5 essential homestead / smallholding tools

[@karenw9996]

I like the scaffolding, but the above ground pump is a higher priority. Emptying the IBC tote into a 2-gallon watering can and watering all the fruit trees & berry bushes & veg bed & herbs & pollinator patches takes hours!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Absolutely - our pump has been a game changer we use a sprinkler so much more

[@lindaoostmeyer4637]

Hugh is very enthusiastic about his tools! 😂 Love to see him so excited and proud❤️ ❤

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you - it's something that I am passionate about. Whilst a poor workman blames his tools, good tools make a job so much easier!

[@chrishamilton-wearing3232]

High is also very enthusiastic about Fiona as well !

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@chrishamilton-wearing3232 But of course - she's awesome 😎

[@monkeypuzzlefarm]

Having just bought our smallholding, I am looking at buying tools. This video is very well timed for me. Thank you Hugh!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

So glad it was useful James - is there any particular area you would like more details on?

[@davemoseley1568]

Nice one guys. Just the sort of information a new starter needs.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Dave!

[@amydavis4192]

Loved fionas cameo! 😂 Great info and video.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Amy!

[@englishhomestead]

love the enthusiastic start! think I need one of those wheelbarrows!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

If I broke it, I would buy another tomorrow mate

[@englishhomestead]

@@EnglishCountryLife That's endorsement enough. I'll add one to my Christmas wish list!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@englishhomestead I went pneumatic tyres but have switched to puncture proof now

[@englishhomestead]

@@EnglishCountryLife even when I buy a new wheelbarrow I change out the wheel straight away to either solid or puncture proof, I seem to kill them in five minutes otherwise.

[@barbsdee3831]

Wow! Thank you for the recommendation of the sack truck, I’ve just bought the Mac Allister one that you recommended from B&Q, it’s really heavy duty and only £58! Thank you once again 👍🏼

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It's a favourite thing here Barb -even for moving flat packed Nestera coops!

[@barbsdee3831]

Super video. Am I weird in loving sack trucks 🤣 Can I suggest getting a Eufy door bell, with free iCloud storage so no subscription fees. The images are far superior even in the dark to the ring bell.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's good to know. We have a lot if Ring stuff - including internal and external cameras. It's simpler to stick with one brand

[@bgtrev]

Love the enthusiasm and understand the benefits but certain items are only good when you have level land! Hope all is well there, first early night for weeks here, 10 pm tea and beer just hope we can still rise early afterwards 🙂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

You make a good point there Trev - I know a few Welsh hill farms I'd hate to try & put scaffolding on. Fortunately in Lincolnshire if you fire a bullet, it won't stop till over the channel!

[@chrishamilton-wearing3232]

We have a 2 wheeled Barrow and love all the advantages that you have mentioned plus the fact that it is easier to move heavy loads than a 'monowheel'. ( I just made that word up ) Ours however has a couple of disadvantages. Firstly, when you are pushing it over bumpy or uneven ground there is double the chance of a wheel getting stuck. Secondly, and this might just be the design of our particular model is that it is prone to tipping forward if there is too much weight in the front of the bucket. Still love it though.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I've not encountered those but our ground is not particularly bumpy, but I can see how that could happen. . Mine never tips forward but the tub is angled slightly backwards which probably solves that

[@mnj640]

Another great video guys they're just getting better all the time

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@mnj640 That's really kind of you - thank you!

[@DaveCravens-bu3dj]

Great info Hugh

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Dave - appreciate it!

