$20 and a shovel could change your life and save the planet

[@deborahtofflemire7727]

Sooooooo happy to see a Canadian homesteading channel. We are zone 7 and started more gardening a few years ago. I am 64 and my husband 71. Grew up on a farm. But !,!!! Now we are back.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Wonderful! Were your parents farmers as well? I find your generation fascinating because the push for post warfare chemical agriculture to your parents was so strong that typically that age taught their children the same way. Fertilizers fertilizers fertilizers. Its a really hard thing to do... to deprogram what was taught from parents and do things in a different way - especially when the payback isn't immediate, but rather even YEARS later. Poppy for example (if you see my videos of his place), he is your age, and his neighbour is your husband's age. He is a big time Gardner, but he does it the old way. Till and fertilize. He sees Poppy's garden and can't believe the change in it in just a short 3 years. He sees my bringing poppy multiple large trailers of woodchips. He talks to Poppy about the new no till heavy mulch methods. But he still can't stop tilling and fertilizing. He swears by it, even though every year he is amazed at the difference in work (and now also production) of Poppys garden compared to his. This stuff really does work! Then there are people in their 70s and 80s who have literally led the change. People like Mollison and Holmgren, and Lawton, and Ingham and, and Salatin, and Sheppard, and Holzer. We wouldn't even have Permaculture if it weren't for them. I'm sure we'd have some kind of sustainable ag, but it may not have caught on like wildfire as much. And maybe the best thing about all this is how connecting it all is. I'm not sure there is much that connects generations together better Rohan planet care and gardening with it in mind. Some of the people I consider my greatest friends in life are in their 70s, and its just because we share such a common bond and passion. Long way to say thanks for watching and I hope you enjoy the channel, and also keep commenting. Hopefully we can learn from eachother.

[@vonries]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy If you don't mind me jumping into someone else's conversation here, but what beer thing are you taking about? Or is that a Canadian inside joke?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Was an autocorrect, should have been "best". Fixed it. Thanks.

[@vonries]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy so I'm not the only one who doesn't catch all of those.

[@rayancash338]

@Winston Langston definitely, been watching on InstaFlixxer for since december myself :)

[@Shotzeethegamer]

this video should have 42 million views!

[@travisdavis1042]

Edible acres channel has gotten so many people started on this journey. I am immensely grateful for his channel as well as yours. They have truly changed my life.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Absolutely

[@jackiekjono]

I've got a 20 ft by 20 ft front yard. I have 2 semi dwarf cherry trees and 2 semi dwarf apple trees and will be putting in a blueberry bush in June. Small spaces are limiting but, not that limiting.

[@renamarsland9642]

“Plant like your life depends on it…for it does.” ~ Collette O’Neill (Bealtaine Cottage Goddess Permaculture) Words to live by!

[@fourdayhomestead2839]

Seeing this 4yrs later. I started with a $30 elderberry & a broken digging fork. Trimmed/dug out a lot of wild plums. Propagated a few raspberries. Still figuring out where/when in food forest according to my plan. Oops forgot to mention my comfrey roots.😊 "Ten Acres Enough" is my favorite book 📖.

[@TN-pu4yz]

One of the BEST video for practicality ... saw this years ago. Been gardening for years but this is the best video to inspire you to garden without lots money. Slow and steady, a little at a time. A shovel and 20 bucks and one tree.

[@douggibson9084]

Excellent and calming video, thanks.

[@yaniragonzalez]

Such an emotional video.... God infinitely blessed those $20!

[@yLeprechaun]

Sean is an invaluable member of the community. But you have become, probably, my 2nd favorite source of inspiration.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Awww thanks 😊 That's some fine company to be in!

[@laurellloyd3009]

Wonderful video. Thank you!

[@ramthian]

I love your ideas. Thanks 🙏. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😎

[@victorybase5847]

Truly a beautiful sight (& site!). Great job, it’s really fantastic! Why did humans stop doing this? This is so natural. It’s a necessity, its money, it’s health! It’s amazing!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thank you kindly, I totally agree 👍

[@1framistan]

I don't own ANY land, but that isn't going to stop me. Guerilla Gardening! Never give up. There's always more ways than ONE to accomplish a task.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Haha make sure you check out my video "No land, no problem", it sounds right up your alley.

[@marshallartist2012]

I appreciate you and your passion. Thank you for sharing and doing your part to make all well🙏💚💪💪😁

[@jettyd69]

Came here from Reddit too. Going to start planting some berries! Cheers :)

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Awesome take pictures and post it on /r/gardening. We love seeing new people start.

