Weekly rambling squirreling Garden and Homestead Updates and Tour | Off Grid Australia 255
Vložit
- čas přidán 11. 09. 2024
- linktr.ee/OurS...
Sorry it's so long winded!
If you would like to support this channel, feel free to donate by buying a coffee!
www.buymeacoff...
Please leave any feedback in the comments! :D
Thank you for watching and your support!
Nyssa & Darryl
Surreal, Apollo, Sonnet, Orpheus, Lorcan and Kavik.
Music by Epidemic Sound.
share.epidemic...
You can also find us on:
Instagram - / oursmallfootprint
Facebook - / oursmallfootprint
Snail Mail
Nyssa
PO BOX 187
MILLMERRAN. QLD. 4357
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated.
#offgridhomestead #gardentour #aussiehomestead
I do admire your work ethics and ability to just do what needs to be done all while raising your beautiful family! Great job!
We make forward progress, even if its a little challenging at times hehe, and everyone is happy and healthy and have all their necessities, so I'm ok with it :D
I just love your channel and how real you are Great work Nyssa 👏👏👏
Thank you Le-Anne :)
You actually look stunning in that beanie/slouch hatwhateveritis. You rock it.😘
Hehe, thank you Theresa! I always feel slightly odd wearing it, but it is so nice to have a warm head and face when the wind is whistling! :D
It will all work out, as you said. I also think it is exciting to plan new ways of doing things. I understand when you don't have extra money sometimes and can't just go immediately to get supplies, etc. I admire that you don't give up. That's half the battle. I will keep you all in my prayers. God will make a way. If I had thrown up my hands and given up when something stood in my way, I never would have gained anything. Thank you for chatting with us and letting us know all these thoughts that swirl around in your mind so we can know what to pray for and how to encourage you. I just wish I could still juggle things like you do, I did that for years. Still can if I have to but tend to pick and choose more than I should. Couldn't have anything to do with being seventy seven years old. Janice from Arkansas USA 38:53
You are the hardest working woman in show business!!! Thanks for sharing. I like the name Gravel for the rooster
Oooh, that is a good one, I think I've gone with Earl (Grey) as that is my tea preference too! I think it fits him hehe :D
Processing chickens is hard. It's hard work and it can be hard on the heart especially when they're considered pets. But once you get started, it'll be easier - and it's so amazing that your kids get to experience where their food comes from. Best of luck with everything Nyssa! I hope your CZcams continues to grow and I'd love to purchase some decals or stickers that can be shipped easily to Canada.
It is definitely a hard process, but we're aiming to making it as seamless as possible, as low stress on the animals and ourselves as we can!
Hopefully we can get this one done smoothly with the new supplies and going forward it won't be as daunting!
My heart goes out to you , so much to do
Slowly Slowly! :D
A raised bed material that I've recently seen on the DIYifferent CZcams channel is a huge plastic drainage pipe, that they then cut to the height they wanted. I believe the cost of a 4 foot round was a bit over $100. Thank you for taking time to post and share Nyssa. Blessings, -kate
That's an interesting Idea! I'll have to have a look, thank you :D
Hi Nyssa!! So sorry about your garden, that's so frustrating. We grow a variety of different ways and our favorite are the raised beds. We fill them with all kinds of organic matter before topping them off with soil. For one bed we tacked a metal mesh on the bottom to prevent rodents from the bottom, but only on that one. Planting things like peas or a good cover crop will help the beds to develop long-term beneficial nutrients like nitrogen, and the worms love it! Small bites, you can always change the plan. ❤😊
Definitely, and I think taking a few diff approaches this year will be best too, some wicking beds, some raised beds, some inground beds in a diff location etc! :D
We bought very deep metal beds and cut them in half, giving us 2 for the cost of 1. Tree roots usually are several metres past the drìp lines, some trees will travel long distances for water and nutrients. Robinias and Jacarandas are notorious for that. It doesn't surprise me that gum trees do the same.
I think the highest I've seen is 72cm, so that would potentially be feasible, but a lot of work, I'll have to look at the cost difference! These are very nice, so it's tempting to buy a bunch more :D.
Yeah, it didn't surprise me either, but it also wasn't something I knew :S
I have grown potatoes in both containers, raised beds, and in the ground. If you put them in the ground you need to rotate them to another area as blight/diseases will stay in that soil until a different crop removes it. I usually will put onions or carrots in its place. Beans or peas work great too. Just need to rotate the crops on a yearly basis and your production should increase as long as you compost etc. Looking forward to your next video.
Yeah, I know I shouldn't plant potatoes same place two years running, but I didn't have any other beds set up in time, so decided to just deal hehe, a bit of scab wasn't a major issue, easy enough to peel em! Thank you! :D
think 'greyston '' for rooster name lol, maybe could put tomato's in Trough's not sure spelt that right but can be mobile to move around or put round sides of house so can use trellis on them , you will figure it out ,oh and good luck will that turkey processing :( lol
Roo for the rooster!
