Are these sweet potatoes ready? (and the High Tunnel REFUGE) | VLOG

[@tiffany02020]

Omg imagine fairy lights up in the rafts of the high tunnel and coming out in Dec, bundled up with hot cocoa and breathing in the smell of kale and lettuce and thriving dirt and the glittering of the lights. Sounds lovely Jess! 🥰🥰🥰

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

YESSSSSSS! Literally my exact imagination.

[@harvestenthusiast4519]

Yes! 😍

[@NS-pf2zc]

Ohhhh...lol...I think I'm battling hoophouse envy! I cant wait for the cooler temps of fall, but I so love the luscious green of summer.

[@ElderandOakFarm]

Sounds so good!

[@npknscrb]

I’ve heard you say it before but “they’re singing the song of their people” gave me a bit of a giggle fit. Thanks, I needed that!

[@permieforlife]

If you leave the sweet potatoes too long, they get woody. The size you have now is perfect.

[@betsystone5733]

Laura Kinkade big ones are stringy for sure!

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

Glad to know

[@KenS1267]

Yes, that really big one is about as big as you want to eat.

[@jen.BarnesFamilyHomestead]

Jess, the ones you're pulling out are WAY bigger than anything I can manage to grow here in Michigan, lol. I would be SUPER geeked to get some that big!!!

[@hollyhayward956]

And you can put the small ones back to regrow for next season

[@shoerle]

As a veterinarian, I would recommend having a large animal vet do a breeding soundness exam on your buck. That way you know for sure if it’s a fixable problem or he’s a sire failure 💜

[@TheTexasBoys]

We just keep learning from your channel!!! Thank you sooo much!!!

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

Happy to hear that!

[@DeepSouthHomestead]

Those sweet potatoes are perfect. If they get to large they get stringy.

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

Thank you!!!! I should have just messaged you to start with!

[@DeepSouthHomestead]

@@RootsandRefugeFarm looks like your going to have a great harvest.

[@kellymoody8726]

Queen of the farm!!! You have an amazing King! Your farm boys are so adorable!

[@janalavtizar4426]

The Queen of the farm!

[@lindacasey1126]

I love y'all. I so enjoy the children. Please show your animals more!

[@weirdheathersgarden]

Jess : Hi, Are you happy to see me? Me : Yes!.....oh you meant the chickens 😂 I like the shadow banana leaf thing, that’s so cool 😊

[@ElderandOakFarm]

Haha

[@tomstepp6945]

The joy you express when in your garden is infectious. Thank you for sharing.

[@dmaingarden9951]

You said “Are you happy to see me?” To your chickens and goats. And I am like ‘YES! Yes I am! A little dose of positivity today!’ Thank you Jess!!! Sad to see summers end... but we have got a lot to look forward too. ❤️

[@samanthabarris3729]

Queen of the farm ❤️

[@jessicawhiting7558]

What a precious blessing to have Nanna and Poppy with y’all. God is so good and the wisdom of that generation is priceless. ❤️

[@gonzalezpandura]

Nana and papa is a nice addition to your homestead.

[@karenlemley8656]

I love hearing the chickens sing💗💗💗

[@LisaMagoulas]

Jess, I just adore you and your family. You are just so down to earth, no pun intended. Lol

[@MichiganGardenGal]

The lights would look so good in the high tunnel! 🤗💜

[@laurieblake7574]

Jess, you crack me up! Watching you balance your sweetpotatos on one hand! 😄

[@notdiyheather]

The winter gray really gets to me. I love your idea of lights, table and chairs, and making the tunnel a refuge. ❤

[@flyingpigpreserve8562]

Loved Miah telling you what Nanna was saying. I'm sure Nanna and Poppy love being around the family and all the good food. Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to see the Fall Garden come alive. God Bless and Peace Be With You All

[@kiprussell6102]

What a blessing to have nanny and poppy spend time with you and your family. The kids can hear awesome stories and great opportunities to learn of life before technology took over. We lose so much when we ignore or lose a generation of family. Cherish the time while you can. Looking forward to fall because here in south Alabama so tired of this oppressive heat and humidity. Enjoy watching you guys keep up the good work and God bless you all

[@KenS1267]

If you have room, I'd plant cutting flowers in the greenhouse. It's really nice to have fresh flowers in the house in the winter when everything is grey and brown.

[@Monkchip]

Plant some winter flowers like amaryllis, cactus, poinsettia some day

[@stillquestioning...6458]

Oh my goodness! Thats fantastic Ben and the banana leaf!! A silouette of your child!! Take a picture of that for framing. Each child posing differently behind their leaf!!

