Backyard Garden Wander - Tour and Thoughts

[@infopubs]

Sean, I love how you can spontaneously speak in full paragraphs about each of the plants in your green community. Your videos always teach me something!

[@lindageorge6663]

Sean I wish the folks in my area would get what you're saying they won't put a seed in the earth to save their lives but are quick to know if I'm planting a garden they're so lazy

[@Christodophilus]

I recently had an ah-ha moment in my kitchen garden. Being right out the backdoor, it's all planted in containers. I've recognised after growing in the containers for several years now, it's beneficial to change out the soil every 12 months. The plants do so much better. I've resisted doing this in the past though, because I could never think of what to do with the spent soil. After installing some raised beds nearby, recently, I realised it would be easy to top them off, every year with my spent container soil. As the soil in raised beds, tends to drop after a year. There's also worm activity in raised beds (that isn't in the containers) to rejuvenate that spent soil. I love realising how I can close loops, between something that has been spent, and what needs rejuvenating. So that changing out my container soil, every year, becomes important to facilitating other food growing areas. My hesitancy in changing container soil, reminds me of your procrastination on how your plants are growing too. You certainly know what needs to be addressed, but without knowing how to facilitate another stream of productivity in that action - it kind of feels like a waste to make drastic changes. At least that's how I felt initially. Once the goal-post for why that drastic change is required, was clear, could I snap into action without second-guessing myself.

[@mountainman3602]

Just a few thoughts that helped me and others. Adding depleted soil to your raised beds may help with volume but it's nutrients etc. that are needed. When I was working with Growing Power in Wisc. before they closed they always added old soil to compost piles to add nutrients and microbiology to it then you have your source for repotting next year. This will give you better yields.

[@WalkScripture]

You Sir are such an inspiration on so many levels. Living about 150 miles east of you in New Hampshire, you give me so many ideas for how we can best steward our homestead.

[@amyp8162]

Man those seaberry are GORGEOUS!!!! the blue foliage against the reddish orange fruit is stunning. Would make a pretty holiday wreath I bet

[@edibleacres]

They are really beautiful plants to be around for sure.

[@Warrior-In-the-Garden]

Thanks- I didn't know that about tulsi for rabbits. Everything looks great. Love what you said about community sufficiency rather than self sufficiency. With all the work I put in to intentionally grow things, I find the sweet surprises to be the most rewarding. A few days ago I found a black walnut I didn't know we had and the wild grapes that were tiny last year are full size. Still on the look out for comfrey....its got to be here somewhere.

[@jessicalowery8035]

Check with Har

[@GrownByHand]

I've had luck finding wild comfrey along small streams. I would recommend getting some Bocking 14 though, much less invasive.

[@angelaobrien7698]

Thank you for your positive approach to the garden. Sometimes it can get overwhelming in my garden but your wise words are very reasuring.

[@edibleacres]

It's almost a pep talk for me to not get overwhelmed, too!!

[@xyzsame4081]

@@edibleacres Hi, have you heard of the method of Sepp Holzer to transplant fairly large trees ? And out of season, too ! In his climate zone (and likely in your neck of the woods as well) the traditional time for planting a tree is is either spring or fall, and conventional wisdom has it that you can't transplant them when they have gotten too big. As a boy Sepp (Joseph) was already a plant, tree and garden enthusiast. he once brought home a fairly large sappling that was overturned during logging work (he had found it at the street when he walked to school, and picked it up when going home, so that tree was lying around with at least partially exposed roots for at least 2 days, could have been in a shady place of course). His mother told him, not to expect it would grow, it had already lost the leaves. It was in (early) summer, and the thing looked just sad - never mind the wrong planting season and that it was too large to be transplanted. He had "leased" a piece of land from his father. Mountain farm, rocky underground not much soil in many places, extensive cattle farming (dairy) as main income source, and a hard life (he was born in the 1940s). His personal spot for doing gardening was a steeper hill (well the Krameterhof is nothing bit slope) his father was not interested in making hay off that place (which says something, if you consider how frugal these mountain farmers were and had to be). Which was the reason he let the boy have it for a nominal lease. But it was not close to the house, so no water. Some dew during night for sure, probably some rain (even in summer, this is in the Alpes), not not much water holding capacity in that soil, or it would have been used for hay making. Young Joseph was unfazed, and planted the tree and he did not water it, because he had no water. Low and behold, the tree had dropped, or did drop all leaves, went into survival mode and invested into roots, big time. So the boy was overjoyed to see that the tree got new leaves after a time (I seem to remember 2 - 4 weeks, it did not take very long), it had estbalished itself - shock treatment and all. Sepp Holzer remembered the happy accident later and tweaked the process. He also used it to plant larger trees in one of the oil rich monarchies in the Middle East (he had a consulting job, I forgot which country it was). He thinks that it was crucial that he did not have water. If he had given the tree water, it might have tried to grow leaves and this was not the time for it. It likely still had enough reserves to establish roots. Trees can survive w/o leaves (for a while), but not w/o roots. So his method is to dig out the tree WAIT until the tree drops all leaves ! Give it a lage hole with moist soil, but to not water it. Now if it is very hot and dry one might have to tweak the process, some mulching would be wise. But the tree should not have any leaves (so no investment there), and it should not get any liquid water so it was activate the roots big time. Which will save it. That shock transplantation may have cost the tree a year but on the other hand it was already larger than the usual sapplings.

