Biochar in the Forest, Creating the World's Richest Soil, Self Reliance Garden, Planting Fruit Trees
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- čas přidán 21. 05. 2020
- Living off the land and being self reliant is challenging in the forests of eastern Canada and growing food means creating productive soil with fire and composting with any organic material available in season.
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I wanted you to know I am single and in a wheelchair and had beat cancer three times shattered my spine and fractured my neck but watching your videos I try every day to get up in my wheelchair and built me a garden this year! And expecting to do the same next year! I am not able to use a lot of tools but know how to use them my land is paid for and I’m am going to do my best to work it till my time comes I’m only 48 my kids are grown and I don’t want them to take care of me thank you for sharing what you do!
Hi Butterfly, You are amazing. Do not give up. You are young enough to heal.
Look into the benefits of intermittent fasting and eating in a time restricted eating window of eight hours.
Buster Brown yes I do have other health issues I am unable to eat but once a day!
Awww. Good for you. I too have back and neck injuries, though not to your extent. I try to Pace myself with my garden and some nights, I am HURTing but I feel so good growing my own food. 3 yrs now. Good luck. Hope to hear how this growing season panned out for u
So inspiring!!! Prayers and best wishes for all the greatest things in life and the life after!!!
Barbi Button I will keep you updated so far so good! 🙌🏻♥️🙌🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 for you with your pain I understand 🌹🌹🌹
I've said this numerous times, but must say it again: The sounds and nuances in these videos are exquisite. Crunch, snap, crackle and pop. The chirping birds and crickets, Wood Peckers pecking, babbling brooks and roaring falls; the meandering rivers, food frying/boiling...I could go on and on...
Well said!
…..and the odd squeaky toy sound!😍
I am Taiwanese
Today I lost someone very close
I think i'm broken
Then I saw this video
After I finish watching, I will continue to find other videos of you
I feel much better now
thank you
So sorry for your loss🙏
Kali girl is so sweet! What a great companion while you do what you choose to do each day. Keep on.
As a kid growing up in New England, I watched my next door neighbor bury fish heads and innards in his various gardens and flower beds. He was retired old gentleman that in summer time, rain or shine, went fishing every morning in the upper Narragansett Bay. He had the most gorgeous rose bushes that actually formed a hedge between our yards. They were his pride and joy and the envy of the street. All kinds of flowers too that I couldn't identify, but all beautiful. He also grew the most delicious "Native Tomatoes" and would give my mom baskets full when they were ripe. YUM! To this day I've never had better! Ole Mister Gunther swore by the fish head's and a little cow manure as the secret to his success. Man I still miss those tomatoes with a chunk of Italian bread! You'll do great Shawn. Mister Gunther would approve!
Glad to hear you like tomatoes with italian bread, sound strange for an italian guy like me hear that from outsider 🙂. If you like tomatoes with bread and if you will visit Neaples, the city under Vesuvius, try "pomodori del piennolo co cuzzetiell e pane" you will no regret!😀
I am amazed by this man. He genuinely knows everything from building a log cabin, to sauna bath, to rocket stove, fishing, cooking, preserving, gardening and a lot more. You are great, may GOD bless you more and an inspiration to all.
Not only do I watch because I love the lifestyle, I watch for the amazing camera shots. Beautiful.
Ohh WOW was that red sky gorgeous!! Thank you for all the work you put into the videos! God Bless you & your family! ♥️♥️♥️
Thank you for your continued efforts of creating content and sharing your life with us.
You remind me of Milt. My first love. When I was in my teens . He did all that you do. I loved watching him. Instead I married a Doctor and moved to Ireland. I still love Milt.
Careful, Milt is likely to watch this
Or Shawn's wife.
ooooohhhhh....survival just got naughty!
I love how Cali decides she needs to include herself in some tasks :) Catching wood shavings? Got it. Smelling dirt piles? On it. What a good pup!!!
You mentioned that you were concerned you don't explain enough of what (and why) you are doing a certain task, but that is one of the neat things about your videos I like very much. We learn and figure it out as you move through your tasks. I really love what you are doing. Your energy is unreal. Thanks so much.
I love your lack of commentary. It's so interesting not knowing what exactly you're doing until we see it and finally understand. Not to name any names, but other channels always have to explain every little thing that they're doing and it makes it a lot less interesting.