[@gailpoirier1857]

This is my second comment Jess, I hope you know you must leave your sweet potatoes for a while before eating too sweeten up, otherwise they will just taste like regular potatoes. I love you , your garden and your hole family! You’ve been such an inspiration for me these past two years. You really are a blessed family.! I am 68 years old, these days you are an exception. My life was very similar to your family’s until I was 8 yrs. old when my father passed at thirty six. Only we had a wood stove, even more work for mom and daddy. I pray your energy keeps up with your dreams. You are such a beautiful woman . Thanks for letting us watch.

[@victoriabrown5920]

You definitely said it right! 'Underground crops ARE so fascinating!" I'm sitting here watching in awe as you pull out your sweet potatoes lol Blows the mind of this 'city' girl ;)

[@happyheartgarden]

Love watching the kids having so much fun in the garden.

[@lunarsma8446]

My heart is warmed knowing your gardening heart will have the high tunnel to make your own this year and going forward! Fairy lights, a few cozy nooks to sit and write/connect/relax. A winter garden sanctuary. Dang, it must smell and feel so good in there. Re the seeds-- you say "hasty", I hear "passionate". xo

[@latoychamom]

I would absolutely love if you did a video that is a "day in the life" style - how do all of your dishes get cleaned and your laundry get washed? How do you have time to make teas and skin care products? I have 4 kids and a fraction of the garden that you do, and will be homeschooling this year. I don't know how in the world you get everything done, and I'd love to be a fly on your wall so I could learn 🤣

[@mirandarose7276]

I feel like you haven’t posted much lately and I’m sure its because of your family! Ive missed seeing your videos. I truly cherish the information you share and really enjoy your family, farm and lifestyle! PLEASE continue to make videos!

[@fruitafarmgirl]

Seeing the possible path of Laura I see you might be in her path. Wishing you all the best and we’ll be praying for you all!

[@kelseyamberg9677]

My four year old son loves to watch your videos with me. He would like Ben and Ezra to be his best friends. They are too cute!

[@weebitfluffy]

I can't wait to see the sweet potato harvest!

[@gwackamoley]

I love the idea of making the high tunnel into a winter refuge. Just string some twinkly Christmas lights up in the rafters and put on a timer.

[@hdnelson2003]

A table, chairs and maybe something like a coffee bar?

[@kele1264]

Bruce is such a beautiful cat.

[@kprairiesun]

Longer days are over too soon! Nice sweet potatoes! The boys carrying the banana leaves looked so cute

[@TalkingThreadsMedia]

Jess... Maybe you need to help "set the mood" 🤣😜. Silk pajamas and some Barry White should do the trick!😇 Kate

[@ElderandOakFarm]

🤣

[@deborahkelley8641]

What a beautiful way to wake up. I’ve been buying all my sweet potatoes and vegetables at a local Farmers Market. Pretty Awesome Banana Leaves!!🙏❤️from VA

[@debbiethorington482]

So excited to hear you say Lights in the high tunnel! Can’t wait to see them🤩 &...color on its door🙏🏻

[@justiciam.6951]

I love that as you dug potatoes you whispered..."there's more". Your joy brought a smile to my tired face.

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

Hahahaha it’s so joyful!

[@mudchuk]

No one can resist the allure of Ross Poldark ❤️

[@karenlemley8656]

It's nice to have different sizes of sweet potatoes. Large ones take much longer to cook so if you're in a hurry you can fix a pan of the smaller ones in no time and they're so tender too. We used to pressure can the smaller ones too.

[@steffaniewalz8444]

Broody chickens! I've never in the 12 years we've had chickens had so many babies. I have one that is sitting right now, that never happens this late in the season for us. Just sort of makes me wonder what God has in store, or that he knows is coming. Two days ago I was watching a news article on China and the 3 Georges dam. They've already lost thousands of farms and families. They said they've lost crops they sell to the USA, along with mega chicken farms ( eggs and meat) So, that just made me think about the chickens that have been broody all summer and even now. I've never seen their clutches so large either. One of ours hatched out 12 chicks. I hope and pray our winter crops are as prolific as our chickens have been this year.They way you feel about potatoes being Christmas, that is how I feel about finding eggs LOL. God Bless you!

[@marniechamberlin361]

I want to thank you so much for all the content ya'll present. ❤

[@evaluhale]

I have such a hard time with the fall because everything dies. I have a hard time even appreciating the fall colors because the reason the leaves are the beautiful colors is because they are dying. I have to focus on the beauty of each season and celebrate that spring and summer will come again.

[@Nan-Elle]

I feel sad, too. I still have tomatoes and peppers in my garden producing, but I cut down my corn stalks yesterday and tied them up as Fall decorations and shared them with my neighbor and my ladies---my daughter and my daughter-in-law. It's so sad, like when your first kid leaves for college. Aside from this, I really always cherish Fall here in New England. There's nothing like boots, and a warm sweater, crispy leaves falling on the ground in those blazing colors. And it's the last delicious part of the year before the snow and ice comes. Sniff...

