Chickens & Crops - Feeding ourselves AND our chickens For LESS!

www.edibleacres.org
After more than 5 years of experimenting and trailing different ways to incorporate plantings into our chicken yard, we're excited to share all the various methods that have worked for us. Both annual and perennial, for our consumption as well as the chickens (and wild beings) are tested and shared here. We hope you find it useful. Please let us know what you do to help add life and quality for your chickens!
We still have to buy food for our hens in the form of whole grain periodically, but the incorporation of
perennial systems reduces feed costs in real ways.
www.paypal.me/edibleacres - A simple and direct way to ‘tip’ to help support the time and energy we put into making our videos. Thanks so much!
Edible Acres is a full service permaculture nursery located in the Finger Lakes area of NY state. We grow all layers of perennial food forest systems and provide super hardy, edible, useful, medicinal, easy to propagate, perennial plants for sale locally or for shipping around the country…
www.edibleacres.org/purchase - Your order supports the research and learning we share here on youtube.
We also offer consultation and support in our region or remotely. www.edibleacres.org/services
Happy growing!

[@dirtpatcheaven]

I am on such a binge watch with you guys right now. Feel like I am learning so much

[@lindajohnson6163]

Me too!

[@smartaussiehomestead5813]

I've just found these guys...think I'm about to start binging!

[@travisdavis1042]

Hahaha two years later and same story. 😅😂

[@smovakpro]

If Dirtpatcheaven is watching, it must be good!

[@edibleacres]

If folks find this video useful, please help us out by sharing with your community, on other forums and platforms. We'd love to get this content out to many more people! Thanks!

[@edibleacres]

We hope to have goats or maybe sheep someday, but that is a ways off!

[@josephpizzo4373]

do you know of an easy way to share this on instagram? My 501c3 non profit "White Lion Farms Foundation" would love to share this via our IG account!

[@GranadillaFilms]

14 minutes packed full of incredibly useful information. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us.

[@hugshoney3409]

Just love the symbiotic relationship and how you cared for not just your chickens but the wildlife as well. ❤️

[@rochrich1223]

I like how letting lettuce and broccoli seed out also provides nectar for native pollinators and predators as well as allowing the predators of the pests of lettuce and broccoli to build up.

[@edibleacres]

Nice thinking here, makes for an even deeper relationship with it all!

[@ohanaorganic5189]

Your demeanor and approach is absolutely what I'm trying to achieve...in addition to composting with chickens lol. Keep up the content brother!

[@wderyckx]

"It's not who we are " __ Sasha - - that's such a great statement ! ! Andn I can almost hear the tomato plants echoeing the sentiment. Thank you. I shall carry that around and recall it whenever I need to liberate myself from assumed expectations. Great show.

[@rnupnorthbrrrsm6123]

Well said !!! I can have all the best intentions for a perfect beautiful garden but then reality happens 😏 But the amazing thing is, God created plants to grow and reproduce so even when we don’t prune and manage the way they tell us too, we still get produce 😍 Happy Gardening ! Blessings

[@collaboratingbackstage1156]

I have watched this video a dozen times over the last two years and I am still impressed every single time by your creativity and passion.

[@benjamin.burton]

I like seeing the chickens scratch the ground and then excitedly scanning for worms.

[@edibleacres]

I do too! We love watching our hens.

[@Seabee644]

This is becoming one of my favorite channels. Great information! Thanks so much!

[@VickyHafler]

Mark Anderson I know! It’s addicting. 😊

[@N1ghtR1der666]

I love your mobile cages system to protect the vulnerable stages of growth of your plants and to moderate what the chickens are aloud to eat. It seems like you have come up with a very diverse system for incorporating chickens in a beneficial way into a small space

[@bobandkaren2011]

"Not who we are"! I love it! That's why I love this channel SO much. Simple practical functional permaculture practices that we can afford to implement. Thanks!

[@dorianmclean6755]

I love the 'growing tractor' idea ...!!! Awesome

[@alabanzai]

The chickens were just waiting for you to turn the log over. They love those bugs!

