Everyone has an opinion on what is best but what i feel would help us all, is if we all embrace different ways instead of criticism. If it works for you and it helps just one person, that is a win! Keep doing you and be grateful for the progress you have made. I really enjoy watching your channel. One size does NOT fit all. Keep teaching and learning and you will perfect what is right for your family.
I totally agree with you. I’ve been gardening for over 30 years and the younger gardeners are you should do this or that. Well- in ground gardens work for me, I like the dirt not weed fabric under my feet , and I have from large to small in ground gardens BECAUSE, one is potatoes one is herbs n flowers one is veggies and one is cucumbers squash and pumpkin. 👍 and I ENJOY them. They’re my happy place. ( deer like them too 😡). Had to replant the outback one 3 times last year
I've been gardening for years too and sometimes even what worked in the past doesn't work this or that year. If it works for somebody else it might work for you too. I'm older and gardening in totes has been a game changer for me in some areas. Let's help each other not fight. Enough of that everywhere else.
Yes ☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻 Perfectly Said 😉💭❤ , Blessings come through, no Matter How, What, When, Where, n Why,🌻🌞🌱🏡🌱🌞🌻 n Who We are As long as we Try n plant 🌱🌻🌱 it Always produces Something More nutritious n Delicious 😋 🤤 our body Needs 💯❤️❣️... Keep Encouraging, n Grow 🌱❤🌱 Love What ya do n the 🌎 will Bloom 🌺🌼🌞🌼🌺 for you No matter What You're Doin in It 😉💭❣️...
Baker here - if you want really nice white buttercream and still want to use your homemade butter, just add a very very small drop of violet food coloring to your frosting. The purple color will neutralize the yellow since they are opposite colors on the color wheel (color theory), and yield a beautiful white. Happy baking! :)
@@RachelTsTime Oh good question! Perhaps I'll try it one day and get back to you! Reduced blueberry juice or purple sweet potato may work too. I think blueberry would be the first one I'd attempt. If you try any of them, I'd love to know your results.
We home schooled for a few years and loved every minute of it. Our children are grown now but they still talk about how close we all felt as a family during those years.
This is one of my very favorite channels. Being barefoot outside is healthy. When gardening I live by the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. To everyone, do what you like and works best for you. Garden failures aren’t fun but I’ve always learned so much from each one. If tomato plant starts grow too tall and lanky, you should plant them deeper in the ground. They will grow more roots along the stem and be fine.
Whatever is right for you is the right way to garden for you. You have to make that determination for yourself based on your needs and your soil. Nobody else knows what is right for you!
I have a similar wheeled double hoe, old from my Dad. After he died, I refurbished it, cleared rust, repaired and painted. Put a decent amount of tape on the handle for comfort. Works a treat and like you, I think of the old man every time I use it. They may have passed on, but at such moments they are very much with us.
I make a calendula and comfrey salve that is out of this world. It is my go to for any bug bite, scrape and most especially for poison ivy. I love that you are into herbs. It's been my passion for so long. I've had asthma all my life, but three years ago I grew herbs that I tincture and have completely stopped using big pharma treatment. I'm looking forward to your herbal journey.
I used cattle panels last year and it worked really well to hold them up. I did overcrowd mine a little so alternating or only planting one side of the cattle panel is helpful.
It still makes me smile when I remember you saying mulch strawberries with "straw"...after all, they are strawberries. LOL Beautiful soil! I am on my third year of improving our hard red clay.
Hi, from South Africa. When we plant potatoes, we also cut them in half, but then we also dip the cut side in wood ash. Keeps worms and other nasties away
YES!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Finally someone spreading good advice on planting potatoes the best way. Every TH-cam video I have seen in the past couple of years they are always planting the whole potatoes when they could be getting more bang for their buck by cutting them up. Thank you for spending the proper way to plant them 🎉
I cut mine the same way Michelle does and like her I have seen no diminished harvest when I did a side by side comparison. I believe the harvest depends on the quality of your soil - the growing medium they are going to live in. Provide the right kind of nutrients and loose soil and your plants will thrive.
I've had oregano spread outside of its container. Some is now growing in the space between bricks at the edge of my patio. I ain't pulling it and am just letting it do its thing! It's hardy here in zone 6B. Also, I'm growing calendula for the first time this year as I am intrigued by its many uses. Your family's videos are great!!
I live in east texas and I love spring. We recently moved into our own house behind my inlaws and the pasture that is behind us was pretty icky during the winter. But spring, wow! It was so pretty to look out my kitchen window to watch everything come to life! My husband and I are hoping to get our own land and do much like what yall are doing, so fingers crossed! Until then, I too like waking up between 8-9am and watch the day come to life. It's such a different type of feeling. I'm able to look out my screen door and just watch nature and drink my coffee. I have always heard people doing that and now I see the appeal. My issue is, I'm a night owl!! So when I stay up so do my kids haha. We will get there, right now we have no real reason to wake up early until we get our chickens and our land. I love yalls videos, you make what me and my husband wanna do doable. You've got me interested in growing some of my own herbs and teas, you just make the process look so easy. I'm very jealous at your milk stash. That's another thing we would love to have. My family of 5 goes through 10 gallons of milk in a week. We are big milk drinkers and I use it alot in my cooking. So having a dairy cow would be nice and I love the brown ones. Love watching yall, your easy to listen to and I can just sit back, watch, crossstitch, and dream.
Reading your comment felt like I was reading from my diary. I too live in East Texas with my husband on my in laws land looking forward to the day we have land of our own to have start our homestead and live the way we want to live.
