Can a Brit be Self-Sufficient in Finland? | Land Tour

[@UngodlyFreak]

When managing your forest, make sure to leave some of that deadwood around, it's the foundation for a healthy, diverse forest ecosystem. The rotting wood houses many insects which in turn attract a whole host of birds and small mammals who eat the bugs and make their nests in the hollowed out trunks. Unfortunately most forests in Finland are so carefully managed that the shortage of deadwood has driven many species near to extinction.

[@grandepiano]

Also many fungi feed on deadwood, some of which are edible, definitely a good idea to keep the deadwood in place and only clear it from the main track.

[@Theorimlig]

Yes! And even completely fresh wood will season in time for fall/winter if you cut and split it in winter or spring. Spruce, pine and birch which are split by easter will be absolutely fine. Only remove dead trees that are a hazard. The idea that cutting dead trees for firewood is somehow better is an ecological fallacy.

[@nomindseye]

Also standing deadwood. Kelo are pretty essential to many species, as well.

[@Armakettu]

Very essential if it is bird nest thick

[@Armakettu]

So better just buy the wood needed for warming it's not so expensive.. because that small forest aint enough to warm you up.

[@ACorpseWithoutSoul]

Greetings from Helsinki, Finland. Welcome to our beautiful country. Finnish people love collective work. You just get materiat to fixing your barn and then call people to help you. You must buy beer and grilling sausages etc. After work more beer and sauna. That is how things going here in Finland. 😊

[@ilari90]

Hot berry juice for kids and non alcohol drinkers also :). "Talkoo" (communal/collective work) is an important part of rural living, it's quite nice to be in rural areas and see the great hunting lodges and other village community buildings which are better done than the normal living houses, everyone really wants them to be top notch usually, because everyone knows that a good community house will be good for every big occasion in life, weddings, birthdays and such for the whole lot

[@bobomac8330]

Best comment I've seen in ages. I'm in Australia and would come for beer sausages and sauna.

[@kristinburton4953]

@@bobomac8330 We have beer and bangers here in Australia, also saunas and spas. People are cliquey though.

[@LesleyDT6227]

Same here from Brisbane.

[@LouisaWatt]

The exchange of beer and sausages for labour is universal 😁🍻

[@Theorimlig]

A note on lupins: They are not native to Finland (or Europe at all), but are a highly invasive North American plant that outcompetes local wildflowers.

[@tomsilven]

Lupins were added to the national list of harmful alien species. It means that growing them is prohibited and the growths must be removed.

[@OKuusava]

Yes, that is one hobby to try to get rid of lupins! My hobby is nearly a succes, took only 5 years ;-)

[@ilari90]

Also in the law there's now that you should get rid of all invasive species, including lupins now, and they can charge you for not getting rid of them if you have them in your yard, but no environmental secretary engineer of the municipality goes after lupins, there's just too much to do that's more important for everyone with all these changes nowadays and the water and oil stuff is a lot more important for the while. It's mostly for the signlaling that those should be get rid off. Problem with lupin is that it takes nitrogen out of air and stores it on the ground and makes the ground more fertile so the lupin will grow better, but it completely takes away the native species, which liked more barren soil, and while those more barren "keto" areas have vanished, the roadsides have become that only barren place, but lupin comes and turns it into a nitrogen fertile soil for itself.

[@savingsiskola]

@@OKuusavaon the process to get rid of the lupins as well 😅

[@peter-b-2889]

Save the lupins! They produce an excellent complete protein bean which makes a delicious snack ... though they do require 2 weeks of brining before they can be eaten!!

[@michaelhardman3348]

Brit biologist been in Finland 18 years, 10 of that have been spent renovating old or new homes using natural materials and traditional techniques in Raseborg-Kimito region. Garden, greenhouses, orchard, chickens, sheep and forest/property management. Interested in regenerative ag, permaculture, utilising natural processes to manage and cycle resources on smallholdings, etc. If you're looking to build a network of folks pulling in a similar direction, feel free to get in touch. Welcome to Finland and good luck with your project. Cheers, Michael

[@agotapavel]

Is the offer also available for other folks wanting to move to Finland in the near future? 🕊 Me with my husband spent the last 4 years renovating our homestead in rural Hungary, using mostly cob, wood and reclaimed materials; keeping chicken ducks and rabbits, and all things wool-related. Is it possible to get in touch?

[@fr4933]

Can I just say how good you are at presenting? I usually have a low tolerance for these sorts of long videos but your presentation is relaxing yet engaging, almost like a professional documentary.

[@ImForwardlook]

A guy in his kitchen with a laptop often outdo the so called professionals

[@seano1334]

Man your voice and manner of speaking is so soothing, you could definitely be a voice actor.

[@Kerttis]

i love how well spoken he is

[@tinycrimester]

every single old farm house in finland that i've ever visited has raspberries and currants and gooseberries planted somewhere on the grounds. in my experience those bushes can survive for decades even when neglected and it's another source of free food. even if you don't think you have any, you might want to look for some horrible brambly bushes next spring before you start clearing them away.

