I love how the pathways are small and allows the crops growing in the beds to create a canopy over the pathways. No wonder weeds are minimal! Very little light is reaching the soil surface.
@@caseG80 That might be true, though, the tool was made to break through a deadpan! If that is the case, I would suggest finding one with shorter tines (and wooden handles) for ergonomics. But I know as well as any that you use what tool you got in the beginning.
Just curious, but have you tried to not do the broad forking? If so, how did that turn out? Pardon if you have been asked a hundred times before... :-)
I feel "Tilling" is anything deeper than animals would do in the natural state. After a rain I've seen deer tracks sink 2-3". Mother nature could have seeds/surface debris pressed that deep in the soil.
What type of soil do you use for your microgreens? I remember you mentioned it in one of your videos but I can't find it and would like to get some for my small, itty, bitty, tiny vege garden for me and my husband. You're videos are top notch and reach far above the rest. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
Whatever it takes to amend your growing bed with the least amount of disturbance; only the farm master understands their location. On their amendments, what brands and where do they purchase... any expansion would be helpful! TY
Fantastic content I took a lot away form this thanks you. That roller is awesome where did it come from I have tried searching for a concrete roller although cannot find one like their anywhere. Thanks again Nick
I doubt I'll get an answer on this but, can you do the same bed flip method with tomatoes, peppers, and generally larger fruiting crops? I'm mainly wondering if I can leave the larger root structures of those plants in the ground without causing issues for, let's say root crops next like carrots or radishes.
I have a question to see if you have a video. Taking a area say 30' x 50' from beginning that is a grass area and converting it into a no till area. All the steps involved from killing the grass, to making your 30" beds, applying the nutrients and compost to the 30" beds and prepping it for planting?
I'm surprised no one has answered. I have done it several ways. I've silage tarp covered a plot for 6 weeks, than applied compost, plowed and harrowed. I've moldboard plowed mowed grassed and disked and cultivated. The best was the tarp for a month, rotary plow, let sit for a week, beds formed, compost raked on and planted. It's all context, equipment availability, time and weather are all part of the thought process.
BEAUTIFUL crops growing there. SO this is something that's lost on people who use chemicals to farm. What is happening here is a scientific method, with the goal of enriching the soil which over time makes a more productive farm, needs less input and less work. This is TRULY science. There is observation and there is data collection and using that data, which really becomes statistical data, to improve the process and the soil.
Hello Ten Mother's Farm, No-Till Gardeners and all other Like Me, want to be farmers. I love these videos, and I love to help whenever possible, so please free to consult me directly if you need a 2nd or 3rd source of input. (Not an Expert, YET!) Now, at about 1 minute into this video, I see you using a small pruning shear, to remove large heads and possibly shortening the life of your tools, so let me offer a better, easier, more efficient tool. In California, we grow asparagus, and one of the tools that makes it possible to dig under the soil while keeping the disturbance of adjacent plants is an Asparagus Knife. These will run you between $18 -$35, online, not including any tax, s & h. I hope this helps. check out videos on the use of these tools and asparagus harvesting videos.
Great video. I have heard one of the main reasons for 30” bed is because it matches the tools available. Yet it appears that none of the tools they are using to prepare the bed are 30” or 15” x 2. So, other than being able to step over the bed or straddle the bed, are there other reasons for the 30” bed? I am just starting to create beds and would like some insight on this. Do any market gardeners use a different bed width?
Lots of growers use different sizes, sometimes based on their equipment (tractor wheels) and sometimes just to save room (wider beds equal fewer pathways per acre and more growing space). Tools are often cited as the reason but the only advantage I see to 30” is straddling and stepping over. Otherwise I think they are a poor use of space-something I feel as a grower who has 30” beds and doesn’t love it.
I have used 30" beds inside and outside for 15 years. I would go wider because I have a big step, my wife and most employees are shorter than I. I use a 30" tiller box when needed, 30" power harrow, 30" soil preparation rake and more. It's about systems and structures and consistency.
This couple is all over TH-cam. Based on their accent, they don't sound like they're from North Carolina. I'm curious, if they moved from somewhere else in the U.S. why they chose North Carolina as a destination for starting an organic No-Till farm.
What do they do with crops that have larger stalks and root mass, like broccoli? The clip below the surface and leave in ground method doesn’t seem realistic to then seed or tp right into, let alone trying to run a tilther over them...
Every time I see people using the tilther.. I wonder why people just don't use really lightweight gas powered tiller set to an extremely low depth. I'm pretty sure even my Troy-Bilt horse could be set to about a 1 in depth on the fast gear and it would do great job besides it beating a bit heavy of a unit for such a task. The reason why I think that is because economically I feel it would be cheaper and more reliable to not have to use a battey powered unit that you have to supply yourself besides the cost of the mini tiller . The tilther doesnt seem to be heavy duty enough also. For me as well.. charging batteries would cost more than using gasoline. So even economically and possibly environment my speaking I feel like just a really efficient little Honda motor would probably be better. Any thoughts on that?