@@courtneyleigh-anneunderwoo2255 I'm an East Texas girl, really an old lady here. We have 15 acres and a garden-or I should say we had a garden. All this rain has killed many of our plants. I keep telling my husband we need to make some raised beds because we are getting too old to be leaning over picking vegetables. I love watching this young couple and am glad their channel is doing great.
@@fainafaina1940 thats really nice you do that, but some people can't sleep at night and have issues with getting up early. I worked every day for over 25 years and got up at 3 am and had to drive almost 2 hours to work, then come home. I have a sleeping issue and I love to get up before everyone and I know what its like when the world is asleep. But just because 8 or 9 is not early to you, its early to others who do not sleep well. I am now retired and I have a large garden, and I water st night and in later morning as I dont get up at 5, I get up at 9 or 10 am. But when ots real hot I do water at 6 am here in California foothills. It gets hot like Texas here and I water 2xs a day. For me I'm awake at 4 am so I water then and go back to sleep for a few hours. I also take care of my parents so I'm really still working full time. Hours in the morning are different for all people!
I don't think anyone should be telling people that they need to be doing their garden this way or that way, as comment monsters seem to always do. There are so many different ways to garden, some ways work better for some people than others but they all work. Just do what works best for you, your physical ability, and your land and budget allows. You be you, seeds want to grow and don't care what kind of garden you have. ❤
Yeah I have people telling me to plant in ground not containers or raised beds, these same Karen’s don’t even have a garden! Nor are they 61 ! I don’t listen to them anymore and just do what is best for me
I love watching your channel. I am a mom of 3 kiddos and I also have a homestead and love to garden. I love watching all your gardening tips, Michelle. I am stumped on where to find out what type of onions, garlic, and potatoes (sweet and regular) that store good in the south. We live in Alabama which comes with high humidity. I’ve asked all the farmers I know and been on TH-cam channels trying to find out. But I’ve had no luck. They may not exist for our area, I don’t know.
Michelle, Plant basil in between each tomato plant and you will not need to "spray" anything on your plants. Also basil is a companion plant for tomatoes in that the basil promotes lots of tomato growth.
"In over our heads and loving it." - Yep, that about sums it up for me too. Three more beds to plant and then I can relax a bit until the weed battle with Mugwart begns.
You are doing an awesome job. People that critisize the way you garden, probably havent done any gardening themselves. I use various methods, and as long as it works, I am happy. I will experiment from time to time to see if I can find an easier or better way.
I appreciate the notice about hardening seedlings. I was noticing my indoor seedlings need to go outside and was going to put them right in but now I won’t until they’ve hardened a bit.
I can't get over how rich the soil in your garden looks. Also can't wait to see what my favorite gardener gets up to in the next few weeks. It's to late for me to try this year but I'm thinking about importing San Marzano tomatoes for next year to make tomato sauce to see if there is a noticeable difference. See you next week
just a little tip hun. i am almost 70 and have had strokes... so i lay heavy card board boxes between the rows to cut down on weeding. it really helps since i can't bend down and tire easily. hope this helps. blessings.
I loved it when you said there are different ways to garden, whats more important is that our soil is healthy and producing food for us. I have no till raised beds and i have an area in my garden where i till the soil to plant my potatoes, corn and things like pumpkins. At the end of the day, its important to do things the way that suits you and your family ❤
22:45 I really do think that established plants do so much better when they go through some degree of stress/loss at the beginning of the spring/fall season.
One of the thing's that always drives me crazy when reading comments on videos is how people want to tell the person that person who there doing things wrong even after they have AMAZING harvest..( an those people never mention the amazing harvest)❤
It's nice to see your video again! The last one I'd see was the one where you showed how to render beef suet. We enjoy your videos. You have a beautiful family.
Michelle u gotta try taking some sage leaves and just put them in a frying pan w a little oil and salt. It’s like chips. I was amazed how good it is!! I’m so happy for u and your herb garden. U have inspired me to use one full raised bed just for herbs. God bless all your hard work. The whole family is amazing. ❤❤
Love your herb garden Michelle! Im happy you finally got one. I am a herb garden grower also. I have them all around my house. I just bought 2 big 8x4 metal raised beds to add to my front yard. I planted alot of my herbs in big clay pots and in my garden area. But I also wanted some close to my house. I started straight seeds in the ground and they are coming g up good. Bee Balm has been the hardest as the seeds are so small like chamomile! Since you have alot of children i would grow some Mullin and also get some Elderberry bushes. Mullin is great for ear aches and infections and Elderberry is a great anti viral along with garlic and Old mans beard! Look them up in your herb books, I love my books also very helpful! Good luck and God bless you ! ❤🙏
Love Spring!! I put in red Pontiac, Yukon gold and German butterball for regular potatoes in April and just a couple of weeks ago some Covington sweet potatoes and white yams. Every year I try three or four new plants. This year it's white yams, baby butternut squash and two new kinds of tomatoes. God bless y'all and keep growing.
You are both definitely right about adapting to your own style of gardening. Two other negatives of Back to Eden that people don't tend to mention at all (or get to hear) - are the vast increase in slugs as well as providing a great environment for squash bugs. Each of these can be controlled but it just creates little hurdles. I've had to change the time I plant squash as it became impossible to do an early crop of zukes. Now, I plant an early crop of legumes followed by a later planting of zucchini to let the squash bugs move away in time (and get a little extra natural nitrogen). No perfect answer out there...just as long as you're finding ways at being efficient for your environment with your desired plants.
