Left BBC's Planet Earth to start dream family homestead (full tour)
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- čas přidán 25. 10. 2022
- Over a decade ago, Matt Swarbrick and his wife Jenny decided to leave behind city life to “grow cabbages and children” on 80 acres of former quarry land at the North West corner of Wales. Matt had been exploring ecosystems worldwide for shows like BBC's Planet Earth when he realized he wanted to “learn every bird’s nest” in his own corner of the world.
[For the "fairylands" reference by the Swarbricks go to 11:48 within video]
Using a no-dig method that relies on good composting practices, the couple began using permaculture principles of regenerative farming to restore the soil health of the vegetable beds. Today, on just one acre, they can provide produce for 100 families.
On the remainder of the property, they began planting trees to convert pastures into savannah grasslands, or what Matt calls “the most productive ecosystems on earth.” Relying on agroforestry techniques of maximizing highly productive “woodland edges,” they divided the pastures into 35 fields lined with fruit and nut trees. This not only produces a crop but it provides smaller spaces for the rotational grazing of their cows, sheep, and chickens, which in turn improves soil fertility with minimal input.
With a big loan to pay, the couple decided to create a campsite on their property for extra money. Their first small shelter is an affordable take on the traditional Celtic roundhouse. Using cob, straw bale, and lime for walls and sod from the fields for the roof, the circular structure resembles something out of Tolkien's Middle Earth, and they have nicknamed it the hobbit/fairy/witch house.
Inspired by the Viking boats that used to populate the Irish sea (just 2 miles from the property), the couple’s second build, erected in just 6 weeks, is a turf-covered cabin that is “a blend of Viking longhouse and underground hobbit hideaway.”
Despite having to take out a large loan to buy their dream property, the couple said that every venture- the farm, the pastures, the overnight rentals- all pay for themselves. And this is important since one of their goals is to show others that this type of life, and method of farming, is a viable option.
www.henbant.org/
/ henbant_permaculture
/ @henbant
On *faircompanies: faircompanies.com/videos/left... - Jak na to + styl
I was part of the team that helped build the long house earlier this year, and I can attest to Matt's creative and vibrant energy and both his and jenny's (and the farm teams!!!) hard work. Staying there for 5 weeks has definitely been something that will stay with me for a lifetime and I feel may well have altered my life's path in the best of ways. Here's to people following their dreams to create magic in this world!! ❤️🌅
So nice to read you here, thanks!
Hear! Hear!
I would love to share a firepit with you some knight, my kindred soul. Keep smiling!!
He’s living my dream, a dream unfulfilled due to spinal damage, the result of Polio as a child. But I studied Sustainable Ag, organic market gardening, greenhouse production, permaculture, Hort Sci, soil sci…all of it, and still have at least 75 books on these subjects. I found the work of John Jeavons most interesting. And Elliot Colman. And I’ve had a long fascination with straw bale houses.
Love this man’s energy! His farm is absolutely beautiful! Everyone should be this happy!
Glad you saw the video Pat, especially as it’s got you grafting in the snow in it!! So grateful to have spent the time with you x
I just love this guy's enthusiasm and energy! What a great productive small farm, established in just 10yrs.
Agree. I guess the secret is “do not fake it.” It either comes natural, or it doesn’t.
I think they grow folks like that in N. Wales-I know someone from Anglesey and he's super bubbly and happy.
With the help of many… a farm stay is not a free vacation. you work for the landowner.
Kirsten, this is one of my favourite pieces of yours! It incorporates so many principles of natural living :) Loved it!
I would be great to see a revisit video in 5-10 years, especially to see how the buildings have held up and to how the ‚tree lanes‘ have grown into little forests. This is a great episode thanks¨̮
I agree….this is one of my favorite episodes 💕💕and hope you revisit his farm in a few years,,,,it is such a wonderful space and incredible concept his family is actually making work!!!!
Thank you for your incredible documentaries.
Quite possibly the loveliest person in the world. Probably gives life altering, soul elevating hugs to boot. All reflected within one incredible manifestation of magic.
THIS is EXACTLY what I want to be doing for the rest of my life.