[@sarahmorgan4786]

Thank you

[@bonniehoke-scedrov4906]

What a wonderful story!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks 😊

[@paperm2023]

EDIBLE ACRES WOOO YES he’s literally my fav ever. One of the first and truly inspirational permaculture youtubers I encountered. Changed my life tbh

[@paperm2023]

You’re amazing af too, I can tell you know your stuff. Immensely educational

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thank you kindly! Sean is one of the 2 or 3 people who influenced me to get REALLY into this stuff. My whole life changed since. I honestly owe him so much for being the catalyst for me to completely overhaul my life and drive all the change I have done since.

[@zachlloyd9392]

Saun (sp?) was one of my main inspirations too. Great guy, affects way more than he realizes. Bless him and his family.

[@etiennelouw9244]

I live in cape Town, South Africa. 20 Dollars is a lot of money in our currency. I have a spade and I have planted 5 trees from cuttings taken from my neighbors trees. 1 Died. I have dug up a patch of grass and covered it with cardboard. I cut holes in the cardboard and insert grow tubes (cut from plastic soda bottles. I put my plants or seeds into the grow tubes that produce half an inch above the cardboard. I only water in the grow tubes as this saves water and deprives the weeds. Only started a month ago and yesterday I harvested my first purple lettuce leaves. This is just the beginning of my food forest. Bless you.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing and good luck :)

[@sennehouben2265]

amazing work have converting my lawn into a food forest as well ( only have 1/8 of an acre butt still. and yes all the neighborgs dont get it they all have 4cm short lawns a green oasis

[@theurbanthirdhomestead]

They pushback, too. To everyone who tries anything that doesn't fit into their green grass box, they'll give you a hard time, some more than others. 😬

[@charlesbale8376]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@nyurr2196]

I love how relevant your old videos still are. A great concept to get people into the fun and meaning in permaculture.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks. I find some of my older videos have lower production value but it also has that energy of new passion, which you cannot replicate.

[@scottfraser706]

I agree a lot of rich nebougher hoods have such large open lawn. I don't understand why not grow something there is less grass to cut and takes less gas

[@carolschedler3832]

Would love to see (up close) the bed by the road. And actually installing a section. Thanks for sharing your gardens with us.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Have you checked out this recent video of the grape guild? kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4TRmXx4hqaql5Y. That's a lilac guild built by the side of the road.

[@carolschedler3832]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy Thank you! I’ll put it on my watch list so next time I have screen time I can catch it. ❤️🍅🥕🍠🧅🥬🌽🥒❤️

[@Rred26]

I love that idea of letting nature take its course in the garden. Like you said, the resilience of nature to have thrived on this planet for millions of years is an incredible wonder and is often overlooked in our face paced lives. This video really puts into perspective the difference between urban life and agricultural industrialization versus wildlife. This garden you've nurtured is a testament to the importance of ecological diversity as all the insects, birds, and animals find sanctuary in your home you've made for them. You're doing a great service with these videos. I hope this attracts more views. Your channel is underrated. Thanks for what you do!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to not only watch my stream of conscious rambling, and also come comment here. I think people inherently care, we just need to unplug and reprogram everyone. I was a true green chemlawn guy no less than 6 years ago. Its not that I didnt care, I just didnt know. The thing is this change I have made has given me so much happiness. It's just a better way of living in every way.

[@bruritter1164]

THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

You're welcome!

[@millennialhmong7121]

Stayed the whole time! Love hearing you talk it out and making the earth better.

[@StefanBurns]

Keep it up brother! I'm adding my voice to the chorus, we are making a difference!

[@nucleartntgaming6948]

I just seen your post on Reddit and got super inspired now I'm here and I'm going to shop around a little bit and see if I can find an apple tree to plant in front of my chicken pen as a secondary food source for them. I don't have any interesting hobbies but now I feel like I have something to try. You just earned my subscription and follow on Reddit

[@ronan3884]

Just arrived from the same post. Mighty stuff

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Comments like this keep me motivated to continue. You have no idea how much this means to me. Truly. It's my fuel.

[@normamead4511]

Your food forest 🌳 it's really beautiful just found you 🏡😊😺❤️🐶

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks! It only got better each year. This year is going to be awesome, I cannot wait!

[@davidcormier6954]

Thanks for this

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

My pleasure!

[@brunitrinidad3488]

Great video!!!!!