[@Luontohaahuilija]

This is totally true. Wait for late spring or ask people who know what the ugly, trashy bushes are around your buildings. They might offer you a very pleasant surprise next summer!! 😊❤

[@sarahrosen4985]

Can they be used as a living fence to keep the deer out? I realise that the deer can be attracted to the berries but wondering if they are thick and prickly enough that the deer will only eat one side.

[@ravenhill4331]

​@@sarahrosen4985 The berry bushes are not high enough, the deers will just jump over. You need approximatly a 2 meters high fence to be sure to keep deers (and moose) out. In literature from around 1900 on growing vegetables (in Sweden, which is very much alike Finland), they used thick and high hedges of fir trees to keep the deers out, or large thorny rose hip bushes. The rose hip bushes are really hard to manage and some of them are now considered invasive in the EU.

[@ginojaco]

Same here in Wales, I've got a couple of small ruined steads on my lands, each has old berry bushes surviving near it, and a few fruit trees.

[@sarahrosen4985]

Hey, @@ravenhill4331 thanks so much for replying. I forget about deer's jumping abilities. I must admit that my impression of how high raspberry bushes can grow, when left to their own devices, comes from the episode of Peppa Pig where Mummy Pig falls off the ladder while trying to pick a juicy raspberry into the overgrown raspberry bush at Grandpa Pig's house. Interesting about the rose hips. I picture everyone drinking copious amounts of rose hip tea trying to keep them in check. My favourite living fence is when willow shoots are planted every 30cm or so and then bent to the side and woven into a basket weave with each other. Would such a fence work in the wetter parts of Daniel's property or is it too cold for willows in Finland?

[@cpobyrne1]

Ireland's loss is Finland's gain! Thank god for KZbin! Greetings and best wishes from a wet and windy west of Ireland 🇮🇪 🇫🇮

[@sarahann530]

What did Ireland lose in this mooch ?

[@MsRiverdee]

@@sarahann530 if you can't say anything nice, say nothing at all

[@sarahann530]

@MsRiverdee I only asked a question, what did Ireland lose ? If you can't answer the question why post something of no value . You added nothing

[@MsRiverdee]

@@sarahann530 Ditto

[@2learn4ever]

@@sarahann530 Ireland lost Daniel!

[@ilari90]

Daniel, there's a new thing where the construction secretaries in municipalities have began to look for air pictures to see if they correspond to the stuff that should be on the property on paper. Every over 10 square meter building is put to tax. One thing is that nowadays you can't build a sauna close to a lake usually, but if the area had one before, you are allowed to build it again there. Thus I'd say that if you remove that hunter's lodge, build something on top of it, just walls and roof, test some stuff for other projects. Never let a building you have on your land to fall into the category of not being there, so you can make a new one on that site. With the new system of checking the buildings, there might be some that the previous owners didn't have to or know to declare as new buildings in the area.

[@Luontohaahuilija]

Very good and important advices to consider! ❤

[@bcip166]

Yes! This is always a good idea to check what is on the land and has it been through planning! Never take a building down without replacing,either wise you will lose that buildings rights !

[@denni7173]

Thank you for that information! We hope to retire and start a little business in Finland and knowing this is a life-saver😊

[@mystisith3984]

Dang. Limit at 10 m² for construction? In France everything more than 4 m² is declared & taxed.

[@suomalainentimo]

Thank you so much fot your lovely videos. You are a great man with lovely personality. I was born in Finland y. 1949 but l have been living here in Canada fo 50 years now. I miss Finland so much, the beautiful nature, forests, lakes, quietness, sauna, the most beautiful summers and all. All the best for you and your family in Finland 🇫🇮 ❤, enjoy 👍.

[@MrZetor]

@2:38 "those Siberian winds bring back the snow" - Usually the air coming from Siberia is dry and cold (clear skies and low temp). Moist and warm air (clouds and snow) generally comes from a westerly direction. Anyway, you seem like a properly decent dude. Heartfelt welcome to Finland. I hope you'll survive the first winter. It's not the cold, it's the darkness...

[@cristianseres1353]

Congratulations and welcome to Finland! Be careful when making changes to a 99-year-old building. There are lots of salesmen who want to sell you new "better" windows or some extra insulation, but they probably will ruin the house in 20 years with mold or other problems. What has lasted for almost 100 years can't be that bad and should be replaced with care and a knowledge of traditional Finnish building methods.

[@folkeholmberg3519]

Of course, before starting to insulate you should ask experts for advice, yes insulation could go wrong but there are easy methods to avoid that. I myself live in a 300 year old farmhouse made of limestone. It would, by modern standards, be unlivable without careful insulation. Greetings from not so far away Gotland.

[@Happydayz-k9r]

Well done on not being out of your depth

[@MikkoRantalainen]

Important thing to understand about those old houses is their healt depends on using the fireplaces daily. The burning fire is the ventilation system and if you don't burn wood in the fireplace daily, it's like turning off ventilation system in a new house: it will get mouldy if you don't build an alternative ventilation system. Many times the salesmen are selling better insulation "so that you don't need to burn wood anymore" and that's the cause of the damage to the building.