Ah, finally! A way too long video ❤ been waiting for that!
Hi Nyssa, we also have a lot of gum trees and have found wicking beds and raised gardens work far better than inground. We bought things slowly because of the cost. Well worth it. Edgar for the rooster...perhaps? 😁😁
Yes, I think it will be a matter of figuring out what works and adding different trials slowly as I go! Thank you :D
Smoky for the rooster
😊loving your ideas x loving the progress you are making x ❤️🤗🙏🏻
Slowly but surely :D
Wow Nyssa, a lot of things to get done. Lopping the gum will not stop the roots. (I'm not 100% sure the gum is taking all the nutrients). Leave the gum for all the shade and wildlife etc. I'd try the barrier to ground for the beds. Raised beds as well. We have mostly sandy but some clay based areas. It gets hard. The soil just disintegrates to nothing I find. Constant replenishment is needed. Easier said than done. I had wondered how you compost due to giving scraps to all the animals. You read so many different 'expert' ideas that it gets confusing on what to do. I recently read (after I just built up all my garden beds again with all sorts of nutrients) that I should not expect a good crop from just doing that! So, we will see. When I see the silvery sand indications come on the top here, I go mmmmmmm. A huge gum next door was taken down that would impact on my vegies, if I agreed with the gum stealing the nutrients idea, and this last year without it I virtually had nothing regardless. Lost shade from it going. I am having trouble getting cauliflower seedlings to start which I am sad about. I have planted out some seedlings of all sorts so fingers crossed. I like the idea of the insulated trailer to assist with all the groceries. I am going to have a look at the community garden in our area and see how some garden beds there are going in relationship to gums growing near by to educate myself on them being an impact or not. Winter has arrived early in Oz. Cold every where. What about Samson or Hercules for a name of the rooster. Yes, I relate well to things getting in a big mess when you change things around. That is happening here at the moment. Currently stuff all over the floor inside to step over here and the garage is getting sorted (sort of) at the same time. Many blessings.
Thank you Carolyn, yes, I'm not sure getting rid of the gum is the way to go, even if we cut it down we'd have to poison it or something to stop it trying to regrow (we have stumps all over the place that continuously regrow!). It's a beautiful tree, it isn't in a spot that branches dropping are going to be a significant risk to anyone, urgh, it's a hard one!
We do struggle a little with compost, we don't have a lot of waste, and with the garden doing so badly we don't even have things like all the prunings of zucchini and tomato this year! I'm hoping to do some compost in place squares in the chicken pens where I put all their scraps and maybe we'll achieve some compost there and also trying to be better about deep littering them and using their bedding as compost as well.
I think this year will be a lot about experimentation, about trialling a few different things and seeing what works best for us and giving up on the ideal aesthetic I was going for!
Hi Nyssa. I found an old bathtub and ute tray at the local dump and used those as my above ground planters. I also got an IBC cut in half for raised beds and then used some styrofoam vege boxes from the fruit and veg place and put smaller veg in those. Also tyres for potatoes. Stack on top of each other as the plants progress. Hope this helps 😊
Yes I'll have to hunt marketplace for things I might be able to use, I think IBC's are definitely something to try!
You're doing great ❤❤❤
Thank you Tawana :D
Herschel the rooster ❤
Also, the dump is a great source for old mower catchers which make great nests, or empty oil tins with lid cut out for nests.
We have a collection of milk crates! A friend collects them for me, they work really well :)
Fog Horn!..as in Foghorn Leghorn cartoon rooster..regards
Rewatching one of your old videos because…insomnia! I realise one of the things I like about your channel is your voice. I wonder whether you can get into book reading audiobooks?! I accidentally clicked on a similar channel after yours, and the woman almost broke my ears. You’re peaceful 😅😂
I actually looked at doing that, but nobody wants an australian accent reading their books by the looks lol.
@@OurSmallFootprint Australia books do! On my Borrowbox anyway :)
I think by you talking this out in this video you helped yourself!!! It really does sound like you're on the right track to help the garden problems. It sounds like the path of least resistance is raised beds. Hopefully you can find a way to get those going with the least expense!!! I've read most of the comments and a lot of people had some good, cheap suggestions! Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and I'm sure you'll have it figured out in no time!
P.S. - You do say "but it's fine" all the time! I think of you when someone says it now! And it IS fine!!!!
Hehe, thank you for that, and yes definitely, sometimes I need to just verbalise it and you guys seem to enjoy me talking it out lol, so win win! I'll have to make a note of that lol! :D
@@OurSmallFootprint no need to make note of that! It's who you are and we love it!!!!