[@chandrikatilwalli4741]

Just found you . Subscribed. Your garden truly inspirational!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks 😊

[@patrickboyle7067]

This is great! I'm doing something similar in Ireland. I've been planting like crazy on less than an acre for twelve years and still planting. I just keep packing in more and more. It was a neglected field and the biodiversity now is phenomenal. It's life changing for the better.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Sounds very similar!

[@patrickboyle7067]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy Yep! I have less and less lawn every year. It's amazing to see it develop and change as time goes on.

[@vonries]

You can plant your sucker's, BTW. I leave mine because I don't need a twenty foot plant. I like mine below my head. Eatable acres you say? I'll check them out.

[@volvomom9952]

Thank you for sharing your Canadian Homesteading channel. I am in zone 3b and I am so glad that I found some information on how and what to grow in my zone. Questions: What do you do with your goldfish in the winter? What do you do in your pond to keep the water from becoming stagnant?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

In the winter I just drain all the water lines that are above the frost line. Then the pond is just a normal pond. A reservoir of water. The water is deep enough for the fish to survive the winter. I don't do anything with them, just let them be fish in a pond.

[@volvomom9952]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy How deep do you have your pond?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

6 feet, but usually about 4 is enough.

[@volvomom9952]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy Great! Thank you very much. Keep up the great work. I can't wait to start to convert my lawn to gardens for beneficial insects and wildlife.

[@jessicalandi6750]

This video is AWESOME. So good.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Haha thanks. Some of these older ones are hard for me to watch. I feel like I was so bad at making videos. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I just feel it was too preachy maybe?

[@jessicalandi6750]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy What??! I loved it. Not one negative thing about it. Inspirational. Oh wait, did you think it was preachy to talk about changing the world? Not preachy. Just peachy. :)

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Lol 😆 thanks, I appreciate it.

[@RussellBallestrini]

I love it, keep saving the world man. I'm helping too!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Subbed :)

[@eloisenair956]

Thank you for your lovely informative video.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks for watching:)

[@The-Ancestral-Cucina]

Thank you! I learned so much watching this video. Enjoyed every minute of this tour and your story about $20 and a shovel. I feel so inspired and encouraged to continue my ‘bad neighbour’ land revivalist who loves the land🌱

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thank you 😊

[@jennifferhurlburt642]

Thank you for sharing your great ideas! I'm in Ontario too. Living in a small lot townhouse. Saw the wood chips idea on KZbin, "Back to Eden" it has helped with my soul erosion and water retention! 2 cherry trees and lots of blueberries, currents, raspberries and strawberries, plus my raised vegetable bed in the summer. Can't wait to get to a bigger lot to grow more food!

[@justlovegreenapples]

Love your channel

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks! You probably like all the birds. Cat and all.

[@shadaparveen]

Watched through and enjoyed every minute. Joyful! Thanks

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks for watching:)

[@mrcharrington1]

Great educational walking tour. Thanks.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks for watching:)

[@lovesstronger898]

You are a great teacher! You have a new student. Thank you.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks!

[@shawnhawkins3966]

Just bought 5 acres in Minnesota zone 4b find this channel very helpful in setting up in a cold climate

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Awesome, that's exactly why I made it. I couldn't find much good info when I started, and I did so much research, so I wanted to share it with others. But from a place of actually doing it, not just reading it.

[@Renee-cd3sm]

I've got all of the front yard done with the wood chips and half of the backyard. Hope to get the other half done when I get off nightshift.... must....keep....going

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Holy smokes!

[@taxigirl5637]

4 acres is a MASSIVE amount of land. Even one acre is huge.

[@theurbanthirdhomestead]

I bought 40 acres of grassland thinking it was a blank canvas. One year in, and I've barely touched one acre. 😅 Bit off a bit more than I could chew, so far. 😂

[@debrakessler5141]

I love edible acres, his chicken set up is epic!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

The amount of compost Sean generates is mindblowing. I want his chicken setup here... but it will take some convincing of my wife. And my life needs to get a little less busy so that I can be an appropriate caretaker to more animals. I would take that responsibility quite seriously.

[@jessicalandi6750]

Ooh, I need to check that out. My chicken-raising friend said she would give me three of her new group of hens as soon as I get a chicken coop. We've been looking for used coops; they get sold so quickly. I can hardly wait to have my coup & my chickens.

[@wudangmtn]

Beautiful property! I agree with you about lawns; wasteful horrible creatures! My path to permaculture started with the “Food not Lawns” movement, and it just kept growing (pardon the pun) from there.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Totally agree!

[@maureenodonnell9600]

Hello Keith, will you do a video on how you built your small ponds? Are they lined with pond liner?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

One is and one isn't. I can do a video on them, remind me if I don't by sometime mid spring. I will add it to a notepad of video ideas.