[@jakobrosenqvist4691]

You don't really need to bury the fence, there isn't much to worry about that burrows, but it needs to be tall, the roe deer jumped my 1,2m and 1,5m fences until the 2m fence finally kept them out.

[@gardentours]

-18C is really a big difference from what you're used to in Ireland. I was just thinking what's new on your channel and then I saw that you posted some new videos. I'm looking forward to watch them. Happy New Year 🎆 to you and your little family and to everybody who's reading this 💕

[@akuankka321876]

I have lived in southern Finland my whole life. It's very rare to have -18C over here in the south (where he lives nowadays). Usually our temperatures here during winter time is somewhere between +1 and -9C. However, in lapland it's very usual to have temperatures exceeding -15C.

[@tiffcat1100]

Happy New Year to you too! 🎉

[@ACorpseWithoutSoul]

Next week is maybe -20-30C because of freezing wind from Siberia.

[@debrandw246]

Thank you. Happy New Year to you and all. Blessings.

[@tiffcat1100]

@@ACorpseWithoutSoul 🥶

[@larularulei7533]

There're plenty of ticks in SW Finland starting May every year; make sure to take your TBE shots as early as possible. Many ticks also carry Lyme so just take care and watch out for any symptoms if anyone gets bit.

[@pinkf4me202]

Also maintain tick prevention for the dog when you get one eventually

[@PercivalC]

Yeah this is crucial information for Daniel to know! The amount of ticks here is absolutely insane and is something to be cautioned.

[@Luontohaahuilija]

You can pretty well prevent yourself from ticks by using long pants with socks pulled on top of the leg part. And by using rubber booths. For summertime trekking in the wilder nature I have bought myself couple of superthin and breathable (loose, not thights) long pants, which are super comfortable also in a sunny +30 summerday. And no sunscreen is needed!

[@mireille4751]

Be very careful and protect the baby from ticks

[@catherinemartina6469]

What is a TBE shot?

[@berrytyrant]

I'm very happy I spotted your new adventure here in KZbin. I'm Finn who escaped busy Finnish life into UK and made myself my version of Mossy Bottom'ish life style...something I could not have ever been able to create nor dream back there. You are very brave man to take on that challenge. Looking forward to follow your interesting venture and all of its challenges and rewards.

[@J10108]

Would love to be able to achieve that in England, but it appears impossible, so well done to you.

[@sarahrosen4985]

Sounds like a good collaboration video series.

[@turquoisetreee]

Oh Moss 🐕, I miss you 😢 SO happy for Daniel, Angela and Juno ❤ excited to join you on your journey

[@Patrika84]

Congrats Daniel 🎉 New land, new life, new family, new beginnings. All the best ❤

[@jetspalt9550]

Brit living in Finland. Im a city person but envious of you skills and lifestyle. One thing I can not mention though is you mentioned sitting next to the pond in summer, you are going to get a lot of mosquitoes For me it’s torture as i am super attractive to mosquitoes for some reason but my general impression of Finnish countryside is anywhere that there is wetland or marsh you get a LOT of mozis

[@Mari-ok6xg]

He can put up a mosquitoe tent ☺️

[@susanw9630]

Are you by any chance blood type O negative? I am, and I am a mosquito magnet. To make matters worse, I have an extreme allergic reaction to the bites too.

[@savingsiskola]

Same here! The mosquitoes love my O+ blood and also a bit sensitive.

[@LesleyDT6227]

Just eat vitamin B every day to dissuade mosquitoes…

[@Luontohaahuilija]

There are very nice unsmelly (no fragrance) mosquito repellents, if you need to protect yourself. They are more enviroment friendly than old fashioned chemicals. But for now, enjoy the garden in its' winter costume. Learn to ski (and skate), if you don't yet own those skills. Choose wider and shorter skis, that work well in the forests and fields to make your own tracks. You will grow up to love the winter and forests even more that way! ❤

[@TheLatokuivaaja]

Welcome to Finland from another Finn! Someone has probably already mentioned but you should build a greenhouse to grow stuff like tomatoes, cucumbers, chilis, aubergines, and zucchinis - if those are the sorts of plants you want to grow. My mum has never managed to grow those outside a greenhouse (unless you discount cherry sized tomatoes in hanging pots) and she did grow up in a farm in Finland. It not only enhances the warmth and sun's properties, but also protects the food from wildlife (my mum was recently very offended when a few deer ate rose berries right in the backgarden). There's also quite a few shrub plants with lovely berries you could plant - biggest worry with those are the birds, which are also very cheeky about eating cherries right off the tree. But I'm not an expert, this is just me seeing things over and over again over the years. Good luck with all the renovations, restorations and planting projects!

[@arankin2914]

What kind of energy needs are required for operating them? I often drove through Ostrobothnia and see dozens of them light up like Christmas trees, and notice the amount of steam that comes out of them.

[@TheLatokuivaaja]

@@arankin2914 My Mum's greenhouse is 2 meter x 1,5 meter plastic box about 2,2 meters high. She sometimes puts candles in lanterns in there in late autumn for extra warmth and to extend the growing season. We don't need to buy tomatoes or cucumbers for 3 months out of the year. My grandmother had a ten meter long plastic tent of about the same height and width as my mum's box but I don't know how well that yielded anything (as I didn't live there), but I do know it didn't have electricity wired in. I don't know anything about greenhouses as a business, and I barely know backyard gardening from my own observations xD Although I probably should have specified a small greenhouse or something lol.