Thank you for sharing! I thoroughly enjoyed this video (just like all of the rest of them). I feel like I’m behind in my planting! Trying to plant everything, keep weeds down, maintain the property (about 6 acres), maintain a *somewhat* clean house all while caring for my 9 month old is sooo hard! Props to your family for all of the hard work!! I look forward to seeing part 2! -Whitney
I know most serious commercial produce gardeners dont think this way, but you have to "love" your garden through the seasons. It's telling you in many ways what it needs. If your plot doesn't dislike some tilling, go for it. Your hand tilling is less invasive than using a tractor. The added organic matter helps a lot
We also have a pretty big garden that we till every spring and fall, for the same reason - we wouldn't be able to grow at our scale using no-till without significant outside inputs that just don't make sense for our situation. By using tillage sparingly and giving the soil plenty of enrichment with compost from our animals, comfrey water, leftover hay for mulch etc., we're able to maintain beautiful healthy soil using what we already have right here on the land. There is such a temptation to hyper-focus on one method and forget we're dealing with complex organisms. But, I've never personally met any actual small farmers/homesteaders that are so dogmatic about no-till gardening - I only ever see that online. When you are actually doing this work I think you learn pretty quickly that there are too many variables at play for there to be only one way. If healthy soil is accumulating year after year, then however you're doing it, you're doing an amazing job. Watching you teach your babies how to plant potatoes warmed my heart. ♥
I want to be living off the land soon. And selling up everything and buying some land in less then 2 years. I watch lots of videos to get as much information as possible. Your video is great and simple to follow xx
I had tons potatoes left over so I planted the whole potatoes EVERYWHERE :) I understood that if you grow plants from year to year with your saved seeds they will climatize and adapt to your soil thus better crops Thank you for your video of your journey
What a find your channel is. We only started 2 years ago in quite a suburban area (in the Netherlands). We have so much to learn, and don't have the advantage of generational support. I built raised beds this year, and we have incorporated all our fruit and veg in our living area as our garden is not so big. So we sit out at night and chat among tomatoes, peppers, herbs and raspberries, etc. And even in a small space, there is so much to do. And it's so satisfying. Thanks for your tips.
II have had good luck with planting basil and French marigolds with tomatoes. Both seeds do well planting by direct sowing. They have helped with bugs.
A organic method to reduce the weeds on asparagus is use chook house litter, mine is hay they have strached through and manure, apply same time each year, generally just after cutting the fronds down.
You guys are truly the best, so true to yourselves and your knowledge is recommendable,, well done. And I love you are barefoot,, to feel the soil between your toes is like a taste of freedom, love from Australia
Another wonderful video. I planted my potatoes 2 weeks ago which is the earliest I've ever planted them. The weather has been so mild here in MA. I'm getting old totes for raised beds since I only have so much garden space in ground and that's for my tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and cucumber. I wanted to try celery, carrots and lettuce this year. I think while it's great for anyone to offer to advice to another on how to garden, everyone's situation is different so we all need to go with what works for us. It's always great to try new things though! Looking forward to part 2. Have a great week. God bless
Ps, you can take your potatoes out of the bag and let your potato eyes turn thick, shorter, and green. You're not eating them, so they can get sun while sprouting. I know you grow plenty the way you are doing it, and so did I, but you'll love the shorter, stickier eyes once you try it.
Love your channel. Keep up the good work. Love your priorities. Family first, love, working together,and teaching your children valuable life skills. ❤️
11:54 agreed, and thank you, your words made me think of finding all the cures like looking for a needle in hay in a sea of green, but that also means there's a lot of hope for the future.
This is the first video that I've seen of yours and I'll definitely be stopping back for more. I think you'll like the cattle panels for your tomatoes. We've been doing that for several years now and it's fantastic- much easier to harvest the fruit and keep an eye out for disease or pests.
I’m definitely not the person that tells others how to do things. You guys have such an amazing system going. I love this channel bc your always teaching ways to work less and get more from it. So I wanted to share this …. I gardened the traditional way tllling for 16 years. I then became severely disabled at 45 years old. I learned about woodchip gardening / permaculture bc I couldn’t let my garden go for the life of me!!!! But bc of my limitations I wasn’t able to do anything besides throw some seeds in the ground and push them down w my cane. It still worked!!! I didn’t water AT ALL last summer and the weeding was 80% less. We have clay soil here but only after a few years we have gorgeous soil. Just adding woodchips each year. I’m trying another experiment this year bc I’ve gotten much worse. I let all my plants die in place. Had someone mash them down, had my tractor guy throw woodchips on. I’m hoping for a nice volunteer plant garden this year 😂. I also made a food forest last year and it’s doing great too. You will freak out just how much time u save w woodchips. But either way!! I love this channel and the great advise y’all give! ❤❤❤❤
I ordered 1 apple mint and 2 chocolate mint. Gifting my friend 1 of the chocolate mint. I won't be planting out my peppers and tomatoes until the end of the month. I have Fava beans, sugar snap peas, carrots, beets, garlic, onions, leeks, fennel, spinach, lettuces, cabbages and potatoes in my raised beds. I still have Thai & Holy basil, summer savory, English and French thyme and lots of basil starts waiting to go out in the garden. Also flower starts, so much for remembering everything...lol. Of course I want to grow everything. Thank you for bringing us along on your 2024 garden adventures. Yes you inspired me to get the mint. ❤❤❤
What do you use the apple and chocolate peppermint for? We recently purchased orange and chocolate peppermint and have been researching how to use them.
