Crazy Soil Issues | More Babies | Freeze Drying Herbs

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Hi Friends, we are getting so close to being able to plant out the garden, and I can hardly wait! I'm starting to get everything hardened off, and it's a good thing, too, because the greenhouse is bursting at the seams. Dan bought a portable sheep pen for the sheep we got set up, and the chicks are here! I hope you enjoy coming along with us.
Much love,
Chelsea
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[@LittleMountainRanch]

Please click the links below to join our community or purchase our cookbook. Thank you so much for supporting us by watching our videos - we appreciate you so much! LMR Membership Community littlemountainranch.com/lmr-community/ Little Mountain Ranch Family Cookbook littlemountainranch.com/shop-our-products/#!/

[@jisaak7277]

A cattle/hog panel arched over, held in place with rebar pounded into the ground and covered with a tarp works amazingly well for a shelter for animals. If you place the structure in the middle area of four potential runs, you won't have to move it often. You can also get the animals to go into the shelter, block off the openings, and then safely move the fencing.

[@karenruise9275]

I was thinking the same thing. When or if they decide to make a more permanent shelter, it can be used in the garden.

[@carolclarkson4859]

Enjoy your food preservation videos, especially the freeze drying.

[@ionapuffy]

Get yourself someone who talks about you the same way Chelsea talks about her seedlings ❤️

[@traceyseabrook1076]

ENJOY the sound of fresh cut greens.....enjoy

[@danoneill2846]

many thanks

[@suelewis9133]

The lady on cosmopolitan cornbread makes a shelter with lumber cattle panels and I heavy tarp. She highly recommends. Plus she does have videos on how to build. I think it takes a couple hours maybe?

[@dianekilbourne5734]

You could use a cattle panel, arch it and put a tarp or whatever you have for a covering, if it needs to be longer put 2 cattle panels together.

[@ehsanihomestead]

It is so lovely to see all of the green leaves in your green house. I can't believe you are finding weeds in your potting soil. I was having the same issue this year but I figured it was due to my choice in soil. It is the cheapest potting soil I could find because I have large space to add potting soil to

[@carolynmiller1774]

Can't wait till the printed cookbook comes out

[@jennifermackie2913]

Sheep pen: check out what "the Kramer Life" built for their sheep. Pallet walls and recycling metals roof sheets.

[@drumminghands6356]

The Kramer life used wood pallets and metal roofing to build a sheep pen.

[@jskingfamilyfarm1386]

We make Herbes Salées with onion tops here in North Western New Brunswick. Other areas add other herbs, but here we just heavily salt chopped onion tops and pack them tightly in a jar. Great in soups, stews, scrambled eggs 😊

[@tammieholland5092]

3 cattle panels, t posts and a tarp with zip ties for something temporary and movable might work.

[@carolynmoody9460]

Just as I was typing about paper pot 🤣 you give a link😂😂❤love seeing Dan come to the rescue 🏃🏃🤸🤸you two are fun to watch 😊😊😊

[@kimkerley4218]

Chelsea I couldn’t find your video showing how to make the paper pots. Thx much for teaching it. Please show me were to find it. 😊❤😊❤

[@tamararoberts9307]

I've found plastics and rocks and big wood pieces in organic potting soils this year

[@vbo9872]

Yes, I agree that's a great idea. If possible get a two tiered rolling cart that you can leave in your greenhouse that will allow for wheeling flats in-and-out when hardening off rather than moving one tray at a time. When you're working in there you can just wheel out until you've finished.

[@LittleMountainRanch]

That’s a great idea!

[@kaybusby7507]

Greenhouse looking beautiful. Chick's and turkey wonderful. Thank you for sharing.

[@ilonacrooks5899]

Hi from Australia, used wooden packing crates attached on 3 sides then one middle post with a few sheets of old tin on top with solve the problem to shade your sheep.

[@cynthiafrance6741]

so fun thanx for sharing, have a great day

[@catracampolieto8989]

We bought 26 chicks today. Planted potatoes. Big bumble bees buzzing around today. Life is good. Your chick's and turkeys are adorable. The plants look fabulous.

