7 Underrated Crops Perfect for Self-Sufficiency!

[@HuwRichards]

Don't forget, if you're in the UK or US to enter our fun competition! Winner announced in video 2 weeks from now. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScCwDaZwFOfgqqzQKKTIN2Y6p-clex2Gu3TB7QotU3D2qSr2w/viewform 🌱

[@susanblauss5829]

I’m having trouble figuring out how to get the links to put on the entry form. I’m on my Phone so maybe it’s easier to do it on my home computer instead?

[@mamache2028]

Is this only for US and UK? From Denmark

[@jjgirl3715]

Sad face from Australia 😪

[@HuwRichards]

I'm sorry it's just we aren't yet setup for other countries it's highly complex and expensive. All in good time fingers crossed!😊

[@andrewkane6062]

I’m in the UK (Northern Ireland) but when I went to order from your website you don’t deliver here😕

[@kahae9858]

Jerusalem artichokes have become a real favourite. I ferment them in a cabbage/carrot/ginger/beetroot slaw and find them very digestible that way. If you slice them very thinly and then dry and grind them up into flour their flavour becomes really addictive when added to a flatbread mix.

[@readysteadyhome5342]

Sliced, blanched and dried you can then store them and later deep fry into very moreish crispy chips. Its hard to stop eating them 😆 just fry the dried chips and they will go from hard to crisp with caramelised edges.

[@anciskold541]

In spring I always forage for nettles. I (wearing rubber gloves) clean them, rinse them and put them in boiling water for just a minute. Then I freeze them and use in omelettes with cheese, pasta dishes, soups... I also use Chenopodium album the same way. Every autumn I forage autumn chanterelles that I dehydrate. Even though I have several buckets full of dehydrated mushrooms from last year I can't stop getting more. A jar of dehydrated mushrooms is a great gift. Also my grown up sons love that I have a lot of mushrooms that they can get in my pantry whenever they run out of them. 😂

[@yinqin5432]

If you quick blanch pak choi and sundry them, it will lasts for several years as a dry vegetable to use in stews, soups etc. Or once it dries completely, steam it, dry it again, and preserved it in dark jars with salt or sugar it will last more than ten years. Same applies to mooli and some specific citrus (Kumquats, lemon etc).

[@semolinasemolina8327]

Honestly, as a parent, it's so encouraging to have watched you follow your passions like this, it is what any person would want for their children. Wishing you every success, and thank you for the inspiration.

[@judifarrington9461]

I love that you mentioned foraging. In the drought we experienced this year, my garden struggled but the wild plants were beautiful. It is nice to know there is food beyond my garden.

[@HuwRichards]

Exactly this Judi! I've been very surprised with how well the wild foods are doing this year after the drought!

[@bronwenhook6088]

This past Spring, I harvested a couple of buckets of dandelions and dehydrated the leaves, and roasted the roots (for « coffee »). Also, plantain and nettles. Dehydrating is so much easier than canning, preserves more nutrients, and is shelf stable for a long time. Now that I have discovered it, I am a much more enthusiastic forager!

[@judifarrington9461]

@@bronwenhook6088 I also had a lot of wild asparagus come up this year. I carelessly scattered seeds of perennials throughout my orchards. Untamed food is the best! Lol.

[@tonyr7393]

Another benefit of the pumpkin/squash is that the leaves and stems are edible. Steamed, the hairs all soften and they hold their texture really well and add a new dimension to the leafy green taste. Full of nutrients as well, so an extra bonus harvest. Wish i'd known this a few years ago!

[@dominic6055]

but does a plant being edible make it healthy? not necessarily

[@jennabasson803]

I came to the comments to say the same thing! 👌

[@Melenora]

Thank you! We plan on drying greens and blending them into a powder to sneak greens into dinners.

[@AinaBB]

I had no idea about this, thank you!

[@ctahyat4537]

My mom used to cook the young leaves with coconut milk. Added with some shallots n anchovies . Delicious to eat with rice.

[@georgepursley2832]

I appreciate your willingness to make us aware of other people's good ideas and products, even if there is no financial incentive to you. You seem like a very good person.

[@nataliramirez6497]

Agreed. I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. Giving people this knowledge changes the world...

[@aprilbreen9207]

Huw Richards, you are a great soul

[@sura2047]

For me my most valued crops are garlic & greens. Home grown garlic is a staple & I mostly grow varieties that store 12 months, so I have it all year round. But some other garlic tips: when your bulbs just start to shoot, don’t compost them! Garlic is especially nutritious at this stage (think sprouting micro greens), and you can preserve the rest of your garlic by splitting out the bulb into cloves, store them in zip lock bags in the freezer. Take out a few cloves as needed, leave to thaw on the bench for a few mins and use as normal. Cooks up perfectly! Greens like silverbeet, spinach, chard.. a little chopped finely in every dish every day. So much goodness, esp over the winter months.

