#16 Fall arrives: time for planting - Slow living on our farm in Italy

[@storiesfromthecascina]

November, the month for planting trees is approaching fast. We would love to plant a few apple and pear trees this fall (more trees to follow next year). If you'd like to donate a (small part of a) tree you can make a donation here: www.buymeacoffee.com/cascinastories Each tree will cost us on average 40 euros - including fresh compost. We are going for old varieties that are no longer commercially grown and are local to the region - that we'll be buying from a certified organic grower in the area.

[@rosemaryjasper1121]

Only found you yesterday, since then I have “binge-watched” all the episodes! I hope all your herbs are successful. It will smell amazing next year as the sun comes up and again as the sun goes down. You both have a wonderfully relaxing way in your presenting style. It is as if the viewer gets the time to take a deep breath and relax in your presence as if I'm enjoying life at your pace! Time seems to move much more slowly in your world! I look forward to watching your project unveil itself as we follow the journey of discovery. ❤

[@storiesfromthecascina]

hi rosemary! so glad you found our channel and are enjoying following our adventure ❤️ your support means a lot to us!

[@arkbear1]

Thanks for allowing us along on your journey!

[@annaattiliani7989]

It's so heartwarming to see your families visiting! And your videos are always so relaxing to watch.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Hi dear Anna! So glad to hear you're enjoying our videos, and yes, it's so nice to have our families over every once in a while :-)

[@lieuwina]

So nice to see Bertus parents come and visit and look like they are loving it there by you two. The little chapel looks lovely after Bertus mom cleaned it has a lot of potential. The drone footage above the clouds was spectacular. Those flower beds are lovely.

[@jonimarchese7655]

Ciao Isis and Bertus, it's nice to see your parents, what a wonderful help they are for you. I love the colors and style you have chosen for the facade of your home; it's going to so nice when it's finished. The Church is stunning; the property and views are amazing. I love your new garden, having the herbs close to the kitchen is a good idea. "ben fatto" love from N.Y.

[@beverlymurray6554]

Nice to see Bertus’s parents. I loved the drone footage from above the clouds! That was beautiful. Your plants are going to look great.

[@Nona23parsons]

It took me until episode #16 to figure out why I like Bertus' black hat so much...he wears a "Toulouse-Lautrec" chapeau! 🤩

[@NancysBungalowLife]

Your plantings look lovely and will look even better next year! It is nice to see changes to the front area of the house to balance against the concrete parking pad. Bertus looked so very proud showing his parents around. How wonderful!

[@pattyseree]

I can’t imagine a better way to spend the rest of your lives

[@ableaquariums5480]

Beautiful to see Berta’s mother clean out and show the chapel some love and respect. Well done. 🙏

[@trixiepickle8779]

It is lovely to watch how the old buildings are responding to care. I think the borders you planted will look wonderful and the idea of the exposed stonework and the soft green shutters will transform the look of you lovely house. So enjoyable watching you bring your home back to life.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

We love how you worded this "ow the old buildings are responding to care" - poetry :-)

[@Nancy-j8o1t]

All of the family is leaving memories of their love in that house as they visit and contribute in some way to the restoration ❤

[@poodlegirl55]

Super nice video. Sweet that your parents just pitched right in and looked for a little job to do.

[@montsemashurtuna9561]

The little chappel is a little jewel, I like it very much!! Hello Isis and Bertus, I have seen all your videos, I love your work, the way you do and propose things ... I learn a lot. Thank you very much

[@AnneMcCaffrey-y9m]

It was lovely to see Mama clean up the little chapel well done .

[@CathrynTFD]

I can see a physical resemblance between Bertus and his father, and I can also see a shared work ethic! His mom was working hard, too :-) Lovely parents.

[@richardedkins8856]

That was a lovely video. Thank you.