[@lindamineer7798]

The chicken yard is so wonderful. The workers look so healthy. Thanks for another great video.

[@michaelfoort2592]

I really like your relaxed, low key but informative videos.

[@edibleacres]

That is great, thanks so much!

[@TheRustySpigot]

I love your videos. I don’t get to comment often, but I do. I love that y’all use what’s on hand and are frugal. Love love love

[@dreamqueen9909]

The best chicken fodder video ever!

[@yolylacy5416]

Thank you. You are fantastic! You surely prove that we don't need to spend that much money to grow a lot. I'm always amazed at how much you can grow and multiply just by observation and experimenting.

[@RebelStacker]

Accidentally stumbled onto this video, and have to say this is a brilliant and very well thought-out system! Thank you very much for the detailed walkthrough and for sharing these tips. We live in an area where aerial predators are a significant risk for our free-ranging flock, but the "living wall" strategy should significantly help to minimize incidents. So many helpful things were gleaned from this video. Thank you!

[@joankirby1944]

Happy chickens happy wild birds wot not to like. Thats fantastic.

[@amykinnell2837]

Love your chicken videos. Always inspiring! Keep ‘em coming!

[@GrumblingGrognard]

Good stuff. Thank you for taking the time to film and post these.

[@amh9494]

Those have to be the happiest chickens ever!

[@suzannefronzaglio2427]

Earlier this year (2022), I viewed a video on the topic of grain/feed price increases and even shortages, and how this is affecting those who have livestock (Homesteaders, Preppers, etc.). And someone posted a very interesting comment, on how during the Great Depression people planted Siberian pea bushes, or Siberian Peashrub ("Caranga arborescens") for livestock fodder because they couldn't afford to buy feed. I looked it up and found a lot of info on the Siberian Peashrub. All livestock like it for fodder, especially the chickens. It is a legume so it fixes the nitrogen in soil. It contains up to 36% protein, and 12.4% of a fatty oil. It even has been recommended as an emergency food for humans (times of famine kept people from starving). Eurasian Immigrants brought it with them as they traveled west. In Canada years ago, it was planted en masse in prairie areas to prevent soil erosion. It's a long lived plant (40-130 years). And I read that during WWII (or WWI?), Russian peasants used it for bedding in the chicken coop/enclosure during winter months (chickens could feed when nothing else was available). I found a blog where the lady said that they plant it along side their chicken enclosure/coops, as a windbreak, a shade provider but mostly because the pods when ripe will fall into the chicken coop, and the chickens love it so much, that they'll even jump up to get the pods off the branches before they're ready to fall to the ground! In the times we're at right now, with supply chain breaking down, and prices increasing, and places that make chicken fodder/grains/feed possibly going out of business.... this Siberian pea bush/Peashrub sounds like a wise choice, not only for the chickens and other livestock... but for humans too. It also said that it's considered "invasive" in some States. So you'd have to check. But for those who raise livestock, chickens.... invasive in times of lack might be a "good thing" to have plenty! Enjoyed this video, very clever methods/techniques you employ there for your chicken run/enclosure. Innovative and first time I've seen anything like this (loved the little cages, planting greens and moving the boxed cage to expose only what you want the chickens to consume that that day. Very simple, very clever!! 👍☺️ 🐥 🐣

[@edibleacres]

Incredible notes here. Very good reminder to get the cache of seeds I saved last year up and running !

[@prgarlick]

just what I've been looking for thanks. Your system makes so much sense.

[@castleofcostamesa8291]

Astounding, inspiring, brilliant! I love all you do!

[@MarkandDeniseWetzel]

Love it!!! Can't wait to incorporate some of these ideas in our chicken yard!