[@joannekleehammer9841]

Don't forget about the garlic scapes also delicious and freezable.

[@acdcacres]

Yes to foraging! This year I made friends with an older lady down the road and we've had lots of great foraging adventures- lobster mushrooms, morels, boletes, chanterelles, blueberries, wild plums, bee balm and anise hyssop so far. Looking forward to next year's adventures!

[@nativeceltbirdog1527]

So nice to find new friends and wise knowledgeable ones at that!!!

[@robertmcauslan6191]

On foraging, we have a a ton of wild grapes on the property which are great for jams but we also use the vines to make seasonal wreathes. This generates a bit of income for the things we absolutely could not grow. A bit of weaving and most woody trimmings make for fun center pieces.

[@rashmiendenburg5115]

i love nasturtiums: they provide flowers to pick, and leaves for salad and are very easy to grow.

[@mudoh2131]

also pickle the seeds and use as capers - fabulous

[@rosemaryogilvie6842]

And you can pickle or lacto ferment (my preference) the seeds to make the most delicious capers.

[@ajb.822]

Also add the leaves &/or flowers to ferments, too. Add a nice flavor and "kick" . I'm still newer to doing them, but last year I did a cut up peppers and celery ferment, & a peppers and cherry tomatoes one ( I only had a few extra tomatoes) to which I added that. Was great !

[@katarzynagrzybek9796]

I love fresh mint tea. Another easy to grow is melissa, it's an easy plant to grow (not that easy to get rid of 😅), but tea made from fresh leaves is delishous, it has a slightly lemon taste in it. Another great tea is a mix of dry apple, fresh mint and a bit of dry elder flower (flower, not fruit), it's absolutely amazing!

[@AinaBB]

Foraging has become such a huge part of our diet this year. The humble hogweed has the most amazing flavor seeds. Its taste is exquisite. I have added them into the Christmas chutney and pudding. A cross between citrus and cardamom, really surprising. And pineapple weed, mugwort and mullien have been picked and dried for teas to aid various things. Our hedgerows have been laden with treasure theseast few weeks. Walnuts, acorns for flour, dock for flour (gluten free), rosehip and elderberry for syrup and cordial. And slow berries, Quince and plums, all there just free to take.

[@debbiethomas3687]

There are plants, certainly here in the UK, that resemble hogweed, so if anyone tries foraging please make sure you do your homework first. As with funghi, you need to really know what's what to avoid accidentally killing yourself - it's vital to be able to tell your hogweed from your hemlock.

[@franziskani]

Could you give us the latin name of the plant you call hogweed ? I searched for hogweed and found Heracleum mantegazzianum ("giant hogweed") it is part of the carrot family BUT an invasive species - and worse: it is phototoxic. And there are closely related plants that are also phototoxic. The recommendation is to stay away from them and to protect eyes and skin (long sleeves) if you move in an area where they are. do I understand that right - you only used the seeds. But maybe the folksy name "hogweed" is also used for another herb / weed.

[@zoerice4227]

@@franziskani there's giant hogweed, which as you said is not edible and actively dangerous to handle, and there's common hogweed, which is perfectly edible! It's also known as cow parsnip. You can eat the young leaves, new shoots, unopened flower buds, and the seeds both young and old.

[@ASPIRE_80s]

Beetroot greens can also be cooked. Also, there are recipes for tender pumpkin leaves and stem if you like Indian style vegeterian cooking. Try the male pumpkin flowers too, you can make fritters!

[@aleenaprasannan2146]

There is an Indian style of beetroot dish as well. It's called beetroot pachadi and that's the only way I have ever been able to eat beetroot. The addition of yogurt makes the sweetness as bit more balanced

[@sharonhepburn5432]

Yes I was going to say that beet greens were completely omitted from your video and they are a great resource for salads and tasty when cooked. Never toss beet greens into the compost!

[@jeanninerossouw5921]

I'd like to add gemsquash. Grows like a pumpkin, but in half the time. Produces loads on a single plant. And for places with sunshine, okra.