Hi mate, I adhere to the put it all in the raised beds 😅
Tree branches, kitchen scraps, grass clippings, hay, and lots of cardboard on the bottom. This has stopped any weeds growing through and allows the soil biome to flourish. I have multiple raised beds and never had a problem with weeds. I also, at some cost, bought soil from a local business in Toowoomba that sells soil to the winners of the Carnival of Flowers!
We would definitely have to get at least some soil brought in to fill raised beds, even using what we have for the bottom half of them! I have had issues with finding anyone who will deliver out here though, I think we'd be best off getting a truck full if this is the way I'm going to go!
@@OurSmallFootprint I was blown away by how sweet the soil was 🤣. May be worth you while
@@louisebennett1059 who did you get it carted by? The company won’t do it to here and dantrans will only cart 22t and whilst I’d like that much soil it’s a huge cost plus they only cart in the bags and the company wants an additional $50 per bulka bag!
@@OurSmallFootprint Garden City Landscape Centre, Boundary road. They delivered about 2 trailer loads to us in Withcott.
@@louisebennett1059 yeah, they won’t deliver to me :s
In my area, they are using those galvanized raised beds. They are $160 US for 8 foot so not so cheap, but should last years
I priced some up, theres nice oval shaped ones that are 3.2m (10' approx) and about 80cm wide, 45cm high (3' x 1.5' maybe) for about $100AUD, I think it might be the cheapest way to go, at least for that area that I spent all that time covering all the paths with etc, that is closest to the tree!, I'm going to measure up the beds I have there and make a judgement call. There's the cost of filling them too, I would still use the sandy soil in the beds in the bottom, and some hugelkulture, but I still need a good 20cm depth of 'good' stuff in the top I reckon!
Hi Nyssa🥰
Totally agree the gum tree is an issue but not the only issue!
You said it’s really sandy soil so wouldn’t hold nutrients or moisture.
I vote Marley for the grey rooster’s name 😍
-So would really suggest starting hot compost. It’s a quick turn around & you’re making good healthy soil instead of buying potting mix.
You probably have most of the ingredients (shredded paper, manure, twigs, coffee grounds, straw, wood ash….). About 20day turn around & add to all the beds, orchard, everywhere.
Raised beds are a great idea, the 6m ones sound awesome 🤩
The moblie trailer sounds cool, progress not perfection 🤩 You will get there. Lovely chat & squirreling 🥰🌻🐿
We added a lot of compost and amendments but it just seems to dissipate rather than improve :s. We do need to get better at our compost it’s another thing on the list, we have a few piles but none progressing how we’d like as yet!
Your list of "to dos" is mind-boggling. Totally barracking for you all! The insulated trailer sounds like a terrific idea - who couldn't use a mobile coolroom? Keeping wih the "M" name theme that's happening for the rooster in the comments ... as he's "mottled", I kinda dig "Mo" for short, or as a nickname. ;) Maybe "Mo-crow" - ha ha - could be his formal name!
Hehe, so cute Mo-Crow!
I kind of like having the list of projects, its daunting but also keeps me on my toes!
I hope we can get it to work before summer! it would definitely make shopping in bulk at the fruit and veg store so much easier!
❤your 🐿 chats , I start a job a but theres 4others that need doing before I actually get to original job 😂 there’s a thing called a nibbler that you attach to a drill from Bunnings that cuts metal sheeting. Freckles sounds like a good name for a rooster,seedlings look good . Slow and steady and you’ll get there 😉
I've heard of nibblers, we'll have to give it a go, see if it makes the potential easier, though I've been looking at premade galvanised beds and realistically, it might end up cheaper just to buy them!
@@OurSmallFootprint Sounds like a good idea 😊have a great day
we were told gravel was the best option for under raised beds as it "stops' the weeds and gives allayer of drainage with out losing your good soil. South Australian so our climate is a bit hotter but the soil is rock hard clay and it takes a lot to fix that as well.
I was thinking gravel might be a good cheap way to go, thank you for that :D
We have a chicken that separates herself from the others and we call her “misfit” 😂
Hehe, we have an isa brown that is many years old now, who is similar, she managed to escape the pen every day and lay a clutch of eggs and hatch them! lol, we call her Crazy Brown lol.
How about buying some of those square white food grade containers that people are making wicking beds in and making some wicking beds. Using new soil and compost and just building on that soil each year with some home made compost. Just start out slowly and see how you go.
yop, that is one of the plans, they are what I referred to as IBC's :D. Definitely going to give that a go regardless this year of what else I decide :D
Turkey nugget 😂❤
The gum tree sucked all the nutrients out of the soil. We tried a garden near the Australian bush once but dad more experienced than us told us we needed to be 20 feet at least away. This was back in the day before metric and in Tasmania but I’d suggest moving the garden away to save the heartache. Bugger I know.