Then Do it! And never give Up.
Me too
@@tocolitic Sorry, Broke As FK at the moment.
@@chrisgolda Sure No problem. Hand me that $20M along with the advice.
@@freelancelife6704 okay sorry, Then enjoy a loser Life.
That fella really has a way of life that most people should try to live. just Awesome homestead. 🙂🙂💯✌✌✌
WOW, WOW, wow, wow..... this guy is something else. His energy, enthusiasm and knowledge is amazing. Wales, UK and the whole world is lucky to have human like this. What he is doing is phenomenal!!!!
This is what my Hubby n me are working towards living!! We are having to wait for Ages for his small inheritance to come in,,,,as son as we have it,,,it will be All Systems Go!!
Permaculture and working With Nature not Fighting Against her!!
Thank You so much for showing how its possible!! And, Thank you for showing that it IS possible!! Andrea and Critters. ...XxX...
This is not just farming.......it’s earth healing ❤❤❤❤❤❤
I cannot get over his general disposition. Wow. I feel so refreshed and hopeful after watching this. I also kind of want to live in a fairy land :)
Love this channel SO MUCH. Round house is EXACTLY what I'd like to build. Straw bale, lime plaster, gorgeous. "It has a hot shower. You can have as much Wim Hof as you like but it's nice to have a hot shower under the trees..." 😂
Bravo to all concerned and thanks for making the world a better place.
I've had the privilege of camping at Henbant since their first year & it's amazing to see how the farm has progressed from those scruffy fields, tumbledown barns and a derelict house to what we can see on this video.
It's one of my favourite places - I might try and get back there for a few nights before the winter comes in.
Loved everything about this one Kirsten. The reason for doing this, the landscapes, and his genuine, passionate enthusiasm, as well as wealth of knowledge was truly captivating. It would be a great place to intern if one were interested in learning about this way of life.
Such beautiful land. Always wanted to visit Wales . Am told that my family came from Wales .
Excellent program, Another Big Hit !!
Thank you !!
"I've got quite a big bum" had me LOL'ing for real! What a wonderful soul! Thank you Kirsten for spotlighting this homestead! What a treat to see and GOALS MY FRIENDS GOOOOOAAAAALSSS!! Much Love & Light to all who read this!
Brilliant! Permaculture is the answer to saving the planet. Beautiful farm, May they prosper as they teach
You need to visit this guy every year...wow. Amazing homestead, and such a beautiful man.
This is just heaven. All that beautiful land and all the buildings and animals…. He is right, this is how we are supposed to live.🤗🐝❤️
It’s so important to have a partner, a hard-working partner who is well organized - two people who are such. And then comes the dream out of fairyland, into your world. Fantastic!!thank you for this show of your efforts
- commenting from mid-Maine USA
I love his whole attitude toward his farm. They obviously love what they are doing.
that garden is gigantic
Sustainable living at its best. Thanks for sharing.
Fascinating. I also long to have a small organic country homestead. Peace, and herbal garden.. And good quality vegetable 😍👌
I think this is my favorite as well. You always do a great job of presenting many unique means of living, gardening, housing but this has it all at a high level.
Wow . Love Wales if we could live like this the simple things . Good food good friends good place .
What a wonderful, magical place. Love the couple’s enthusiasm. Their love for what they are doing & their animals shines through. Would like to visit here one day. Thankyou for sharing. 🙏❤️
Strawberry the hen, refuses to be a chicken. Rofl
Kirsten this is like a dozen videos in one by subject. I'm saving this to a playlist I don't often send videos to. Great work by the farmer and documenting by you.
What a great place!
Can't believe you guys were just up the road from me.
Great place to live👍🏼
I love how land can be manage for a win/win for nature and humans and a beautiful quality life for all!
While you may not notice how much you're growing soil, you can see how much it can shrink. My farm has sat in hay/pasture most of my life, while some neighbours fields are in corn every other year. It can be a foot drop from my side of the fence to theirs where it should actually be uphill. ... Beautiful bit of country in this video, and an appreciation of it.
I love this man and what he's accomplished.