[@martian10712]

I found a new way to use the melons (both cantaloupe and honeydew) that didn't fully ripen last year. I pickled them in a sweet brine and added mint and dried chili flakes. They tasted amazing on New Year's Day. So happy to see that you and Gaz have become friends. Sending much love to you and your family from Washington state, USA ♡♡♡

[@ajb.822]

Super interesting, as I may be about to have a few not yet ripe, to deal with. I don't like Cantaloupe anyways, but my husband and other relatives do, so, I'd like to try this ! If you read this, could u plz give me your recipe for the sweet brine ? ( I'm not a very experienced pickle-maker, only grew up on Dill cucumber pickles, and some refrigerator versions of same). My name is Angela too :) .

[@rollinghillsslo]

I also found a new way. Put the watermelon meat and seeds in blender. Use it for liquid part in cookies, pancakes. I read the watermelon seeds has rich nutrition.

[@glassbackdiy3949]

Chard, easy to grow, pest resistant, cold hardy, space to yeild ratio will outperform every other crop over the entire season!

[@HuwRichards]

Fantastic suggestion! Thank you!

[@acdcacres]

Ooo, chard is a great idea! That's grown phenomenally well for us the last few years. So we'll that I end up giving lots of it to the chickens.

[@jorlenepfannmuller9065]

Sugar beet greens are amazing, so delicious and they do not wilt down as much as chard. Flavour is very similar to chard.

[@BrentWalker999]

Chards are amazing

[@ajb.822]

Ahh, another chard super-fan, at last !! Turns out that Spinach is way higher in some nutrients, which happen to be ones I most need, so I guess I'll have to buckle down on growing that in spring and fall more now, but chard tastes the best !!!!

[@Pixieworksstudio]

It has been a fabulous year for foraging Huw, and I wish more people would follow the correct code, however on the other hand I have seen people look questioningly at what I'm up to 🤣. Just recently I've had guelder rose berries, rosehips, Hawthorn and rowan. Today I had a marvellous haul of crab apples, and most of them were windfalls. I left a tidy pile in the hedge too for blackbirds, mice and voles etc. Anything left are great for insects too. After I have processed them there is another great self-sufficiency thing to do - my hens absolutely love the leftovers. Especially because it is such a natural thing for them to eat this time of year. Thank you for bringing up foraging Huw - it is my favourite subject and has been ever since I found a copy of Food For Free when I was about 13. Little did I know then how iconic it would become 🙂 Take care, thank you for the video!

[@Melenora]

I abandoned my first garden and learned that without tending or watering at all that Basil, Mint, Cilantro, and Marigolds do fine. Anything that is categorized with "grows like a weed" is also an excellent grower. I've found that set and forget is the best way to deal with high stress situations. Dinner included.

[@chrisstocker5488]

I love that you included mint and herbs for tea (tisanes). I grow lots of herbs and dry them for use throughout the year. A mesh bag hung on the washing line usually does the job without a dehydrator in the warmer months (unless it's raining).

[@ajb.822]

I have had great going doing it indoors, too. Unlike fleshy fruits and veg, most leafy things seem to dry ok even if slower without heat & wind, without molding issues. I haven't done it a lot, but I've used the paper bag method, tie a string around the stems of a handful of herbs, poke a hole in a paper bag to run string through, and then hang upsidedown from something in the house, away from humid kitchens and baths of course. The bag protects them from dust etc. . I saw a multi-tiered, zippered-door mesh bag thing at a friend's home, foe drying things, and as that's where she got hers, found mine on Amazon ( I don't shop there much, would rather support more local, smaller or direct ). Doesn't have a dust-protection feature, but one could drape a sheet or towel around it if needed that.

[@jiewang5175]

So Nice! I have 5 square meter lot to grow only. But I am thankful.❤ Cultivating is meditation, healing.

[@rainbowconnected]

Winecap mushrooms (Stropharia rugosoannulata) have been an amazing crop for me. Bought mushrooms are quite costly to eat as frequently as I like. Winecaps are ridiculously easy to grow, super productive and they make amazing soil! I also love that they're nearly impossible to mistake for other mushrooms. If you already have woodchips in your garden, it's as easy as finding a good spot, burying some winecap spawn, keeping it watered and waiting! I've heard blewits are also fairly easy to cultivate in piles of mixed leaves, woodchip, etc. There are some dangerous look alikes with them though.

[@dravonwalker2352]

You mentioned that the golden beet is less ‘earthy’ than the typical red. I just grew the white ones this year and had one tonight. It’s even less earthy than the golden. I want to a do red/gold/white roasted medley next.

[@mamache2028]

silent reader and watcher on your channel here. i learn a lot about gardening and inspired me to start my own gardening which i started 2 years go. I have to make raise beds because of bad soil with lots of stone. :) It is relaxing in mind doing gardening specially during harvesting time specially when my kid enjoying eating them so fresh and organic. Thank you!

