If You Can’t Buy It, Make It
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- Ben’s on a mission to improve our soil fertility, and he’s working on that today by making bio-char. Step by step how he makes it, charges it, and gets it ready for the garden. If you can’t find fertilizer in the stores, make your own!
Venison For Dinner: / venisonfordinner
Oatmeal Jam Bars: venisonfordinn...
No-churn ice cream recipe: venisonfordinn...
Today’s music, in order (available through Epidemic Sound bit.ly/2Mt3tXm ):
Intro: Let Me Love You by Loving Caliber
Caught Up In A Dream by Loving Caliber
Cafe Mornings by Mai Ligne
Fire & Bones by Biddy Sullivan
Future Vibes by Queeo
Outro: Let Me Love You by Loving Caliber
-- Get Social With Us --
Instagram: / hollarhomestead
-- Favorites We Use --
Chickens From Murray McMurray Hatchery: www.mcmurrayha...
Farmhouse Teas: fhteas.ositrac...
Our vlogging camera, Canon m50: amzn.to/3aDiLmp
Hank, The Gorilla Cart: amzn.to/2sTYdoF
Nourishing Traditions Cookbook: amzn.to/2NVPxVY
Encyclopedia of Country Living: amzn.to/2uGAKIF
-- Ways To Support Us --
We have Merchandise! www.bonfire.co...
Meg's soap business: bumblewoodhandm...
Support us through Patreon: / hollarhomestead
#growyourownfood #homesteading #farmstead
************************
Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Buggy playing in the mixing bowl was too cute!
Made me so happy to see the little hand in the mixing bowl!. She quickly figured out which part was sweet!
@The HoIIar Homestead° Could you explain what it is please..thank you!
@@nicola4789 this is just a scammer and phisher, never answer these people or call them. They are just after your money. The original The Holler Homestead would never ask you for something like that. So beware and be careful.
Meg, I have LOVED the last few videos editing going back and forth between Bens day and your day! So fun to watch!
Totally agree!!
Yes!
Absolutely
💯
VERY much agree!! And loving the calm fade out at the end. Meg's great at editing!
Message to the four young men helping there daddy. It does my heart good to see young men helping there dad. Be with him every chance you get and ask him questions and remember the answers he gives you. Enjoy working with him. Get all the knowledge from him that you can. Never take it for granted. Make your mom and dad proud. God bless y'all.
New addition to the Rural dictionary: Poop Cracker. Had me laughing. I loved how Buggie's little finger was going deeper into the bowl , until she finally couldnt help it and the whole hand went in, precious moment.
Love how Ben is always finding ways to improve the garden beds with organic materials already on the farm. The cow is a huge asset. Hey, are you happy to get Sow the Land family as neighbors. 🙂🙂
Absolutely!!
Kids always like to help when there is fire involved...why is that?
Loved that little hand in the bowl! ☺😊
When I was a kid my father would prune his orchard (a couple of thousand trees). My job was to pick up every branch and transport them to our neighbors garden. We would cover his quarter acre garden with a pile 3 or 4 feet deep. When we were done we had a big bonfire. This not only added nutrients to the soil, the heat killed off insect larva and weed seeds.
I love biochar! i am surprised more homesteaders don't use it faithfully when preparing beds for the first time. The size of the biochar chunks is insignificant. Some of the earliest evidence of its use in TerraFirma, indicate that they cleared trees, dug ditches or swales to lay the trees in, burnt them to char state, then covered them with dirt to extinguish the fires and then later gardened on top of them. Very Interesting that you are soaking yours in "smoup" :)
There's a little baker in the making! Love your resourcefulness, why not try, don't overthink, test.
I can NOT believe how MUCH "Buggy's" changed!!!!!!!♥️ ♥️ ♥️
That adorable little finger poking into the mixing bowl! my toddler just goes straight for hand fulls of mixture! 🤣 made me laugh. Loved seeing the boys making the fire! Boy heaven!
Your down to earth lifestyle is what has made your channel my favorite. I can relate and there isn't any fancy airs going on. Bless your beautiful family.
You are a great family to follow! Lilly is getting so big. I like that the boys are always helping Ben. It's channels like yours that help restore my faith in the future of humanity. Thank you for all you share.
Buggy is turning into a true beauty! Love watching your family ! Good bless y’all abundantly!
So fun watching Lilly sticking her finger in the sugar. She’s gonna be making her own cakes before you know it. Great info on the bio char, if I ever get my own piece of land I will definitely have to remember this and try it. Oh and not to mention how cool it is that Sow the Land will be your neighbors. Have a blessed day 🙏🏻🙏🏻💕👩🏻🌾
Hi 👋 dear ,how are you doing?