[@maureenodonnell9600]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy Great, thank you!

[@andrewfetterolf7042]

Thank you for your inspiring message, i truely believe in the power of trees! It is ineffable.

[@amyr505]

Thanks so much for these videos, they have really inspired me. I have wanted to do this for years. Now that I have retired, I have the time, I just hope I have the energy! 😊

[@RedneckHillbillies]

Hi from BC! Your channel was my intro to all things permaculture/food forest, and I've been obsessed ever since. A few years from now it will be me telling others how you changed my life. ;) I've watched most of your videos, many of them a few times. I'm still in the planning stages and nothing has been planted there yet, (except some garlic) but I have tons of plants and seeds ordered. I can hardly wait for spring.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Please do infect as many others as you can LOL!

[@gcxred4kat9]

Hi, my wife's Canadian, we're now dual citizens and working snowbirds. We're both in The Florida Native Plant Society and do a lot of invasive species removal and restoration when we're down there. l do what l can in my little yard in New Brunswick on the St. John River and planted a native serviceberry last year e.g. l'm kicking around a food forest so watching a lot of videos like yours. l stopped this one at 6:42 when you said Autumn Olive. lt's a tasty little drupe, but it's very invasive and people are HIGHLY encouraged not to plant it. Please consider removing it before the birds do a lot of replanting. What part of Canada are you in?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

The following is my opinion on this, but I have formed this (maleable) opinion based off botany experts who have spent entire careers in this specific area of invasiveness, and what that even means. For example everything that exists today exists because it has outcompete something else at some point along the succession to it's current stage. These spread quickly on dead soil because they are nitrogen fixers. Nearly every nitrogen fixing tree is on the invasive list. They are also very short term invasives, because they die out to any sun competition. They are pioneers in the succession chain and they spread quickly when then land is in their ideal state of succession, but they die off when the land succeeds into the next stage. They spread really quickly on our planet right now because our planet's soil is dead, and these plants heal soil. It's what they do. Nitrogen from the air, build leaves with it, and drop those on topsoil. But importantly they don't displace. They just spread. Stuff still germinates under their canopy. And they also die in healthy soils, once they have done their job. These arent the same as something like water hyacinth or dog strangling vine or kudzu, because those stall their respective ecosystems and do not actually die out from competition. This is a really big difference, and why I would never use any nitrogen fixer with a large leaf. I only use nitrogen fixers with thin leaves, which make dappled shade, which is perfect for next succession plants to grow up through. Also, these on my property will very soon be shaded by other trees, and they are being actively fed to other trees via chop and drop. They arent being allowed to grow they are being used as soil building sacrifice to quickly transition from desert to forest.

[@skyval6359]

Black currants are my 1st fruit !!! So unique of a flavor , addictive and super potent nutrition , just planted the first 8 plants !!!!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

I really enjoyed them this year and they really produced like crazy. I was able to get most of them before the birds. Definitely higher up on my list now.

[@WuesteGobi]

Thank for sharing your journey with permaculture. I started a food forrest in my 200 sqm lawn and I am glad to have found your channel and Edible Acres. Greetings from Germany 🇩🇪 and a happy new year

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks for watching and commenting. I hope you enjoy the channel.

[@pattibando3104]

Great video. I like see things when they are explained and you do thatbin your video. You can really grasp what you are talking about. Beautiful peaceful property you have. Love that swing and your water fall at the end. Nice hide out. Absolutely stunning.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks Pat 😊

[@Leonard73rr4]

✊ muy bueno vídeo!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thank you :)

[@zone7permaculture587]

Awesome, I aspire to get more into permaculture

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Awesome! I can definitely help you

[@fourdayhomestead2839]

I'm inspired by Edible Acres.

[@veronicajacobi8779]

GREAT TITLE

[@Veronica-nq9kr]

???? Nice pond! Is it lined with anything?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Yes it has the thickest EPDM liner I could buy. These things last almost forever when out of sun exposure (I.e. fully covered by rocks and soil). I didn't like the idea of using non natural materials, but the more I thought about it, they are very stable, and will create a wonderful ecosystem basically forever. And the pond won't fail and leak. So the net benefit is really high.

[@belieftransformation]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I’m trying a grape vine again. Maybe can keep it alive by mulching & wrapping (zone 3ish).? I learn new things all the time from watching your channel🤗❤️🇨🇦

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Yes there are cold hardy grape varieties that can survive zone 3.