[@hopeofdawn]

My underrated crop that even shows up in your video (but isn't mentioned) is nasturtiums - if you live in a milder climate, nasturtiums are self-seeding, incredibly prolific. You can eat the flowers and leaves (I use them as a substitute for arugula when they're in season) and if you pickle the seeds they make great capers you can add to rice, noodles and many other dishes.

[@lweddle5]

I absolutely love your channel because you get right to the information and the layout is super with great camera work. It's prefect!

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

Beetroot: try sugar beets! Looks like a parsnip but it's sweet! Pumpkin (I think any winter squash) is soo versatile!

[@amanitamuscaria7500]

The comments from this kind of community are a wonderful resource, too. So much knowledge, freely offered. Gratitude.

[@kathrynmettelka7216]

Storing sugar snap peas has never occurred to me. I have trouble enough saving them long enough to get to the kitchen because I snack as I pick. They are so good! As a friend said to me, "People who don't like vegetables haven't eaten garden fresh ones."

[@ragnkja]

While I can understand disliking specific vegetables, disliking vegetables in general is probably caused by never having had the opportunity to taste good, fresh ones. There’s just so much variety that there’s bound to be something for every taste!

[@walbiramurray5762]

Pumpkin leaves. are delicious and nutritious. There are heaps of delicious recipes from Papua New Guinea, Mauritius, Ghania etc to try and enjoy.

[@ohio_gardener]

One of my favorite crops for self-sufficiency is winter squash. They store all winter long, and are great meal staples. In addition to baked squash, the make great pies. This year we harvested 7 Cushaw, 9 Red Kuri, and 13 Butternut squash from 4 plants.

[@quantafitness6088]

What is your secret? That is less than what we got off 20 plants...

[@ohio_gardener]

@@quantafitness6088 Probably the rich soil. They are growing on wood chips in a Back to Eden area, where the soil under the chips has not only been enriched by the decomposing chips, but also kept moist.

[@ohio_gardener]

Don't know if links are allowed or not, but I made a short video of the winter squash harvest you might like: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIubYoNnpN-Bjqs

[@kathya739]

Yum. Cushaw soup. I halve and bake the winter squash, and any other root veggie in recipe, before peeling and cubing. A little chicken broth and cream stirred in.

[@mudoh2131]

fully agree but changed my seed supplier this year and was very disappointed

[@christinamoxon]

I can recommend Black Peppermint for a good tea. It grows well in pots and I think it's a beautiful herb. I'm potting some on for the kitchen over winter. Thanks for the tips, Huw.

[@dominic6055]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2rUiKqces9gb5I

[@anniinglucksdorf960]

Huw, I had to laugh out loud, hearing you speak about the beauty of Jerusalem artichoke while the beautiful blossoms were actually attacking you 😂. Did grow them the first year myself and the variety I choose is getting huge apparently! I am looking very much forward to the harvest in winter. Thanks for the lovely video!

[@homesteaderfiftywmartha603]

My husband and I have been watching you since you were very young. Like your parents, we too, are SOW very “ proud” of you!! Blessing and Grace to you!!

[@HuwRichards]

Aw wow! Thank you so much for your support over the years ! Really appreciate it :)

[@helenfay9465]

I never tire of your videos. Thank you for your integrity, respect for nature and genuine enthusiasm... so happy you mentioned nettles! 💚🌱💚🍃

[@katipohl2431]

Personally I grow and store 11 different varieties of Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) and they give a harvest of 10kg tubers per plant, very good storage in my basement. They don't regrow like sunchokes but need to survive protected from freezing and they are very healthy.

[@squange20]

Yes, we discovered yacon a few months ago and I got some rhizomes and potted them. Now they are ready to be planted out. Can’t wait. I posted a comment on one of Huw’s videos.

[@Melenora]

Thank you! My first time hearing about this. "Pear of the Earth" this sounds cool.

[@Hin_Håle]

I like to grow mint and lemon balm and mix them to make a lovely tea. Put some honey and lime juice in it and it'll warm your bones AND clear your throat!

[@sunhippie]

I’m a big lambs quarters fan. I agree with the mint and beets being underrated for sure! …love sugar beets❤ I will definitely do Sun chokes next year🥰

[@elizabethmay3464]

Thank you for creating such wonderful videos! They have been so helpful to me as I expand my garden and learn to grow, harvest, and cook things I never have before! What amazing variety!

[@zuzauramek9850]

pumpkin cream soup with mascarpone cheese, bacon, and croutons also try fresh lemon balm tea. Yummy.