We don't really have the feasibility of moving the whole garden, which is why I'm considering raised beds close to the tree and trying the in ground beds at a distance and seeing if that seems to fix the issue! urgh :D
@@OurSmallFootprint well I hope it works for you. Are there any people/farmers around who know how to remove inconveniently placed gum trees? I tried a raised bed around half of a plum tree. However I didn’t know that I needed weed cloth, and the plum sent out so many feeder roots that nothing grew there. It was a bugger as it was all compost over many years. However since then the plum had to be removed. It sent roots into the sewage pipes
@@reannejarvis9464 I’ll do some asking re the tree, before I make solid decisions, but at the same time, it’s a beautiful tree!
@@OurSmallFootprint yeah I love trees.
The name Melvin for the nice calm rooster? You do so much and do it so well; we are all rooting for you!
Thank you Olivia :D
I know I’m late for this one lol, but I’d call the rooster spud cos his always in your potato bed
Lol, that would have been a good name! :D
Nyssa, I live just north of Toowoomba, I used to have in ground vegetable gardens UNTIL the nearby gum tree and she oaks sucked all the goodness and moisture from the soil, the old saying was a trees roots go 3 times the height of the tree. I went into IBC wicking beds and haven’t looked back, the other matter of the raised beds is that they require alot more water, wicking beds are the way to go, try to set the IBCs up so that the overflow is all joined, thus less water and less time also, re indeterminate tomatoes, just use REO like an arch
We already have a lot of trellising so I’d prefer to use what we have, we looked at Reo but we didn’t have the capability to cart it and the cost was quite high to get it to us, but yes I’ll definitely give some wicking beds a go this year, I think the best bet will be trying a variety of things!
Nyssa would you consider using those large tractor tyres as raised garden beds? Elbornes are happy to give away their old tractor tyres for free! I use them in my garden and love them!
I didn't realise they gave them away, might be worth seeing if they have some to add to spots! I'll have to ask, thank you Angie :)
Maybe for the beds you plan on building you could just put in some really thick layers of cardboard? I don’t know if want plastic or anything like that because it won’t decompose and would be a nightmare in the soil, or maybe some 100% cotton sheets (without the polyester cotton) so that they provide some long term barrier but it will ULTIMATELY break down in the soil.
We had a thick layer of cardboard etc on them originally, I think the problem is that it does break down and then the roots can suck the nutrients from the beds, which is why I think I had a good first year and nothing since :S
I totally feel for you in the "nothing is working" phase! Regarding the gum tree: it's definitely needed for your wildlife and shade in those hot seasons. Totally understand the reasons to keep it. I'm not real familiar with the gum, but here in the states we have a locust tree that can cause some similar issues. Be wary of using the branches from that to fill your beds. Our locust branches have been known to sprout more saplings even after being cut for awhile.
I agree with you that putting a solid barrier between your soil and the solid ground will help with the leeching of the chemical from the tree.
The leaves of the eucalypt are apparently not good for mulching etc, but from what I've read the branches are apparently ok so long as they are dead and they take a long time to break down, but we have plenty of other options and our Pigs actually really like chomping on the gum branches! So we tend to throw the branches into their pens when they drop hehe! :D
We have lots of clay in our yard many trees and plants went belly up, so we built raised beds to grow our veggies plus it's easier on your back 😊 it does cost more but in the end I reckon it will save. Good luck with whatever you choose to do xx
I think trialling a few diff ways is going to be the best bet, seeing what works best and hoping that something works well enough to make it feel succesful! :D
I didn't know that about gum trees either.
It makes sense, they're trees that survive drought, so they're going to suck up as much as they can when its avail to get them through the dry season, but urgh, I wish I had of realised sooner! :D
i have the same ghost gums/river gums down the back- rule of thumb- height equals diameter of roots.
I grow nearer the gums in bathtubs on blocks for garlic, leafy greens and daikon radish beds. I also have ibc totes with merely the top and first rungs cut back to the band- i hugulcultured it and growing onions and asian greens in it and have the tap on the bottom to catch the nutrient rich water from the bottom.
i inground beds further back from the biggest gum and twice a year do a hard amend of the beds- the aisles are heavily mulched and after summer get added to the beds for the autumn winter planting. I feed the beds with chicken house compost- deep bedding composted in the hen house- 9 hens. I also grab mulch hay round bales, and let the summer rain and heat work their magic on the round bale then dig it into the beds in autumn after unzipping them. i also dig in fish frames, cow manure, spent mushroom compost... all the bedazzley goodness.
I have exclusion netting in low tunnels in the bug season and have a high tunnel polyhouse i built, same principles as your star picket and 2in polypipe, and used ceiling battens as braces on the underside of the polypipe with pool noodles zip tied to the top of the peak battens to 'push' the poly plastic off the polypipe. the last batten on the sides at 900mm has the batten on the outside, and i used furring strips to sandwich the polyplastic into and used button head screws to secure.