I agree in theres days many channels they just talk too much and you cant enjoy the nature and natural surrounding sounds, thats why this channel is my favorite :)
I also like this man style just work i ride my mobile bike while i watch his channel , ty Jesus wholesome good content
I’ve been following you from the walk out of the city...the distance that you’ve come from and to now unbelievable,,,I wouldn’t trade the life your living for the life of a millionaire ,what you’ve built and carved out is what our ancestors did,you should be the proudest man on earth,and as many have told you ...your not alone tens of thousands are with you,,I’m from Kentucky and Daniel Boone would easily call you brother 😎
I learned to garden over 40 years ago from an old mountain man in Blowing Rock NC. He let me use his garden plot which was very rich. We used show horse manure which was very rich due to the diet of the horses. Everything was organic before organic became a thing. I had the most beautiful garden and it set the fire of gardening in me. I am 78 and have gardened all over the US since then. I am in TN and most of my food will go to the food bank as I live alone but I am still gardening.
I remember my grandfather telling me he rotated the crops gown in his fields and some fields were to fallow...I also have been throwing my fireplace charcoal/ashes, egg shells, banana peels, coffee grounds, etc. in my garden for years, really works, just takes time
that is real work, cutting up roots is never an easy job.
I, who live in Korea, planted a field crop last week. As if dealing with a baby, it was done with every effort.
Like you know it well. ^O^
What a beautiful life. Thank you for sharing!
When planting and staking saplings, it's best to tie them no higher than a couple of feet from the ground. That way they have a chance to bend and sway in the wind and have a stronger main trunk. If they are tied too high up, the trunk will remain weak and spindly and may snap in strong winds. That's been my unfortunate experience. Excellent work, though.
Ps are the pear and apples self fertile.
Pears often need another compatible pollinator variety.
@@johncourtneidge 2
building this garden is much like when you were originally building the cabin. You've built your living space now you're building your food source.
I'm really excited so see how your garden does this year! It's so awesome so many people have started gardening this year, definitely a blessing in all the craziness!!
I have followed you since day one. Thought you, intelligent,strong physically and independently wealthy enough to be successful in your endeavors. You have a beautiful wife and lovely daughters. I was beginning to question your sanity when it came to the garden. I still do but, if you live long enough and stick with it, you will win. 🤗 Best of luck.
Sweet, nearly a hour of serenity and entertainment. Thanks so much for your effort!!
Trên đời này , chú là người đàn ông quá tốt , mặt chú phúc hậu , rất giỏi .rất xứng đáng là đấng nam . cô có phước mới được hưởng cái phúc này .hãy trân trọng hạnh phúc này .
Chúc cô chú trăm năm an vui .😊😊.
Cuộc đời này là thiên đường .🌹🌹😇😇
Still cant believe how much time and effort you put in to your work & films. Wonderful to watch.
I’m exhausted just watching.
Thank you 🌈
Outstanding! You are living the life we can only dream of. Kudos, Brother!! KEEP ROCKING!
I believe work and activity are the best exercise in the world but I couldn’t do in a week what you do in a day and then I’d have to take the next week off to recover. You’re and inspiration and my vicarious exercise. Love to watch 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Without knowing it you are helping people remember old times and thoughts, simpler living through honest hard work, thank you I just love all your vids
Mr. James, I hope you continue showing us all those video you have showed us till now, about all your knowing and challeng in gardenning, planting trees, building in the wild, fishing and hunting. I really enjoy every week. Thank you for sharing, I know it's must be hard to prepare, sometime. Wishing you and family a nice summer, a productive season growing foods garden. Thank you.
I remember I used to have a book about farming that was written around the early 1900s, and I lost it. I do remember it had a part about taking care of stumps. Apparently they used to take a old stump, make a hole on the top and put something flammable in the hole in the wood; the stump would burn down to the roots. I don't know, I'm a lobsterman not a farmer, just trying to help. It's looking great!
Sounds like how they build dugout canoes in the old days. Cut a center channel, fill with branches and start a fire. Often multiple fires were needed to burn off enough wood. I’m sure early native fishermen used that to get their lobster.
Or make some holes at the base and have pigs dig up the stump for you once they know there is food in them holes.
Doing a great job teaching people to grow without artificial fertilization. Stay safe.
Your Hugleculture garden has inspired my myself 70 yrs old and my wife 60 yrs. old to make a 4" wide by 24" long by 36" tall one in our side yard in the city of Pensacola, Fl. We were able to top it with a truck load of free horse manure mixed with straw and dirt, and finish it off with a truck load of rich compost that cost us $40. The rest of the structure was free from gathered materials. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi, thank you for sharing your experience. I am in the Caribbean, Trinidad. I am 72, yrs, my husband and I just purchased
a small piece of land in the country, will be doing a little gardening to keep us busy and healthy, I enjoy watching, and I am
leaning a lot from how you make the compost. You have a good friend at your side, the dog..