[@briancarpenter1255]

Josh at Homesteading Family made what he called a sheepshaw for moving their sheep from pasture to pasture. It was based on a chickshaw design.

[@MVbailegardens]

I think we have your weather ; ) It was 80F, sunny, last week. That's normal for us. Today raining and 48F.

[@fredquimby6438]

I'm really enjoying your KZbin channel. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

[@denisediaz1702]

You could use an arched cattle panel with a sun sail instead of an arbor

[@ritabaker3113]

Blessings dear

[@wendyb8778]

Kraemer Life made a 3 sided sheep pen with pallets and leftover metal roofing panel.

[@jeanhecker4533]

I was just about to mention A Kramer Life and their Palette Palace for Ewes. There sheep took to it right away.

[@lisaklmnop1805]

I was just going to suggest the Kraemers Pallet Palace for Ewes! Pretty awesome setup!

[@stefuhfuhmarie]

It truly does wonders for my mental health the second the sun comes out & I have garden chores 🪴🌞 I have the same feelings with the hardening off issue! I put my seedlings in a rolling cart so it made the process slightly less annoying. ❤

[@anitawitt84]

That is an amazing idea!! Thanks for sharing.

[@jackryan6446]

I'll be buying the hard copy of your cookbook when it comes out. cheers

[@lisabillard8049]

Wow interesting that you mention soil seed surprises. I have had stinging nettle germinate with my pepper plants this year. Love your videos and all you teach me. Thank you!

[@johnjoyce5441]

I love watching how things start to come together. My problem is there is never enough time in the day.

[@susancampbell7279]

Nice

[@Ginfiz]

@littlemountainranch .....Kramer Life have just done a low cost sheep shelter YT vlog using pallets and a bit of roofing material, took about 30 mins so maybe that might be a solution for the sheep shade 😊

[@leannekenyoung]

I’m thrilled that you held the video to show the results of freeze drying! I would absolutely LOVE to own one now that I’ve started pressure canning and am getting into food preservation myself. I doubt I’ll ever be able to afford one but it’s wonderful to see if I ever could just all the things I could do with it! I wondered how freeze drying herbs would turn out and I can’t believe how green they remained!!! I’ve tried dehydrating herbs with a machine and was sadly disappointed with the results I don’t know if I did something wrong but they almost tasted like wet sweat socks when I rehydrated them and they just were horrrible!! So if you ever have any chance to show how to dehydrate herbs I sure could use the lesson!!! Thanks!! God bless and may all or your meat chicks and turkeys continue to thrive and fill your freezer!!🥰❤️🙏🏻🇨🇦

[@georgiamama3806]

Your my inspiration

[@tamararoberts9307]

Better than what they do to the produce you buy at the grocery stores 😉

[@richele1906]

I found a chunk of spliced wire in my potting soil and lots of large chunks of wood!

[@andrewhammill6148]

The Kraemer Life on KZbin put together a housing for their sheep a few weeks ago. 6 wooden pallets and a couple pieces of corrugated aluminum roofing. All of it was recycled. Maybe that'll help you figure something out for the sheep.

[@LenaDianeJ]

For a shelter for the sheep, have you considered using a tarp? Attach each corner to a post, but make sure you put the entry side higher than the back side so rain water doesn't pool in the center of the tarp and collapse it.

[@futurefolk9919]

I was just thinking the same thing😊

[@sharonschisler-mx3gv]

Oh my gosh Chelsea, I am happy to hear you say you found weeds in your potting soil. I bought ProMix and love their product but I too have found weeds in my potting soil as well. Happy growing, your plants look amazing.

[@sheilaflory2541]

I may be late to the party (catching up on your videos), but perhaps a tarp or inexpensive sunbrella or repurpose a few small kid pools. Can’t wait to see what you do

[@1944chevytruck]

looking good!

[@carolynmiller1774]

I planted my mint in a barrel so its contained. I use it to make tea.