[@hadassahhaman7550]

Thank you again for another interesting and informative video! I grow beets, mint, ramp and other items mentioned and will use them in recipes suggested.... I would like to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Mine was yesterday and I understand Mr. Richards has one in a few days. Looking good! Again thx for the info! 😊

[@rosewood513]

I love my Sunchokes. I grow Pok Choy indoors. I love your pumpkins. I always had luck with them. My winter greens are growing very fast. I always enjoy your videos. Thank you

[@juliaryan1410]

Two large patches of wild purslane gave us gobs and gobs of foraged harvest from our meadow out back. The plants were so large and healthy. We harvested BUSHELS and froze, ate, dehydrated, ate some more, and made into powder until I finally gave up and told my husband, "don't bring in anymore!". It will all be great additions to our soups, smoothies, breads and whatever stands still for winter cooking and baking. Thank you for another outstanding teaching.

[@Thecrazy4some]

New subscriber here, just watched some of your videos as we recently returned to the UK after 8 years in New Zealand and we are on our own sustainability/ growing journey which we vlog. All fun in the learning, so thank-you for sharing.

[@HuwRichards]

Thanks so much for subscribing :)

[@hannahharris164]

I've got to say my no 1 is the nobal onion. You can make so many different delisous dishes and especially the simple cheese and onion sandwich 🥪😋😊

[@mealbla7097]

What a great way to promote your store and get a feel for what people like. I had not seen the store b4 so glad i have

[@1Lightdancer]

Love this segment!! I grew up with a dad who gardened, then married into a family of biologists! I just harvested a fall flush of nettles from my yard, and brought a small batch of Jerusalem artichokes to my new garden, along with perennial kale, good king Henry and a bunch of perennial herbs! (Between 75 & 100 plants in pots!!)

[@sarahtrew9331]

I love roast beets & borscht, but I’ve found my absolute favourite way to eat beetroot is Alys Fowlers beetroot marmalade preserve recipe! OMG it’s incredible & goes great with cheese, in salads, on top of meals. I actually can’t get enough of it! I also make a batch with fresh chilli in as I love spicy things & this year I’m trying it with golden beets, tarragon, ginger & cider vinegar; it’s become a staple of ours!

[@beautyforashes2230]

That really does sound good! My go-to recipe is to roast them in the oven until a knife goes in cleanly, then peel and slice them. Then I melt some butter in a pan and pan-fry the slices until the butter is browned, and season them with salt and pepper, then sprinkle some parsley on to serve.

[@sweetfernhome]

That sounds amazing, going to check out that recipe!

[@sarahtrew9331]

@@sweetfernhome you should, it’s from her book Abundance, I have the kindle version too ☺️

[@dn744]

I did so well with tomatoes, that I have had 14kg today, but 61kg on only 1 week. Still got around 2 weeks to finish them.

[@deanablythe9394]

This video is brilliant, I agree with all your choices as the underrated crops and for mentioning foraging, thank you for all your help, much appreciated.

[@grabatar]

Recommendation: put markers/split up the timeline of the video on youtube and put names on them. This increases your re-watched stats i would imagine. But for me as a viewer who want to re-watch specific parts its very easy to see what part i need and i find it straight away. Very good video and much appreciated. keep em coming.

[@artsyhonkerful]

I tend to like winter squash better than the big orange pumpkins, especially as many varieties seem to keep longer.

[@ericehrke-schulz4592]

black salsify is a nice thing to try for self sufficiency especially because you can keep it in the ground in the winter and do not need to dig them in autumn. its very hardy and doesn'zt require much care

[@stephenleaf3848]

Mint, Chamomile and Stevia. Recently combined those that we grew and was blown away at the amazing flavor. Kids love it as well.

[@HuwRichards]

Thanks for sharing! :)

[@soopersonic488]

Congrats on the launch of your online shop! So exciting to see you grow over the past few years.

[@juliadean2473]

So glad you mentioned that when foraging it is important to leave enough for others especially wildlife!

[@franksinatra1070]

Some interesting crops mixed in there. I love lima beans but rarely see anyone growing them on the podcasts out there. They are relatively easy to grow bush or pole varieties as long as your soil is not to rich in nitrogen. They are high in calories so are a good thing to incorporate into your garden to help in being self sufficient.