@@PerfectlyImperfectHomemaker I planted chocolate mint last year and we used some in peach sauce, to get a taste kick into it. It's just a hint but quite nice. :)
Old farmers would plant tomato seed beds like they did tobacco. Several hundred.. The plants grew close and tall. They pulled them up then planted them deep on purpose. Or sold in bunches of 25 or so. Worked for them.
I work in the field you were discussing about herbs. I use herbs in the ways you discussed. I also grow and preserve foods for my well being and do not put artifical items in my body. I have garden several different ways. My best results have been the way you are doing it. How one gardens is a choice not a must. Everyone is always selling something yet many people may not be able to obtain certain itens to make it happen. (When) you and Cody write your own book(s) regarding "your" way of living, I will buy it! 😉
I just came across this channel this evening. Kinda reminds me of my childhood, big gardens even the cultivator looks similar to the one we had growing up except ours had red wood handles. I'm 55 now and still use my dad's 1980's 8hp rear tine tiller. Probably have my grandpa's red cultivator around somewhere. Growing up I spent my days kinda grazing from the garden and fruit trees, then my mom would worry about how little I'd eat at dinner.😂
I find if you plant a whole potato, the potatoes are larger, not getting more from the plant, just bigger fruit. I leave my baby reds whole n they get about an apple size. Great for canning. N I leave the skins on. Thanks.
I just found your channel and I'm so glad. I would love to grow our own organic food for my family of 3. I've grown enough to be able to pick food as needed for a meal (but not to store) and each year I'm trying to add 1-2 new crops where I have enough to harvest and/freeze. My friend just sold me her upright deep freezer and it is exactly what I need to start out with. My new crops this year are 2 varieties of lettuce and as many Strawberries as I can get and have room for. I don't have a lot of full sun growing room so I have to grow vertically or up on top of a fence. I know what you are doing is a lot of hard work but it's so nice that you share your info with us on YT! Hello from western CO!
Very informative video! We plant potatoes on top of the ground and pile hay/straw on top and get a really good crop. We have found that rotation is key to keep big away. Keep on going! You are doing great!
Did you know when tomato starts are leggy, you can just plant them really deep? Cut off the leaves under the soil level and the plant will root from the stem that’s burried
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
Everyone has an opinion on what is best but what i feel would help us all, is if we all embrace different ways instead of criticism. If it works for you and it helps just one person, that is a win! Keep doing you and be grateful for the progress you have made. I really enjoy watching your channel. One size does NOT fit all. Keep teaching and learning and you will perfect what is right for your family.
I totally agree with you. I’ve been gardening for over 30 years and the younger gardeners are you should do this or that. Well- in ground gardens work for me, I like the dirt not weed fabric under my feet , and I have from large to small in ground gardens BECAUSE, one is potatoes one is herbs n flowers one is veggies and one is cucumbers squash and pumpkin. 👍 and I ENJOY them. They’re my happy place. ( deer like them too 😡). Had to replant the outback one 3 times last year
Well stated!
I've been gardening for years too and sometimes even what worked in the past doesn't work this or that year. If it works for somebody else it might work for you too. I'm older and gardening in totes has been a game changer for me in some areas. Let's help each other not fight. Enough of that everywhere else.
Yes ☝🏻☝🏻☝🏻 Perfectly Said 😉💭❤ , Blessings come through, no Matter How, What, When, Where, n Why,🌻🌞🌱🏡🌱🌞🌻 n Who We are As long as we Try n plant 🌱🌻🌱 it Always produces Something More nutritious n Delicious 😋 🤤 our body Needs 💯❤️❣️... Keep Encouraging, n Grow 🌱❤🌱 Love What ya do n the 🌎 will Bloom 🌺🌼🌞🌼🌺 for you No matter What You're Doin in It 😉💭❣️...
You said it!
I love how our generation is coming back to this.
All coming back full circle 🤓📈
Baker here - if you want really nice white buttercream and still want to use your homemade butter, just add a very very small drop of violet food coloring to your frosting. The purple color will neutralize the yellow since they are opposite colors on the color wheel (color theory), and yield a beautiful white. Happy baking! :)
This is a lovely tip. I wonder if there is a natural version, though. My mind goes to beet root but that sounds dreadful 😂
@@RachelTsTime Oh good question! Perhaps I'll try it one day and get back to you! Reduced blueberry juice or purple sweet potato may work too. I think blueberry would be the first one I'd attempt. If you try any of them, I'd love to know your results.
🤯 Science!! Thank you 😊❤️
@@morethanfarmers You're welcome! 😊
We home schooled for a few years and loved every minute of it. Our children are grown now but they still talk about how close we all felt as a family during those years.
You guys are a great couple. You compliment each other and were made for each other.
😊 thank you
Awesome video guys, no BS, no conspiracy theories, no preaching, just honest and accurate homesteading information everyone can use, thank you.
OBEY !!
The "conspiracy therories" are what you watch on mainstream media.
Much appreciated!
Barefoot gardening 100% country girl. Good job great video
we get burr cucumber in ours no way im going barefoot
Lucky kids…wish they could all grow up like this.
I just wanted to say thank you for making homesteading feel so much less intimidating and showing us how to make it fit our own individual needs xx
Your videos are some of the more wholesome, balanced homesteading ones out there ❤
Glad you like them!
This is one of my very favorite channels. Being barefoot outside is healthy. When gardening I live by the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. To everyone, do what you like and works best for you. Garden failures aren’t fun but I’ve always learned so much from each one. If tomato plant starts grow too tall and lanky, you should plant them deeper in the ground. They will grow more roots along the stem and be fine.
Thanks for sharing!
Whatever is right for you is the right way to garden for you. You have to make that determination for yourself based on your needs and your soil. Nobody else knows what is right for you!