[@CatherineH.-gf7mm]

In the years to come, that little chapel could become a tiny wedding chapel ...just make it water tight and leave it perfectly rustic.....and it can become an excellent revenue stream....Isis is a very talented photographer.... You have a stunning location and will have holiday rentals.....a money maker to help fund the renovation costs...your channel is a joy!!! Best wishes from Texas

[@storiesfromthecascina]

That possibility has definitely crossed our minds :-) Thank youo for watching and commenting!

[@neutonrenda2303]

Hehehe, love how the mom's go for gardening and dad's the odd jobs.😂👍

[@storiesfromthecascina]

:-P Dad actually did some gardening too, but we didn't catch that on film.

[@lulubelle0bresil]

you got some great helpers there! I love how thoughtful their gift was, natural fibers only! ❤

[@matteobarchiesi791]

It starts to feel more homely with the addition of the plants - so lovely

[@lindabrooks8242]

I love the feeling of your videos, and the drone footage is magnificent. So serene. ❤

[@FionaF-jy1it]

Another beautiful video, I always feel so calm & relaxed after watching them. Hoping that you have those feelings each and every day in your own piece of paradise!

[@farmkay]

Wow, absolutely wonderful to see more of your place and surrounds. So tranquil. Bertus, The overall project may take a lifetime. It will be a labour of love, devotion and stewardship.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

So true!

[@arunasubba4703]

enjoying a lot. handsome father looks like your brother and great mom.

[@sarahofer4368]

Let's get this channel up to 100K subs ASAP!

[@jennichristie5264]

I love your videography style of beautiful closeups to majestic landscapes to arty hand shots and beyond. They work beautifully together.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Thank you very much, Jenni!

[@KymKit]

Ahhh the beauty of plants n planting ❤💕

[@JohnSeefeldt]

I love your videos and the way you film your adventures. Thank you so much for sharing these with us! If I was younger I would enjoy doing something just like this. Every video we can see your dream getting nicer and nicer.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Thanks for watching and supporting our project, John! It's our pleasure to share the journey.

[@chriskiefel7735]

You can think of it as a lot of work, or you can think of it as a labor of love. Part of love is encouraging and supporting someone/something to become the best they can be. And it is love. And it is worth it. You see the beauty and the value of what is there and what could be. Little by little.

[@cliffordchristopher1]

Bertus, the terracotta makes fabulous garden paths when broken small.

[@petrekovairena1891]

Máte skvělé rodiče, oběma přeji mnoho zdraví. Váš táta má pravdu, práce tam máte opravdu moc ale když si ti správní lidé najdou to správné místo tak je to dokonalé a vy jste si se svou paní to úžasné místo našli. Přeji mnoho sil k realizaci všech vašich plánů. Výhledy jsou dechberoucí.

[@shar71on]

The chandeliers in the church are spectacular what a lovely town, thank you for sharing your day out with us ❤

[@Leed216]

The blue tiles in your bathroom are actually lovely, Love your garden borders. When my father used to visit there was always a Jerry ToDo LIst. Loved helping and learning from him. Thank you for another lovely video.

[@jbyrd2516]

Thank you for another serene and engaging video. Your path making and planting took me back to those joyful moments in my life when the initial scramble of arrival gave way to garden plans and active gardening. Regards from Australia!

[@rosszimmerman2686]

Nice work on the bathroom window restoration, it looks great! 😊

[@johnrichey5032]

Parents are the best.

[@ruthlee2752]

Not always commenting but watching each time. Would love To be there with you . 🇨🇦

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Thank you Ruth! For watching and taking the time to comment ❤️

[@FrinkyBaby]

Lovely plant selection! Stachys is also call ‘Lamsb’s Ears’ here in the US. Your home is looking more beautiful every day. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Oh thank you! Thast's so funny, every time I can't think of a word in English, turns out it's exactly the same in Dutch - we call it lamsoor :-)

[@arkbear1]

The flower beds will be lovely!

[@donataj2213]

Such is the calming and soothing nature of any film, about your life in this beautiful place. Yes, renovating old buildings is a job for years, or investing a huge amount of money and hiring contractors to make it quick, but I don't think that's the point. The town is wonderfully atmospheric, beautiful historic houses and church, you are lucky to live in such a place. The plants by the house have given it life , they look beautiful, even that broken pipe has had a positive effect. Warm greetings to you🍀🍀.