[@amandalove5841]

I also have a little struggle with winter. This year I've set an alarm for 4.30 am every morning to flick on my lamp so I can wake up to some light. I always think, time to turn on the sun, as I do this lol. Happily, my wake up time coincides with your usual upload time so I enjoy a little dreaming about summer sun before I get out of bed each day. These two little motivations to start my winter days has helped me commit to my first winter garden ever and it has been very rewarding. Thanks for sharing your summer during my winter. It's what has kept me going during to cold and dark times.

[@dpcsharr]

I am not a sweet potato grower, but I think the sizes you pulled are quite large; well they are long and not real fat, but look perfect to me. How exciting!! I love to see you get excited because I feel the same when I find goodies in the garden too. 😀.

[@dorisartman]

I love the idea of the winter refuge!💕 Thanks for bringing us along in you life! It's such a blessing to have the older generation with you!❤💕 You guys are such a blessing!💜💝💕

[@barbaragriffith3723]

I live in the Caribbean and you have the ingredients for a dish we call conkies....it's wrapped in banana leaves and another main ingredient is sweet potatoes

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

I’ll look it up! Thanks!

[@barbaragriffith3723]

@@RootsandRefugeFarm You are most welcome

[@lydiabrittanandtheroyalfamily]

Did you know you can eat the vines?? The stems and leaves are delicious when lightly stir fried and salted! 💚💚💚

[@bhavens9149]

purple Brussels Sprouts, just putting it out there!

[@karenm5681]

"Yes, my Queen...no problem, my Queen!" So sweet. You said the high tunnel was a Winter Refuge. That goes nicely with the theme of Roots and Refuge! It's also a refuge from the crazy heat of summer with the shade cloth! (Just a passing thought. Maybe there's an idea there for a sign or a name for the high tunnel.)

[@leahsanimalchannel6117]

You can eat the pea plant👍

[@minxkapinx4ever]

Such an incredible vlog. I love watching you and your entire family interact with love for each other, and the life you are giving your children. So amazing. So blessed.

[@katherinebragg9704]

Might want to pull the sweet potatoes as they get woody the longer they stay in. Those baby ones are the loss you take for getting the good big ones. You could always peel them and make a great casserole, or cook and mix with dogs food. I'm looking forward to all that your high tunnel can produce for you this winter. Great video by the way. 😁. God bless!

[@trishapomeroy9251]

Living in the north, August always stresses me out...all the things we have to get done before the first snow and "is there enough time for those tomatoes in the greenhouse to ripen?!" Once that first real snow comes though, it's the moment that I say "ahhh ok, it's time to rest a little bit now". I am eager to see your winter greenhouse space when you get it all set up for sitting.

[@ronhart4166]

You guys had a lot of changes and additions this summer season !! Congratulations on your success 👊

[@avonleanne]

I cannot WAIT to see how many sweet potatoes you have OMWORD!

[@Maranatha_Acres]

Love you guys!! Can’t wait to see the high tunnel domesticated! 😉

[@katalina235]

Soo excited for the sawmill vlogs!

[@heatherpittard9027]

SO LOVE your Roots and Refuge vlog! I thought it is an old myth that green potatoes have toxins? I used to have sweet potatoes in my garden in the Peace Corps but for now live in the city with a small balcony garden. It was fun to see you pull up your first sweet potatoes! They are in the morning glory family and their blooms open so lovely in the morning. It was neat to learn that many (or all?) autumn crops don't rely on pollinators; I never thought of that, but it makes sense! It will be fun to see what you do with your green house as fall comes! Cheers to you all and all your work and fun!

[@SouthernLatitudesFL]

Personally, I would pull them. You can save the smaller ones to reseed and also make some slips from some of those greens. They root up very fast in a jar of water. Bring them in the house or greenhouse and you'll feel like you're having some spring in the middle of winter.

[@janehutchinson9860]

Those sweet potatoes look delicious!

[@user-in2cp1kd4g]

Sweet potatoes take 3 to 4 months from when you planted the slips (most varieties take at least 100 days to reach maturity). Usually, sweet potatoes are ready to harvest when the leaves and ends of the vines have started turning yellow, but you can leave them in the ground up until the fall frost.

[@patwilliamson4701]

You guys are such a blessing!

[@tielde8199]

The best success I had with nut grass was loosening the soil down the roots and finding the "nut" at the end of the main root and removing it all together.

[@lauriesickles5393]

Fun time hanging out with you guys, just put in a banana tree. Can't wait till the leaves are as big as yours!