[@xyzsame4081]

@@edibleacres Since you have so many young trees you could test with one or a few that are diposable and see what happens, I guess it would be less scary to see it lose all leaves and not water, if you (the new owners) are not super disappointed if it does not work out. The hole is already dug, and if they do not get leaves within a few weeks you know the experimetn failed. IF it works out, I can see a new niche for you and a special offer for you potential cliens. People that have a lot of deer pressure - larger trees are easier to protect (and as long as the tree does not even have leaves they will not be interested). Or people that want a more advanced tree on an existing property. you could do a 3 for the price of 2 package for trusted clients and if they stick to your instructions (!) and none of the trees establishes itself they can come back for new ones (for free or at a heavy discount) later. Would also be an interesting video, with a catchy title I can see that getting a lot of views.(mentioned Holzer could help, and impossible tree planting, ...) I read that ancectode in one of his books, and he stressed. 1) No planting with leaves - keeping the tree unplanted until if drops the leaves. The tree he found as boy may even have been exposed to the sun, not sure about that. 2) No water. - Under the special circumstances, smaller trees are planted during the season and with (some) water. I remember that the tree was larger than usual and that he used that method for larger trees, and the planting was done out of season (but it was not cold). I seem to remember that episode was in the first book that he published (in German), not sure if that was even published in English. It describes his childhood, how he came to distrust modern farming methods - he got burned a few times following the latest silver bullet, and reurned to experimenting and observing as he had done as boy. Farming used to be very static, and farmers unwilling to use new practices, but after WW2 that changed (not only in Austria). Modern farming just took off in the 1960s (he took over the farm in 1962)and the professional representation of farmers and the government supported "modern agriculture" ....artificial nitrogen fertilizer into fish ponds, spruce monocultures and all. His first (German) book also descrubes the struggle with local autorities, because he violated the letter of the laws that protect the forests which protect the land (from too much rainfall, and also avalanches). So "agriculture" was and still is outlawed in land dedicated to forests, the trees cannot be all cut down at once in many regions. And all of that is even more sensitive in the mountains. So I get that the local authorities got nervous when he started teraccing and making ponds (also not allowed) etc. His style of farming did not compromise the protective forests (not on his farm at least, he messed up a consulting job much later that ended with a mudslide on public street) - he fought a lot of battles with local civil administrators about his earthworks and having productive elements (fruit trees, terraces, ponds, eath stables for pigs) in the mountain forest All of that is not relevant for the non-German speaking book market (They have similar protective laws in Switzerland and Germany) so I do not know where you could find the information about the tree planting method in the English books. But he has one with practical advice (Sepp Holzer's permaculture) which I do not know and there is a chance he has his tree trick in it. meaning a library nearby could get you informed.

[@ourlifeoutwest7912]

I love the tour through your garden. The wildness is beautiful.

[@seehesawopenthedoor765]

You sir have actualised the wonderland of my imagination! Thank you for sharing your gardens and knowledge. What you’ve done is the gold standard of what I’d like to do. 🙏

[@colinmcgee5931]

What a wonderful problem for you, and your plants, to have! We seeded some fall vegetables and within a day got clobbered by massive thunderstorms, so expect now to find those veggies coming up in all sorts of unexpected and interesting spots! I'd love to see what Sasha does with purslane!