I have a similar wheeled double hoe, old from my Dad. After he died, I refurbished it, cleared rust, repaired and painted. Put a decent amount of tape on the handle for comfort. Works a treat and like you, I think of the old man every time I use it. They may have passed on, but at such moments they are very much with us.
Thanks for sharing 😊
Gosh, at the beginning of this video I thought I heard you say you were done with homeschool for the year. Yet, I swear I see children being educated.
Haha...good point!
Herbs...let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food. Your videos are very imformative.thank you for your knowledge.god bless
I make a calendula and comfrey salve that is out of this world. It is my go to for any bug bite, scrape and most especially for poison ivy. I love that you are into herbs. It's been my passion for so long. I've had asthma all my life, but three years ago I grew herbs that I tincture and have completely stopped using big pharma treatment. I'm looking forward to your herbal journey.
That's wonderful Lisa! So happy to hear you've found something to support your wellness 😊❤️
I love that the entire family is barefoot.... that's the way I grew up... only wore shoes to school....
Love (Jesus) makes everything beautiful! Your channel is wonderful. Thank you.
I used cattle panels last year and it worked really well to hold them up. I did overcrowd mine a little so alternating or only planting one side of the cattle panel is helpful.
And you just covered that! Good job! 😅
It still makes me smile when I remember you saying mulch strawberries with "straw"...after all, they are strawberries. LOL Beautiful soil! I am on my third year of improving our hard red clay.
Hi, from South Africa. When we plant potatoes, we also cut them in half, but then we also dip the cut side in wood ash. Keeps worms and other nasties away
YES!!!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 Finally someone spreading good advice on planting potatoes the best way. Every TH-cam video I have seen in the past couple of years they are always planting the whole potatoes when they could be getting more bang for their buck by cutting them up. Thank you for spending the proper way to plant them 🎉
I cut mine the same way Michelle does and like her I have seen no diminished harvest when I did a side by side comparison. I believe the harvest depends on the quality of your soil - the growing medium they are going to live in. Provide the right kind of nutrients and loose soil and your plants will thrive.
I’ve heard that it doesn’t matter whether u cut or not. The bigger the potato the more eyes and more potato babies… makes sense 🤷♀️
You're welcome! 😁
Coneflowers are so easy to grow from seed. They also reseed themselves every season.
I've had oregano spread outside of its container. Some is now growing in the space between bricks at the edge of my patio. I ain't pulling it and am just letting it do its thing! It's hardy here in zone 6B. Also, I'm growing calendula for the first time this year as I am intrigued by its many uses. Your family's videos are great!!
Thanks!
I live in east texas and I love spring. We recently moved into our own house behind my inlaws and the pasture that is behind us was pretty icky during the winter. But spring, wow! It was so pretty to look out my kitchen window to watch everything come to life! My husband and I are hoping to get our own land and do much like what yall are doing, so fingers crossed! Until then, I too like waking up between 8-9am and watch the day come to life. It's such a different type of feeling. I'm able to look out my screen door and just watch nature and drink my coffee. I have always heard people doing that and now I see the appeal. My issue is, I'm a night owl!! So when I stay up so do my kids haha. We will get there, right now we have no real reason to wake up early until we get our chickens and our land.
I love yalls videos, you make what me and my husband wanna do doable. You've got me interested in growing some of my own herbs and teas, you just make the process look so easy. I'm very jealous at your milk stash. That's another thing we would love to have. My family of 5 goes through 10 gallons of milk in a week. We are big milk drinkers and I use it alot in my cooking. So having a dairy cow would be nice and I love the brown ones.
Love watching yall, your easy to listen to and I can just sit back, watch, crossstitch, and dream.
8-9 am is early? 😂😂😂 In our place we have to get up at 5 in the morning to water the plants before the sun hits and bees come out.
Reading your comment felt like I was reading from my diary. I too live in East Texas with my husband on my in laws land looking forward to the day we have land of our own to have start our homestead and live the way we want to live.
@@courtneyleigh-anneunderwoo2255 I'm an East Texas girl, really an old lady here. We have 15 acres and a garden-or I should say we had a garden. All this rain has killed many of our plants. I keep telling my husband we need to make some raised beds because we are getting too old to be leaning over picking vegetables. I love watching this young couple and am glad their channel is doing great.
So glad to hear you're picking up what we're putting down! There really is nothing like country life. Keep working for your dream!
@@fainafaina1940 thats really nice you do that, but some people can't sleep at night and have issues with getting up early. I worked every day for over 25 years and got up at 3 am and had to drive almost 2 hours to work, then come home. I have a sleeping issue and I love to get up before everyone and I know what its like when the world is asleep. But just because 8 or 9 is not early to you, its early to others who do not sleep well. I am now retired and I have a large garden, and I water st night and in later morning as I dont get up at 5, I get up at 9 or 10 am. But when ots real hot I do water at 6 am here in California foothills. It gets hot like Texas here and I water 2xs a day. For me I'm awake at 4 am so I water then and go back to sleep for a few hours. I also take care of my parents so I'm really still working full time. Hours in the morning are different for all people!
I would love if you would do a video on some of the things you did to help with adrenal fatigue!
I agree. Can you share what worked for you? It is a debilitating part of life. Thanks
Life has been busy over here in North Alabama so seeing this today has been good for my soul. Happy Mother's Day Michelle!
Same to you!