Make yourself a 2x4 frame about 3'x4' and cover it with hardware cloth. Ad some 2x4 legs about 3-4' tall, tall enough to roll a wheelbarrow underneath. Shoval that charcoal on top of hardware cloth and sift right into barrel. Can use hoe or some similar device to scrape around to break it up. Use to do this and alternate soil sifting into same wheelbarrow to make ready to plant in mixture. Would be a good semi permanent setup centrally located in your garden area to wheel around and amend soil. Bet you could ad dried manure to mixture and even dried compost... Hope it gets your wheels turning. Love following Ya, been here since you began packing for move from Cali. God Bless and see ya on your next post.
Love the baby fingers poking around lol. She’s helping quality control!
Laughing so hard at Bug trying out the crust until she dug her whole hand in! 😂😂💖💖👍👍 Bio char process wasn't gross, it was interesting and fun!! 👍😀❤️
Watching Buggy dig through the sugar was hysterical. Each time her finger went a little deeper. Such a sweetheart!
I loved seeing that little hand in the bowl over and over. Photo worthy, in black and white would be adorable.
I'm glad you decided to make your own biochar after I suggested the terra preta video over a year ago about the time you cut all that brush down-- but showing people is what's important - and super charging it is key- I have videos on acorn squash as big as footballs that were grown in a biochar mix in 2015- they were amazing! most of my tomatoes grown in that soil produced bigger than softball sizes. Ears of corn as long as your forearm and just as big around - carrots that were 14"- 18" and not woody, but your right about mixing more compost and proportioned char will produce amazing crop! and for as much brush as you have put as much as you can into the soil- you will be glad you did especially for your tree crops!!
Gosh y’all are the most inspirational people. Thank you for sharing what you are doing with us!
Your baby girl is stinking cute. I am so glad you have her.mommy's little princess. So adorable.
Little hands helping momma out and tasting too. 😋
From the comfort of my computer seat, I really like this concept of productively using all that the property has provided for you. Something tells me that should you run out of branches some year into the future, getting more for free wouldn't be difficult either.
Oh my gosh! The little hand in the bowl! So adorable!
Ben this is an awesome idea for your farm. Comfrey tee and some compost will really supercharge this and I don't see anything gross about it. I would suggest not leaving it soaking until you get some annerobic decomposition going on. I think that would defeat your purpose and kill a lot of the good stuff you put in there. I see no reason not to put it on the garden in a couple of days rather than weeks. (Have you ever stuffed a Bio Dynamic cow horn?) lol Jackie Gammon makes a great point, I saw some bigger charred logs in this video. Meg I bet those jam bars are delish. Great idea. Lily is learning by experience soooo cute. So happy that Jason and Loraine are going to be your neighbor. Having like minded neighbors is a huge benefit to all farmers/homesteaders.
Ben, your garden beds will grow amazing crops this year because of the rich slurry you're adding to the soil. And from what I've been hearing, if people haven't already bought the fertilizer they need for the upcoming growing season, they may be left without any due to two major fertilizer plants being destroyed this last year from explosions. I'd say you will have a bumper crop of everything you grow this year because of all the good composting you've been doing in the past years you've lived there. Loved seeing Meg's little apprentice in the kitchen! I just know Buggie made those fruit bars taste even better!🥰
Hiya Ben, Meg and family
Thanks for the heads up about the scam using your brand.
I live in Brisbane Australia, and have been watching your adventure since you moved to NC...and thank you for your time and energy. ATB..Rich
Meg -peach jam is great on pork. ESP chops and peach ice cream is to die for.
Who wouldn't love a dad who lets you play with fire!. Liked the idea of the cement mixer & large rocks for crushing.
Good evening everyone 👋🏻 lovely to see another vlog 😊
OMG! Buggy is so, so, so GORGEOUS!!!! And she is getting so BIG!!!
I’ve been wanting to try making bio char, Thanks! AND I saw you Ben helping a friend! what a teaser!!!!! Oh my goodness is Sow the Land going to be your neighbor!!!😍
Biochar smoothie. You cab make a food processor blade on a rod. Put it in your drill anf make a giant blender to process that smaller!
She made me smile. She is adorable. That little hand in the bowl.and in the end.
We make an upside-down sponge cake with the jam or marmalade we haven't eaten, especially when we're closing on fruiting season
You guys have a beautiful family. What a magnificent life you are providing for your children.
Good timing, guys. I don't think a lot of people know about the fire here in NC at the fertilizer plant. Thank you! P.S. I am someone else who's liking the vlogs that go back and forth between the two of you. Those oatmeal bars look amazing.
You have a whole team of helpers. From helping stir the pot to shoveling poop and stick kk s. Biochar is great.
Well, this video did not gross me out! It was a great teaching video! Loved seeing those tiny little fingers checking out what was in the bowl!
Hello from Minnesota. That is a good idea to soak it. I have never heard of that. Awesome thanks for sharing.