[@edibleacres]

I wouldn't mind a thunderstorm clobbering :). We're trending towards super dry again :(

[@Adamu98]

Cattails is a very useful plant. The brown top is a great fire starter and it has a edible tuber similar to a turnip.

[@JohnDoe_88]

My friend you have a special talent being able to stack and organize so much diversity. That is maximizing the space.

[@edibleacres]

Thanks kindly, I'd say almost to a fault!

[@cliffpalermo]

Woa stacking functions. The way you work and understand how these plants work together is amazing thank you for sharing and more please

[@iameliot]

Yesss "stacking functions" with Tulsi! Also love it for edging, pollinator support and the balancing medicine

[@Rodgerrynd08]

Success means having better problems! Your garden continues to evolve and it is gorgeous. Great work Edible Acres team! I can imagine having to make decisions about what stays and what goes becomes incredibly complicated. Thankful for your abundance and your ability to manage it well.

[@daves.3895]

I'd like to see a video on the process you use to dig up these more mature plants in the dormant season. Tips for less work and more success if you have any.

[@edibleacres]

For sure. We have some tools we invested in that let us dig, hopefully we'll have time with a mild enough winter to move most of them and will share notes.

[@antiowarr9467]

Never commented on all ur vids, and I never miss any. Know ur busy and can appreciate work involved for sure. Love the garden tour and look forward to the vids to come. Thx and say hi to Sasha. cheers

[@edibleacres]

Hey Antio, nice to hear from ya :)

[@sharonagoren6751]

In my eyes, the beauty of your garden is extraordinary! It is amazing! I have a small back yard system that reminds of yours. Do I ever so love it! And yes community is needed for diversity of talents and minds as well as diversity of plats.

[@gigis.garden]

Loved that video.. My whole allotment has gone feral but in such a beautiful way.. I can hardly get in there at the moment!

[@ang350]

Loved this wander. I have many plants that I need to learn to identify. In your next wander, could you pick some of the medicinal plants to show and explain identification and herbal uses? Thank you for your time to share this information.

[@edibleacres]

Great suggestion, thank you!

[@debbiehenri345]

I also have parts of my garden that are starting to say, "No hoomans!" (Most notably where my giant raspberries meet nettles). For the most part, this is okay, and I indulge their wish to go bonkers and take over at this time of the year. In other places, it's just unacceptable, because if they go too wild there, I'm excluded from regular harvesting spots. To restrain plants in the latter situation, I have made some arches from large gauge wire mesh (which comes in a roll here in the UK and comes in panel form in America), and I fit these over the pathway where I know trouble starts around May/June. I'm also making willow arches to do the same job as the mesh (only in a greener way). My plants know they can fling themselves up and against the mesh as much as they want, but bits will get cut off if they venture within.

[@edibleacres]

We do most of our 'reset' once the plants go to sleep in the fall. Sell, trade, expand elsewhere, donate, they find new healthy homes where they can expand like mad and have fun in a novel space. Feels OK, just need to keep up with that happening in many places!

[@MartinaSchoppe]

My garden says "No hoomans!", too right now. Here it's nettles and bindweed. That is about the worst plant combo ever invented. I need a goat or two...

[@julie-annepineau4022]

Love the wildness of the space and your perception and honouring the mood of the areas. It is a mindset and an issue I hope to have in the future!

[@chelseahartweg2938]

I love all of this. Thank you for your thoughts and the work and care you put out into the world!

[@TheGggnome]

A Great Sage such as yourself brother...2,000views. How to lose belly fat overnight...9 million views. What sad world we live in. Keep up the great work my friend, blessings to you and yours.

[@seikokidrick1658]

Love, love ❤️ the video I couldn’t have enough of it. Beautiful way to say it! God bless you and your work.

[@kwazi6789]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with those of us just starting down this road!

[@edibleacres]

You are so welcome!

[@yolylacy5416]

I love your wild abundant permaculture. Thanks for taking the time to show up your work.

[@edscukas9689]

Love the diversity! I planted sea berries this year I think I’m on the edge of the chill hours they need (zone 8) hoping they produce as well as yours can’t wait to taste those fresh medicinal yard snacks!!