I don't think anyone should be telling people that they need to be doing their garden this way or that way, as comment monsters seem to always do. There are so many different ways to garden, some ways work better for some people than others but they all work. Just do what works best for you, your physical ability, and your land and budget allows. You be you, seeds want to grow and don't care what kind of garden you have. ❤
👍👍👍
Yeah I have people telling me to plant in ground not containers or raised beds, these same Karen’s don’t even have a garden! Nor are they 61 ! I don’t listen to them anymore and just do what is best for me
I love watching your channel. I am a mom of 3 kiddos and I also have a homestead and love to garden. I love watching all your gardening tips, Michelle. I am stumped on where to find out what type of onions, garlic, and potatoes (sweet and regular) that store good in the south. We live in Alabama which comes with high humidity. I’ve asked all the farmers I know and been on TH-cam channels trying to find out. But I’ve had no luck. They may not exist for our area, I don’t know.
Really loved seeing you teach the kids how to do it! I can't wait until my littles are old enough to learn.
God bless you well to see the homestead grow each year its beautiful ❤❤
Michelle, Plant basil in between each tomato plant and you will not need to "spray" anything on your plants. Also basil is a companion plant for tomatoes in that the basil promotes lots of tomato growth.
Thanks for the tip!
@@morethanfarmers No problem. Love your content. Love your family.
I just found you today! I wish I would have found you earlier. Anyway, I'm 52 and this is my 2nd year gardening. Thank you for being so peaceful. 💓
Good luck with your second year, Erica! ❤️
Using a stick for spacing is brilliant! Can't believe I never thought about doing that before.
"In over our heads and loving it." - Yep, that about sums it up for me too.
Three more beds to plant and then I can relax a bit until the weed battle with Mugwart begns.
We love using cattle panels for our tomatoes, we've had a lot of success doing this.
You are doing an awesome job. People that critisize the way you garden, probably havent done any gardening themselves. I use various methods, and as long as it works, I am happy. I will experiment from time to time to see if I can find an easier or better way.
I appreciate the notice about hardening seedlings. I was noticing my indoor seedlings need to go outside and was going to put them right in but now I won’t until they’ve hardened a bit.
I can't get over how rich the soil in your garden looks. Also can't wait to see what my favorite gardener gets up to in the next few weeks. It's to late for me to try this year but I'm thinking about importing San Marzano tomatoes for next year to make tomato sauce to see if there is a noticeable difference. See you next week
Whoa! Fancy!
just a little tip hun. i am almost 70 and have had strokes... so i lay heavy card board boxes between the rows to cut down on weeding. it really helps since i can't bend down and tire easily. hope this helps. blessings.
Thank you so much, Kim! ☺️
I’m so new at this stuff but I’m so inspired by what you guys do on top of a busy schedule.
There's no right or wrong gardening method. Keep doing what works for you
I really love hearing from Michelle! Would love to hear more from her! Especially about garden and homeopathic stuff!
Awwww! 🥰
I loved it when you said there are different ways to garden, whats more important is that our soil is healthy and producing food for us.
I have no till raised beds and i have an area in my garden where i till the soil to plant my potatoes, corn and things like pumpkins. At the end of the day, its important to do things the way that suits you and your family ❤
Yep!
22:45 I really do think that established plants do so much better when they go through some degree of stress/loss at the beginning of the spring/fall season.
You could very well be right 👍
You pup looks so sweet watching you work in the garden ❤❤❤. I love catching a glimpse of him (or her) everytime
One of the thing's that always drives me crazy when reading comments on videos is how people want to tell the person that person who there doing things wrong even after they have AMAZING harvest..( an those people never mention the amazing harvest)❤
Oh well ❤️🌱
It's nice to see your video again! The last one I'd see was the one where you showed how to render beef suet. We enjoy your videos. You have a beautiful family.
Thank you 😊
Michelle u gotta try taking some sage leaves and just put them in a frying pan w a little oil and salt. It’s like chips. I was amazed how good it is!! I’m so happy for u and your herb garden. U have inspired me to use one full raised bed just for herbs. God bless all your hard work. The whole family is amazing. ❤❤
Ooh, sounds delicious!
Made me tearvup hearing your wheel hoe story. Those things are so special sometimes.
They really are ❤️
Love that you guys are grounding while gardening, awesome. So far I fail planting tomatoes from seed idk what I'm doing wrong haha.
There's no shame in using starts. The point is to get tomatoes 😋🌱
Absolutely love this! The garden looks amazing, and it’s so motivating to see how much food you’re able to grow for a family of 6. Great job!
Love your herb garden Michelle! Im happy you finally got one. I am a herb garden grower also. I have them all around my house. I just bought 2 big 8x4 metal raised beds to add to my front yard. I planted alot of my herbs in big clay pots and in my garden area. But I also wanted some close to my house. I started straight seeds in the ground and they are coming g up good. Bee Balm has been the hardest as the seeds are so small like chamomile! Since you have alot of children i would grow some Mullin and also get some Elderberry bushes. Mullin is great for ear aches and infections and Elderberry is a great anti viral along with garlic and Old mans beard! Look them up in your herb books, I love my books also very helpful!
Good luck and God bless you ! ❤🙏
Thanks for the tips!
@@morethanfarmers your welcome sweetie! Good luck your doing a great job, you and your husband!
Hope your mother's day is everything you want.
Love Spring!! I put in red Pontiac, Yukon gold and German butterball for regular potatoes in April and just a couple of weeks ago some Covington sweet potatoes and white yams. Every year I try three or four new plants. This year it's white yams, baby butternut squash and two new kinds of tomatoes. God bless y'all and keep growing.
The German Butterball has become one of my absolute favorite potatoes. The flavor is truly outstanding! Hope you'll enjoy it as much as we do!