[@IevaKrastina]

I live on a rented property, therefore can't implement all my gardening desires and grow as much as I would like to. I let some plants to go in seed, then collect the seeds and grow microgreens - red cabbage, sunflower, kale, raddichio, raddish, even dandelion. I grow dandelion and nettles intentionally and add the young leaves in salads. Never bought tomatoe seeds, all sprouted from store bought, and this way I can have so many different varieties, especially with cherry tomatoes. And also size changes if grown in a raised bed or container. Definitely preparing to continue most varieties indoors over winter. Nasturtium leaves are rich in vitamin c, I air dry them and make powder, the flowers infused in vinegar or oil are good antibiotics and great for hair. I forage blackberries, rosehips and hazelnuts. And also regrow store bought lettuce, green onions, cabbage, potatoes and sweet potatoes. My garden looks like a jungle, veggies and herbs interplanted with begonias, roses, nasturtiums and other flowers. It looks aesthetically pleasing and is so useful. When I come from work, I let my 2 dogs in the garden and spend some time tidying up the plants, it is such a healing activity.

[@annelogston]

Omg did this ep EVER resonate with me! I actually came to permaculture via foraging, which I’d done all my life, rather than gardening - just planted my first garden this year at age 60. I planted a LOT of native wild edible plants - including rugosa roses and nettles, hawthorn and serviceberry. Yep, my mint - and my lemon balm for tea too - grow in big raised beds of their own. As do my Jerusalem artichokes!

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Such a brilliant video Huw! I will incorporate some of these tried and true vegetables but also take a stab at some newer ones mentioned! I like the idea of venturing beyond the garden gates.😎

[@acolourist1798]

Herbs are the best, mint is so understated, love the after eight mint variety, it really does smell like after eight chocolates. Being self sufficient with herbs can be done so easily, one plant turns into two, in such a small all be it a bed or a plant pot. Medicine from the earth doesn't get any better than that. Thank You Huw, for the variety of videos, and tips and just bought your first book, love It's month on month guide, with new tips am trying.

[@jeffengel2607]

I'm thrilled with our fresh herbs. Just a bit of money, space, and time can go very far to make a larder otherwise limited to cheap and dull stuff interesting enough to be happy.

[@ajb.822]

If you know, is that "after eight" mint the same thing known in the USA as "chocolate mint" , or is it a different chocolate mint variety ? I have the chocolate mint, and am just very curious if there's another one, how it compares. This one definitely smells like it's name ! It can taste differently depending on drought and soil, etc., isn't always very flavorful.

[@davebeech236]

When I was a kid, we had a mint patch in the garden. My mother would often ask me to get a sprig to put in the water when she boiled potatoes, especially new potatoes.

[@dominic6055]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e2rUiKqces9gb5I

[@Nightskies007]

As a child my dad took us foraging, we would get up while it was dark to go mushroom picking. We loved it. Also blackberry, rasberry picking then we would quickly pour hot water over to clean. Ate lots of rhubarb & veg from local allotments & we grew what we could in our garden. We need to pass our knowledge on to younger generations!!

[@JennySEJ]

Love this, Hew! But just a little warning; tea from mint leaf is medicinal and very strong; not recommended to be used daily. But its great for temporary menstrual pain and such, it loosens up cramps in the stomach area. I recommend using lemon balm instead of mint, fresh or dried, for a calming tea. It's usually grown in abundance! :)

[@jeancampbell4341]

I see you have some Borage. We use the flowers to beautify a salad. Just hold the black point at the back and the flower comes off easily. Rosemary flowers are delicious in a salad too. Weve also started adding coriander leaves and the smaller Nasturtium leaves to our Pesto recipes. Lovely video by the way.

[@rosamechoni]

I'd like to add the humble parsley to be grown all year round.Easy to grow, winter hardy and about £1 a pop in the shops so, convenient to have in the garden. My chickens love it too.

[@r.perkins2103]

I grow it in hanging baskets in the shade - fills out like a green ball. The flat leaf type grows taller but looks better on garlic bread.

[@StarWarsNerd777]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! I love the scene where you're speaking about mint and the sun chokes are dancing in the wind behind you! How beautiful! Thank you Huw! Nettles, mint, garlic! Delicious! Your video quality and content is awesome!!!

[@HuwRichards]

You're most welcome! I'm so pleased you enjoyed it😊😊

[@renik230]

Huw, thank you so much for your inspiring videos. I love the fact that you're gardening in Wales where the climate must be the same as here. Sadly I never had success with Pak Choi.

[@samuel58237]

Love the foraging point. I forage chanterelle and lobster mushrooms, blackberry's, Huckleberry's, and sorrel.