Battens are attached to the 2in polypipe with recycled roofing screws. it's open sided from 900 down, and open ended... acts as a giant 'umbrella' over my leafy greens and young plantlings. It magnifies heat during winter but has such good ventilation no fungal issues 3 seasons of the year.
Roosters- know anyone with a .22? it's how i 'caught' my free ranging cockerals- head shot, done and efficient. I skin my chooks, can't be bothered plucking, and a sharp hatchet dealt with head and feet. Feathers, feet, head and evisceration materials got dug into a fallow bed to feed the microbes and worms- culling large numbers of free ranging cockerals is very expedient with the afore-mentioned tool.
Kids and dogs safely away... and then you're not hunting up in trees at night for roosting lads. 😉
Cold room sounds like a sensible low wattage long term solution- and if eventually parked under an extension of the roof at the patio kitchen won't have to work as hard in summer to stay cold.
Flip your growing spaces- raised beds in the old inground grow zones, and inground at the furthest most points from the gum tree.
Yes, I think that's going to be the plan, moving the inground beds out to that other area where its at a distance, it is also where the swales/water runs when it rains too, so that makes it perfect for inground, and work on ibc's and other solutions for the front section closest to the trees.
I think we're going to repair the old hothouse and use that, seeing as we have it all there, as our hothouse and use the new greenhouse as additional seed staging, I think in summer the sun will be plenty to penetrate that to start hardening stuff off and protecting it and then we can put the hydroponic beds in the hothouse with the solid roof too.
I'm super grateful for my cousin to have collected the trailer for me it was a really good buy for exactly what we need, and now I just have to get it set up, we'll get there!.
We're working on more consistent deep litter for the chicken pens and being better about raking it out and composting it to use on our beds as well, all those in house practices that we haven't managed to get going properly that will benefit us!
No guns, but most of them roost on the pig pen, so shouldn't be too hard to grab!
I was going to skin them this year, I have looked up a bunch of videos and I definitely think it will be much easier than plucking, we ordered a new knife (I don't remember the specifics, D did it) and I have the kill cone, so I'm planning on just beheading in the cone and then skinning, we'll see how we go, we've been putting it off, I need to just bite the bullet and work out the process that works for us!
Mr. Cock-A-Doodle-Doo
lol🐓
I enjoy me a good squirrel 🐿️🐿️
hehe, I'm glad :D
Oh Dear! You do sound disheartened! Don't be. I just think you have too much on your plate! My suggestions would be to dig up your citrus trees and plant them in or very near the chicken coop. You will have an abundance of lemons in no time. With regards to the chickens, I would free-range them as much as possible. Our have always been free-range. They put themselves to bed or I coax them in with food. They could clear your land as well as fertiliser it. With all your garden beds, I would plant legumes or a green manure crop. If you like broad beans, they would be a good crop. Having sand and clay is a good combination. We have gravel with fairly high clay content. Rock hard in summer and can get very wet in winter! Your doing a great job! Slow and steady wins the race!
they would b
I have definitely got to work on green manures/cover crops, it is definitely something I'm trying to put into rotation as well :D. Our land is unsuitable for free ranging there are just too many predators, but we also have too many roosters we keep, because we are looking at breeding stock as well as our egg laying stock etc :D
You have so much going on ! Focus on one thing at a time!! And then the next
Definitely have to try, not my forte though :D
I have also turned old bath tubs into wicking beds, they work great
That's a good idea too :D
Robbie & Garry Garden Chanel has the same problems with tree roots. She grows everything in totes on old chairs. I got black tubs on legs from Bunnings and they are great for some things and a bit more presentable. I’ve had the Birdies garden beds for years and they still look great. Don’t advise a long one because they warp even with the metal supports they provide.
The birdies are lovely, but outside my price range.
Yes if I go long metal we will definitely have to create stability for them!
Hello from germany, i use big hard-plastic tubs, builders normaly use to mix stuff, as raised Garden-beds. They are mobil and easyer to fill. Easy to top up and keep clean. 🤗
Hi! I am going to have a look out for options, ideally I didn't want to plant in raised beds, I really wanted that inground market garden look, so I didn't look real hard at those kind of options :S. But we have to adapt! :D
Throughly enjoy your ramblings as well as learning about gum tree challenges and benefits. As for the gentle somewhat introverted 🐔 I think he needs a distinguished name: Barclay or Gaspard or Winston. Guess I’m a bit slap happy after a long day 😂. It’s been 5C here in the mornings with two frost warnings in the last week. So icy for spring in Québec
Yikes, that is a bit cool for this time of year for you! My sister lives in Canada, saska something, excuse my ignorance, and the kids have been in shorts and shirts a lot in her pics I think, but I spose when it gets as cold as it does there 5 isn't too bad! lol
Earl Grey was suggested and that's my favourite tea, I think that one is tickling the most at the moment lol.