[@JanneValkama]

In south west Finland It's even possible to grow some wine grape varieties out in the open on a south facing slope, and get harvest, as long as the soil is right and drains well. However, a greenhouse would definitely aid in that too.

[@j-p.alanen]

If you keep the meadow the biggest pain in the Bottom are going to be the ticks. So in summertime, pay attention to lower legs of your family. And cats and dogs will most probably carry few when the land is not frozen anymore.

[@j-p.alanen]

I live in a pretty similar looking place in SW Finland, also 2km away from the coast. First thing we built was a playground for our two kids. We lived in a Parisian suburb in France before moving here. So quite a change, but I love the quietness. Our forest house has an optical fiber Internet, to work at home. Most properties in the area have this option, maybe you as well?

[@j-p.alanen]

And the deers… yes. Sometimes I feel I am living in a Lapland, when I open a window curtains and find a deer staring at me from the other side… along with six of its friends.

[@Donneczka1]

So idyllic Daniel! I love the new homestead! As a nature lover myself, I think it’s great that you have a natural meadow, a wetland, and forest habitat that provide great homes for animals and insects. They will enhance your lives on the homestead immeasurably and are such important parts of natural ecosystems. Protect them always!!! I very much look forward to seeing the progress on your new journey! Am excited, in fact! Thank you for sharing!

[@mol588]

Oh, what a lucky wee girl your Juno is growing up in a natural environment like this .. Fresh air + home-grown organic food is a great start in life . Happy New Year to all 🎉🎉

[@michaelduke4500]

Your energy seems to be renewed in Finland. It just shows through in the vid; I can't wait to see the progress you will be making there. So very proud of you and your family.

[@creativeandaliveat65]

I'm sure you know by now that picking berries and mushrooms is a national hobby in Finland, and encouraged by "every person's right" to roam the land - whether public or private - for the bounty of nature. Happy New Year to you and yours!

[@Exiletheheretic]

Yes. We have this thing called every mans rights that basically mean you can forage on berries and mushrooms on anyone's land. Don't need your own forest for that here.

[@neoanderson5146]

Love that you're so focused on helping wildlife and keeping things as natural as you can..........top man, good luck :)

[@Ta3pi]

Welcome to Finland! Many people have already suggested a Finnish lapphund, which is a fantastic breed for the countryside. Another option that's been gaining popularity is a Samoyed, which I happen to have 2 of myself. They are a bit larger than Lapphunds, a bit more work (sledding etc.) than herding oriented and require even more activity due to their intelligence and tendency to find that activity by themselves if not provided. They tend to be a bit more independent than Lapphunds as well. Both are beatiful choices, it's up to what you want in your dog! If you want to preserve the forest, remember to keep some of the deadwood, especially standing deadwood. They are very important for the ecosystem as some have already explained in the comments. Your neighbours will surely have opinions, event more than necessary, on what kind of wood to fell for the fireplaces. Hope you have a nice first winter, although the return to the rare with the extreme cold these past few weeks might have been a shock! Also by law you have to try and get rid of the lupins as some already pointed out. Goog luck, I'm going on year 4 of trying to get rid of them at my summer house..

[@Hauntercry]

Greeting from Finland. Great to start following your adventures here. We also have a 100 year old yellow log house with mansard roof here. 😊

[@Morningstar-xz5bl]

Ireland misses you but delighted that you are so happy and in such a beautiful place, congratulations on birth of your little girl, may God bless your family with love and happiness all the days of your lives❤

[@ziltoidtheomniscient2398]

I used to fantasize about moving to Finland, what an amazing country. I'm sure you'll learn Finnish in time, it's too beautiful not to. Cheers and good luck on your new horizon!

[@OKuusava]

-and me liviing in sw Finland thinking all the time of moving to Rome ;-)

[@ninjakalla4361]

Very nice old orchard there, you can get so many plums from a mature tree but they do tend to shrink when left to the wild. Even though your area is more temperate than most of finland, peaches likely will not live. Even pears are not guaranteed but some hardy cherry trees are available to buy locally. Basically whatever is available at garden centers there will likely work, I'd also recommend berry bushes like raspberry, gooseberry and currants as they require very little care and produce well.

[@ACorpseWithoutSoul]

Pears and peaches is difficult here in Finland. Even he lives about warmest part of Finland.

[@herrakaarme]

@@ACorpseWithoutSoul There are pears you can grow even in the Central Finland. I have never heard of anyone growing peaches, though.

[@Tsajut]

On the west coast, there are apricots that produce crops in growth zones 1-2. In our 3 growing zones, pears produce a good crop. I recommend getting seedlings from quality nurseries such as Hirvensalmen taimisto and Savonlinnan taimisto.