Yum 😋
Sending support, love, and kindness from Lexington, MI, USA.
I really like to watch how you work together in garden with family
😊
You are both definitely right about adapting to your own style of gardening. Two other negatives of Back to Eden that people don't tend to mention at all (or get to hear) - are the vast increase in slugs as well as providing a great environment for squash bugs. Each of these can be controlled but it just creates little hurdles. I've had to change the time I plant squash as it became impossible to do an early crop of zukes. Now, I plant an early crop of legumes followed by a later planting of zucchini to let the squash bugs move away in time (and get a little extra natural nitrogen). No perfect answer out there...just as long as you're finding ways at being efficient for your environment with your desired plants.
Beautiful strawberry plants! Enjoyed watching!
Plant the tomatoes deeper, to the height you want, and the extra stalk thats buried will put off more roots
Thank you for sharing! I thoroughly enjoyed this video (just like all of the rest of them). I feel like I’m behind in my planting! Trying to plant everything, keep weeds down, maintain the property (about 6 acres), maintain a *somewhat* clean house all while caring for my 9 month old is sooo hard! Props to your family for all of the hard work!! I look forward to seeing part 2!
-Whitney
Sounds like you've got a full plate, Whitney! Best of luck to you!
I know most serious commercial produce gardeners dont think this way, but you have to "love" your garden through the seasons. It's telling you in many ways what it needs. If your plot doesn't dislike some tilling, go for it. Your hand tilling is less invasive than using a tractor. The added organic matter helps a lot
Thanks for the kind words ☺️
You guys do your garden the way you want to do it. If it works, don't worry about changing. Great channel, I always catch your videos.
We also have a pretty big garden that we till every spring and fall, for the same reason - we wouldn't be able to grow at our scale using no-till without significant outside inputs that just don't make sense for our situation. By using tillage sparingly and giving the soil plenty of enrichment with compost from our animals, comfrey water, leftover hay for mulch etc., we're able to maintain beautiful healthy soil using what we already have right here on the land. There is such a temptation to hyper-focus on one method and forget we're dealing with complex organisms. But, I've never personally met any actual small farmers/homesteaders that are so dogmatic about no-till gardening - I only ever see that online. When you are actually doing this work I think you learn pretty quickly that there are too many variables at play for there to be only one way. If healthy soil is accumulating year after year, then however you're doing it, you're doing an amazing job. Watching you teach your babies how to plant potatoes warmed my heart. ♥
Thank you so much for this comment. So much truth spoken here!
Could literally watch you guys and your beautiful garden for hours ✨ Always great editing and learning along the way! 🌱
Thanks so much! 😊
I want to be living off the land soon. And selling up everything and buying some land in less then 2 years. I watch lots of videos to get as much information as possible. Your video is great and simple to follow xx
I had tons potatoes left over so I planted the whole potatoes EVERYWHERE :)
I understood that if you grow plants from year to year with your saved seeds they will climatize and adapt to your soil thus better crops
Thank you for your video of your journey
What a find your channel is. We only started 2 years ago in quite a suburban area (in the Netherlands). We have so much to learn, and don't have the advantage of generational support. I built raised beds this year, and we have incorporated all our fruit and veg in our living area as our garden is not so big. So we sit out at night and chat among tomatoes, peppers, herbs and raspberries, etc. And even in a small space, there is so much to do. And it's so satisfying. Thanks for your tips.
II have had good luck with planting basil and French marigolds with tomatoes. Both seeds do well planting by direct sowing. They have helped with bugs.
🐝Thanks for the great video🌻
You're welcome 😁
A organic method to reduce the weeds on asparagus is use chook house litter, mine is hay they have strached through and manure, apply same time each year, generally just after cutting the fronds down.
You guys are truly the best, so true to yourselves and your knowledge is recommendable,, well done. And I love you are barefoot,, to feel the soil between your toes is like a taste of freedom, love from Australia
Thank you, really appreciate that! And yes it’s the best!😄
I love that you guys garden in your bare feet! 😊
Another wonderful video. I planted my potatoes 2 weeks ago which is the earliest I've ever planted them. The weather has been so mild here in MA. I'm getting old totes for raised beds since I only have so much garden space in ground and that's for my tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and cucumber. I wanted to try celery, carrots and lettuce this year.
I think while it's great for anyone to offer to advice to another on how to garden, everyone's situation is different so we all need to go with what works for us. It's always great to try new things though!
Looking forward to part 2. Have a great week. God bless
Old totes for raised beds is a great idea!
Great video. Thanks for the butter making lesson, never too old to learn. I’m 65. I love your farm.
You're welcome, and thanks for watching ☺️
Ps, you can take your potatoes out of the bag and let your potato eyes turn thick, shorter, and green. You're not eating them, so they can get sun while sprouting. I know you grow plenty the way you are doing it, and so did I, but you'll love the shorter, stickier eyes once you try it.
Thanks for the tips!
Love your channel. Keep up the good work. Love your priorities. Family first, love, working together,and teaching your children valuable life skills. ❤️
For potatoes, I go with 1 pound per sq foot as a good harvest. Size of set doesn't matter.
This beautiful blessed family never missed watching your channel from Kenya. You guys so inspiring and amazing. Very equipping and engaging
Thank you so much 🤗
11:54 agreed, and thank you, your words made me think of finding all the cures like looking for a needle in hay in a sea of green, but that also means there's a lot of hope for the future.
i store my broccoli and my romaine (i buy bi-weekly) in a cup of water, in a twist tie bag in the fridge (leave some air space in the bag)
What a great idea!