Thank you for sharing natural methods of soil enrichments.
your garden is amazing. in addition to the creativity and ingenuity i am inspired by the sheer (Herculean) physical effort you have put into it. I vaguely recall doing similar gardening things in my 20s. You are making me think a middle-aged guy (namely me) might actually have some manual soil building left in me. Thank you so much.
You can do it.
Dear Shawn, your ability to achieve your goal is amazing! I pray to God that you had enough time and energy for everything! If you have the opportunity to fill this pile with 30-40 liters of silt from the bottom of the river, you will get an amazing effect. Sludge dries slowly and promotes active humus.
So glad you’re planting fruit trees as well as a garden. Many people start with a garden, figuring they’ll get to the trees in a couple of years, forgetting that it’ll take an additional three or four years to get any fruit from those trees.
As soon as you started with the shovel, Cali came running over-I think she was hoping to chase dirt the way she chases shovels-full of snow. I love to see her hauling around that orange throw thing!!
That is one dirt loving dog! Cali is so awesome
Thanks Shawn I found Terra preta and biochar very helpful
Shawn, please talk more. I am often puzzled by what you are doing in this garden. Your insights into your thought process and why you do what you do are greatly appreciated!
Vous allez avoir un super jardin avec votre préparation de la terre, bravo monsieur,🇫🇷❤️
The old stove sitting there like the eye of Sauron, overseeing everything with its oppressive gaze. :)
“I see you!” Ha ha ha.
And asking: "Why not to use me to produce char by regulating how big chimney hole is". It's so easier to get a smoldering effect with little to no oxigen in the stove. Let it burn bright then choke it. Easy to recharge, no digging needed.
I like gardening and I am learning from you lot when I was a young girl I learn some from my grandpa I am 70 now so I do some planting like flowers not to much gardening my legs don’t a loud me but I love doing gardening if I could I planted one tomato 🍅 plant and I got a few tomatoes and I ate them as they got ripe
Oh I forgot to tell you I plant flowers in pots I use to do. In the ground but I am getting old so have slow down because I have RA but I do what I can well keep the good job I joy your videos
@2ضض
more than ever, you can be glad you've chosen a path outside our system.. rough times ahead
Each time I sit to do needlework or having a lazy day, your Videos are very inspiring to me. The scenery, Nature sounds, Cali with her great personality, and watching your projects, not to mention the wonderful food that is cooked! Words cannot describe this Channel and the effort put into it for us to enjoy. Idea..when you finish all your work, relax and start an Outside Cooking Video! Blessings from Middle Georgia!
I just want to say your hard work, is showing much progress, Shawn. Do take care!!!!
The red sunset was beautiful...
GREAT VIDEO SHAWN. I LEARNED SOME NEW APPLICATIONS ON GARDENING AGAIN!!
GOOD TO HEAR ALL THE GOOD PROJETS YOU HAVE COMING UP. ALL OF THEM ARE
POSITIVE! FANTASTIC VIDEO
Your video's are beautifull. I love the quiet working one's, with/in nature the most. And with the wildlife you show us. Watching Callie was a joy. I'm so sorry for your loss. I wish you and your family well. And hope the forest garden will florish. Thank you for sharing your forest life with us.
You are a man after my own heart this year making a bigger garden and getting things ready for hunting and fishing to put up for the days ahead thank you
Good Friday Shawn & Cali! Yay! Cali is back!
👍😍🐕
Another very educational video thank you Shawn. Thank you. God bless and be safe. Jim
Love your dog what a companion 😊
I've never seen anything like that before. That was an education. Thank you Shawn.
Just wanted to say I love your work and videos. You make youtube a happy place to be. Keep up the had work! Can't wait to see what your home turns into in the next few years
50 minute video, aaaaw yeah!!
Shawn love your videos don't change a thing. Can't wait to see all the vegetables you get and your greenhouse going up and workshop. Your the Best!
Being a slipped disc patient, I refused to go for surgical solution. Whenever I see you handling everything by hands, so independently and confidently, it gives me strength and energy to stay strong to fight against the pain that is sending through my spine. Life can be happy when one find peace and satisfaction in whatever we are doing, while many people are chasing after material stuff in the busy cities so full of stress, I think its better to be simple and carefree like you!
Great video !!! I first heard of Terra Pretta from Graham Hancock when he was talking about ancient Amazonian cultures they were uncovering evidence of in the south American rain forests. I need to make a whole whack of that for my property in Florida. Its all sugar sand.
Great, that's exactly what i wanted to try and here are the instructions.