[@davidward5805]

I have 1.5 acres surrounded by APR. I’m wondering how much you’re venturing outside your 4 acres? I won’t tell the neighbors…are you staying within your lines? Looks big! Thanks for the knowledge and motivation. Much appreciated.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

I have many videos on Guerilla gardening, definitely do a search on my channel. I very much have a large roaming range LOL

[@makeitkate3240]

I came across your channel about a month ago. Blew my mind and changed how I view growing food. Last summer we moved onto 5 dry, dry, dry acres in the desert. I’ve ordered lots of trees and seeds, which will arrive soon. Thanks for changing everything!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

That is awesome!

[@alwayswanderingart]

Your videos are tremendous and inspirational! Thank you for doing this. We’ve started to grow a Food Forest as well. So grateful to get more ideas from your channel!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks 😊

[@JosetteT]

Awesome

[@nilasspasov8417]

Why we do not have more and more people like you to educate All world how to live and save a planet. I do cry watching this video. You are brilliant. And you must be a beautiful person and humane been. Tech all of us haw to be like you. Thank you for your work. Love, Love , Love.....

[@Orange_You_Glad]

What are your thoughts on the Autumn olive? I think I heard you mention it in passing but it isn’t a frequent mention compared to other plants.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

I actually enjoy it a lot. I cut it hard and make sure I eat all the berries to prevent spread. It's not that bad here, but I understand it can be very invasive in other areas.

[@ludlowfalls8856]

Great video! We have 4 apple trees so far. I need to plant more with them. I seen your white wishing wells....my grandfather and my dad used to make ones similar to those in NB.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

It's funny because I found those on the road going off to the garbage dump! I intercepted them and gave them a 2nd life in my gardens. But I picked them up because my grandfather also used to have some at his place, so they remind me of him.

[@ladyhess5357]

I have been loving your channel, it’s not often I find someone in my growing zone, I live in the U.P. Of Michigan which can be a 4-6 and you have shown me the amazing diversity of food I can achieve in the short growing season, thank you.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Awesome! I agree, when I started there was almost nobody doing cold climate permaculture. I decided to (help) fill that niche.

[@kenl7460]

Hi there. Also in southern Ontario here and enjoying your content and ideas. Where are you getting your free wood chips from?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

A few places. I called around to arborists and our municipality. The municipalities were fruitful at first - there are several drop off spots that line clearers drop their chips off. The city said that these are free for the taking. Infact, they have to pay to get rid of any that don't get taken, so they WANT us to take them. Chasing arborists down (looking them up online and just calling their phone) was unfruitful for the first 2 years - a few people said "wow awesome I'd love to drop some off" and then just never did. However in the last month or so, I've had one guy drop off about 20 yards of them. Pretty nice when they just show up on your property!

[@kenl7460]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy Thanks for the tips

[@imawip]

Love your perspective on longevity... We want to do so much and grow so much but it takes time. Thanks for these words of realism and yet full of dreaming!!

[@anncarroll7354]

I love you outlook on being a good neighbor ☺️. I wish we had a neighbor like you 😉 we could trade crops! That makes a great neighbor 😉. It’s amazing how therapeutic it is being out in the garden and seeing what ones created with their own hands! I’m in the middle of B.C. in zone 4b I believe so we’re fairly limited at what we can winter here. There was a laugh when you said you figured you could do it in a year! I understand as I’ve been busting for 2 now and it’s like barely even anything yet. I’m disappointed in my raspberries as I’ve done 2 plots over 2 summers on our property and both haven’t taken. Im pretty certain they were in to much wet grounds where they were and not enough drainage. I added a couple haskaps last year and they flourished! Like triple in size in one season so I may plant more next year! I will try more raspberries in yet another spot and see how they do. We love them so getting them established is a high priority! Strawberries grew amazing but sadly with all the rain last year they were melding so fast they weren’t even ripening before they turned. The rain also compacted our garden terribly which stunted some stuff sadly. Oh well I will keep on keeping on! You grapes awesome! I have one wee grape I dug up from my aunts in Williams lake. It’s in the house and I’m hoping I can try to put it outside one day! I wish we were closer to bigger places for better prices as I’m paying $120 for young fruit trees! We planted 2 cherries but sadly one died and the second took a bad hit but it’s had some new growth last year by the roots so I’m leaving it and will fight with all the red ants as I’m thinking they may of had a bit to do with the demise of the other cherry. Sour cherry grows well here so I’m trying them in the ground next year! Good luck and thank you for sharing your knowledge! I’m trying to get things planned and figuring out my this year’s projects to tackle!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

What a nice read all of that was. BC is just such a beautiful place. If anywhere could get me to move from my food forest that I've worked on for 5 years, it would be a place in the mountains in BC. I'd really love to see if I could get some cheap land in the middle of nowhere on the coast where it's zone 8 though! Imagine being in zone 8 but still in Canada? That would be amazing. Glad the haskaps are really working out. That's not really surprising, they should love your climate.