[@UCLALJR]

Your trench will be beautifully filled! My front border is stachys (lamb's ear), creeping rosemary, and senecio cinearia (dusty miller), punctuated with nasturtiums, columbines, and anemone japonica September Charm. I had to Google lunaria to see what it's called here in Washington (state, not DC). Here it's called Honesty or Silver Dollar Plant. We have a lot of white tail deer, very bold, rabbits, possums, and raccoons, which can dig up bulbs. Most of them don't care for the smell of coffee, however, so I spread used grounds around the most tender plants. Can't wait to see your blooms next spring!

[@storiesfromthecascina]

We rarely drink coffee when it's just us, but when we do the grounds always go to the garden :-)

[@upeeelama473]

Those plants looks so nice. Like they have been there allways.

[@france7678]

Ce rayon de lumière en cuisinant, j’étais déjà captivée dès les premières minutes ! Très hâte de voir la pierre sous le crépi, un beau projet !

[@storiesfromthecascina]

ah oui on a hâte non plus ! ça va changer tout le look de la maison !

[@ElizabethPollardAus]

I’ve come across your channel this past week or so and I love your home and all you are taking on. The views are spectacular and I love the church bells when they chime. I am now following you with love and heart 💓 from Australia. Your parents are a blessing to you both ♥️🙏🏻

[@storiesfromthecascina]

We love the church bells too. They are perfectly close and far away enough to enjoy their sound.

[@robertsteele8688]

Aren't mom's the best!....they luv cleaning so much!❤😀

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Yes they are! :-P

[@HubertusSchaper]

Hi Isis & Bertus, The Fall comes with great colors out in nature coloring the meadows and three grass and more, Is the time for planting and making the entrance in the front lively and pretty with green plants, the window from the bathroom looks great and I s a nice piece of restoration work - further on very nice meeting Bertus his Parents too, well as Bertus Father said you gotta your selv a loud of work. I wish you both a great Authume. I will see you in the next video🍀🇮🇹👍🏻. Greeting Hubertus🙏🏻🇳🇱🇳🇴☮🇮🇹

[@debbieclark9333]

Your mother is very industrious. I can see myself doing that if it were my kids place. 😍😍😍

[@neutonrenda2303]

All the fabulous aroma, perfect plants.👍

[@sonny19369393]

Nice to see someone wearing proper work shoes.

[@neutonrenda2303]

It will go a long way in softening the courtyard, and add some colour.👍

[@g.f.-w.9130]

Can't tell how much I enjoy watching what you do. Wonderful filming, seems to get better each time plus just the right balance between comments and just allowing us to watch. Congrats from Austria

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Thank you very much!

[@MsSherrydarling]

Things are looking great! I love your plant selection and it brings some much needed living things to the front entry. It will be fun to decorate for Christmas before too long. It must have nice to have family visiting.

[@neutonrenda2303]

Making a seasonal business is a great idea, it also leaves time to be there and get things done without anyone getting in the way.👍

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Absolutely!

[@soniawoolley366]

Love your slow living ...

[@Neroli-Daydreaming-of-France]

I love the garden, and the bread😀

[@Erin_Wilson_Studios]

The stone walls give me serious heart eyes 😍😍😍😍😍

[@storiesfromthecascina]

we love them too ❤️

[@marinavisentini2855]

Wow Wow Wow!!!!!!! Video bellissimo e che panorami…….. siete veramente bravi e avete delle mani d’oro. È sempre molto bello vedere i vostri video, li aspetto sempre con molto piacere. Bravi bravi bravi. 👏👏👏👏🤗🤗🤗❤️

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Grazie mille Marina!