Sean’s life allows us to dream about it, but most of us are not physically fit enough to do the hard work that Mr. James is doing. However if you are or are capable of becoming so, then I believe this is one of the best way to remain independent. Be prepared to get use to giving up many luxuries we take for granted now!🇺🇸👍🤠🙏✝️
Shawn, you are the hardest working man I know. 💪💪💪💪💪💪🤗
Funny took me a while to get the proper perspective. Watched you build a cabin, then the Forest kitchen, then the Suana. Now I get it you are building the lifeforce garden. Yoda would be proud.
The sounds through out are wonderful in the forest, including your talk. Hard work clearing the land and enriching the soil.
You approach each task with a focused mind. You don't think about short cuts. You just do each rask for its own sake, a shovel at a time.
Im thinking, "bring in the tiller". But you do everything the old way, a shovel at a time. You use your wagon as a sifter. All this to create a garden place by starting with one big hole in the ground. I sure would not have approved it this way. I bet my grandfather did. Still, I think he used a mule and a plow. I admire you so much. Thank you. You show us all what can be done.
there he is the world most lovable dog, still like to see doggie day once a month
Thank you for sharing Shawn, I learned a lot because of this video. Nicely done. Cheers
Thank you so much! I'm making my own charcoal for sure!
I love hearing the quiet squeak of the dog toy while you are planting.
I've watched several of your videos. The way Cali enjoys her boat bumper toy is the cutest thing. She brings it with her everywhere. My German shepherd, (may he rest in peace), loved stuffed animals but he'd destroy them in minutes. Seemed to enjoy carrying the shreds around though.
A few years from now the growing will be much easier. Most the roots an rocks will be gone ? Much better soil all this hard work will be worth it. Its obvious your a hard worker . Dont ya just love it when a plan comes together. I hope you have a great growing season this year. Makes it easier to continue next year. A great deal of satisfaction will be yours.
👍 = there is nothing left to say! Everything perfect!
Man! You really earned every bit of harvest you gain from all that work. Every single shovel full of that rocky cement dirt looks agonizing. That's really cool to learn about the biochar experiment.
The work you put in during that video is a rarity in this day and age. You're creating organically rich soil to grow nutritious vegetables and fruits and getting an amazing work out while you're doing all this. I'd say a very worthwhile endeavour. I can't wait to see the produce. Well done Shawn🤠 and Cali🐕🍎🍐🍎🍐🍎🍐
Love what you are doing and enjoying watching you.
Shawn...you’re determination is amazing. I keep thinking to myself how appealing it would be to order a couple of dump trucks of quality topsoil. Thanks for being true!
Can't find it. After 3 yrs of trying to create decent soil out of rock and clay, I've looked. Thought I found some last week but it had rocks and right now, I loathe rocks. So, I stopped on my way back home, bought more manure from a farmer and more potting soil from Lowe's, bone meal, blood meal etc. It looks good right now but I haven't tested it yet this week.
Thanks Shawn, another great video with not just great information about Bio Char but more about taking the fundamental principles of Self Reliance and applying them in ways that can help now and in the future. My wife and I have a saying we use from time to time 'Always help your future self'. Much like what you're doing now, feeding the important nutrients into the ground to create soil that will help food grow for many years, we too need to feed ourselves with good things so that we help our future selves. These nutrients can come in the form of a healthy diet and exercise, but also by feeding ourselves with good information, having positive mindsets to help our mental health and for some the addition of a spiritual aspect that brings peace, comfort and a more hopeful outlook. All of these combined, in whatever shape or form works for the individual lead us to becoming more self reliant. I appreciate the lessons you're teaching us, not just through the hard and laborious work you are doing, but by the integrity and principled manner in which you do it.
So interesting. And now you have motivated me to persevere. Thank for that and a long video. Good luck.
Love this channel. My go to on CZcams. Always interesting and inspiring. Stay down to earth, it makes this channel and the cool things you work on much better. This garden you're building is awe inspiring! Good luck with everything. The wife and I never miss a new episode on your adventures. Both channels. Also, thanks for the escape during the pandemic. The normality of things reflected on your videos has been very welcome. Stay safe brother!
Mike Veilleux
This video answers exactly my questions of how to help my garden and compost naturally. Thankyou!
I want this life... I have 10 acres in the foothills of mt. Spokane. I’ve been doing it for 5 years. I just don’t have the skills you do, god, you are so freaking talented, just in case nobody has told you that recently ;)
I am 50 now. I can only imagine if we had met 30 years ago. What a dream.
I’m also an introvert. I bet ya love your dog... they truly are mans best friend.
What a dream... thank whoever gave you those skills. So freaking talented...