Bed flip is a funny term, but it essentially just means to go from one crop to another in the same bed. To flip it from crops not to necessarily flip the soil.
From a technical standpoint, you don't need to put down nitrogen, as the earth has enough nitrogen EVERYWHERE to last hundreds of years. What you need is the vast beneficial microbial life that breaks down raw nitrogen into accessible and soluble nitrogen. Also, plants require thousands of nutrients, not just nitrogen, so adding one of the four primary nutrients wastes money. To say the beds improved, is that from your microscopic observation?
Hi, this channel contains all range of what some would consider no and others consider minimal tillage techniques. Take what you can use, leave what you can’t. Thanks for watching.
Hi, this channel contains all range of what some would consider no and others consider minimal tillage techniques. Take what you can use, leave what you can’t. Thanks for watching.
Broad forking? waste of time and is destructive to the soil. Sure way to kill off beneficial earth worms and adds oxygen to the soil which triggers a mini-war of bacteria, which in turn blows off carbon. My garden seems rock hard in comparison but every shovel of soil has hundreds of earth worms. My transplants may struggle at first but within a few weeks are growing better than any I have seen. How I start an area for no weed gardening is by using a 5 foot by 12 foot template which has 1 foot wide rows on each side leaving a 3 foot by 12 foot area in the middle, it is 1 foot high. I fill each side with compost, the middle gets filled with hay. Each side gets banked up with 18 inches of hay, then pull forward with four wheeler of by hand, then repeat the process. Result is weed free most of the summer with a few large weeds coming through in the rows, but easily pulled. next year convert to what ever size beds desired with very few weeds. I have even drove a skid steer with buckets of compost over these beds with very little compression done to the beds, and I can walk over the beds with no sign of a foot print. My beds are 4 foot wide with 2 foot wide pathways. The only weed I am having trouble with is quack grass which invaded from the edges. May put down 3 foot wide landscape fabric around perimeter to help control it. The only problem I have is growing carrots, are perfectly straight but can not be pulled must be dug with potato fork. My potatoes are just the opposite just under few inches of compost no digging required.
We like to say that it is not the tool but the user that makes the tillage. So an overused broadfork? Certainly. But compaction can slow or inhibit photosynthetic activity so especially in the first few years, an occasional forking can be better ecologically than not. Especially in certain native soils. No till, but also no dogma, right?
It was really helpful to see an actual bed flip being done. Thanks.
It's great to see young people taking over the important task of growing real food in a sustainable way!
Love these two.
Best of flipping beds video
I love how the pathways are small and allows the crops growing in the beds to create a canopy over the pathways. No wonder weeds are minimal! Very little light is reaching the soil surface.
I am super impressed with Ten Mother's Farm, thank you for sharing all these in depth videos super useful information!
Your garden looks so lush and healthy. One can see the love and the labor that has gone into it.
So exciting to see new uses for our Concrete Tamper!
Never enough ten mothers farm!
Great farm, the hard work shows 👍🏻
She doing all the hard work
You guys are doing the great garden. Thanks.
I too would love to see info on where to find the roller, it looks so light! Great info, thank you.
Here you go... www.krafttool.com/concrete-roller-tamps?orderby=10&pagesize=20
For the broadfork, jumping on and leaning back to let the tool do most of work will save your body lots of energy.
silentbanjo she looks like she doesn’t want the forks down as deep as they would go for a reason
@@caseG80 That might be true, though, the tool was made to break through a deadpan! If that is the case, I would suggest finding one with shorter tines (and wooden handles) for ergonomics. But I know as well as any that you use what tool you got in the beginning.
Beautiful farm. Smart kids. Vera’s cute too.
Helpful....wanted to know this.. thanks guys. Take care.
good morning i just started my own CSA and I have 1 member, I'm doing this indoors in my second bedroom the goal is to have a 5 person CSA,
Very cool. I started small too. Is it microgreens?
You guys doing wonderful job thank you for showing me how is done
Awesome vids, good luck with growing your farm!
You tillther is wrecking about as deep as a heavy rain. (you're still no-till - not to worry!)
Just curious, but have you tried to not do the broad forking? If so, how did that turn out? Pardon if you have been asked a hundred times before... :-)
Great information
I feel "Tilling" is anything deeper than animals would do in the natural state.
After a rain I've seen deer tracks sink 2-3". Mother nature could have seeds/surface debris pressed that deep in the soil.
good way of thinking about it
💚
Very informative and thanks a million! One question. How do you water your plants? Would appreciate to know.