[@edibleacres]

Fingers crossed. Make sure you have a good healthy male in the mix, they are easy to have die off!

[@debbiehenri345]

After all the promotion of Seaberries on various permaculture channels, I planted 10 young plants in the sunniest part of my garden just a few months ago. I first tried eating these as wild berries growing on the Norfolk coast (UK). Really powerful taste. Like super-concentrated oranges. Eaten raw, they made the whole family wince, and then decide they were actually rather nice.

[@edscukas9689]

EdibleAcres yeah the one male I had needed a lot of TLC. It’s alive and thriving so far!

[@Crina-LudmilaCristeaAuthor]

Wow, it's a jungle, an edible jungle!!Most people would need a navigation system, and even then, it's so dense they/we would probably get slightly lost or confused about where the paths are.🤗 I didn't know there's such things as white blackberry. Interesting. I wonder how it tastes like... Those seabuckthorn plants look wonderful, so full with fruit! My dad always has that medicine. I went harvesting for seaberries with them last time I was back home. Lots and lots of great thoughtful things in this video. Thank you for sharing, Sean!🤗

[@seikokidrick1658]

I learn so much. This is me.

[@crispyglove]

Hummingbird moths are a hornworm species, but they're not the tomato hornworm (there are a lot of different hornworms).

[@edibleacres]

Thanks

[@acsoul1]

Hey Sean! Have you done a follow up to this video? In particular the fun challenges you were having with the nursery crop gone wild at the beginning?

[@edibleacres]

I'm not sure ifthere is a specific follow up... Hmmm. Maybe it's time to do an update tour of our backyard!

[@makeitkate3240]

It’s good to hear that it’s okay when life doesn’t go according to plan. I’d love to get the contact info for the apricot orchard owner. I’m in rural zone 6 Utah and everything here happens slowly through the mail. Thanks for the video.

[@edibleacres]

Search "Robert Purvis" online and look for his orchard. Lovely person!

[@SaraJaneKotowski]

Luv the Forest style

[@anarchyfarming]

I love this so much!!

[@edibleacres]

Wonderful!

[@debbrumley5623]

thank you for what you do ! I get so many ideas from your videos and learn so much !

[@halfmanhalf_amazing9121]

Thanks for this inspiring and encouraging vedio, it inspired me a lot,and hoping when i come home, i will apply all the things i learned about permaculture ,🙏🙏🙏

[@wildedibles819]

Lol pathway needs to be managed at my garden lol The rabbits and chickens planted sunflower seeds and oats I'm busy harvesting that and finding and feeding plants with compost and chop and drop My garden is pretty Wilde too lol I'm glad it's not just a lawn now

[@rustystork7477]

That isn't the tomato hornworm moth...the tomato hornworm turns in to a 5 spotted Hawkmoth: Manduca quinquemaculatus. That beauty is a stunning species of Clearwing Hummingbird moth: Hemaris thysbe.

[@edibleacres]

Thanks for the details :)

[@haileywarner5109]

Your videos are inspiring me to try growing food in my backyard in the American southwest. No clue what I'm doing, but baby steps! :)

[@edibleacres]

Yay!

[@stacking4retirement222]

What a wonderful video! ❤

[@TheTrock121]

Have you considered sowing mushrooms as a companion planting? Last year, I top dressed my Raspberry patch w/ horse manure and about 4" of wood chips. Wine Cap Mushroom Spawn planted in the shade behind the patch produced a huge crop and should come up for several years.

[@edibleacres]

Really nice layering idea. Wine cap under raspberries makes a lot of sense since raspberries make deep shade and both love wood chips. Good thinking!

[@rickfarrell610]

good stuff

[@noah786]

Could you pollard the root stock and graft onto the shoots that comes back?

[@edibleacres]

For sure. Tons of pathways we can explore.

[@loulous7]

I love your videos. I have plenty of purslane in my garden. I would like to request a video as to what you do with the purslane after you harvest it. TIA

[@edibleacres]

A few folks mentioned that. I'll share that request with Sasha for sure.

[@olgakuchukov6981]

Love it. I’ve got areas like this for sure!

[@edibleacres]

Important to give ourselves and our gardens some appreciation, latitude, and love!

[@PartTimePermies]

Oikos is just a few miles from us in SW MI.

