Farm Field Update - Summer 2024

www.edibleacres.org
kzbin.info/door/ibl... - Join as an Edible Acres member for access to members live Question and Answer sessions and to support our work!
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!

[@robertbrown3064]

Even though I'm not currently in a place in my life to implement 90% of the things you cover in your videos, I just want to say I look forward to every one. You're an inspiration, sir. Both in the ideas and systems you share with us and in your personality and calmness. I hope y'all are able to keep doing what you love for many years to come, and that one day soon I'll be able to cultivate a little more green of my own.

[@kerrieodonnell7605]

Rabbits - to deter? Or to feed them something else? 😊 We accidentally made a rabbit buffet of a large patch of clover at the edge of our food forest. They seem to leave the hedgerow, fill up on clover and only rarely come in closer to eat our crops. It might be worth trying planting clover or a crop you’re willing to sacrifice along the edge of your growing area. Added benefit of clover, of course, is the nitrogen fixation! And the bunnies are doing us a favor by keeping it mowed!! Thanks for all you share-I’m always so inspired!!!

[@BackyardBerry]

The Eric Grex! I love that. I have been working on a winter squash moschata landrace from going to seed and some honey nut seed I got from a friend. Excited to see how your project unfolds.

[@HansQuistorff]

Dahlias have proved to be one of my best deer repelent plants.

[@edibleacres]

That is a very surprising thing to read, wow!

[@clairestokes4119]

If you aren't already familiar, I would recommend looking into Joseph Lofthouse's work in "adaptation gardening" (previously landrace gardening). He recounts letting indeterminate tomatoes scramble along the ground and incidentally saving seeds from those fruits within easy reach and eventually selected for a phenotype that only produced tomatoes towards the top of the plant safe from insects and disease etc. Might be worth the experiment to let them go a lil wild!

[@claytonleal7947]

id basically watch anythiing about what you all are doing. i love your approach and hope some of it rubs off on my thumb

[@chilliing]

Be interesting if you picked flowers off half the row of potatoes and left the rest , just to see if it makes a difference on yield 👊🙏

[@robertbrown3064]

SCIENCE!

[@chilliing]

@@robertbrown3064 spud science

[@lynnbishop9493]

I've spread over 100 cube of woodchips on my 1/2 acre property at the rate of 5 wheelbarrow loads per square yard, at beginning of winter, let the birds smooth them out. End up about 6-8 inches deep by spring, planted around mainly trees, spread more at the same rate about 6 months, and 3rd layer in some places about 3 months. after. Now a year later I have about 8 inches if rich soil. No worries about mulch harming or burning plants or leeching nitrogen, in fact the exact opposite, all veges grew big and healthy with no need for watering.

[@DazzleCamo]

Word, can't overdo it on the woodchips

[@rachelmadrone3168]

I consistently get nitrogen robbing and stunted growth when I deep mulch with chips. Wish it wasn't so because I need the mulch. My Ozark soil is pretty depleted

[@DazzleCamo]

@@rachelmadrone3168 can you get manure?

[@utubemouse]

@@rachelmadrone3168 can you get coffee grounds from a local restaurant? Or try pouring diluted weed compost tea initially over the chips and the again every couple of weeks till things settle in? 🕊️

[@ginnysulya9805]

I left my flowers on my potatoes, but it would be interesting if it would make a difference in your overall yield! I am just North West of you and happy to have been able to get compost down as well as soaker hose before the heat but the thunderstorms have been sufficient to keep the garden sufficiently moist! Saw my first Japanese beetle this morning, they are the most damaging pest I have to deal with so far! I love all the experiments you have going and look forward to your acquired wisdom! Peace and blessings! 🤗

[@TaxEvasion777]

I say let them flower and look for seeds. Very rare but it can happen. Then you have actual potato seeds

[@lucschoonen]

Love how you just keep planting random stuff in every gap you find in the garden! I don't understand how you get so much done.

[@ceedee2570]

the field is looking gorgeous

[@maryshehane7711]

I have never removed potato flowers.

[@anthonyburdine1061]

You're are such an inspiration !! Thank you !! 😊

[@DazzleCamo]

I tried hugelkultur this year and the potatoes there are doing way better than other potatoes on the property. I think they're enjoying the relative space and unpacked soil in which to push tubers. I recommend it!

[@williampatrickfurey]

I'm considering paenibacillus breaking down both woodchips and the aiding stonefruit propagation rates. I had thought of it recently and I believe I'm correct about cows, bison, or I don't know what else, having a population of that bacilli where they might scratch on trees or other surfaces. ❤ Thanks for the reminder, watching and typing this also gave me new thoughts which I added here ✨⭐

[@FolkRockFarm]

First year pinching potatoes. In years past I haven't pinched and the yield has been incredible. I've heard if the flowers pollinate they can reduce yield but they don't always set berries. The seed is what seems to pull the energy away from tubers

[@dirtpoorhomestead4036]

The BEST potato crops I have ever had were years where they flowered and set seed like crazy. I do not know if removing the flowers would have made it even better.