[@pennynewell3459]

I totally agree with Jess, at Roots, and Refuge. I bought organic, raised bed soil this year,25 bags. It is full of wire, metal, rocks the size of my fist, and large chunks of wood. Worst stuff I have ever purchased. If it wasn’t for the fact that I had to drive over an hour to purchase it, I would’ve taken it back

[@wrinklesandsprinkles]

If Dan can get pallets for free to build a little structure then that’s the cheapest option. Just don’t overbuild because the structure will be too heavy to move with the fence. Hoping your family is doing well. Cheers, Doc🫶🏻

[@ShellyS2060]

What a busy couple of days ! Whew. Adorable babies of all kinds.

[@carolwhisenhunt7504]

Can't wait to watch chics and turkeys grow. Great video Chelsea.

[@janetsandham7058]

Well ur home made pots seem to be doing a great job ,with ur plants they all looking amazing well done

[@janetsandham7058]

Really enjoyed your vidio ,thank u , U really do make my day ,beautiful family ,great ranch ,glad every thing going well for u both

[@tamararoberts9307]

Yes ! It's a pain to harden-off seedlings because it's time consuming

[@oceanluv88]

Maybe a cattle panel with shade cloth or a tarp for the sheep. Will you be shearing them for wool?

[@danamama6766]

I to have had a hen determined to sit on a few eggs where only one lived and it really is so sweet. And such a good Mom. Loved this whole video. hugs and luv

[@rachellepollock9877]

Garden and onions look great. Glad the chicks and turkeys are healthy and you have not lost any. Thanks for video and update. Crazy weather in Northeast Ohio also. 80 degrees then snow this week.

[@shirley7137]

Same in Michigan.

[@bettyjorodgers8552]

Thanks

[@cindyupton7357]

I don’t have a freeze dryer. But i dehydrated a full quart of chives. Mine were so strong they burnt my eyes also. Never had that happen.

[@carriem7832]

Buy a petunia plant and take cuttings, also geraniums, begonias, tomatoes etc….easy to make extra plants…I did it a lot in the greenhouse I worked. Also I cut the ends off of my store bought celery stalks and rooted them in water….nicely rooted now and I can keep them growing in my window in water and fertilize or plant into sandy soil. I rooted twenty sweet potato starts from one store bought sweet potato… I could do more but no one wants to grow them and hubby doesn’t like them….but some will become powder after dehydration.

[@mojoflyingsolo639]

Do you have a cattle panel? you can arch it between 4 t-post and cover it with a tarp and you have an instant shelter.

[@vegemitegirl1971]

I'm in rural Australia, central time zone. We are not far from winter now. I overwinter my peppers, chilli, and eggplant very easily. They're in a sheltered area which helps. We have virtually no snow, ok, 5 to 6 minutes every 5 to 8 years. I have had some of these plants survive 4 and 5 winters. The produce will gradually get smaller every year but I get a head start on the following spring

[@LittleMountainRanch]

That’s so cool! I should live in Australia!

[@sherylh4780]

Love your channel and glad you have had no chick or turkey losses.

[@bernicevanover726]

Tarp and hog/cattle panel with T post as a stabilizer

[@chris3m98]

Cheslea, You spoke about the sheep getting blotted. When we would get one we would bring it into the spare milk room of the house. Then we would tie their legs to lay them down on their side. Then we would take a long knitting needle and insert it between the ribs until it released the gas. Surprisingly the sheep laid still to do this. I don't remember what two ribs you had to do this? Maybe you could ask your vet if they have ever done this. At least you now know you can help the animal. P.S. Wear a face mask as the smell is gross. 🐑🐏

[@joannak4640]

Fantastic video ❤️ Thank you so much for giving us a glimpse into your beautiful life!!

[@sharonrabner7653]

Would a cattle panel nailed to a board on each end to keep it bent and covered with black heavy plastic work

[@NickCO303]

I find that I can harden most of my plants in 4-5 days, keeping an extremely watchful eye on them. Even on the first day I try to give 30-60 minutes of sun if I can. If it's overcast and relatively cool, I find I can leave them out almost all day on the first day. I am in the Denver area where UV is very intense, so that may make a difference, but a week is generally much more than sufficient. Looking forward to your garden this season, Chelsea! It promises to be abundant from the looks of it! :)

[@aura-leekistner1810]

Just got your cookbook! Yay!! ❤❤ cannot wait to "dig" into its treasures! 😊❤

[@106pricey]

I also had potting soil issues. I bought Kellogg brand from home depot. It was basically unfinished compost made from bark. I wasted hundreds of pepper and tomato seeds, not to mention time and electricity for the lights. Seems like they could have sacrificed alot of quality to push out more product. They could be using municipal compost made from collected yard waste. Also it could be that they are allowing this to happen to discourage new gardeners from growing their own food. There have also been alot of problems with quality of seed. I had a couple packs of bean and pea seeds that I got like 10% germination. They were packed for 2023.