[@rebeccainfinland]

Hi again! When planting peaches here in Finland the best varieties are Frost and Riga, they both manage up to minus 30 or 40 and bear small but heavenly fruits. I like Riga the best because i have a bit of trouble with curly leave disease on Frost in rainy years. A good cultivar for having inside a high tunnel is Ice Peach. Have fun😄

[@brendanmccallion2350]

It's such a beautiful home, I am so happy for you and your family Daniel. So much excitement awaits for 2024 and beyond!

[@Gsd112]

My dad made us a snow slide with plowed snow when we lived in Michigan. It was so much fun. Beautiful place to live you have!

[@LouisaWatt]

Finland seems like an awesome country, I’m so excited to see what this adventure is going to bring.

[@MrAbbassadiq24]

Hi Daniel!👍 Thanks very much for another amazing video. I am delighted to see a large number of welcoming Finns which reflects their loving culture and their hospitality. I am nature-loving too and wanted to move to Finland by buying farmland like you. I am not sure where to start. Nothing can be achieved without the help of lovely Finns and Daniel Indeed!!! So looking forward to hearing back from you folks!

[@Luontohaahuilija]

Follow Daniel and ask for his advices. If you plan to fullfill your dream, we Finns warm-heartly welcome you to Finland! 😊❤ To you and Daniels family a Very Happy and Fullfilling New Year 2024! 🎉❤

[@MrAbbassadiq24]

Dear Maaria Tamminen, Many thanks for your warm welcome. I hope @ Daniel will share his contact details so that I can get guidance.

[@mags102755]

I have a connection to Finland myself which is too complicated to explain here. But it's wonderful to watch you and your family establish a home in Finland. Thank you my friend and belated congratulations.

[@rosiehoy4736]

What a wonderful set of plans. Can't wait to see it becoming a reality.

[@sreckojevtic7164]

Daniel, you are my idol. I wish you luck in a new project in Finland. Greetings from Serbia .

[@donaldwilson2548]

What a great piece of land. It's always fun to watch your videos and the new adventures you begin. I'm watching the video where you are walking around the property and sharing your plans. It is Saturday morning, December 30th, 6:30 am. I'm having my morning coffee at Pt. Defiance ferry car park in Tacoma, Washington. It's a great place to gaze across Commencement Bay over to Vashon and Maury Islands as the ferry goes back and forth. Both of those islands were given their names by the great British explorer, George Vancouver. Good luck in Finland. Don Wilson, Tacoma, Washington.

[@savingsiskola]

I have a very similar piece of land also in south western Finland with the log cabin from 1924. 😀 Last year we set up a fence to keep out the deer and I started my first garden. Have been trimming the old apple trees little by little in the last two years. It will be interesting following your work as well.

[@savingsiskola]

Would live to get volunteers to help out on my farm as well, maybe some day.

[@hannutuomela3444]

You have a really promising looking place that will be a lot of fun and a lot of useful exercise! You spoke beautifully about how nice it is to make firewood for the winter. Everything you say is true, I have experienced it myself. After sitting in an office for decades, I think it's great to be outside building my own yard and taking care of my own forest, while the birds are chirping and the fruits are ripening.

[@petergriffin6126]

First thing you need to think is that you need to start everything as soon as possible, Finnish summer is so short that this is really what you really get.. If you want to grow tomatoes, paprika and such, you need to start them inside of the house and dig them to ground in may.. Glasshouse also helps!

[@Luontohaahuilija]

And you can make it a lot cheaper from a scrap lumber and strong plastic. My friends have a nice greenhouse made out of those and it is still standing there after 8 years.😊

[@jokewijngaarden5588]

I am so glad you talk so calmly en relaxed. I look forward to your adventures in Finland. Thank you! All the best for you and your family in 2024.

[@Craig-Mitchell]

The newer building looks to have a large portion of modern man made and chemically treated material. Natural wood has natural mould and bacterial resistance. I've been moving towards all natural wood materials wherever possible. Good luck 🍀

[@cameronmitchell9163]

Did no one figure out that the little "hidden" building was a former still ? Just an observation from a native of the South, USA. We're all rooting for your success, and are excited to see what you create. You lift our spirits, Thank You.

[@MossyBottom]

Yes, I mention in the video that it's a hunting blind.

[@lieska333]

Welcome to Finland! Your video was randomly recommended to me, I guess because Finns love hearing foreigner perspectives of Finland, especially if positive. I’m fascinated by your Irish project and eager to see what you can so here. Everyone will be rooting for you and happy to help.

[@lindalonergan7887]

It's a long way from Clare to here,nice to see you settling in to Finland.

[@Contemplative_extrovert]

You can say that again. 😢

[@anneobrien8367]

Probably not quite as far as Sligo

[@mortenwellhaven]

Yep. I remember wild cranberries and blueberries from similar lands The flavors were way beyond the store bought kinds. My favorite were Scandinavian pancakes (crepes) with blueberry jam. You have really found a treasure!

[@athome_infrance]

Hello from France 🙂 I really loved watching your videos about Ireland Daniel, being Irish myself, but I'm so looking forward to following along with your Finland journey. All the very best with your plans & projects.

[@gardenonthemoors]

How exciting! Can’t wait to see what you do with the area 😊

[@katefrancis7476]

I can't imagine a more beautiful place than Mossy Bottom, yet I think we are all in for a treat, watching you transform your new place!