[@chrishamilton-wearing3232]

Drop dead gorgeous................ cor, not arf guv'nor 😍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

🤣

[@baddogcustoms7496]

Have to admit you tellin all the secrets now incredible information here no doubt need to get some scaffolding myself everything high here is around 15ft if a ladder reaches it you don’t want to be on it but been pushing through & makin due with what we have definitely going to be a great investment tho thanks again & Beautiful places y’all have Cheers 🍻

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Cheers. I once took the end off a finger using a ladder in a dodgy spot. I knew it was stupid too. I've tried to wise up since then 🙂

[@homestead.smallholding]

Great video, you're right there is that homeowner+ level that the lifestyle requires. Can I make a recommendation? What about tools inside the home? You guys pressure can, that's a pretty cool tool. For other things like blenders, knives, meat slicers, cookware etc... where are you happy with the Lidl centre isle, where do you upgrade to John Lewis "wedding list" and where do you go full pro?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I think that's a fantastic idea Benjamin, thank you! Even just 5 (or more) semi professional items for the small holder kitchen for bulk processing, butchery, canning etc.... excellent idea 💡

[@067captain]

Excellent and informative. We are just beginning the process of looking for a similar property, so frantically taking notes. Keep the videos coming you two!👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you! Is there any particular area you would like information on?

[@067captain]

@@EnglishCountryLife I have two adjacent allotments, and have been almost self sufficient in fruits and veg for a while now. So as we look for the right place, I have particularly enjoyed your infra structure info, eg how you cleared the land, the waterlogged land, your water harvesting, the garden design etc. So you have already furnished us with so much great info. I still work as a self employed gardener, which I plan to retire from when we make the move. The one part of your land I am still not clear on is how you keep rabbits, deer and other large wildlife from eating your produce. Hedges surely won’t keep them out and you have mentioned stock fencing in the past, so that would interest me. Your channel has been invaluable to me as I research every aspect of the smallholding ambition. I reckon there are 3 main strategic points to put in place before a smallholding will work: Water supply, wind protection and wildlife protection. If those aren’t in place you will never truly maximise harvests. Have I missed anything?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@067captain Round here deer are not too much of an issue. We see muntjac and the occasional roe. We would like more of them tbh. Right now there aren't enough here to provide table venison. The one time that we did get a major rabbit surge then we did control numbers & use them for the table. Here wood pigeon are the biggest problem for veg and we do have to net them off tender crops. Other things to think about are soul quality (you can improve soil but it's actually harder to dig poor soil than good soil) and, if you can, some fuel. A few acres of woodland will keep you warm forever!

[@darz3]

Great guys, tillers and lawn care machinery? please. .

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Great idea, we can definitely cover those! Would you like things like line trimmers & brush cutters included?

[@olson.pamela]

You are dead on about these, i learned the hard way. Over the years I obtained exactly what you have described! I would like to share the most useful hand tool I have…A long handled 45 degree bent nose pliers. It pries grabs loosens bends. I bought four but they still get mislaid and lost, argh. Is there a fix for that?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Now that's a fantastic idea for another video - useful hand tools! Mine would be a nail puller called a cats paw. You can remove even nails driven below the surface with it!

[@ElijahHubbard-od1jw]

Hi Hugh,great video. Do you know of a petrol equivalent of the water pump? And do you think it would work if I attached it to an IBC water tank?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

You can definitely directly couple to an IBC tank, I do it all the time. Most petrol pumps are too powerful for 13mm garden hose & fittings I'm afraid www.waterpump.co.uk/blog/post/what-connecting-pieces-do-i-need-for-my-garden-pump#:~:text=A%20standard%20garden%20hose%20with,25%20mm%20(1%22).

[@ElijahHubbard-od1jw]

Ahh right Thank you I don’t have access to electricity where I need the pump so it probably won’t work for me. I was getting really excited. It takes about 3 hours a day in the summer to water up the allotment 😂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@ElijahHubbard-od1jw I'm sure it could be made to work with a low volume petrol pump. Look for one with a 1" output (threaded). You can screw a hozelock adapter onto that. If you use a decent hose it would probably be fine. The alternative is the electric pump & a generator or power station

[@ElijahHubbard-od1jw]

@@EnglishCountryLife ok I’ll give that a try. Thanks for your help..😊 PS. LOVE all your and Fiona’s videos.

[@ashrafulislamemon8782]

Why chicken 1 month 20 days dropping it’s feather and going bald Please give me a idea

[@EnglishCountryLife]

This should help kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2Olm2aDYqaJd6M

[@lindaoostmeyer4637]

Hugh is very enthusiastic about his tools! 😂 Love to see him so excited and proud❤️ ❤