[@kimkerley4218]

I love the videos. You can really feel your new excitement for the farm! I am loving the videos! ❤❤❤

[@traceyseabrook1076]

Luv the paper plant pots. Enjoy your posts and look forward to each post.....Ottawa, Ontario

[@jmt7676]

Love your channel. Looking forward to following your projects in the coming months.

[@sandyperreault9326]

I agree. I have found the quality of potting mixes in my area not as good as previous years.

[@ht6684]

I agree with the quality of a lot of things from soil to seeds.

[@bonitahunter8905]

I have had terrible germination with a lot of my seedlings. I had got promix organic and nothing grew in it so I figured it was contaminated. Around the first time you were mentioning you had a problem with it. I got a few other Banks since and they've got a lot of plastic and wood and everything in them.. I'm in Ontario , Canada 🇨🇦

[@johnensminger7675]

Thanks so much for sharing your life with us and your ideas! Appreciate it!😊

[@JulieKeeperofMyHome]

We used posts and a tarp as a temporary shade spot. It worked quite well. Another lovely and very informative video. Thank you!

[@hisimagenme]

Hey Chelsea!! Idea for shelter! If you have extra cattle panels or fence sections, you could use t-post to make a cover, 1 on each side one on top and tie a tarp over the top. I've seen this countless times, even palettes would work, though those can get beat up a bit faster with elements and use. Great video today. Smiles and blessings...

[@lynsmith2698]

Hi Chelsea. You are so right. Winter to summer. Yesterday I did inspection on my hives and felt like I was going to die from the heat. It was +28C brutal when you are not use to it. Our friend offered to raise some meat birds at their place for us. So i am soExcited about getting 25 birds. Did you hear about the fire in McBride. We are about an hour west of there and had so much ash and smoke here. Pretty sad there are so many fires already. Anyways great video. Thank you 🌷🇨🇦

[@LittleMountainRanch]

I did! So stressful for everyone up there, especially with it being so early.😭

[@lynsmith2698]

@@LittleMountainRanch thankfully rain came so hopefully it’s under control or out by now. Have a lovely weekend

[@a-1insurance423]

Cattle panel and tarp

[@LittleMountainRanch]

Why in earth didn’t I think of that! Thank you so much.

[@melindawargowsky8176]

Unfortunately, I do about 10,000 plants a year, and gradual hardening off isn’t an option. I look for an overcast day and stick ‘em all out. From then on, it’s every plant for itself😂

[@cynthiafisher9907]

Do they start in a high tunnel or a building?

[@camicri4263]

Have a blessed week Chelsea!❤

[@nancyowen6936]

When will the cookbook be available in print?

[@kathymadison9788]

I’m dry canning my potatoes from last yr today its genus no mushy potatoes 😊

[@cynthiafisher9907]

Do you can them the same length of time and with a pressure canner?

[@lillie9117]

Build like chicken tractor for sheep so it can move with fencing.

[@robyn7287]

Potting soil has been disappointing here as well, Australia 🇦🇺 I usually mix my compost into it before using. I’m finding, plastic, wood chips and weeds. So very annoying. I think it’s a cutting cost process.what a difference in weather conditions, full summer in a day.

[@theresamusser7454]

I found that I cannot raise the dark turkeys in the same pen as the white. The dark are more aggressive and picked on any bird, including the meat chickens that were white, to the point of injury.