I kept waiting and hoping for the wife to talk and see what she was like and FINALLY at 27:06 she does! She's lovely.
A lovely couple.
I am part Welsh from my father's side and I don't think I have ever seen or heard anything Welsh! So this was fun for me to watch.
Beautiful countryside.
This is a delightful change of pace, yet quite busy, from life in America. The knowledge and flow with ecosystems and nature is touching my heart in many ways, respect, wonder, delight and love.
That was fascinating, listening to Matt as all of you strolled around to check out the many wonders of their permaculture farm. I loved it!
Absolutely Incredible; The knowledge, passion, skill, creativity and grounded intuition this man and his family have put into this land make it like a little piece of heaven. Imagine If ALL farmers weren't crushed by greedy corporations, but instead copied this plan we could create a much more natural, wholesome land again. I realise this is pristine land he's on, but his ingenuity and grounded practical sense combined with imagination and skill is just a national treasure.
I feel like this is the place I’ve been DREAMING about, my whole life!❤
Same! Just closer to my family- not in Wales. 🤣
I have never in my life wanted to live somewhere so bad !
Amazing, I wish all people live like this.
RIGHTEOUS! They're living the real deal. Thank you Kirsten, keep 'em coming. Bright blessings.
Brilliant! Love this! Also in Wales is Kris Harbour's place--also on youtube. He built his homestead. Amazingly huge timber framed round wood work shop, has hydro electric, wind and solar systems. Will you visit Kris, perhaps?
So much this. Get Kris more of the audience he deserves.
And a third vote. Kris is AWESOME
Love this, proof that farming is very much profitable in England in 2022, in a small space if done well , to many farmers got to big and just stick to one product with huge machines and government subsidies, where as you can see the physical hard work these guys have dedicated to it , probably made more money lol to many 300-1000 acre farms, time to diversify and stop leaving fields empty, thanks for sowing that it’s possible
This has to be one of the most entertaining people you've ever interviewed! 🤣 His enthusiasm is contagious, as are all his little buzz words I've collected. 😉
What an amazing farm though, from its simple origins to its novel and whimsical buildings, the manicured farm, and flourishing business today.
I love it up there. I don't do holidays but when I do I go up Welsh Wales way and I walk and look in awe and don't understand much but at the same time I feel welcome there.
Oh my WORD! I have SUCH permaculture farm ENVY!! Looks like these folks are doing everything right. And if I could create my version of heaven, this would be it!
This was a treat, Kirsten. Thanks for following this chap all over his mini kingdom. Well done.
I love it. they keep the tractor attached to the chicken house = Chicken Tractor literally!!!
Wow, the place is amazing. Will watch this again. Thank you
What a nice man, Matt. Great tour guide. Thank you for the entertaining video Kirsten.
Building in Montana myself. an earthship design with as big and diverse of a greenhouse as I can fill in the front. Should be presentable in a few years, love your content.
Hope you are recording your progression, everyone would love to see this !
Good luck on your journey! Would love to see it once you finish it :)
What a lovely man! Thanks for sharing your home, Matt.
I absolutely love what he has done to the property. His method of farming works and every animal has its purpose. It seems very similar to Regenerative Farming in Australia. So inspiring. Great job mate 👍
It's A BEAUTIFUL FARM
I laughed out loud when our host spoke of “tree lanes”. I was raised in Nebraska on a farm, where they are called shelter belts, which provide a wind or snow break to protect the farm settlement from natures blizzards and cold. They were highly effective. The Midwest was dotted with shelter belts, a visual signal that human beings were crouched there from nature’s occasional fury.
Superb episode. Matt is so creative and his property is a testament to his and Jenny's vision, perseverance, and hard work. The land is certainly showing its gratitude for their loving care. Thanks to all for sharing.
Fabulous glimpse into a permaculture life and what a talented guy, he can build anything! ♥
Hiraeth for me is best described as a homesickness for a home that doesn’t exist.
This must be my curse then.
One of your best videos. Richard Perkins, a pioneer of Regenerative Agriculture, held a workshop at this beautiful farm.
I think I've got a new idol. What a fantastic way to live.
Beautiful place i would love to live and work on a place like this!!! This would be a dream come true.