[@HuwRichards]

Ahh perfect! :)

[@TheRosangela9369]

Blue and Hubbard pumpkins are having a really fine texture and you can store them till springtime. There are so delicious recipes with peppermint, fried, Börek , Piroggi, or cakes, dips. Mmmhhh. And Sunchokes pickled with other vegetables as Tursi...

[@rosemarytony635]

Thank you so much! Thought I'd share a recipe for making mint chutney: Mint - a bunch Dessicated coconut - 1/4 cup Ginger - 1/2 inch Garlic- 3-4 cloves Lemon - 1/2 (squeezed) Salt to taste Grind everything in a grinder with ¹/4 cup of warm water or in a mortar & pestle without water. Absolutely delicious as a spread on bread with butter and a slice of cheese.

[@franziskani]

Thank you so much for the mint chutney recipe, I have mint in pots that needs to be eaten. I just retracted from the idea of planting them out from the pots - people say they can be quite invasive.

[@dag118]

Sunchokes can be fermented too! Lots of recipes on line. I add ginger and turmeric to the ferment.

[@aprilbreen9207]

Please grow the basil and especially the cilantro in cool weather. It is quite cold hardy. This helps it resist bolting.

[@meloniestewart2940]

Thank you Hugh. I enjoy foraging locally, where I live in NZ for things like chestnuts when in season, watercress and versatile wild (medicinal) herbs like dandelion (also, the roots can be made into a substitute coffee). I find your videos super inspirational, very helpful and down to earth. All the very best to you and yours. Namaste 🙏🏼

[@HuwRichards]

Brilliant! Thank you so much!

[@sweetfernhome]

I adore the foods on this list. Very healing, medicinal, grounding foods. Tulsi basil is my main drink all summer long, I dry it and add it to tea blends through the colder seasons. I have to say, I fell in love with sugar snap peas this spring. Prolific and delicious, we froze bags of them and were eating them fresh for a couple of months. The other food I might add is perpetual spinach which I learned of from you. I planted it in the spring and we are still eating off of the same plants. They just don't quit and they are so pest resistant. We make fritters mostly with them which are a wonderful easy food that you can change up based on what you have at the moment.

[@shaunaburton7136]

Is perpetual spinach the same as Malabar spinach? Did you take cuttings to grow inside over winter?

[@beautyforashes2230]

I agree, I love perpetual spinach but in my garden that's more a late-spring/early summer crop since it's so bolt-resistant. Around this time of year, I cover cleared-out beds with Matador spinach, corn salad and winter purslane. Those grow throughout winter and are ready to harvest in the following spring, and what's not eaten, I use as "green manure" or mulch.

[@sweetfernhome]

@@shaunaburton7136 No, it is actually a chard, I start it during winter and plant out in spring!

[@ajb.822]

@@sweetfernhome Is it the same thing then as " perpetual swiss chard " ? I grew that last year, and didn't care for it, because it grew so densely from the middle, it got bug and dirt issues more it seemed, but that was also in some very un-ideal soil, a borrowed garden space which was newly made and had some major issues.. . I had some in a pot too though, which I kept in the house over the winter and again, just didn't like how it grew and "did" compared to normal swiss chard. But I don't know much about it or how regular chard would have compared to it in the same conditions etc. .... .

[@sweetfernhome]

@@ajb.822 I'm guessing it might be, I only know it by the name perpectual spinach. It grows very large and bushy and as you pick it continues to grow more and more. Only plant I have with no bug damage at all.

[@summerhill_homestead]

Thanks for mentioning drinks. I use herbs from my garden all the time for teas. Keeps us healthy, I think. My favorite is lemon balm. I love your tip for cooking beets!

[@alfonsomunoz4424]

Now that it's cooled down here in the desert southwest I sowed some beets. Red and golden. I'm excited!

[@hadassahhaman7550]

And a HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite online gardener Mr Richards today! HSTL

[@HuwRichards]

Hi I'm really sorry but it's not my birthday, not until next year:)

[@doraw7766]

Love the idea of baking beets at 180 for 1.5 hrs. Thanks.

[@jonstclair3290]

Good video. Sunchokes or Topinabor as they're call here in Sardinia are a great crop. Fry them up with your sundried tomatoes and pasta.

[@kensmith5694]

Beets are very good steamed. You can also make picked beets as a way to have bright flavors in the winter. In some environments parsnips are a good option. They are sweet when roasted. Winter squash make more food per unit area than most pumpkins. Pie pumpkins are the best pumpkins. Purple (royal) beans can be good because they produce a lot very early and die leaving room for the squash plants. The only two things money can't buy are true love and home grown tomatoes. In some places peach trees are good. Peaches are easy to freeze.