[@edibleacres]

That is a lucky thing indeed!

[@trooperandcooperale3057]

Just literally wandering through your wonderful garden. It's hard to be brutal in a garden as all plants have their purpose and beauty and their place, I don't mind a vine reaching up for the sky on another tree, but you do need to be able to get through. I however draw the line at the Black Locust (Robinia Pseudoacia) Not only is it poisonous (not life threating, but you'll be uncomfortable) but the root runners aka Suckers will take over your yard and the neighbours. The parent tree is absolutely beautiful. Very difficult to manage the suckers once they get a foothold, remove one and it will just sucker up another 5 or so. btw I'm in Australia and they are Banned in NSW.

[@edibleacres]

Personally I find Black Locust to be one of our favorite trees! SO many uses but yeah, definitely challenging!

[@dimitrinoahutz9547]

i love your point from the - let it be - when it it clearly feels like that you are not welcome. take a few steps back and come again on a different day, or in an other growing period. as it feels to me you have other places that wish more of you beloved touch from you hands. and i think the middle ground id a nice meeting place, but "radical exicution" helps also with the dialog between the gardener and the plants.

[@dimitrinoahutz9547]

ps. love the red swiss chard - we call them mangold, or in local accent "chrutschtilä"

[@yai1595]

More chicken videos please!😊 I love watching them dig around.

[@edibleacres]

I will keep this in mind, definite plans for that soon !

[@ang350]

You could just post raw video of the chickens and we would watch. 🥰

[@robbieevans6536]

I noticed you have a single red shiso plant... That thing will seed and will create a large patch of shiso next year...I have a huge patch of the green shiso that seeded itself.

[@edibleacres]

Most shiso we have come back as little seedlings, we need to save seed more so we have a bit more say!

[@coarsegoldguy7414]

What wonderful "problems" to have. One of my plans for moving towards similar problems is to take all the various seeds I have saved and purchased over the last 8 years and scatter them haphazardly across my small space this fall when the rain starts. Let them tell me where they want to live.

[@edibleacres]

Really fun idea!

[@jordan450r]

@edibleacres have you ever thought about using an insta360 or GoPro360 for a 360° walk through your garden? Would be interesting for sure.

[@edibleacres]

That could be interesting, but I'm not sure I'd buy one for it :)

[@acsoul1]

Great video

[@saltriverorchards4190]

I hope you plan on selling good cultivars of seaberry. There isn’t hardly any for sale in the US. What little there are is extremely expensive. I just bought one male and one female small bareroot shipped total -$73

[@edibleacres]

Yeah, thats too expensive. We're working on it but it's taking time and it's hard to do all the things in a year! perfectcircle.farm is worth checking out...

[@saltriverorchards4190]

@@edibleacres thanks. I shot them an email. Their site says they’re out of stock but hopefully they will contact me back when they have more available.

[@Thoughmuchistaken]

The chipmunks may not have to think much about what to do, but your deliberation is appreciated. Good subject matter to deliberate over.

[@wildedibles819]

That's right I grow squash well but suck at growing cucumbers so I try to buy them from a local farm:) Sharing is the way

[@edibleacres]

We had crazy failure on cucumbers this year!

[@wildedibles819]

@@edibleacres ive heard that around But every year is a bad year i gave up lol But i love zuchinni and i use that like cucumber too so its all good

[@jojoyojimbi]

why was the thumbnail moringa but i didn't see any moringa in your plantings? are you able to grow it as an annual herb in central NY? asking because the wife and i are purchasing an acreage and Moringa's a miracle plant i've gotten quite interested in

[@edibleacres]

The plant in the photo I believe is Black Locust. Both Nitrogen fixing plants so that may be where the confusion is coming from...

[@myoffgridforestgardenadven3938]

Looking beaut, good growing from Portugal:)

[@triciascott9254]

What do seaberries taste like? Do you dry them? If not, how are they stored? Actually Googled them. The oil is prized for hair and skin and it's rich in many vitamins ...taste citrus like. Reminds me of pyracantha a bit in looks. Still researching....

[@edibleacres]

To me they taste like a tart/sour and intense but lovely tangerine/grapefruit with a satisfying oilyness in a subtle way. We press juice from them that we dilute in water and it is amazing.