[@kimkerley4218]

Crates can be used for a free or cheap pen and then put a tarp over the top 😊

[@dudeusmaximus6793]

I have taken to making my own potting mix because of the same bad experiences you mention. Yes it does have some weeds but right now you wouldn't be any worse off in that regard. So 2 parts of my best fertile soil, 1 or 2 parts of homemade compost depending on how heavy the plants feed, and 1 part play sand. You could take sand out of a creek and sift it if you want, which in that case would totally make it free. Do supplement with organic blood meal and earthworm castings, the latter of which is always easy to make yourself. It's nice to know what you have when you start plants, because a lot of the commercial stuff seems sketchy right now.

[@elizabethlink3993]

💚Love the hen with the lone chick! Freeze-dried green onions and chives look great. Downstairs renovation coming along. Looks like some good suggestions for shade for sheep using cattle or pig panel 🤞. Crazy about all the weeds, etc. in the various potting soils 🤔💚

[@jackryan6446]

I can hear the redwing blackbirds in the background when you're talking about the sheep and the mesh fence. They live in the marshy areas here where I live. Do you have marsh areas on your ranch?

[@belieftransformation]

Wonderful progress; thanks for sharing! I was going to suggest arched cattle panels for a shelter & see someone else suggested this. I know they’re quite pricey too but can be reused in the gardens as trellises. Blessings to all 🤗💜🇨🇦

[@kari-gs4eq]

A small hay wagon could be a sheep shelter

[@rebeccawallace4240]

Dear we always build what we can out of pallets and tin if you have available look at Kramer homestead, they made the cutest little hut they named its great ,blessings to u and yours

[@lynnsteiner1580]

Try green tomato sweet dessert breads with your green tomatoes - delicious. You can add any fruits and nuts in the recipe just like zucchini bread.

[@shabbyshopper]

My potting soil is the worst it’s ever been… filled with weeds 😢😢😢😢😢

[@deanna4814]

I had a horrible go with potting soil this year. It was all bark it killed so many of my plants

[@Janieandtheboys17]

Chelsea how many babies/grand babies do you have??

[@carriem7832]

My potting soil is full of gnats and I had to buy mosquito kill granules and I’m fighting them……my potting soil from Miracle Grow had them last yer…I left the extra bag out all winter to kill their eggs but they merged and 6:15 my new soil from Walmart is loaded with them… I know Flower Farm has dealt with bugs in her soil and Roots and Refuge with toxic garden soil…the companies are using a lot of junk waste in their mixes . I have gone into our woods and collected my own compost for filling my grow bags. I shred some cardboard in them first then kitchen scraps then woodland compost…..I put them out to weather some with sticks poked in them or pine cones to keep cats n critters out. Sticking wood stakes or hard stems from a pompous bush gives me a structure to clip tulle onto to keep moths from laying eggs. For my tomatoes I’m making a simple hoop house to protect them in. I intend to buy portable deer netting fence to put around the garden area. I had a vole get into my art studio in my barn where I grew seedlings and eat my plants. Found it dead in my cats water dish…. Something got into my greenhouse which usually I keep closed and flipped over four trays I had planted seeds in. It makes you want to quit and buy from a market….especially when your husband is not much of a veggie eater and I make powders from them to put in recipes. I’m

[@marvona3531]

Maybe a tent or pavilion out of fabric 😉 for your sheep’s.

[@jackandpiper]

You don’t happen to have a spare trampoline on your property? They could get under that for shade if needed, maybe🤷🏼‍♀️

[@dhansonranch]

Starts look great! I have not had weed issues in the potting mix, but I will say the soil is heavier moss and so the nutrients seem to be lacking and it is showing. I started watering with fish fertilizer shortly after the second true leaf, but should have started sooner. I had poor germination with purple cabbage and celery. I do find the chicks like to eat the wood chips if too small do I now use shavings on the bottom with straw on top.. I do keep the turkeys with the chickens and have no troubles. My oregano and thyme seems to over winter. With it being the first winter for the sage and rosemary, still waiting to see. Your garden is further ahead than mine. Thomas white or Nicholas white? Which hatchery? For a shelter, take a couple wheels off some of the old equipment you don't need - 4 posts with braces and a tarp or scrap plywood as roof - makes it moveable and useable. Reno's look good. Good video!