[@gardenboots7464]

This is an outstanding video. Thank you so much - for the consistently excellent content and your ongoing generosity in sharing your wisdom and skill. It has been such a delight to watch your videos. You and Sasha are making a real difference in people's lives :)

[@EastMesaUrbanHomestead]

Dude your rocking it, I live your videos! Thanks for sharing 😎

[@davidschmidt270]

Just discovered your channel...love the idea of feeding my chickens from the garden....that just makes sense...thanks a ton👍👏

[@edifying]

Another great video. Will be using your chicken composting ideas as a template for our endeavor.

[@justseekingtruth3998]

Love your channel, so informative. Thanks for your work .

[@misspandesal]

You are soooooo at peace! I love your videos!

[@courtneyheron1561]

Such great information being shared! You are doing a beautiful service to your greater community. Bless you 🙏❤️😊

[@edibleacres]

So glad you find it valuable

[@NadjaAfi]

Grateful for all great ideas 🙏Amazing!

[@yukey2587]

Your videos are so full of bit a of wisdom. Thanks!

[@nubiansoaps]

Well done. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. Please keep making themm

[@nileswright8915]

you make it look so guru-like and yet so simple! thanks for posting this ;)

[@paultan1995]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@fransjebik8554]

Beautiful idea, thank you so much!

[@lindaellin559]

Thank you - I always get some fantastic ideas from watching your videos - my chickens thank you also !!

[@chelseysmith6805]

You are doing an amazing job! Love it!!!

[@jessicalandi6750]

This is so cool. The plants, bushes & trees in the various protective mesh in the chicken area...brilliant.

[@lisakukla459]

This whole thing is fascinating. I can't wait to implement these ideas myself. I couldn't help but notice how diligent you are with proper body mechanics. I suppose if one intends to do this type of thing long term that's as important to perfect as anything else. I learn so much from this channel! 😁

[@edibleacres]

I imagine I look strange to folks watching sometimes, but having had my back go out in the past I've had to learn how to move to not have it happen again!

[@HergerTheJoyous]

As always another great and informative video! Thanks.

[@dawnpatton-valentine3234]

It was a very well thought out presentation! Thank you very much!

[@RaMckenna]

Amazingly informative video!

[@cindyritchie5521]

I love this! We are buying 5 acres of land this week and I was searching for info on raising my chickens. I had been disappointed until now, you have built exactly what I was wanting, a Garden of Eden for my feathered friends! Thank you for sharing! 💖

[@edibleacres]

Best of luck with your new land!

[@morninglight7544]

Geat info, going to watch it again and take notes...thank-you!

[@robharvey5060]

Fascinating. Learned so much. Thank you.

[@DavidEgesdal]

You have given me so many ideas. I love it!

[@judthemagicdragon]

I just came across your channel, and i love your ideas ... thanks

[@viviankrishnan2498]

Incredible content! Thank you for all the fantastic ideas.

[@quitemountainwoman1592]

Thank you so much 🙏🙏🙏

[@betterstill100]

Great ideas. Your soil is amazing.

[@DREAMPLANEXECUTEREPEAT]

Really very helpful to rework my fall garden 😊 thanks

[@jimwilleford6140]

Love your place and the synchronicity of stuff working together for good. Best Wishes.

[@nancyarchibald9095]

Such a wealth of good information! Thanks 😊

[@dulcherrytse]

Thank you very much for sharing this video! It's very useful and detailed.

[@feltingme]

So many great ideas. Thank you.

[@anne-margaretmcelroy1141]

Just starting chickens this year, so you were the go to channel. Thank you so much for sharing your growing knowledge...blessings

[@sarahsherman4514]

I love the log idea, the chickens obviously did too 😄

[@PiwaiGee]

Man, a big thank you for your videos! There is so much to pick from them. You have a great system, thank you for sharing it with us

[@elainaricci1501]

This is brilliant! I just bought a chicken tractor and I feel my chickens would be much happier in your chicken yard! I am motivated to build a chicken yard like this! Great job!

[@TriniEllis]

This has been very educational. Thank you

[@StillSwirling]

Absolutely wonderful!

[@GrimbolTheDruid]

Thanks for this video Sean and Sasha! We just got our first chicks a few weeks ago so I’m going back through and watching a lot of these chicken videos to reabsorb the information. Can’t wait for spring in the frozen north! 🙏🙏🙏

[@TravelKaka]

It's a good exchange...loved your idea of composting too.