[@janeB963]

Best wishes to you and your family Daniel . I have missed watching and listening to you in Ireland . I love your enthusiasm ... You really are a breath of fresh air and deserve to do well . Keep up the good work .

[@richardbas2948]

I am quite curious how the house is on the inside..... When are you going to show us, Daniel? It doesn't have to be completely renovated though... Maybe we can give you even tips of how to solve peticulair(sorry, I don't know how to spell it) problems! I am very much into diy solutions, that means low budget solutions and I am shure a lot of your other subscribers as well! I am glad you got in touch with us again, after quite a long time of nothing! We wish you and your lovely young family an absolutely fantastic 2024! ❤️

[@MossyBottom]

I do plan to. The challenge is that we live in there with a little one, so filming is very difficult. It's certainly no show home, and cameras can be quite invasive. Still, I think I'll make that video in the spring/summer when we can unpack some more boxes and sort things out a bit more.

[@richardbas2948]

@@MossyBottom Hi Daniël, it's me again! In the videos, you showed us, i've seen an airconditioner (outside unit). Maybe you can ask for advice from a installer, because I have heard, that it might be possible to rebuild/change it into a heatpump! I personally don't know about heatpumps but maybe someone at patreon knows about that technic?! What I do know, is that it can be used as heat source and airconditioning to! Ask, you'll never know...

[@assaro]

​@richardbas2948 I am pretty sure it is a heatpump 🙂, as here in Finland, we mostly need it for heating. Everyone I know has a (air)heatpump, myself included. Used for both, heating and cooling. Just would be good to check the range it can be most efficient for heating, I have to turn mine (old model) off when outdoors temp hits around -21C(-5.8F), after that it is uses too much electricity and yells like a hyena.. It still may be a good idea to ask someone to do a maintenance work to it, if not done already. 🛠

[@michaelmcclafferty3346]

Thanks for an interesting video Daniel. It would be fascinating to know who lived in your house / land before you bought it. You have given us some clues with what they left behind but it’s always interesting to know their lifestyle and struggles. You did that with Maeve in Ireland which I thought was great.

[@SipuliSankari]

Growing herbs is also one thing you might want to do as Finnish climate is great for growing them. You can then exchange (or sell) the excess herbs for other goods. If you end up selling you will face higher bureaucracy than you were used to in Ireland so prepare for that if/when you think of selling your goods. There is more and more demand for organic goods so might be good way to sell your excess goods after couple years of getting the things rolling...

[@Phiyedough]

I have been a host for volunteers and worked as a volunteer. It is a great way of making friends and seeing different countries. There is indeed a great sense of satisfaction to be derived from heating your home without running up a big electric or gas bill. My log burner does central heating, hot water and cooking and I'm just about to eat some stew that has been on a slow simmer all day.

[@jeanladkoo349]

I watched the Irish videos faithfully and missed them a lot, i am really looking forward to see what you do with this mossy bottom.

[@snjas]

What a great channel. Welcome to Finland and good luck with all your projects!

[@ShadowManceri]

I can see that there is a lot work to be done but you have a vision and seems also the motivation to make it happen. It's going to be exiting to see how the place transforms over time. Make sure the sauna is in working condition for volunteers. I have no doubt they will love it. And I also believe they are great people to introduce you into the sauna culture that has more depth than you might have first thought. It has meditative effect once you get over the initial shock of the heat. It transforms from hot room into something more magical and I'm sure every Finn can vouch for it. Even tho they don't know that transformation so well because most have done it since they were few years old. But they do know how good it feels.

[@christineh3866]

Found your channel a few videos before you moved. Will enjoy watching you make this a sustainable living! And enjoying Finland!

[@Peg06]

What an exciting journey you are on! I can almost see Juno in a few years as she asks you to identify each species of bird and creature around your home. As you described your plans for different areas, I could almost see your dreams come to fruition. You are wise enough to equate failure with learning, and in time you will produce so much fruit you'll become an expert in all manner of preservation. Thank you for taking us along on your beautiful Finnish journey!

[@naturewithmarusa3539]

I am so happy for you and your family, this land is amazing. The walks in the forests, by the sea, fresh air, and plenty of sunshine. Lots of opportunities for play in nature for your little one. And the peace and quiet. The creativity and the space. It is a dream come true. Enjoy it, you deserve it ❤

[@henriettahenson]

I'm so happy for you... A new family and home in Finland GOD BLESS YOU.. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO. YOU ALL.... can't wait to see more... 👍🎉🎊

[@BananasandMustard]

Hello Daniel, It's great to have you back on KZbin making videos in good old fashion again. This new Land of yours is truly amazing and the potential for projects seems endless! Nevertheless I still find it hard to adapt to the new circumstances. Mossy Bottom had a special place in my heart and the whenever the outro song plays I cant forget seeing that green irish pasture from a Birdseye view. I hope with time the sadness will pass and a similar feeling to when I first discovered your videos will replace the current one. But Ireland, Moss, the Animals and Mossy Bottom will be truly missed. All the best, Lukas

[@paulboden7850]

I couldn't understand why you abandoned Ireland, but I get it now. Peace and prosperity in 2024.