[@solfeinberg437]

I'm thinking where my land borders the road, I'm going to put some things to share with passer by.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

I've found that aspect really fun. It's still super undeveloped and young. I can't wait until if flushes out.

[@MushroomMagpie]

Some lawn is good. Children can play happily and it acts as a fire break, just in case...!

[@MJS737]

Thanks for another awesome video

[@jessicalandi6750]

I've been eyeing space in my front lawn for my first tree - a peach tree guild. But...my first trees are probably going to be pawpaws. I just ordered one and am getting the second one from my dad this weekend. I should order the peach tree, too, but my husband may need me to go a little slower in taking over the lawn, haha.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Haha! Same thing here. It's good they hold us back a bit. I'd probably have planted fruit trees right up to the front door, and I'm SOOO not even joking.

[@jessicalandi6750]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy LOL!

[@kcoker9189]

Awesome video as always!! It's always fun seeing different stages of the food forest as I go back and forth between old and new videos. Cheers!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

And I'm only getting started too. Even the oldest stuff has only been here for 4-5 years. That's what makes this so much fun! This place in another 10 years is going to be nuts lol.

[@Veronica-nq9kr]

???? We have converted half of our front lawn into planting area for next year. Smothered the grass with cardboard, horse manure, shredded leaves, then bark. This lawn has been fertilized several times per year for the last seven years. How long before I can safely plant food items?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

This season is fine. Maybe skip root crops for 1 year. Research has found that very little toxins end up going from soil to root to stem to flower to fruit. Its a long pathway. Also fertilizers aren't really dangerous in terms of us eating them. The problem has more to do with the fact that your soil microbiology gets suppressed because plants don't put out the sugars to attract the soil life, because the plants needs are taken care of artificially. But to be safe, go with tomatoes and peppers and cucumbers and such, and avoid potatoes and carrots and garlic and other tubers, bulb, and root crops. If you want to do those, do them in pots. For example, Poppy did his potatoes in recycling bins last summer and they did really well. Just fill a box with soil, make sure there are drain holes in it, and grow your carrots and potatoes in those for 1 season.

[@Veronica-nq9kr]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy that's a great idea. Thanks for the tip!

[@kefirheals7383]

How do you keep the deer out?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

I talk about this in a few videos but I try to feed them on the deer side. They love Jerusalem Artichookes (these are like deer crack), and they love apples. I have a bunch of wild apples in my lower area for them. I then look for apple trees in Jan/Feb that still have apples on them and take scion wood from them and graft them onto these wild apple trees. This way the deer have food in the time of need when they are starving and start eating trees. They'd rather eat apples than a baby tree. Once I give them food, then just on "my side" of that, I plant many thorny plants and try to give them little incentive to push deeper towards my land. They have food on their side and thornwalls (seabuckthorn, roses, raspberries) on my side. Then on "my side" of the thorny wall, I have my dogs who are outside often, barking and running around like adorable idiots. Then on "my side" of the dogs, we have my food forest. So far so good. I have almost lost a cherry tree to the deer (but that was before I surrounded it with raspberries to hide it). It's bouncing back, and as far as I can tell I haven't lost a single tree to them, even though I have them all over the place.

[@kefirheals7383]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy -- After reading the reply, I hunted through past videos and found it. Very interesting way to approach the deer problem - feed them. We were using the organic blend of water, eggs, milk, garlic, cayenne pepper concoction. Which worked great most of the time, UNTIL it rained and washed off, then had to start over. I like the idea of planting thorny stuff - and now I know which ones might work best. Wow, the Seabuckthorn puts out really wicked thorns. Heck, you could probably stab a pinhole in one and use them as needles. Wow. Anyhow, you really provide a wealth of information on how to work around different issues. I loved the one on how to handle "pests", which was great. I'm learning a ton - I'll be working my way through your videos and hopefully can apply a lot of stuff to our property. We don't have a way to get water over to the areas I want to plant, but from your info on mulch, I'll apply that and let nature irrigate it, and use the mulch to retain the moisture. Work in progress.