[@maxandlobo]

'Just found this posted in our local Gardner's page on FB. Awesome video, great ideas and hope to order something next season. Thank-you.

[@lisamacphee4892]

Amazing info! Thank you!!

[@justing6614]

Awesome vidz love how healthy your plants are

[@yukonjack8103]

You've accomplished much in 3 years. Great work!

[@pamelagarnica4415]

Just found you guys through my nephew. I've raised chickens and other birds for 20 years and have continually sought ways to incorporate chickens and guineas into my gardening efforts. I love all that you've shown here! ❤️ I can't wait to watch more of your videos and get into my own chicken yard to implement some of your ideas! Subscribed!

[@edibleacres]

So glad to have you with us!

[@staceyfloyd4009]

These chickens ❤️. They have such a great life!!!

[@LolitasGarden]

Great details and simple mechanisms to enhance the production, use and interchange within a simple but very beneficial element to any small homestead.

[@MyLearner1]

Thank you!

[@skippy5506]

Really great information, thanks so much for sharing 😊

[@curiosidadesextrano]

Love your videos thank you guys for sharing.❤️

[@guseva1]

Excellent video mate gave me so many new ideas for my ongoing back garden. Have a great Christmas all the best from Perth Western Australia

[@STEAMLabDenver]

This video is extremely helpful. Thanks!

[@theducklinghomesteadandgar6639]

What an amazing chicken yard/garden!!! I have been wondering how to grow with my babies running around! I have lots of seed of many plants that are good for them and us! You have thoroughly inspired me!!! I subbed and will share!!!

[@gmac4157]

Genius, Ive learnt so much, thank you

[@Steve-ps6qw]

of course this is useful. Everything you post is useful and I thank you!

[@colinhall2194]

Some very good ideas. I had stumbled upon a few similar things myself. Thank you

[@christybaum]

Awesome info! I’m new to your channel. You have given me great ideas for my chickens.

[@gooutsideeveryday2017]

Very inspiring, thank you

[@SG-vu4qy]

excellent info. thank you!

[@wolffortenberry8729]

This is a great video!! So much information, so many ideas, very unique!! It’s not the same ole video I find on so many channels about feeding chickens. Thank you for sharing!! I’ve already sent this video to a friend!!

[@myhillsidegarden3998]

Thank you for sharing. Very enjoyable to see the different ways you are protecting the younger plants from the chickens while still allowing them to help you with the weeding, and the feeding of the garden. Enjoy the day! Catherine

[@aaronbaron3155]

I'm very impressed by all the stuff you guys do both outside and in the kitchen. I imagine planning everything must be intense. I used to work at Agway and on a couple farms and in lawncare so I know quite a bit about the green industries.. but I've learned a TON just from watching channels like yours. It's also relaxing almost ASMR quality. Don't know if you meant to be like that but hey it's a compliment!!!

[@Steve-ps6qw]

Thanks for the tips...impressive.

[@PetalsonthePavingSlabs]

great idea with the stones around the base, thank you!

[@edibleacres]

Pretty simple idea, and could be just as easily be flat boards, sticks, logs, etc.

[@GreenFamily2007]

This is incredible!!

[@Monami7th]

What a BEAUTIFUL system and video a out alternative ways to keep your chickens fed. THANK YOU so much for this information❤🤗🎉

[@sheamaloney5527]

That was wonderful!!!! Thank you 🙏 I’m really inspired. I also enjoyed your delivery. Your calm pace and lovely articulation.

[@rachelari1271]

Brilliant!

[@hhwippedcream]

Love your stuff!

[@carmelitatownsend2124]

These systems are so cool!

[@bluesalamander8351]

brilliant !! so inspiring ! My coop is expanding . Kudos for your info! Thanks for sharing !!!!! I'm in Mississippi !

[@lunaflamed]

#ChickenMathForTheWin