ThankQ
What type of soil do you use for your microgreens? I remember you mentioned it in one of your videos but I can't find it and would like to get some for my small, itty, bitty, tiny vege garden for me and my husband. You're videos are top notch and reach far above the rest. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
Whatever it takes to amend your growing bed with the least amount of disturbance; only the farm master understands their location.
On their amendments, what brands and where do they purchase... any expansion would be helpful! TY
I’ll see if I can get some details but your first sentence is 👌. Thank you
So exciting
Do you have a link to the seeder they use? Would have enjoyed seeing the seeding process as well..
Love it thank you!
Fantastic content I took a lot away form this thanks you.
That roller is awesome where did it come from I have tried searching for a concrete roller although cannot find one like their anywhere.
Thanks again
Nick
Pretty sure it’s one of the Kraft Tool Rollers, though I’lll see if I can find out.
Here you go... www.krafttool.com/concrete-roller-tamps?orderby=10&pagesize=20
Legend thanks man
My chickens would have a field day with all those scraps.
I doubt I'll get an answer on this but, can you do the same bed flip method with tomatoes, peppers, and generally larger fruiting crops? I'm mainly wondering if I can leave the larger root structures of those plants in the ground without causing issues for, let's say root crops next like carrots or radishes.
You can, but not for woody roots like blackberries
By tilling the top inch you're basically turning the top inch into a type of mulch.
Thanks Good life Good luck to you teams
hey, i keep coming back to you guys, interesting.
Can you tell me where you purchased your broad-fork from? Thanks for the video.
I'm wondering where can I find these wonderful tools and Machinery space
How many times do you have to charge that drill during working hours?
I will keep flipping mine with my troybilt tiller set at 2 inches. I am done in 5 minutes
great video!
I have a question to see if you have a video. Taking a area say 30' x 50' from beginning that is a grass area and converting it into a no till area. All the steps involved from killing the grass, to making your 30" beds, applying the nutrients and compost to the 30" beds and prepping it for planting?
I'm surprised no one has answered. I have done it several ways. I've silage tarp covered a plot for 6 weeks, than applied compost, plowed and harrowed. I've moldboard plowed mowed grassed and disked and cultivated. The best was the tarp for a month, rotary plow, let sit for a week, beds formed, compost raked on and planted. It's all context, equipment availability, time and weather are all part of the thought process.
BEAUTIFUL crops growing there.
SO this is something that's lost on people who use chemicals to farm. What is happening here is a scientific method, with the goal of enriching the soil which over time makes a more productive farm, needs less input and less work. This is TRULY science. There is observation and there is data collection and using that data, which really becomes statistical data, to improve the process and the soil.
Hello Ten Mother's Farm, No-Till Gardeners and all other Like Me, want to be farmers. I love these videos, and I love to help whenever possible, so please free to consult me directly if you need a 2nd or 3rd source of input. (Not an Expert, YET!) Now, at about 1 minute into this video, I see you using a small pruning shear, to remove large heads and possibly shortening the life of your tools, so let me offer a better, easier, more efficient tool. In California, we grow asparagus, and one of the tools that makes it possible to dig under the soil while keeping the disturbance of adjacent plants is an Asparagus Knife. These will run you between $18 -$35, online, not including any tax, s & h. I hope this helps. check out videos on the use of these tools and asparagus harvesting videos.
Great video. I have heard one of the main reasons for 30” bed is because it matches the tools available. Yet it appears that none of the tools they are using to prepare the bed are 30” or 15” x 2. So, other than being able to step over the bed or straddle the bed, are there other reasons for the 30” bed? I am just starting to create beds and would like some insight on this. Do any market gardeners use a different bed width?
Lots of growers use different sizes, sometimes based on their equipment (tractor wheels) and sometimes just to save room (wider beds equal fewer pathways per acre and more growing space). Tools are often cited as the reason but the only advantage I see to 30” is straddling and stepping over. Otherwise I think they are a poor use of space-something I feel as a grower who has 30” beds and doesn’t love it.
I have used 30" beds inside and outside for 15 years. I would go wider because I have a big step, my wife and most employees are shorter than I. I use a 30" tiller box when needed, 30" power harrow, 30" soil preparation rake and more. It's about systems and structures and consistency.
Your height is the main reason to adjust bed width.
where did you get your concrete roller that is the perfect size for the beds? thanks!
This couple is all over TH-cam. Based on their accent, they don't sound like they're from North Carolina. I'm curious, if they moved from somewhere else in the U.S. why they chose North Carolina as a destination for starting an organic No-Till farm.
Vincent Schumaker pretty sure they are from Cali and Land in NC is cheaper
Purists get up my dander.