Not sure if you’ve heard of the ‘you can’t eat the grass’ channel. They built a cold room out of a horse float for their veg and flowers. They run an aircon in it when they need it. So I reckon the trailer is a good idea!
Oh! I've watched them, but I don't recall seeing the horse float, but I shall have a look, might help me out when I'm outfitting the trailer! :D. Thank you :D
@@OurSmallFootprint I think this video is when they start, but it takes a while, you know, as it does 🤣 czcams.com/video/1iKa3WltjJ0/video.html I hope the link works. Never done it before.
We have some type of gum nut trees out in our front yard and we can not grow grass out there. Tge rest of our yard is thick lush green grass, but the front yard just will not grow anything. The ground is full off the little gum nuts and we are thinking that the reason nothing will grow is because of those gum trees.
We also don't want to cut them down because there is only about 3 problem ones, but in the summer time they provide so much shade and look beautiful!
But we are unsure of what else to do! 🤦🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
The cost of taking them down is quite exhorbitant too, but I feel bad about it, I feel like I should work around it rather than take the tree down!
I had found some cattle and horse feeders and water troughs that I have been using as above ground gardens and it has been working great. Maybe you will be able to find something on the marketplace that will work. Enjoy the channel. Thank you.
I will definitely keep an eye out! Thank you :)
Love your videos
Thank you Susan :)
We have a gum tree that is at the end of our property. It is not our tree. My Pomeranian can’t stand the gum balls that drop over into our yard. He comes inside with those gum balls stuck to his butt. I can’t wait to see the names for your lonely rooster. Maybe he is a good luck charm for your garden. 😊
This one doesn't seem to drop gum nuts much, just branches lol, but its not over anything tooo detrimental, it occasionally damages the garden structure, but its fixable.
Also the beautiful gum tree has gotta go. And get the stump grinded into the ground .. you gotta decide what’s most important food or shade. Life’s brutal sometimes.
The cost is the issue, we can't afford to get it removed, I'll get some quotes but it is highly unlikely we can swing the kind of cost required.
@@OurSmallFootprint yes it is very pricey.. we got 2 removed a long time ago and it was soooo expensive… just add it to your wish list. You never know what’s around the corner.
I reckon the eucalyptus thought yippee and shot all of its roots out to your garden bed. My rule with trees is their roots go as far as they are high. One thing you can get tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes etc in bulk for cheap prices, just focus on greens in the raised beds, you could stagger small plantings of kale, bok choy etc so if they fail there isn’t a huge waste of time and it would give you a longer harvest time. I spent a fortune on setting up tomato plants and the caterpillars destroyed them so I feel your pain ❤
Yes, there was discussion about that kind of thing too, if I can get in bulk then its not such a big deal to grow, but at the same time, nothing beats home grown :S. And there's the whole debate, what if travelling 4 hours away to get in bulk is no longer feasible, what then! We also, of course, end up only getting fresh for the first couple of weeks of the shopping trip, it was so nice that first year to have fresh tomatoes on hand the entire summer.
@@OurSmallFootprint I have thought about your comment and totally get what you mean. I have just spent the last two days doing my very first monthly food shop and I have been a mum for 22 years. I have even been processing the meat :) Luckily I can keep a $100 cash/week budget for incidentals. So for the next 4 weeks I am aiming for $800 for the month, that would be a saving of at least $600. I have a very full freezer of meat :)
@@bunnobear Darryl does head to twon 30 mins away at least once a week, so we do grab some top ups occasionally, but I try really hard not to because its more expensive in there and I don't want to get into the habit of buying extras just because we can if that makes sense, but like the other day he bought a head of lettuce and a handful of tomatoes because we were having hamburgers! Those little things that it would be so nice to have from our own garden space :D. You'll have to keep me updated on how you go!
@@OurSmallFootprint will do! We are having home made rissoles tonight, normally I would buy processed ones and these are so much better
Haha I weighed each rissole too and I was pretty spot on with the weight :)
I hate to say it..I think the tree needs to go...but I know that is an expensive project. Raised beds do seem to be a solution, but they can be expensive to get started also. Love the sound of the trailer and how it will work for you. Progress not perfection and you eat an elephant one bite at a time. Prayers the answers will come and your garden will grow bountiful. Love watching you and the 🐓 and how you sqirrel. squirrel
Yeah, I just don't think that we can afford to get the tree removed, I'll look at getting some quotes, but I think that it will not be financially viable, at least building the beds can be done over time and be ready for spring, whereas having that large chunk of funds for the tree and still having to put a bunch of amendments on the beds for this year....