I track from the moment of creation, so I can tell when the need will force you to learn everything, but this will not be enough if you do not have the desire and you have an abundance of I understand Dic Prenek was very interesting to you and played a small role in your choice. Your hands are growing from where you need good luck. With greetings and a subscription from Russia.I am not friends with English purely self-translation, please excuse me if something is not quite clear.
I'm afraid, although your post may be very well intentioned, it's simply gibberish.
Excellent to read your comments (from Canada)
I've been watching your channel since it began. Necessity seems to have played a role in you pursuing and learning new things, but it's not enough unless you have the drive and desire to persist, which I see you have in abundance. Dick Proenneke must have been a small influence to you. "Your hands are growing from where you need good luck. " that part is incomprehensible
We can tell the good will
Great effort! Even though there is a language barrier, we are still human beings and I loved your comments. There is a global movement to divide us all and take us away from the nature that God created. We all need to stick our hands in some dirt! And hug one another! Step forward 6 feet, remove the mask, take a breath, expose your identity! Stick out our tongues at the NWO!!! We were created not manufactured in a lab!!!!
I bet those fruit trees jump right up from the heated soil from your fires. I don't do the char as my garden beds are developed and get renewed with compost. Biochar holds nutrients and ash provides potassium. You'll also get some tilth. Cover crops, especially legumes will improve soil quickly. A guy can't get enough compost. It is the singular improvement that works for any plant. You seem to have the recipe and method well thought out.
Really enjoying watching the progress in the gardens. Thank you for taking the time to share you life.
Elizabeth L. Johnson said, Great video!!!! I didn't know I needed to learn about building good soil! Wow, you said stuff I don't know and must research to learn. Yep, we all will be in great need of self reliance very soon after the economy fails. My first reliance will be upon the Lord, and then I will continue to be responsible and self reliant. Now I need to watch it over and over to learn. Thanks, Shawn, from far northern California.
I reckon there’s a tremendous feeling of accomplishment after a long hard day of dirt work in the woods. I find that a physically exhausted body yields the calmest mind. I hope all the hard work pays off.
The trash can will work great. You need to get it hot enough so that a flame will actually shoot out like a torch. Then keep the fire going until the flame from the hole slows down. At that point simply let the fire die on its own. No need to doss the fire. It will not burn to ash but give you perfect bio char. I’ve been making it like that for about a year now and it turns out perfect every time. PM me if you want more detail.
Please consider the no dig and Ruth Stout methods of gardening. Right at first you build your beds and soil but then move to these methods. You can grow your own hay just for growing your vegis. I love your life. 🐶
We Lovers of Shawn's video's sitting, laying in bed watching, having our tea, coffee, drinks watching enjoying, take for granted the HARD WORK it takes to dig those holes, dig out those tree roots. We watch as "cali" anticipates that Shawn will throw the dirt so she can chase it, like she chases the snow. Oh how hard you work Shawn to provide for yourself and your family. I know, I see, I feel it. Thank you for making us feel like we are there with you and "cali" Hug's from Australia xx
beautiful
Looking good Shawn!
Just went to a Biochar workshop here in Oregon. Met a mushroom guy who was glad that I ordered chaga from you and not eastern
US. He said they are over harvesting in the States.
It was a fantastic conservation type burn, and it worked really well. Burned right from the top with very little smoke. The teacher, who was amazing, said we could make Biochar out of blackberry canes. I can have a field day with that.
Love your work. Videos are scenic and extremely educational. Thanks for documenting your successes and failures. Saves the rest of us a lot of aggravation.
Awesome Shawn, I learn new stuff every time I watch.....! =)
So effing nice that Cali is always there to help. Bravo Cali!
Yes! I've been on the same path regarding sustainability and how to lessen my dependence on commercially manufactured products like this. I've read up on this biochar and thanks to you and your demo of the process I think I'll give it a go with my own compost pile and garden. Thank you Shawn. Best wishes to you. ❤
You have many great sources of compost..no wonder your garden is thriving.
I always wonder why there are people (200 at this moment) that thumbs down your videos! Who are you people that don't understand what this great man is doing? Grow up and PLEASE just go away!
It's just 200+ people who went for the Thumbs Up button and missed.
All you need to do is to look at society today and your question should be answered
Some folks just can't help bring ignorant.
It's probably because he's cutting down trees. people in cities who live in wooden houses and sit on wooden furniture and wipe their asses with toilet paper get all upset and judgey when they witness a tree get cut down.
There’s people paid to watch social media, and cause conflict. I watched another channel. His video just came out. It was 14 minutes long. Before anyone had time to watch it ,11 thumbs down.
Never seen a man work sooo hard gardening! I'm exhausted. 😰
Thank you for sharing your day with us.