[@anne4083]

Stunning views from drone footage 😍🤗

[@jeojeo9393]

Wow what great parents you have, doing all of those jobs xxx

[@neutonrenda2303]

You must have a mini adventure every time you explore the place. I'm sure you'll still have tons of places you still haven't found yet.👍😂

[@barbidorin107]

Love the herb garden and how you used the trench! Very clever and cute. When we moved to SW France last year from the US, the first thing we did was establish an herb garden near the kitchen. I can see you love cooking with herbs too. Looking forward to watching your garden grow.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Thank you! Good to hear we're not the only ones to start planting before we start renovating :-P

[@janicedelp2775]

Such a lovely video!! Everything is looking wonderful! Your parents are great. Eager to help out with all the work. I am so happy for all of you. I love all the flowers and herbs. Many blessings to you! Janice from Arkansas USA

[@oxwoman8]

We call stachys "Lamb's Ears" here. VERY drought tolerant here in the southeastern states. Deer resistant, too. Cheers from North Carolina USA

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Ah, good to know it's deer resistant as well! We have a lot of roe deer, they don't usually come that close to the house, but you never know :-)

[@oxwoman8]

@@storiesfromthecascina if deer are hungry enough they will eat anything. And little fawns have to try everything to see if they like it or not. The naughty things ate my chrysanthemums and brunneras! They're not supposed to like those either. But I couldn't get mad seeing their little hoof prints in the compost. Little darlin's.

[@shehazi695]

Such a pleasure to watch, each week. Thank you 🙏🏽

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Our pleasure! Thank you for watching :-) We truly appreciate you taking the time to follow our adventure

[@neutonrenda2303]

It's really exciting to see how things are changing already, I'm sure you'll be eager to see your efforts rewarded. I can't wait for the plants to grow and start flowering. 👍❤

[@tinnekesturtewagen2185]

Lovely to see the process! I whatched them all and I long to see the next one 🙂. What a wonderfull place! What a wonderfull future ahead of you. I which you all the luck. XXX

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Hey tante tine

[@CynthiaEvans-i2f]

Your plants make a lovely border.

[@elizabethhageman7822]

❤️Beautiful vlog. I look forward to them.

[@margomoore4527]

Stachys is Lamb’s Ears in English. A lovely plant! In fact, you made a great choice of varied plants for that area. I’ve already seen later videos that show your plants growing and settling in. I especially like the perennial geraniums.

[@johnrichey5032]

Great job on the window 👍

[@SJLamb-te3dt]

Stachys= Lambs Ear, for the shape of the leaf and the fuzzy texture!

[@brettallenthomas]

Your focaccia looks amazing... got me motivated to start my sourdough starter for the season...

[@andie1769]

Lovely as always! Thankyou!

[@GiuseppeAudino797]

Hi guys I’m very excited to watch all your videos when you upload them and I wish I was closer to be able to buy the machine the one you don’t kneed Have fun 🙏👋👍🍻🍻 From Buckland west Australia

[@maryannknox7158]

The new gardens 🪴 around the terrace is beautiful I hope you are both enjoying Autumn 🍂 in your new Villa it is located in such a Lovely area…..Blessings to you both and your Family

[@storiesfromthecascina]

blessings to you and yours too, mary ann!

[@jerrielindsey5939]

I watched a video of an archeological excavation of a Roman villa in England from about 200 AD and it has the same layout of your home. Remarkable.

[@patbrady9531]

Beautiful plantings!

[@painchaud2000]

Great video, that little herb garden is going to look great

[@neutonrenda2303]

Love the plans for your house, it would look stunning.❤

[@storiesfromthecascina]

We think and hope so too!

[@terryevans5476]

Enjoyed the video. Thanks for sharing

[@myownlittlehouse471]

The last plant that you mention, that you didn't know the English name for (if it's the one behind the lavender in the right back corner of that flat) is called Lamb's Ear. Stachys Byzantina. That might be right.

[@robertsteele8688]

i was at my doctor today for my physical,.... he said my blood pressure is quite high😳....i watch you guys and down it goes!!!😀🙏❤

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Hi Robert! Thanks for letting us know the profound effect of our videos :-) We wish you good health!