@@OurSmallFootprint yes. Just have to do it in small amounts!!
Justin Rhodes says that Mother Nature is modest and prefers to be covered up. So I can see that winter cover crops might be a good idea to prevent the problems you encountered. You will probably need to amend the gardens all over again and plant a nitrogen producing cover crop like winter wheat or whichever crop is appropriate for where you are.
Yes, cover crops are definitely something I need to work on, that and rotational/progressive cropping, its all a learning curve, but normally things wouldn't be completely empty like atm, it was such a crappy season though :S
@@OurSmallFootprint I have been following along. This year has been deplorable for me as well, my hubby of over 34 years passed at the end of January and I am just finding my feet again, so I do get it. But every day, I try to move one step forward. That's all any of us can do. Progress, not perfection.
So sorry Ann❤
@@annfromma8456 *hugs* here’s to moving forward in a new way. My condolences.
Hi Nyssa what about Loki for the rooster x
I bought a canvas of a person's photo from NZ here in Aus through Redbubble. He had lots of options on how to print the photo including mugs, so possibly have a look into that for your international customers?
have u considered making an IBC-based aquaponics with perch fish? you rarely replace the water and from one 1000L IBC with 60 fish it can support 3-4 grow beds with an easy all yr round greens to harvest? my ex and I bought a pre-made one from gumtree a few years back and it worked wonderfully! a year or so and u can start harvesting fish for food as well as the greens :)
I am concerned about keeping more animals alive tbh lol!
Hi Nyssa, some of the Gardening Australia presenters have made wicking beds from IBCs, Sophie from SA is one. They may even have stories about gardening with trees. Your ideas about making raised beds is a good way to go. George Clooney might be a suitable name for the rooster. I follow Morag Gamble for permaculture advice, you may find her interesting. Self sufficient me is another chanel I follow. Marc has a magnificent garden, fruit trees, chickens and ducks.
I have watched a lot of Morag, I learned about a lot of things I want to try from her :D. I do think IBCs as part of the garden will be the way to go, trial and error and figuring out what works best for us, we'll get there eventually!
@@OurSmallFootprint Yes you most definitely will.
Everyone I know has had problems growing this year. From all over the world. I'm in the uk and the weather has been weird, I lost a lot of starts to weather. Also friends in America have had the same. A friend in Germany lost almost all her plants to bad weather. She's had to buy starts as all her plants are just dead. Mother nature is a so moody, she never knows what she wants weather wise lol
I do think that the weather has played a big part, I think it has been a combination of a lot of things! and now it is time to troubleshoot and figure it out.
call your rooster No Name lol
hehe!
What about Chip or Waffle for the rooster as he likes the potato beds? X
Rooster name suggestion..
Earl Grey 😊
Oooh! I like that! My fave tea too :D
Or Rocky Rooster
How about Forrest? He was a gentle soul too.
Can you show us what you look for when pruning your fruit trees? Mine are at about the same age and I want to prune them for good growth in spring but I'm afraid to over do it
I am no expert! I am very much just learning! but I can share what I do and whether it ends up being wrong lol :D
I’ll be interested to see what feedback you get Nyssa, we’re in a similar situation with the garden and considering the same options!
I'm so sad that I had that one brilliant year, because it has made it all that much harder to come to terms with it now working out! I think a variety of things to try will be my best bet! but will be interesting! Whilst that tree is a pain garden wise, I'm not that keen on cutting trees down either (or the cost)
Yeah I love the gum trees too. A lot of our plants don’t make it through the cold weather, it’s sad. You’re doing better than us anyway!
'Armadeus' 😉
Have you looked into second hand fridge panels because I have seen them on market place for $20 to $50 each
I have, and I will definitely go that path, it atm I don’t want to buy them for them to sit and not be used, which happens with materials a bit lol, I buy with the intention but I’d the project isn’t quite on the top of the list than the materials just clutter up the place!
Gandalf for the roster 🐓
Lol :D. I might need to draw him up as well if he's going to become a fixture once I decide on a name!
This probably is way too labour intensive and costly. But if you had some help to take down the not so fixed parts of the garden structures down and placing them aside, would it help reassessing the layout. I understand how heartbreaking and expensive it must be to consider starting from scratch. I'm just trying to think from a long-term perspective, although short-term needs will always overshadow.
The biggest problem with taking parts of the garden down is that as soon as its open the animals invade lol. But I think that in the end it wouldn't make much difference, we don't have any other cleared land to put it on and I don't want to clear bush to put the garden in either, because then we have this eyesore cleared land regardless iykwim! We'll get quotes regarding the tree, but in the end I probably won't be removing it, so I think I need to assess within the scope of what I have, what will work best, and hey, maybe wicking and container beds are the best option for our climate/location, it seems like A LOT of people have found they're really the only want to go out here too. I think I will keep persevering with the inground gardens kn the back of the structure at a significant distance to the tree and see how that goes, while investing slowly in some raised beds and some IBCs. It is hard isn't it that long term versus short term perception!