What does it matter if it is not truly no till!!!!!
Food production is the goal.
Hi, Do you soil test the bed before you add amendments?
Would you please provide size of tools employed here and a link? Much appreciated thanks.
What brand and where did you get you broadfork? Looking to by my first, but don't have a lot to spend on it.
That broadfork seems a lot like tilling... Oh god they are actually tilling it now 🙈🙉
What do they do with crops that have larger stalks and root mass, like broccoli? The clip below the surface and leave in ground method doesn’t seem realistic to then seed or tp right into, let alone trying to run a tilther over them...
What brand is that garden cart?
Kevin Schanzmeyer I’m curious as well.
Every time I see people using the tilther.. I wonder why people just don't use really lightweight gas powered tiller set to an extremely low depth. I'm pretty sure even my Troy-Bilt horse could be set to about a 1 in depth on the fast gear and it would do great job besides it beating a bit heavy of a unit for such a task. The reason why I think that is because economically I feel it would be cheaper and more reliable to not have to use a battey powered unit that you have to supply yourself besides the cost of the mini tiller . The tilther doesnt seem to be heavy duty enough also. For me as well.. charging batteries would cost more than using gasoline. So even economically and possibly environment my speaking I feel like just a really efficient little Honda motor would probably be better. Any thoughts on that?
Where can i find a good broadfork? I have been wanting one for my years but i donf know what to buy. I love your videos.
Home depot have a husky brand that's good
What is the actual NAME of your tiller because I'm not finding it online...
Ms. Byrd it’s called a tilther sold by Johnny’s seed
so whats wrong with tilling in the first place ?
destroys soil biology
what reason is there to flip a bed
Bed flip is a funny term, but it essentially just means to go from one crop to another in the same bed. To flip it from crops not to necessarily flip the soil.
Girl's doing all the heavy lifting while my man does the talking haha. Good times
She’s a beast
From a technical standpoint, you don't need to put down nitrogen, as the earth has enough nitrogen EVERYWHERE to last hundreds of years. What you need is the vast beneficial microbial life that breaks down raw nitrogen into accessible and soluble nitrogen. Also, plants require thousands of nutrients, not just nitrogen, so adding one of the four primary nutrients wastes money. To say the beds improved, is that from your microscopic observation?
Raphael St. James so what do you recommend?
Yes, technically they are feeding the micro organisms in the soil with the manure which they then turn it into nitrogen that the plants can use.
That is not no till
Sorry, you're OUT of the no-till club. Please turn in your membership cards promptly.
ITS OK TO ROTOR TILL!!!!!!!!!
You should change your channel name since you're not no-till. Misleading
Hi, this channel contains all range of what some would consider no and others consider minimal tillage techniques. Take what you can use, leave what you can’t. Thanks for watching.
Call this channel some-till
Hi, this channel contains all range of what some would consider no and others consider minimal tillage techniques. Take what you can use, leave what you can’t. Thanks for watching.
You you were particularly restrained with your response, but I could still detect some irritation beneith the surface lol, the produce looks good.
@@dsullivan6842 only 1 inch beneath the surface though
He has great hair - was distracting
Broad forking? waste of time and is destructive to the soil. Sure way to kill off beneficial earth worms and adds oxygen to the soil which triggers a mini-war of bacteria, which in turn blows off carbon. My garden seems rock hard in comparison but every shovel of soil has hundreds of earth worms. My transplants may struggle at first but within a few weeks are growing better than any I have seen.
How I start an area for no weed gardening is by using a 5 foot by 12 foot template which has 1 foot wide rows on each side leaving a 3 foot by 12 foot area in the middle, it is 1 foot high. I fill each side with compost, the middle gets filled with hay. Each side gets banked up with 18 inches of hay, then pull forward with four wheeler of by hand, then repeat the process. Result is weed free most of the summer with a few large weeds coming through in the rows, but easily pulled. next year convert to what ever size beds desired with very few weeds.
I have even drove a skid steer with buckets of compost over these beds with very little compression done to the beds, and I can walk over the beds with no sign of a foot print. My beds are 4 foot wide with 2 foot wide pathways. The only weed I am having trouble with is quack grass which invaded from the edges. May put down 3 foot wide landscape fabric around perimeter to help control it.
The only problem I have is growing carrots, are perfectly straight but can not be pulled must be dug with potato fork. My potatoes are just the opposite just under few inches of compost no digging required.
Contradicting the no till name .. shame
forking is still disturbing the soil
We like to say that it is not the tool but the user that makes the tillage. So an overused broadfork? Certainly. But compaction can slow or inhibit photosynthetic activity so especially in the first few years, an occasional forking can be better ecologically than not. Especially in certain native soils. No till, but also no dogma, right?