[@livinggrowing]

Huw you are awesome! I'm so excited about this contest, your products are beautiful! 😃👍

[@justanothermermaid5007]

When it comes to pumpkins, I am surprised that the Hokkaido variant is not a huge hit in the UK and Ireland. It has a lovely taste and - most important - you don't have to peel it. It's definitely the most easy pumpkin to prepare.

[@barbaralong8665]

Good ideas. Beetroot also has great tasting leaves. Tender leaves added to salads and the roots to eat. Turnips can be used the same way.

[@exeterbeekeeper]

Foraging is something I have done for years. elderberry can make good wine. this year I have spent time forgeing sweet chestnuts both greatly expands my diet with little cost. it also adds to my quality of live

[@oiavh]

Very nice. I would add borage. It's easy to grow, hardy and produces quite a lot of nutrient rich leaves

[@camicri4263]

Beets are very good, I actually like the earthy flavor of the red ones! They are great fermented, pickled , roasted together with other root vegetables and the leaves are great in salads or sauteed. Very versatile. Thanks for sharing 🤗

[@Rm4OneMore]

I wish we had more land to have a proper pumpkin patch. Switching gears, I don't care for beets, but we may have to give those goldens a try next year.

[@ajb.822]

While most of them are probably too big ( the fruit) to do this with, try growing some on a trellis if you have a little extra space (?). I grew cantaloupe on a (short, happened to be) trellis this year, two different varieties, one of which didn't have as small of fruits as the Minnesota midget which was the other. But, they all hung there ok, even without any added support by me, such as using knee-high or other women's hosiery ( aka panty-hose, nylon stockings) to tie them to the fence. The ones on ground ( mulch) btw, I put bricks beneath after awhile, and that really helped keep them from starting to rot before ripe. Anyways, I bet some smaller-ish types of pumpkins may do ok on a trellis ! With the tougher metal posts, not those wimpy cheap ones, or wood posts, as supports.

[@slomo1716]

I LOVE Beets or as y'all say in the UK - beet root. I rinse, cut of the tops and root and boil until soft. Then skin and slice up with salt/pepper and butter. The BEST taste on earth. I've also pickled several jars this year. GREAT VIDEO!!!

[@myriammadigan9966]

For the mint - great for mojitos:)

[@amiladybug9526]

I like watching and listening to your channel which is so helpful. Am going to give the golden beetroot a try next year. I have different kinds of mint which I use in cooking and mixture into sauces. I love chopping chard up in stir fry.

[@Idontwantachannel67]

Great video, I appreciate you not saying the same veg everyone else does. Some real unusual stuff. PS your website is awesome love the camp stove i can see you brewing some tea in the garden now. ❤

[@AnnaYAH5315]

I often make a juice from beets and its sooo good. I also make pumpkin seed juice by boiling the pumpkin seeds with the membrane along with a carrot and a small piece of pumpkin then after that's cooled I blend it up and add some nutrient and or Malta and sweetener 😋

[@dianamccarthy5586]

Thank you so much His for the wealth of information you share, I truly appreciate it and feel I'm becoming a better gardener thanks to you. I am wondering how your winters and growing climate compares to mine, I live in central United States (Nebraska) in a growing zone of 5b?

[@readysteadyhome5342]

Chicory root makes a wonderful coffee alternative. Slice, dry, roast and grind.

[@andrewmcgleish61]

Beetroot kimchi was a winner for me last year, and I'll be making some shortly. I love grated raw beet, I use it as an alternative to cucumber when making an Indian raita.

[@My_slow_story]

Interesting! What recipe did you use??

[@andrewmcgleish61]

@@My_slow_story The kimchi? I got it from the River Cottage Fermenting book

[@My_slow_story]

@@andrewmcgleish61 thank you! I was wondering about this book and you got me curious 🤨

[@andrewmcgleish61]

@@My_slow_story It's a handy wee book

[@RunaVanBeeck]

A favourite of mine is sunflower. Gorgeous but people often forget they're really delicious both seed and flower

[@joeschmidt8415]

Great ideas! My biggest challenge is affording land to grow all the stuff I want.

[@ajb.822]

U may want to look into renting, bartering or borrowing yard space, then. Not without it's social risks of course, but some have had really good times with borrowing a yard of someone who's like to see it used for what you want to use it for, but isn't able or whatever to do it themselves. There's even an online website to connect these people, along with related things such as garden tools, those who have them to lend with those in need. Problem is, I can't recall the name of it ! So sorry ! Hopefully someone knows or can find it by searching online !

[@conniedoherty3163]

Great information! Thank you. Glad I found you channel.