What about doing a bag/container garden in that area
I actually looked at those felt garden bags, but I think for the cost I'd prefer to get more substantial beds! I'm still looking though hehe :D
@Our Small Footprint good luck I hope you figure it out fast and economically
Plus you can use the branches to fill the bottom of the garden beds so you don’t need as much soil. The branches break down over time and add nutrients to the soil. Sorry for so many posts. I love gardening g ❤😂
Mr Pickle 🐓
My name for the rooster is Fin.
Thank you April! :D
just moved to australia, snails ate most of my fall garden. any advice?
I had a lot of issues with slugs this year, I used the beer/vegemite traps they worked well, I also used the iron chelate pellets because they deterred the slaters as well (which wouldn't fall for the beer traps) they seemed fairly effective and somewhat innocuous!
thanks ! i will look into those things for the future. was so sad to see after spending so much time (and money!) ammending my sandy soil only to have the plants do great and then get devoured by snails 😢
Drinking mugs for merch or? Mugs for the family?
Originally it was for the kids but people requested some for merch so there will be some avail for you guys as well :)
@@OurSmallFootprint oh, I don't know why I thought you'd use a merch service so it's worldwide ordering 😊 we need one that says that's fine too! 💙
@@aeonfluxcapacitor77 I’ll use a third party for US I think, because shipping mugs might be an issue. But I already had most of the equipment and skills needed to do them myself because I’ve done similar things throughout the years, and hey, if everything takes off, I have kids to employ! They’d love to earn some money for their own spending :) heh, so I say ‘that’s fine too’ a lot ? I don’t even hear these things sometimes, people have to tell me, now I’ll notice though, someone mentioned how often I say ‘part and parcel’ and now I hear myself saying it constantly lol.
@@OurSmallFootprint I say fk and spazz a lot, so I think your buzz words are best for yt. 😂
Rooster 🐔. BIG MOUTH 👄
They certainly are lol
Would you have pigs
We have 3 'miniature' pigs :). I was just discussing with a friend that we need to figure out an easy way to harvest their manure for the compost pile, two of them are desexed but the third isn't and he is really urgh to be in the yard with!
Would love to have pigs and chickens garden too small need to win lottery to buy land for loads of animals
I always wanted pigs, they were one of the first pets we got when we moved out here, we got them as tiny piglets :D
Pig pooh is very hot. Let it age before using in garden or compost. It can kill all the microbes in your compost and burn your plants. When weeds are growing in the pooh then it’s time to use but sparingly. My family used to run a piggery.
Just build beds out of what you have, save your money and get rid of that life sucking tree
I’m so sorry you moved out to that you moved out to the property so far away from civilization. Everything appears to be a big mess. My heart aches for you, and your family. I never even heard of soil that was dead. You just keep adding compost. I admire you, but you can’t do everything by yourself. I’m not sure your husband is worth much. I don’t know…..it’s just my guess. I just shake my head over the way you live, but for some reason I keep watching you and hoping for better things for you. Bless you all.
I'm sure you don't mean to come across rudely but your comment reads really awful and quite nasty. You may want to consider removing it so that you don't cause offence.
@@meredithmasquazzi142 I don’t mean to cause offense, But I don’t understand their way of life. I’ve been trying to read about living in the outback. I live in Idaho USA and we live right in the middle of desert. But soil grows plants and gardens and etc. I never heard of dead soil. I’m trying to understand. I hate to see that family suffer.
Thank you for your concern Anne, we don't suffer though :D. We exist well, we have some mess and construction all the time, and we always have projects on the go, but we eat well and enjoy our lives, we chose to move to this and it is a choice I would make again :)
@@OurSmallFootprint 🤗I’m happy you’re happy. I find your way of living interesting, and for some reason I’m enjoying watching you’re Chanel. Best wishes in the coming days and year, and I pray your garden will grow!
I suppose one way to look at it is that at least you’ve figured out the nature of the problem, so you can finally start thinking through solutions rather than trying the same things and getting nowhere. Raised beds would be expensive but depending on how much you needed them, they could be put in as & when funds allow. You do have the animals, which will provide you with soil amendments, and there must be lots of potential materials around your property which you could collect to add to more Hugel Kultur beds, if you can find the right spot for them. It does work, because you’ve proved it can, but you have to accept the need to move things around rather than having it how you hoped it would be - which is a pain but not the end of the world. At least you’ve come up with some potential alternatives, and knowing the way you and Daryl work together I’m sure you’ll make it work - best of luck with it all!