Congrats to my FAVORITE you tube FAMILY on 122k subscribers!!!! WOW, you guys have come a long way from almost divorced and then turning your lives around. You are definitely living the life you were meant to live. Love you guys!
Love watching you all. I learn so much and you bring peace into my life. God bless you all.
WAIT - WAIT!!!! We didn't get to see Meg's oatmeal/jam bars once baked!!! Come baaaaaack......
I totally forgot to add the shot of them when done 🤦🏼♀️
I got so hung up on watching Ben make biochar lol!
We always just toss our biochar into the compost pile in the chicken yard. They stir and poop and mix it up so well.
Have you thought of renting a farm tractor plow to do perhaps 5 acres of ground? And then plant your seeds? Of course you'd need a sprinkler system to water the whole 5 acres of various vegetables, which honestly would be enough for the winter months canned as well as selling fresh at the farmers market. Plowing- planting would begin in March-April. Wheat is planted in March and harvested in July. Wheat is also dried down before harvesting... must be watered daily until ripe. Then watering is discontinued to allow for drying down then harvested.
You are all doing great on your farm!!
Oh my…..she is precious ❤️
Meg your skin looks great today
Thank you!
thank goodness we went from burning bushes to the to gorgeous girls making something interesting and yummy what a great cook big meg and little apprentice meg are .love you two .
if you didnt think that was cute what the baby was doing ,and meg was smart enough to let her so she would get connected with cooking beautiful to see .great mother .
Lillianna's precious little finger going after the sugar!! Awe made my day........ Thanks for sharing your living in the moments!
I love oatmeal squares and you can do so many flavors, dates, mincemeat, apples, raisin, my nephew combines dates & raisins. Mine wouldn't be as tasty though, I don't have little fingers getting in there. How sweet was that. Thanks for showing the making of Bio Char Ben, but better still you are teaching your sons how to make it as well. Y'all have a Blessed day.
Very interesting lesson for the garden! Lilly will be the next baker or maybe a tester!
This was great helpful info but I’ve got to say Buggy’s little finger stole the show! Adorable.
here in Illinois i just got done plowing the driveway of snow. now it's blowing all over. love and bless for all of you, a little more for the little one.
Buggy is getting so big and so cute! Jam bars are delicious.
I love the little fingers getting sugar. So precious.
Use the peach jam to sweeten your morning oatmeal. It’s yummy!!
Or spread on waffles or turn it into peach syrup. YUM
That's a great idea!
I’ve also heard urine is good in biochar as well!
when spring came around here i used to make manure tea and watered everything with it. even the grass. then the rest of the rains would drive it into the soil. and the smell dissipates. boy does everything grow well!
Buggy is such a beautiful little girl. We really enjoy your videos
Loved Buggie helping! Tasting to make sure it’s good! 💜💜
Great video family. I liked how you divided it up and showed both cooking and "gardening".
Hi 👋 dear ,how are you doing?
I make raspberry bars all the time. And I substitute all different jams. I put half of the oatmeal mix on the bottom and press. Then the jam. Then the other half of the oatmeal mix on the top so the jam is completely covered. Then I lightly press down. Then I bake it. Cool it and you can cut it into bars. And take them with you. Like an oatmeal bar. Love them! I also have used cranberry sauce for the filling. I've used my apple butter, ot pumpkin butter etc. Seeing you make them. Reminded me that I haven't made them for a while, so I'm going to make a batch today! But I have to make mine gluten and dairy free. They always sold really well at my bakery I had. Sometimes I would make 1/2 the pan one kind of jam and the other half a different jam. Then you had 2 different flavors in one bake.
Cutest taste tester/helper ever!!!!
That's was cute, when buggy was helping..
ITS NICE THAT YOUR YOUNGER IS INTERESTED IN GARDENING
Tickled me when she kept putting her little finger in the sugar 😊💖
Baby fever and I don't need another one! 😍Omg she couldn't get cuter! Love seeing the boys working with dad! We've been in the middle of moving so I'm just now getting back to TH-cam!
Use your weed whacked in a metal barrel to chop your charcoal down to fine. Just a thought. Have a great day.
A little lemon or lemon zest might brighten the peach jam.
Looking forward to seeing your garden results Ben.
Buggy is just so adorable, not to mention beautiful, and definitely loves sugar! 👶
The MAD Scientist is at it again 👍.
You know I bought fresh made Peach Jam thinking I'll love This ! Not so much cause there's no flavor even with cream cheese I can't taste it weird 😔. And no Rona either LoL.
My old BFs Dad told me years ago that ash is great but not too much because...
I can't remember, something to do with chemistry?
I watched a Documentary on Charcoal making a long time ago. They put a hot fire in a chamber then sealed it. The next Day it was charcoal.
Happy Gardening🙌🐦.