[@austinfox5268]

Awesome video. Do you plan to convert the rest of your yard over to food forest production? If so, what kinds of plants do you want to put in?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

At this point I am just expanding my current areas using cuttings and seeds from plants I already have. I may pick up the odd thing here or there for increased diversity. Anything I plant more than what I have now will be very wild. I dont have time to manage more than I currently have. Just the harvesting alone is a ton of work. My goal on expanding further will be to use swales so that the systems are as resilient as possible. We get enough rain that I dont need massive swales, just small ones.

[@lindachenoweth563]

What kind of wood for the chips, I know some kinds are not good to use. I like that you give the size cause some are way to big and of course sawdust is to small.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

The best is a variety of sizes, and a variety of "brownness". So a mix of chunks with sticks, twigs, leaves and bark. Ideally shredded as much as possible. As for wood types, the only real ones you need watch out for are stuff like Black walnut and other juglans species. And even then, the risk is hyped up. Most of the juglone is in the leaves and fruit husks, and not in the heartwood. Also, woodchips break down super slowly (relatively speaking), so any chemical effects are diluted with time. Just don't get truckload after truckload every single year of nothing but walnut woodchips and you'll be fine. But some walnut mixed in with maples and oaks and birch and beech, etc, no problem. As far as other stuff like locus and cedar... they aren't a problem in the same way, but may not be ideal for other reasons. They have anti-fungal properties which mean that they take a LONG time to break down. That's why we make fenceposts with cedar and locust. They last for like 50 to 80 years. So if all you get are locust woodchips, they'll be great mulch in the sense of protecting the soil and absorbing water and shading the soils... but they won't turn into soil as quickly. Ideal woodchips are softwoods that break down quickly. But now we're just being picky.

[@lindachenoweth563]

Thanks for the advice, helps a lot.

[@lindachenoweth563]

Also meant to say, I love that you answer the people who write to you. Thank you that you care!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Thanks!

[@frozenpears6058]

I have gone down the rabbithole of your amazing videos, and I can't recall what video it is from, but you mention harvesting 5 cups of strawberries daily for 2 weeks - what variety/cultivar of strawberries do you have? I cannot extend my thanks enough for creating content and channel for Ontario Zone 4!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

I wish I knew! I planted 5 varieties and I'm not sure what they were or which one my main one is that outcompeted all the others. I planted them year one and I wasn't great about keeping all that info. It was 2 years before I started doing youtube.

[@o.o1163]

I've watched the whole video and right now im planting in grow bags this year and hoping to move before the end of the year, once I get there ill be able to give all my different fruit trees a permanant spot to thrive in. My plans are to have a food forest for my grandchildren and family. I've got 2 sumac, 2 plum, 2 raspberry, 2 blackberry, 2 cherry, 1 Niagara elderberry, 4 srawberry and i plan on getting a lot more like currants the white n black n red and also host a berry, sea buckthorn and as many more as I can. I cannot wait to move and then im going to transform the my yard and the land into an oasis of food☺

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

So exciting! Your grandkids will be your age and will still have memories of Grandma's fruit forest, her jam, etc. Some of our deepest and long lasting memories are created using food and nature. So something that combines the two of them is VERY powerful for creating forever-memories. Make sure to get them in the kitchen helping you make jams now and then. Some of my clearest memories of my own grandma was when we were in her garden, or cooking after bringing the food inside.

[@joshuavazquez5534]

How do you get the mycelium to take over the soil? 9:20 in the video

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Just keep in moist and it will thrive. It doesn't have to be wet wet wet, but if it hasn't rained in 3-4 weeks, maybe give it a nice deep soaking watering. The woodchips (and mycelium) is like a massive sponge.

[@joshuavazquez5534]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy Thanks for the fast reply, Also how did you introduce the mycelium culture into your garden?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

I just bought a bag of sawdust spawn from a mushroom grower and "planted" it in the mulch. Pull back some woodchips, put the spawn in, cover it up, water it. Thats it. Super easy. Try to keep it from drying out completely. Mushrooms like to stay damp. Not wet, just not fully dried out.

[@joshuavazquez5534]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy Thanks alot man im gonna give it a try, keep up the good work!

[@andrewfetterolf7042]

I am landless but I will gorrilla plant at night and hope for the best, and i can propagate more from the one.

[@matulala2000]

You’ve inspired me to make a food forest on my new land. I have a bit of a blank slate I want to start on in the Spring. I just need to create a design/layout. Have any suggestions for how to create? Swales?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Start with thinking how water runs across your land, and design in ways to keep it there. Swales, ponds, etc.