[@triciascott9254]

@@edibleacres I'm so interested in learning how to extract the oil..went down a rabbit hole on Google last night.. now I'm wanting to make both ginger and seaberry oils for diffusers and wax melts..two of my fav scents..ginger and citrus. Have you or Sasha tried extracting the oils from either seaberry or the ginger flowers? (The ginger you showcased this week, I'm anxiously waiting to see in a video from you once they bloom)

[@suicunerider8720]

Your yard is dope

[@xX4estXx]

Any suggestions on creating mulch without a wood chipper? I have plenty of sticks and logs, but no wood chipper.

[@edibleacres]

Make hugelmounds out of them and let them break down slowly! And/or make biochar out of the smaller sticks!

[@lindakurtz2653]

It's now January, 2022- just rewatched this video. would love to see how this area moves forward. What context(s) are you moving it towards or allowing it to move towards?

[@edibleacres]

I'd have to rewatch it to remember!

[@lindakurtz2653]

It’s just beyond the hoophouse with the watering trough outside it in your backyard.

[@franek_izerski]

Maybe you've reached that point in a "food forest", where you mainly just harvest with some careful management of the whole thing. For the nursery part maybe you should find other spaces.

[@edibleacres]

The problem is our backyard is the 'zone 1' of our landscape, the most intimate and accessible, so having it release into later succession would mean we'd need that intimate space to exist now further away. Design problems that we set in motion ourselves :)

[@franek_izerski]

@@edibleacres Ok, I understand. So you should slowly move the almost mature "food forest" out of zone 1. But you don't have a zone 2 right next to zone 1. Well, at least you've shown us all this wealth that is possible in such a limited space. Just saw your Akiva video: that's a different kind of 'space'! (I'm really envious of Akiva's place.)

[@Limogi]

A *real* food forest.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

What I wonder is, what tools do people with jungle style gardens use to manage the jungle? I would rather use hand tools but it looks like I will have to invest in an electric hedge trimmer.

[@edibleacres]

I have used an electric trimmer at our other spot to get around some areas. It is rough and coarse. A scythe is nice in larger areas, but in this context a good pair of pruners can do 95% of the work.

[@debbiehenri345]

I do prefer to use secateurs, loppers, pruning saw and a bow-saw rather than electric hedge trimmers - even for the 1000ft of mixed hedging I have here. It's a lot of work, but with secateurs I can ensure those plants which need gentler or more rigorous handling get the appropriate treatment they need, otherwise an even degree of pruning favours the strongest plants every time. It really is easy to lose sight of something that bit more delicate which grows slower but needs sun/wind protection from another more boisterous plant.

[@jeffmartin924]

Do you have much Japanese Beetle pressure in your landscape?

[@edibleacres]

They definitely come but haven't been too rough.

[@lindalu8565]

How wet are your soil naturally? Was your soil compacted or just wet? Thank you!

[@edibleacres]

Both super compacted and very wet.

[@panoskar8952]

Can you reall root grapes in summer or are hese cuttings being taken in winter/march?

[@edibleacres]

I think folks do both,but we tend to get better results in later winter, early spring.

[@sean-or1nc]

Make your green house bigger!

[@judithsears8145]

Do you start your apricots from the pits and they make fruit when mature?

[@edibleacres]

Yep! Really like growing them from seed, they grow quickly and start bearing at 3-4 years of age!

[@gardentours]

Amazing how this food forest developed to a jungle.

[@edibleacres]

Happened pretty darn fast for sure.

[@thecurrentmoment]