Absolutely beautiful. A labor of love.
Simply lovely, inn'it?
How beautiful and serene this positive living idea is. I would absolutely love to live here. Fresh air and energy coming from your surroundings.
His farm is so organized & beautiful. Great attitude
This dude is really energetic and passionate about nature. Nice
Fantastic Kirsten. Best to date.... and an amazing host. Thank you
Guy just made my day, good energy, ✌🏼
What a dream farm. Back to nature and harmony. Great inspiration for some future projects.
What a wonderful farm! This guy is so fun to listen to and learn from. I loved seeing the interesting buildings/homes, the chickens, the garden etc. I really enjoyed this video. 😊
Just found your channel yesterday and have watched several of these now and each time i think well they're just the coolest person ever and there's no way they'll be anything else as neat as that. Then i watch another and within minutes thinking the same thing about this next video. Great great work on everything I've seen, so informative and just the coolest most inspiring people and stories. Thank you for your efforts in sharing these stories. ❤
Thank you for this and many KUDOS to RICHARD PERKINS - Ridgedale Permaculture in Sweden - whom Matt has emulated as well as Allan Savory and healthy savannah grasslands by grazing rotation. It's wonderful to see these principles in action as many of us are finding creative, bioregional methods to rewild, evolve consciously and sequester carbon through growing healthy pasture, forests and oceans! The Climate emergency is real and these are healthy ways to remedy the problems our species has wreaked on this AMAZING Planet!
That fellow should have his own show. Gift of the gab!
What a beautiful place...just like the farms your draw as a child with its wonky fields surrounded by mixed hedges full of fruit and wildlife...love it! 😊
I love this place and Matt seams like such a character! We are about to start building a small straw bale hobbit house on our property. Very inspiring.
The strength of his passion is such that it ripples across time and inspires Tolkien's hobbits, even now.
I love what Matt and Jenny have done with the land. Talk of Soil food webs, permaculture, WIm hof... Living the dream of so many I think. I hope/plan to do this one day!
Wonderful! My joy while watching this was overflowing. The possibilities in this kind of co existence with Gaia seem endless. Wales is where my relatives came from; to America about 4 generations past. My journey through Wales in 1997 brought me through the NW area featured here. It is truly breathtaking. Thank you, Kirsten.❤
I was mesmerised. What a beautiful farm/home.
Beautiful place, when i watching this video i feel freshly .
That was great. Very interesting. I found myself thinking that most of what this family is doing is exactly what I wish I was doing. Thank you for sharing this journey.
Such an multi talented and enthusiastic human being Matt is, amazing! I was smiling throughout the video! Thank you for sharing this inspiring visit!
I visited Henbant in September for the permaculture gathering and I can attest to the generous spirit of the Swarbricks and the wonderful environment they have created.. I would recommend that you visit if you have. The opportunity…. It’s an inspiration
They are living my dream! Good for them, and good for the planet.
Oh I love his place. Here in Southeast Texas what he calls long house we called shotgun house which I only see one of them these days. When I was around 5 years old we lived in a shotgun house.
Please preserve this culture. It is remarkably beautiful.
Loved it! Like many others said - it is one of the best videos on self-sufficiency!
One of my most favorite videos of yours. Thank you for another great job.
What a wonderful life this family must live . Xxxxx
Incredible! Love your content. Thanks for sharing.
Really enjoyed this.
This is amazing and magical. Thank you.
I love your videos, they are very knowledgeable! Thank you.
This is my favorite video you’ve done, Kristen. Thank you. I want to work there.
What an inspiration! Thank You!
Been following your channel for a while and its so nice but surreal to see you in my homeland! Hope it was a good trip!
One of my favorites of your films!
As I mentioned a bit before, this is one of my favorite shows you have ever produced,,,such a magical place they have created from a gravel yard!!! I work with the soil here in Washington state all year around on my sons little farm and this is such an inspiration to me. Thank you so much for bringing the world to our homes!
Eastern or western Washington?
Loved your video, love the life your living, thanks for being part of the solution. Much Love
Beautiful work! This inspires me.
phenomenal episode