[@yogionthebike]

Looks really nice. I'll definitely follow your journey. I'm a Finnish yoga teacher currently living in Estonia. I have 4.5 hectares in Koskenpää (central Finland), and I plan to start something similar to what you're doing there. I don't have the experience yet, but I'm eager to learn. I also want to start growing food, but I'm not quite sure what's feasible in that region. Thank you for sharing your content; it inspires me to pursue a similar path. 🙏

[@mikael9325]

These videos makes me appreciate my home country more. Thanks for that.

[@Luontohaahuilija]

As an advice from a Finn: If you happen to have a dead pine tree (KELO in finnish) standing near your yard or in your forest, DO NOT cut those, if not totally neccessary. They give for the whole enviroment a bundant playground: Insects and birds LOVE them! You have a lot better chance to see different woodpeckers, hawks and even with a good luck owls, if you save those! This goes ofcourse with ALL old big trees (bruce, pine, oak, birch and aspen). Ps. With 5-10 old aspens you might even get lucky to offer a home for a mesmerizing flying squarrel (not very common in other parts of Europe)! I live myself near to one of the most trafficed road in Helsinki metropolitan area and in a very urban area with high-rise, but LUCKILY my balkony faces 3 older wooden villas with their old gardens, that have survived the constructioning around. There are even 2 of these dead pine trees standing and what a pleasure I have had to look all those mentioned and many more. For our astonishment last 2 spring-times we have heard tawny owl calling in the darkness of night, many nights on a row. What an enchanting experience IN A CITY AREA from your own balkony! 🤗❤️🇫🇮 And only few kilometers away there is a forested park, where we have the flying squarrels. Not easy fellows to spot, but I am very happy we have them! ❤

[@kirsip7104]

Yes so true! Keep the snags. They are so important for wildlife. Some species of woodpecker will need quite a few of them as they never use the same nest twice and will need to seek out another one for their next clutch.

[@MrDaoJones]

I'm an American. In my 40's. I've been hard stuck in the rat race and I want out. My wife is from the UK and her mother is Finnish. She spent her summers in Finland. We're thinking about moving to Finland as well. She's a little afraid of homesteading there and wants me to just "try" it first. Get an apartment, get a regular job, and see if I like the culture. Me though, I'm all for just going all in. It would be a few years either way. I've been following your videos for a bit and would LOVE the opportunity to potentially volunteer. I probably couldn't do it for very long since I'm a working stiff, but it would be a fascinating way to try on that lifestyle and see firsthand how you get by. Thanks for your videos, you are an absolute inspiration.

[@socloseagain4298]

Oh my goodness the fruit orchard is an absolute gold mine!! Thats so cool 🙂

[@jaime489]

wonderful property! we live in a very similar climate and property in canada with similar native plants and trees to you and love it. our pond is stocked with trout, turtles and lots and lots of frogs, we even get herons and geese landing in it looking for snacks. we look forward to it freezing every year for skating - maybe it’s time to get some family ice skates!

[@sakru100]

Greetings from Finland! It's been awesome to watch your videos! Couple tips that I can recommend! You would probably enjoy skiing, it's is very popular here, easy to learn, great exercise and also quite fast way to move in around the snow (as they do in the army for example) Also, specifically during winter use every hour of sun for being outside and only do inside work during the evening when it is dark. And about the Sauna and the cold. Both are bit of a mental things. If you go to the sauna and are constantly thinking how hot it is and that you want to get out you won't enjoy it. Relaxing, breathing slowly and enjoying the "pain" makes it much more enjoyable. Also you don't have to heat up the sauna as hot as us Finns do and you can enjoy sauna even if it is not super hot. Same thing goes for the cold. If you are constantly thinking how cold it is and how bad it feels you will not like it. But if you embrace the cold, stand out straight and enjoy it while you are outside it is not that bad. Then it is nice to come back to the warm inside. Same goes for ice or snow swimming after sauna. Enjoy the cold and pain and then go back to the warmth :)

[@Luontohaahuilija]

And please dress up warmly. With a good knitted cap/beanie, in colder weather another thightly knitted thin extra cap under it makes a big difference! Also scarf around your neck and with thick, warm work gloves you have even more fun time working outside in autumn - and winter-time, too! 😊

[@j_marie4305]

Lovely plan Daniel. Have you thought about coppicing and pollarding your forest for long term fuel? Those were very popular management techniques in the Medieval and Early Modern periods. They do not require the total felling of trees and allow each tree to be far more productive over the years.

[@MossyBottom]

I coppiced/pollarded in Ireland, but the forest here is about two thirds spruce/pine which, being coniferous trees, will not regrow if coppiced. The birch will, and I will use that technique wherever I can so as to mitigate the need for new roots to grow.

[@pronty77]

The sunlight on the pine trees is something you'll learn to appreciate in the winter, as they look exactly the same as they do in the warm summer evenings.

