! Thank you. I'll give it a try. I'm a weather nerd. And a homesteader by heart.
@@xamojjomax One of the 'problems' with forecasting NZ weather is that you are never far from the coast here and the climate and weather vary greatly. The "Four seasons in one day" cliche applies!
@@Moamanly I live in Washington State, U.S., about an hour from our coast. I've been observing NZ weather since my first (and so far only!) visit in Feb 2020 (!). From what I'm observing, it looks a lot like our weather. :)
@@xamojjomax Yep-but probably not as extreme, temperature-wise.
Try making kale chips. Basically dried kale
Yeah they are so good!
The main cause of ozone depletion and the ozone hole is manufactured chemicals, especially manufactured halocarbon refrigerants, solvents, propellants, and foam- blowing agents (chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), HCFCs, halons), referred to as ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Not NZs fault! just global usage up until the 90s were a big thing and the gases concentrate nearer the poles.
incredible)))
Thank you Masha
Will we see a sheep shearing video soon? 🙂
Haha probably not as people can be weird about that
Weather forecast is stand outside and it will tell you. Same with the Surf.
LOL
Get a dehydrater. To make kale powder any kind of powder really for long shelf like
Will do!
I think Lanka is too gentle to be a sheep dog. You just gotta watch dog trails if you get the opportunity or you tube. When I was young (NZer) Sheep Dog Trials was on TV, it was the best TV ever ! Alex you will need to get the shepherd whistle going with and or without a whistle. My Mum and Dad have cool shepherd whistles being bought up around farms in NZ.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Those rams will be wanting a hair cut soon as it'll get quite warm for them over the summer months.
Our neighbor just came to sheer them 👍🏽
Metal "rods" are called waratahs.
🙌🏼🙌🏼
Sometimes it is easier to get seeding out of trays with the blunt end of an old knife like knife and fork knife. It's a bit smaller than the little garden trowel and will do less damage over time when removing seedlings from trays
Thank you!
Maybe check out Farmlands stores for some of the gear you might need to protect the trees
I already did haha
Alex are you an ENFJ? I’m getting those vibes. Loving your content!!
Took an online test and got INTJ-A
if you want to surf with some peeps, join the Waiarapa Meet up. Im sure you can meet some peeps
Those sheep serously need shearing & crutching to avoid fly strike.
They just got taken for a shear yesterday
There's another breed of sheep as well that sheds it's wool so you don't have to shear them. ''Maintenance free''
Hey David do you remember what those ones are called?
Wiltshire sheep Alex. You could maybe borrow your neighbours horses at times as they like long grass - only if it’s horse friendly grass though - not rye/clover if they’re grass affected
@@AlexanderAyling No I don't, too much of a towny (Aucklander), but I think my brother might have some, or at least know what breed they are. I'll get back.
@@AlexanderAyling Ok there's three breeds readily available here, they're Whiltshire, Damara, & Dorper. My brother has "Meatmaster" which are a cross between Damara and Wiltshire, they are coloured and shed their wool. He has yearlings and weaned lambs, $120 for wethers and $150 for ewes.
What's the deal with the floating house at 4:50 mate? You never said anything about that.
That was a road block coming back from the beach haha not mine
There's no ozone hole above NZ. It's really just the lack of air pollution compared with the northern hemisphere.
Crazy that the pollution is that strong that it blocks UV!
In 2020 the biggest Ozone 'hole' ever (the size of North America) 'closed'.....but from what I have read, each Spring NZ is affected by varying degrees of ozone depletion.
Sun screen is essential.
How do you keep track of Lanka during the day?
Our property is gated - keep the gate closed and he can’t get out :)
@@AlexanderAyling ♥️♥️
Hey Alex - the reason you are surfing with so few people is you are going to the wrong beaches/ breaks. There are so many spots in the Wairarapa better than Castle Point
Been down to South Wairarapa a few times but didn’t score yet.
What was that beach please? I'm a keen photographer and had heaps of potential for some great shots. Cheers
🏰
You need a male and female avocado tree to produce fruit 🥑 🌳 or at least a male or female avocado tree somewhere in your area.
That’s why we planted two :)
You sound a little lonely for friends who share the same passion for surfing that you have.
Should I feel guilty for hard I laughed while you were herding the sheep? Sorry, I couldn't help it. Maybe you could train Lanka to be a sheepdog. I got stuck in 'New Zealand traffic jams' and the farmers were driving their sheep down the roads using 4-wheelers.
Hahah no worries at all we laughed about it too LOL
But the sheep would rather eat delicious grass that still growing
Goats 🐐, eat everything.
Haha yes they do, trees too!
The rams have daggy buts
They are being sheared as we speak
Since Casey Neighstad has retired just go for it but you gonna have to start vlogging how you make money as a 10% part of your show
I am not usually political on here but as a Kiwi I feel I should say something. 🙂
Don't you think the large hole in the ozone layer down here in the pacific, may be as a result of the large amount Nuclear bomb testing in the recent past by other countries ,,,,,,
I don't think the sheep and cows have as much to do with it as is thought.
Caused mainly by CFC gases etc.
First
Nailed it! First place!
You look completely worn out. Take some time out dear boy x No-one works out at the gym for 8 hours a day, and that is what you are doing with land work.
LOL
Check toxicity...
Of the soil?
Animals and trees. You mentioned wanting walnuts at one point but I think that's not such a good idea near livestock. Some natives similar, eg kowhai. They will graze what they can reach as you are finding out!
Love the part you said about doing things that are painful and that you don’t look forward to, but that will help you grow as a person. In a brief phase right now where I’m wanting to make changes, but they’re going to be really hard, and I’m not looking forward to it. Hearing this feels like a message from the universe reminding me to keep on, and that I’m on the right path.
I’m so glad the message resonates -I’ve found the hard things, the things we don’t want to do, are always the things we have to in order to continue to grow
Regarding the avocado trees. They will be fine over summer but will for the next 2-3 years will need to have frost covers in winter. I have one in Hamilton and it's survived meany frosts
Yeah we figured we would need to give them frost netting over the winter
Hello friend, I just wanted to say I really enjoy the pace and content of your videos. I am writing this from Calgary, Canada, largely bedridden with quite severe chronic illness, and it brings me so much peace and comfort to see you flow through your beautiful and flourishing life.
I also have dreams of living on a small rural homestead with an organic garden in a peaceful pocket of nature with lots of trees. I also related to you talking about your previously very busy life, as I was once an avid traveller and passionate language-learner. New Zealand was a place that I felt immediately at home. I hope one day I can live in a healing and nourishing place similar to yours, and grow a deeper sense of happiness and connection with the world I live in.
Thank you for sharing your life and flooding my heart with a sense of ease and parting comforting and authentic insights that bring me a sense of optimism.
Much love to you, Carrie, Woolson, and all your other animal friends 🌿🐑🌳🦆🌤🐕🪴🌸
Thank you for this comment. Words like yours help inspire me to keep sharing. Brings a smile to my face to read this
I get so excited for your and carries videos. I always talk about yous wen people ask who I watch on TH-cam. It's so awsome to see how far yous have come and settled in here in our beautiful country. Awsome videos can't wait til next weeks video have a awsome week 😊
Awww thank you Kat!! We really appreciate your help spreading the word ❤️
Just a thought, perhaps if you were able to pick up an old cheap wooden dinghy, and plonk it in the pond, then if you ever found yourself with a bit of spare time it might be relaxing to just float around in the sun with a book, or just have a snooze while the world goes by.
Sounds great!