[@hullabaloo-hcd]

❤❤❤

[@jackie4286]

You should keep the snow plough. I think you may need it in winter.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Hi Jacky! We talked to our farmer neighbor (who's one of the people doing the snow ploughing in our village) and he told us that to operate it you need a really heavy tractor. While we will be getting a small one in the future we have no intentions of getting a big one. Good thing snow ploughing is taken care of by the municipality.

[@farmhouseinthehills]

Didn't know about the compost plant! What a great idea

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Glad it was helpful! You can find it if you google Gaia San Damiano D'Asti. You need to register beforehand by giving them a phone call and sending them your contact details. But that was a really quick process and we could pick up compost the same day. It was a really smelly job, but it was worth it. The same amount of compost would have cost us a lot if we'd have to buy it in bags.

[@peterwerrenrath1112]

I think you need a bell tower in your cascina!

[@ronaldlucas5360]

Enjoyed

[@southloupriverhomestead4696]

Thanks for the video!

[@davideborgna4918]

Bravissimi sempre al lavoro, 👍💪👋

[@storiesfromthecascina]

grazie davide! ci riposiamo anche molto :-)

[@rachelh5641]

There is so much gorgeous footage in this video! (Did you perhaps get a new camera?) I just love your approach to these videos and to the project as a whole. It's inspiring to see you working in a slow and measured approach, enjoying the beauty and life that happens along the way. It seems to me there is so little being done that way anymore in this world. I hope that one day I can visit one of your holiday cottages, I think you'd be wonderful hosts :)

[@storiesfromthecascina]

thank you rachel! no new camera, we've been using the same equipment as ever, a combination of Isis' cameras that she used as a wedding photographer over the past years and our phones. But as we're getting better at being prepared and bringen out the "real" cameras and Bertus is getting more confident with using them too, there is less and less phone footage in our videos.

[@ruthlee2752]

Your garden is looking amazing 🇨🇦

[@lbd-k4y]

Just started to look at your channel few weeks ago... my compliments!

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Thank you Lucia, and welcome to our channel! ❤️

[@Nancy-j8o1t]

🍁🍂🌾

[@bigmamma6946]

❤

[@RLM1943]

Great photography.The drone footage is spectacular! Watching from Houston Texas USA.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Thank you very much!

[@elenadearth6950]

Keep the horse box. Can be used for so much more then just horses. Oh and if you have land that a farmer can rent for crops that will help with income.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

Definitely keeping the horsebox! It's ours, we brought it with us from the Netherlands :-)

[@Harryset1]

Walking down my memory lane -- I hope you will find the time to repair ALL of your windows -- strong wind and a lot of rain -- made me repair many windows on an old building years ago -- i hate cold feet -- and a cold draft too - made me utter a lot of profanity :) oh! and is your roof "waterdicht"? Greets, H.

[@CasaMelMonferrato]

We love your story and your videography. Very beautiful. My wife and I bought a holiday home about a year ago in Piemonte (Monferrato) and we are back and forth a bit from Chicago while doing some renovations. We have several nice pieces of furniture left from the previous owners and we have watched you using some woodworm treatment on some of your pieces. Would you mind sharing which product you are using? We have no doubt that you two know what you are doing! Your house and land are looking so beautiful...

[@storiesfromthecascina]

We got our antitarlo from amazon. it's this one: www.amazon.it/Antitarlo-Fungicida-Soluzione-LEliminazione-Distruggono/dp/B01302LLEI/ref=asc_df_B01302LLEI/?tag=googshopit-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=194940578877&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17651851308383617388&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1008736&hvtargid=pla-187905509063&th=1 There are much stronger products that are used in furniture conservation/restoration but they also come with health hazards, so we decided to go for this first. It's a but too early to say if it works, but we are seeing no new piles of sawdust under the furniture that we treated except for one spot at the bottom of a wardrobe - but the sawdust might also be falling out because suddenly the piece is being used. We'll give it a second coat just to be sure.