[@dahmooren]

Glad you're back! Like yourself, I am trying to better utilize land, but only 2.5 acres of 40 to 100 year old trees mostly like yours; pine, oak, beech, maple, etc. I fortunately also have a creek and healthy marsh next to land. Exhausting is deciding which to clear for fire wood and crop land, and which to keep to support ecology via deadwood for insects and bird nesting areas.

[@acornhomestead3575]

Your land looks a lot bigger than mine and I've 4.5 acres... Lol I need more trees!! Your comment of contented exhaustion rang so true. I love collecting firewood for my new wood burning stove in my tiny home too. I also have a meditation stone albeit a wee bit smaller than your glacial deposit! It is comfortable though. Health to enjoy Daniel, Angela and Juno in you new life. Looking forward to your videos

[@OrjanB]

What a great place you've got. I have a tip for you regarding heating with wood. If your wood oven is old then invest in a new high efficient clean burning oven. It's amazing how much less firewood you need and also the risk for a chimney fire is greatly reduced then. I've experienced chimney fire and believe me, you don't want to experience the same. So burn cleanly and also make sure the chimney is clean. If I had a place like this I would look into installing a masonry oven. Maybe you already have one? They are very common in Finland

[@Neroli-Daydreaming-of-France]

I so relate to the idea that you can be more lonely in a busy city, while aloneness in nature is so nurturing to me, definitely an introvert too. I’m looking forward to seeing the progress on your land, happy new year from New Zealand

[@jennifersanders2456]

Great to see you again.

[@annaclaire9927]

I accidentally came across your video. I love what you are doing with your family. Looking forward to following this adventure of yours. Best wishes. Happy New Year.

[@Sam..Plowman]

Daniel, I'm so glad and happy for you. Your channel makes me smile and feel okay about myself. Thank you for sharing your world with us, it really makes a difference and helps me hold up my dream for a peaceful, hard earned relaxed way of being. (from Australia, dreaming of Europe)😊

[@stephengreen6338]

Good health, and happiness to you, and your family, for the new year!, wow loads to do, but if anyone you can, you can, look forward to all that's to come.

[@carolined3058]

Finland such a nice country with great food. I'll hope in the future that you'll make some Finish food video's. Happy New Year

[@robare552]

Remember deadwood is used for insects, which feeds the birds.. so leave some where you want them.

[@currentconditions962]

I can not wait to see what you do with the landscaping and the buildings on your land especially around the pond. The people who brought the property in Ireland are lucky after all the great work you did there. And Hello from Montana USA!

[@AlexMathersFilms]

super inspired by this mate - I'm considering a similar move to Estonia in the coming months. Will be watching your progress with interest.

[@mieskoivuaholta4124]

Now that it may be getting a bit colder, be careful to not damage your fireplace. When it's cold it is all too tempting to just stuff the fireplace all full of wood, but most likely the design specs are that no more than half of the space inside the fireplace where you burn wood should be filled at any time. That way you do not cause damage to the fireplace, which would be difficult to repair.

[@lynnpurfield9430]

So loved this Daniel, thank you. Wishing you all a fabulous and prosperous 2024 ♥️

[@Marie-yx5ie]

Great to see you Daniel, looking forward to seeing your lovely family 👍😉🇮🇪☘️Eire

[@HelenEk7]

People in the Nordic were self sufficient with food for thousands of years, by eating a high rate of animal foods. Meat, dairy, eggs and seafood. And some vegetables and grains on the side. Good luck, and greetings from Norway.

[@tinycrimester]

are you talking about the Sami people? because i'm pretty sure what we consider Nordic people today were very reliant on agriculture, fishing and foraging. meat industry and its byproducts were for rich people and holidays.

[@ItsAweeb]

​@@tinycrimesterAgriculture was present, but farming in the north was not exactly easy The weather is so unpredictably that there were many years where the crops would just fail due to repeated frost during the planting seasons, particularly hard years were called Kato or hukkavuosi which generally meant starvation unless you knew how to gather food from the forest

[@mieskoivuaholta4124]

When planning your orchard, keep in mind that the local birds also love fruits and berries so you need to somehow keep them away. In my yard they eat a lot of produce every summer.

[@The.Land.of.Slow.Living]

This is awesome :) I will be glad to follow along! We're doing something very similar here on our 5 acre plot in Estonia, and that as two people coming from Belgium :) I recognise the enthusiasm when first starting out on a new project like that ! We live on the island Saaremaa, that might be 'not so far' from your place. Who knows we can meet some time in the future :) Much succes on your journey !

[@johnDukemaster]

Aah, the fullfilling feeling of working with firewood. So rewarding! When reaching spring, may, you might be able to do the heating in the morning and evening. Don't count on a 3 months free fire periode. You might even have to lit a fire during cold summer evenings. Happy new year!

[@stevenclements1697]

So happy for you and your family. Sending love and best wishes for the New Year.

[@pascalxus]

what an amazing piece of property! with a pond! and a meditation stone!

[@carolbulmer8253]

Happy New Year to you, Daniel, and to your family. I look forward to watching your progress on your new home❤️

[@DianeD862]

A Happy New Year to Daniel and Angela and little one hope you have a wonderful New Year in Finland 🇫🇮.💟💟💟⛄️