Interesting video. I've seen this issue before so I'll chip in my two cents to the communal ideas fund, and hopefully there is something you haven't thought of. Based on the trend of ecological succession here it looks like it WILL turn into a forest if you leave it! (I've seenit happen before....) and then you will have to think of something different to do with the land, e.g. forest farming. The other outcome is to leave a few trees and end up with a light woodland instead of a forest. That could work. Essentially you are going to have to work out how much area you can actively manage and passively the manage the rest, maybe gleaning plants before they get too big to sell/move, and you need to work out how long before it becomes unworkable. Essentially you'll probably end up with some sort of rotation, I imagine, e.g. if the trees are unworkable after 4 years, then you have to keep at least 1/4 of your nursery under control, and if it takes 10 years then you only need to a 10th and so on. Maybe you should work out the minimum gap size you need to have for a nursery as well, then you can let things grow quite large before cutting them back. Basically I imagine you would cut an area back every 4 years or so and start again, keeping the ecological succession cycling back to the start. Having your intensively managed area, then gleaning volunteer trees from the surrounding area before they get too big. You might be able to keep on top of it just gleaning outside your intensive areas, and just chop areas back when necessary, or maybe just thin them out to one tree and use the shade. With a nursery, trees can't just stay there so you need a plan for when they become unsaleable after 4, 5,10 years, etc. Even if it is just digging them up and burning them. One thing I can imagine using young trees for is as bundles of kindling to get your fire going. Maybe you could even sell them. I imagine lopping them to the right length should be a fairly efficient process compared to splitting kindling with an axe. Alternatively, you might be able to make and sell artist's charcoal - I've heard that different species of tree have different properties that artists appreciate. I think willow is the traditional species, but imagine an artist using apple wood charcoal? All that small wood would be an ideal size for that. Chipping is another option, but biochar would be a better option. Or propagation material but it might be hard to process all the biomass that way. Maybe you could sell big batches of propagation material to people, even to other nurseries. Could be an option. At the end of the day I think the wildlife is telling you that they can do all the work themselves and you can lean back a bit. Maybe you could make a new hoop house with a stash of nuts and seeds around it and let the chipmunks start a hazel nursery for you! Anyway, those are my thoughts. I hope you can come up with a workable solution because otherwise you will lose your nursery to nature's forest.

[@edibleacres]

Thanks for sharing in a thorough and thoughtful way.

[@lenny1038]

Do you ever have issues with mosquitoes? How do you handle it?

[@edibleacres]

Slap em! For the most part they aren't bad, I think frogs do a good job on most larvae and that keeps things in check.

[@luisd542]

Sean would you share some books about permaculture that you would recomend? (or perhaps you recomend any other source)

[@edibleacres]

Edible Forest Gardens by Jacke (if you search online you can buy directly from him) and The Permaculture Designers Manual by Mollison. The two best I know of.

[@luisd542]

@@edibleacres Great! Thanks! Already reading Mollison. Im a little stuck in the part about paterns... I'll check out Jacke next. Have a lovely weekend.

[@SimonHaestoe]

"Meandering wander" is - I think -- hipster:ish for "Garden tour" :D

[@edenoftheworld1090]

I wonder if you could auction off the plants that are "problems" for you in that you don't have time to move them. You may not get much money for the plants, but may find someone who is willing to put in the time because such a plant would assist them in their landscape. Perhaps though this would take more time than the movement itself. Just a thought.

[@edibleacres]

We might have found a home for some/many in some folks who have recently had some seriously scary and nasty neighbors cause issues. We'll plant a nice 6' and taller living wall!

[@MartinaSchoppe]

your "lobsters" look like Macroglossum stellatarum to me - but according to wikipedia those 'only' live in Europe, Asia and Northern Africa. But maybe they have American cousins :)

[@CorwynGC]

Your squirrels may have a point. Anyone have an ideas for dealing with Hemlock Woolly Adelgid?

[@ALIGHAZI]

Hi how can I gain access to some seeds of that best tasting and late flowering apricots from utah?

[@edibleacres]

Search robert purvis orchard

[@ALIGHAZI]

@@edibleacres Thanks alot

[@jeffskinner1226]

R.I.P. Okois Tree Crops

[@thechunder]

So sad to see them go, such a unique collection and always a pleasure to order from them!

[@edibleacres]

I am really hoping someone continues on with their work, is that the plan!?!

[@jeffskinner1226]

The last I heard on the issue was that there "may be a future incarnation of Oikos" but with no further details. Their nursery is closed and the guy who ran the place is retired now.

[@mwatson3302]

Perhaps you could donate some good perennials to some of the food justice groups in Newark NJ. Their city is poisoning their water with lead and sending over some medicinals could be a great show of cross-state solidarity. I have some contacts there if you have some ideas for good plants in an urban community garden context.

[@edibleacres]

Feel free to send along our contact info to them and we can work something out I bet.

[@mwatson3302]

@@edibleacres Awesome, just sent an initial email to you and my friend, Sabre!