Okay I loved the stick idea and showing the young one how to help!
This is the first video that I've seen of yours and I'll definitely be stopping back for more. I think you'll like the cattle panels for your tomatoes. We've been doing that for several years now and it's fantastic- much easier to harvest the fruit and keep an eye out for disease or pests.
Good to hear from you, Alethia! Hope to see you around!
I have the one my Aunt had for many years and I’m the blessed one that received it she was almost like my mom
❤️🌱
I’m definitely not the person that tells others how to do things. You guys have such an amazing system going. I love this channel bc your always teaching ways to work less and get more from it. So I wanted to share this …. I gardened the traditional way tllling for 16 years. I then became severely disabled at 45 years old. I learned about woodchip gardening / permaculture bc I couldn’t let my garden go for the life of me!!!! But bc of my limitations I wasn’t able to do anything besides throw some seeds in the ground and push them down w my cane. It still worked!!! I didn’t water AT ALL last summer and the weeding was 80% less. We have clay soil here but only after a few years we have gorgeous soil. Just adding woodchips each year. I’m trying another experiment this year bc I’ve gotten much worse. I let all my plants die in place. Had someone mash them down, had my tractor guy throw woodchips on. I’m hoping for a nice volunteer plant garden this year 😂. I also made a food forest last year and it’s doing great too. You will freak out just how much time u save w woodchips. But either way!! I love this channel and the great advise y’all give! ❤❤❤❤
Whoa! Thanks for sharing! So glad you were able to continue gardening. I can't imagine letting that go.
Michelle - Would love to know your favorite herbs book!
Same!
I ordered 1 apple mint and 2 chocolate mint. Gifting my friend 1 of the chocolate mint. I won't be planting out my peppers and tomatoes until the end of the month. I have Fava beans, sugar snap peas, carrots, beets, garlic, onions, leeks, fennel, spinach, lettuces, cabbages and potatoes in my raised beds. I still have Thai & Holy basil, summer savory, English and French thyme and lots of basil starts waiting to go out in the garden. Also flower starts, so much for remembering everything...lol. Of course I want to grow everything. Thank you for bringing us along on your 2024 garden adventures. Yes you inspired me to get the mint. ❤❤❤
What do you use the apple and chocolate peppermint for? We recently purchased orange and chocolate peppermint and have been researching how to use them.
Your tomato plants are not to tall-the planting hole is to shallow! 😂
@@PerfectlyImperfectHomemaker I planted chocolate mint last year and we used some in peach sauce, to get a taste kick into it. It's just a hint but quite nice. :)
@@katmoineau7554 thank you for commenting back. We have cut some to dehydrate, I’m not sure what we will use it for.
Whoa! Sounds like a delicious time! 🤤
Old farmers would plant tomato seed beds like they did tobacco. Several hundred.. The plants grew close and tall. They pulled them up then planted them deep on purpose. Or sold in bunches of 25 or so. Worked for them.
I work in the field you were discussing about herbs. I use herbs in the ways you discussed. I also grow and preserve foods for my well being and do not put artifical items in my body. I have garden several different ways. My best results have been the way you are doing it. How one gardens is a choice not a must. Everyone is always selling something yet many people may not be able to obtain certain itens to make it happen. (When) you and Cody write your own book(s) regarding "your" way of living, I will buy it! 😉
Awww! Thank you! Might be awhile! 😂❤️
You guys have the cutest little homestead and honestly deserve all the best! Great entertaining almost like a reality TV show! Cheers!
Thank you so much!
My Doctor loves growing potatoes & she actually recommended that I cut the pieces to only have 1 eye each
Can you show how you trellis and prune your tomato plants with cattle panel?
Yes! Cattle panels are great for using as a trellis for your tomatoes and you can use them for years.
Oh yes!
Michelle’s ‘whatever’ at the very end. 🤣 I tell my husband that all the time. Like dude, you know what I’m talking about.
😏👍
I just came across this channel this evening. Kinda reminds me of my childhood, big gardens even the cultivator looks similar to the one we had growing up except ours had red wood handles. I'm 55 now and still use my dad's 1980's 8hp rear tine tiller. Probably have my grandpa's red cultivator around somewhere. Growing up I spent my days kinda grazing from the garden and fruit trees, then my mom would worry about how little I'd eat at dinner.😂
Welcome to the channel! 😁
I find if you plant a whole potato, the potatoes are larger, not getting more from the plant, just bigger fruit. I leave my baby reds whole n they get about an apple size. Great for canning. N I leave the skins on. Thanks.
Thanks for the tips!
I just found your channel and I'm so glad. I would love to grow our own organic food for my family of 3. I've grown enough to be able to pick food as needed for a meal (but not to store) and each year I'm trying to add 1-2 new crops where I have enough to harvest and/freeze. My friend just sold me her upright deep freezer and it is exactly what I need to start out with. My new crops this year are 2 varieties of lettuce and as many Strawberries as I can get and have room for. I don't have a lot of full sun growing room so I have to grow vertically or up on top of a fence. I know what you are doing is a lot of hard work but it's so nice that you share your info with us on YT! Hello from western CO!
Wow, go Serena! Best of luck to you this growing season!
Very informative video! We plant potatoes on top of the ground and pile hay/straw on top and get a really good crop. We have found that rotation is key to keep big away. Keep on going! You are doing great!
Thanks!
Did you know when tomato starts are leggy, you can just plant them really deep? Cut off the leaves under the soil level and the plant will root from the stem that’s burried
Thanks for bringing us along with you in your homesteading story! I always look forward to your videos ❤
You are so welcome!