[@susanr791]

That was funny - I’ve got enough salsa for a year. Done.

[@carriem7832]

I planted my potatoes and sweet potatoes in straw filled trenches after amending the soil below and kept the roots covered with straw. I cut the plant top off leaving the stump to show me where the potatoes were.....then all I did was pull up and it made harvesting them so much easier.

[@jujube2407]

You will always have some "small ones" so i use those almost right away to make mashed sweet potatoes!!! And save the bigger ones for curing for storage... medium ones for the kids... the large ones for you mia nanny and poppy!

[@papirojo4228]

Last year, I took all of my undersized sweet potatoes, cleaned them up, cooked them, made a semi hard caramel, and tossed the sweet taters in the caramel while it was still hot and let them cool. Yum yum.

[@pamkaufman3662]

I'm with you Jess. Fall makes me kind of sad. I live in Michigan so fall means many cold, dark days ahead and nothing is growing.😢

[@angelicadial7513]

You should plant one tomato plant with some companions for protection and see if it can withstand into the winter months!

[@AdventuresinGardening]

Excited to see what you’ll do in the high tunnel this winter!

[@samanthabarris3729]

Those are a tasty sized sweet potatoes 👍

[@susieclark1498]

I'm excited to see the high tunnel in the winter; you will love it I'm sure.

[@suellenw561]

We're now a family of 2 instead of 5. The smaller sweet potatoes are great for baking ... each is a serving for one. The big ones need to be cut up to prepare & then there's leftovers. I realize your family would view that differently. Either way ... yummy.

[@sandrainontario6710]

I am in Ontario and kind of freaking out about the approaching fall and Winter I am so grateful that you will be there with me

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

I certainly will!

[@tamic193]

Fall is my most favorite time of year!

[@fairytalefarm830]

I am in 7b, Apison TN and I usually wait until after the first frost! Never had one get too hard or stringy. You also have to cure them in warm/humidity to sweeten them up. I learned from our girl Shannie at BC! She has a great video on sweet potatoes.

[@jewels3923]

I agree with you statement about root veggies. It's like Christmas 😁

[@jewels3923]

I planted carrots and parsnips this morning.....can't wait to see what I get. I'm in Arkansas too 😁

[@corazonrepetto8088]

Have a suggestion maybe move one of your banana plants inside the high tunnel you might be able to get bananas. I’ve been watching your channel you have a nice garden and your farm animals are booming 😃 fun to watch your channel. I have a small garden no farm animals though.

[@lindaburnette670]

You’re not alone, I get sad as summer leaves.

[@drewblack749]

Can’t stand the sound of the acorns this early either:)

[@rachelgrinnell]

Me too. I miss summer and I miss growing things equally as much.

[@julieb9215]

My dad LOVED sweet potatoes! He always liked the small to medium ones vs the larger ones. I bought a bag of small ones the end of last year & I have to say they were really good.

[@sharoncardenas5447]

Baked sweet potatoes or casserole tonight, YUMMY! How did your corn do? Have you planted your brussel sprouts yet? Maybe your goat's a little gay! Some animals are...! Blessings to ALL! ❤😊

[@maryjemisonMaryjay1936]

Big Sweet potatoes I think they’re ready

[@cedarwoman2]

To truly get rid of the nutgrass you need to dig it up and retrieve all the little nuts it is attached to in the ground. Found this out the hard way working at the Botanic Garden in Memphis.

[@lindaedwards9756]

The smaller ones are sooo sweet . When we get sweet potatoes in the fall from SC growers they are various sizes and we are okay with that .

[@leahr.2620]

I love growing sweet potatoes and the leaves are good sautéd too.

[@raist315]

I like the summer crops, but I'm more than ready for summer to end. I'm done with hot weather. Bring on the cool Fall days.

[@jenniferreed2314]

I literally screamed when you mentioned the selenium gel! That was me! 😂

[@ElderandOakFarm]

I grew potatoes for the first time this year, it's like christmas! (Or a box of chocolates) You never know what you're going to get!

[@Las362]

Summer here in upstate NY is so short and I am sad to see it go. Having to pull my garden this year is breaking my heart. Maybe someday I will have a green house too. Excited to see how you transform the high tunnel. Blessings to you and the family

[@roxannern9393]

Those are good sizes. Use the smallest for slips. Medium size is great for roasting. If the roots get too large, you'll end up feeding them to the pigs.

[@mjf719]

I've been growing sweet potatoes for several years. In general, you will get your largest tubers where you planted the slip and smaller ones where the vine put down additional roots.

[@aprilinthegarden]

heck yes garden queeeeeen!!

[@malloriehatley]

Looking forward to Fall with you. ❤

[@sheilamorse2624]

I love the fall....its what is beyond the fall season that makes me sad.