[@yLeprechaun]

One day soon, hopefully, I will have this "problem" of "feral" spaces. 😀

[@PermacultureHomestead]

always first....

[@allonesame6467]

The stuff outside the high tunnel: No need to intervene, or move them. Let them stay and see what they do? The wildness could be some kind of advantage. Prune the woody stuff and sell scion or propagate. The stuff in the high tunnel like the hazelnut, should get moved out so you can continue to use it over the winter for stuff you want to eat. In the high tunnel where you want to flex your management muscle, there is so little room for the stuff you want, why let the chipmunks have a say in there when they have run of the entire outside? The abundance you have created in concert and cooperation with the critters and natural processes speaks volumes of reflection, care, knowledge and passion for the natural world of abundance.

[@edibleacres]

It is always a back and forth. For sure in the high tunnels we can't have trees! Just hard because they stay growing SO long into the fall it's then hard to have the time to dig them up with shipping season. We'll get to it though. Outside, it's just a balance of wanting space back for 'new' things to happen but seriously running out of time to do it all! Could have worse problems I guess.

[@trillium7582]

Weird question for the community: does anyone else perceive tulsi to have a downright unpleasant odor? Bees love it so I've grown it from the same packet several years running, but the smell is something else. I'm wondering if the strain I have is unusual in this way, or if it's just my nose, or what...? (Maybe it's me and the rabbits?)

[@halfcenturyfarm607]

I love the smell!! Its my favorite smell in the garden. How could you not?

[@edibleacres]

To each their own. Maybe there is something like cilantro to it, some folks love it, some think it tastes like soap. Maybe try other types in case you have a variety you aren't loving, or maybe you don't love Tulsi and so be it :)

[@mavnulsknlg]

I really wanted to like it. I like anise and it’s so similar. The only things I enjoyed it with was coconut or pho. Beautiful plant though and I will definitely grow it again.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

WRT listening to the news. IMO, we should listen to the news enough to know how things are going. But back away from news that serves no purpose but get you depressed. More importantly, we should all be learning skills and knowledge to be more self reliant.

[@logicNreason2008]

Should have titled this video, "Backyard Garden Wonder"

[@wildedibles819]

Humming bird hawlk moth The catterpillar does eat plants but they are different

[@edibleacres]

They are cool, I'd hope they get to eat some plants, too :)

[@wildedibles819]

@@edibleacres lol ya if you grow lots you don't have to worry ;) They are cool little insects :) My picture is actually a catterpillar like them but just that fake eye at the top

[@SimonHaestoe]

About your very serious message around 18:30 about food: Yes, I think - sadly - that you couldn't be more on the m0ney there... The world is turning into a weird, weird place and the middle-class seems to be basically going (and, worse: perhaps it's deliberate). I have stopped thinking about who is doing what, just keeping in mind that strange things are happening and that I need to learn this stuff a.s.a.p. Oh, and related weird news: Did you see that "self sufficiency" is now labeled as sensitive content on IG...? Yep, if that's not an attack I don't know what would be...

[@edibleacres]

Incredibly prudent to focus on having direct connection to as much of your food/medicine as you can, and connecting with others to support your community. We are at the start of some very deep shifts and I can imagine things being very very different this time next year.

[@acsoul1]

If you really don’t know what to do with all those plants you can send em all down to Pittsburgh 😉

[@edibleacres]

We'll be trying to figure out what to do with a bunch of plants this later fall, we'l be doing sales on September 1st but if there are food justice or plantings for the people type work we're always open to hearing about wish lists and sharing!

[@misaventuras6995]

Interesting how your challenge is over abundance when most of the world's challenge is scarcity.

[@edibleacres]

We are allying fully and deeply with nature, it's the dominant model in that context.

[@elsmitro]

👋

[@jackosilvopasture1643]

Ha mate I can send you some organic native Australian nettle seeds if you like

[@edibleacres]

THanks, but I think we have enough growing now!

[@jimmydykes7961]

Looks like a well established patch of weeds

[@edibleacres]

Ha, yep, that is quite true

[@peterellis4262]

I'm imagining your garden speaking to you "Thanks for the jump start, but we've got this now. You can move along." Not very appreciative of all you've done for them ;)

[@papaszem44]

3rd :D

[@mgez919]

Barrow some goats

[@edibleacres]

Thats one path towards opening up space!