[@Veronica-nq9kr]

???? I love how you talk about handling pressures from animals. Providing food for them so they leave your produce alone. How would you handle pressure for rabbits against lettuce and kale? I know you have clover, but do they ever bother your leafy greens? What about raccoons or squirrels, any suggestions?

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

They also love the perennial kale that I plant for them. I lose a little lettuce hee and there but I get 95% of it or more. It works so well. Have you watched this video? kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWrCh2yaatmSjsk. The end of it talks specifically about the rabbits.

[@evoliveoil]

If your looking for the healthiest and most abundant food possible, what is your rule of thumb for tree spacing? A hedge was planted on our property line and has grown so think very little light passes through it. If you wanted the best and most abundant fruit from the tree, how far away would you plant away from the hedge?

[@Paravetje]

30:50 Fly in my ear!

[@myronplatte8354]

If you focused a little more on coppicing and pollarding trees and shrubs, and groundcovers you could eliminate the necessity of carted-in woodchips in a few years. Besides, berry bushes produce better with a heavy pruning in the fall

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

Yeah, but it takes quite a bit of woodchips to get started. For example, I did 2-5 yards (depending if I brought the trailer or not) of woodchips every day for about 3 months to build this food forest. And anyone who has ever chipped up a tree will attest to just how much woodchips you DON'T get when you chip up a large tree. It's really incredible how much of a volume condenser it is. Thankfully, me collecting woodchips is actually a net carbon benefit, because if I don't get them with my tiny truck going 1 Km distance, then the large diesel trucks will take them almost 20 km to the dump. They also run a much more efficient chipper than I would use, so to be honest, they are likely something I will always get from the waste stream that exists - as long as it does in the capacity that it does.

[@myronplatte8354]

@@CanadianPermacultureLegacy I getcha. Personally, I don't worry about chipping. Simple chop n' drop works fine for me. With coppice you get the added benefit of root pruning, too.

[@KarinaJoensen]

Hi 👋 amazing, amazing, amazing !!! I live on the faroe islands, and I'm thinking about trying to make a food forest. Where do you get sibirian pea shrub seeds? I've been buying a couple seeds of different fruits, vegetables and stuff, but a lot of them didn't sprout. Mostly bought them on ebay and some Danish plant schools. But it would be nice to get some viable seeds for cold temperate climates that actually sprout 🙂 some advice would be much appreciated. Tnx.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

I actually found those wild and took seed pods, scattered them about ajd have them coming up in a few places. I never bought those ones.

[@loisthomas8764]

Could not find this type of Peach.

[@caroltan3003]

Hello, what is the name of your peach tree? I am thinking of planting them in my front yard vegetable garden. Thanks.

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

His name is Darryl. Lol, couldn't resist the dad joke. I have Reliance, Contender and Frost. The one in the video is Reliance.

[@swetalahiri9491]

I would love to be your neighbor and learn from you

[@natwinkel7790]

Do you get any insect pest? I tried planting like you but on much smaller scale in Southern California but literally almost overnight got caterpillars and snails and slugs and they destroyed so much. Btw absolutely love your channel!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

If I want an ecosystem, part of that is slugs and snails and caterpillars. I cant have balance without them. The key isnt to preclude them but control them to a balanced level. The key to most pest control is: 1) diversity of flowering plants to attract the widest range of insect predators 2) attracting birds 3) attracting wasps 4) attracting bats 5) leaving the pest you are trying to control alive. The worst thing you can do is remove them yourself, because you then just removed the food source for the very predators you hope to control your problem for you.

[@natwinkel7790]

Wow I never thought of it like that, that’s the right way to do it. Thank you for responding!

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

@@natwinkel7790 I can't hope to have insect predators if I remove all their food! If I could sit down and think of the perfect way to get rid of beneficial insects, I would probably come up with a solution of removing their food source as the most efficient way. So when we go clearing out aphids on our tomatoes, we often do more harm than good. In the long term vision at least.

[@natwinkel7790]

Reminds me of how my grandparents tended their veggie and fruit gardens. I’m in an area of track house and our lot less than 1/4 of an acre, so my ecosystem would have to be pretty small and well thought out. Is that even possible in such a small space? Soil is fantastic here and I was able to get crops sometimes twice a year but the pest would come and I just let them be as I didn’t want to use any chemicals. Did use egg shells but snail and slugs didn’t mind lol

[@CanadianPermacultureLegacy]

@@natwinkel7790 absolutely possible. Rob Avis is out of Capgary on a tiny suburban lot. Check him out at Verge Permaculture. Also check out Happen Films out of New Zealand. They show many people doing urban permaculture in small spaces, much smaller than yours. You can have a very nice spot for sure!