JO JO IN VT 💕😄☃
Great video as always But the baby and the finger stole the show. Love it
Can't how much she has grow what a big girl wanting to help mom. You have a wonderful family that work together ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Hi, Ben and Meg! Y’all turn work into fun. The boys looked like they were having fun with burning the brush and Buggy looked like she was having fun cooking with Mom. Thanks for all the excellent and entertaining content. I personally am so happy you decided to come to live with us here. I talk about your delightful family all the time and pray I will run into your sweet family when I am at Lowe’s.
I saw a cool show about a barbecue place and they had an old oil tank where they welded some grades in there and they would just fill that thing with wood and set it on fire and chunks of charcoal would fall through the bottom and they had a big huge room that was a giant smoker or a smokehouse for the restaurant and that’s what they would use there just get a big old shovel full and bring that inside and throw it in the smoker room on the floor. You could do the same thing even on a smaller scale with a 55 gallon drum but basically you could just throw logs and wooden brush in the top half with a grid in the middle and an opening on the bottom and it would just dump charcoal you could just shovel that out into a pit and hit it with the hose or bury it in the mulch pile. Not to mention if you ever wanted to grill or smoke in the garden without a pellet smoker you could use an offset or barrel smoker and just throw almost any kind of hardwood in there and wait till the chunks of Bernie charcoal fall out and get a big metal snow shovel put a scoop in your offset burner or smoker. Plus you weld and build stuff so it might just be fun to do even if you don’t need it. 😂
It never occurred to me to blend up figs like that for a filling.... Mind. Blown. Definitely going to have to try that!
Oh Ben, I hope you saved some logs for the pigs to chew on. The minerals will be good for them. Maybe I can do this with horse manure in a few months time. No open fires allowed at the moment due to it being summer here in Australia.
Edible Acres make biochar in their woodstove. They got some caterers pans (the ones with a lid used for serving usually). They put the small offcuts in one and put it in the stove. It is fun to watch the gas come off and burn, leaving excellent charcoal behind. They also do the pits.
My family have been making those squares for over 50 years, we just call them by a different name - Swedish Strips. They are the favourite of ours and so simple. Nuts and icing sugar (powdered sugar) often dusts the top in a very light top layer.
For your stone fruits, aim for 1/3 on the under ripe side, 1/3 ripe, and 1/3 well juiced out on the edge of over-ripe for the flavor.
I loved the little finger dipping eating thief... 😍 thanks for sharing
Aww, I wanted to drool over the cooked jam bars! I'm just going to have to cook some myself! Thanks much for the biochar education! And I love seeing what Ben is building. I've already learned a handful of things! I really enjoy your channel and your family is lovely. Sending good vibes to you all!!
Using what you have on your property to better your soil for gardens is something we all should learn/know.
Meg, I'll go checkout your friends vlog. We have several shelves in our freezer with venison I need to cook up, and I've found myself out of ideas.
Buggie is so precious ❤️😘
Hello Mary
Those jam bars sound good, would like to know what the kids think about them, i think the peaches would be good in some hand pies.
Hello 👋 dear, how are you doing?
Some North American First Nations would set fire to sections of valleys annually when they came back to an area. Supposedly, it was done to condition the soil more so than clear brush.
My husband of over 50 yrs has always done this and as is our son presently...
Great work Ben.
I look forward to each of your videos with much anticipation. I think you are my favorite TH-cam homestead family & I watch a lot of your friends as well. can't wait for the next one.
Omg that sweet little hand reaching into the bowl… so cute!!!
Years ago I used to make tea from chicken poop, stunk bad but diluted to put in the garden at the end of the growing season made the garden better in the spring. Now I use all my firepit ashes to put in the garden and around where I don't want slugs, it works good. Lot of purposes.very informative video. Meg, that touch of love in your squares made my day. Cya next one.
The pottery in Terra Freya soils is Terracotta, and it is found all over the Earth, not just Brazil. Probably in Ant-Arctica too. And the rule of thumb is if that you put it straight into your soil it will take a year to charge, it is like a silicon chip with millions of layers for the microflora to move into, some people say it will take away slightly if you used the direct method. And some people use fish tank aerators to brew their compost soups, apparently if you do that there is little to no stink.
love your channel
That little kitchen helper is a doll. Biochar, what an interesting process, I learned a lot from this, thanks for sharing.
Nobody grossed out in this house. I knew this was going to be a good one when you said biochar. Thank Meg for the clip of Little Miss Helper 🎈
Suggest rather then watering it - cover with lots of dirt to smother it and stop the burn - it will char much better- old way was to build the wood into a large pile then cover totally with dirt leaving only a small opening at the top then ignite it and let it go for a few days until the smoke stops coming from the top hole.
Those boys are so grown up and the baby girl is adorable! Love to see your family!
Hello Sheila
Your videos have *so* much material in them compared to other people
Also, Lily is so smart. You can watch her thinking about all this. What a wonder.