[@yeastybeastie]

Damn it's looking good out there. The best ever!

[@jeffskinner1226]

Reminder: adding crushed charcoal to your soil creates soil fertility that potentially lasts for CENTURIES.

[@tinyfarmvanisle3456]

That volunteer amaranth!? Beautiful!

[@MxnwellMxnlymxn-gs4ep]

I have heard of pruning the initial pepper flower, but just that one.. and also 'basket woven' string trellis too for peppers needing wind brace And as far as thinning carrots the earlier the better really but you can also let them grow that densely and pick a 'baby carrot' crop leaving behind some to get full

[@edibleacres]

Thank you!

[@Limogi]

Remember, flowers 🌺 are food for bees. ❤

[@sishrac]

You are blessed and you are a blessing!

[@tlowday3925]

Brilliant system, I would love to hear more of the highs and lows. Very inspiring, all power to you

[@SimonHaestoe]

Yes, a really long farm field update would be awesome..! These are some of the best videos, love the vibe of that really productive yet permaculture:y and beautiful place right out there where you would expect some nasty commercial ag 🙏 Maybe the potato flowers can be throw the into the wood chip a few might sprout and you get some random variety? It's a sweet combo of something you will forgot you even did - so you dont be sad if nothing happens - with the chance of something really cool happening 👍 Voles: put up high stakes for birds of prey? I have tried without success but that field looks really open and the homes are very visible lol so maybe! Or would having the dogs out there for a bit help maybe? Or could you plant catnip to get some ragged cats to patrol the area? 🤠

[@peterellis4262]

The work has to get done whether the weather cooperates or not ;) The progression of development with this field is amazing :)

[@racebiketuner]

IMO, at this point in the season it's worth the effort to remove flowers from small pepper plants until they're about two feet tall. For plants at least two feet tall, I would only allow one pepper per plant until it they have sufficient branching (at least three well-developed Ys). Periodically removing a small number of leaves (not branches) from the interior and/or touching the ground can go a long way in preventing disease. It's also a good way to spot any developing fruit you may want to remove.

[@FolkRockFarm]

That Amaranth was beautiful!

[@awakenacres]

Inspiring as always! I’m ready to do some mulching!💚

[@TheSupreme436]

Potato flowers-I have not seen any yield difference from picking or not picking potato flowers. I like to leave them for the pollinators as well. If you decide to leave them I would like to see if we can works something out where I can get the berries. I'm trying to build a landrace potato here in upstate NY (I'm just north of Syracuse).

[@Eirikgonzo]

No need to remove potato flowers, but if you want earlier spuds you can remove the following potato apples. But it really does not affect yield. I like to remove apples as they ripen for seed and to prevent potato seedlings everywhere.

[@SimonHaestoe]

...oh, and the seabwrry brassica combo is bucketlist material..! OMG they look so good. The kale couldny ask for a better partner - no deer or rabbit is going to bother after one attempt and I bet they tell their budies to stay away too 💪💪

[@d-sow-13]

The Erik grex

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@ronk4073]

I don't like mint in the ground because it's just too aggressive spreading and I don't want the extra weeding. Funny story, a rabbit built a nest in one of my mint pots and I found a bunch of kits in the pot yesterday. They might not eat mint, but they will hide in it and maybe mint will draw them closer into your field. I make a pretty effective rabbit repellent spray with water, dish soap, cayenne powder, and garlic cloves. Water is the solvent, dish soap helps it stick, rabbits do not like garlic so the smell warns them off, and the capsaicin in chile peppers repel most mammals except humans, who have a masochistic love for the burning it produces. Spritz it on any leaves you don't want them to eat and they quickly learn not to eat those leaves.

[@charlespatterson648]

I’ve done the same

[@geodio]

We did a similar Florida Line solution for our tomatoes as you described. It worked pretty well but you have to stay on top of the weaving or you run the risk if breaking the plants manipulating them. I do not recommend a Florida Line for tomatillos. I love them but they just get too bushy.

[@edibleacres]

Thank you for the input, good to know for sure!

[@jameshack485]

Shocked the deer and rabbits haven't done more damage to your crops

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

Last year I had a couple of volunteer, what turned out to be, yellow pear tomato plants. I left them alone mostly, allowed the plants to sprawl, and I’ve never seen so many tomatoes on this variety before. If you do decide to let the one row sprawl just make sure you have enough room around the plants that will allow for easy harvesting. I only had two plants and was still a challenge getting to the tomatoes, although that may not be as much of an issue with larger varieties. Am jealous of your mulch haul. I’ve asked two com ed crews now and never got any mulch. But I’m in a residential area so there may be more restrictions than in a rural area. Enjoy your videos and look forward to some of your “experimental” this summer.

[@funnywolffarm]

Typically when my potatoes flower very early I get tiny air potatoes from the above ground vegetation - I haven't removed the flowers in the past but plan to do that next year.

[@ryanschroeder560]

The bell pepper varieties I’ve grown in Kansas City really takeoff towards the end of July. Also, from my experience, most bell pepper varieties are generally smaller plants than say jalapeño . I threw a little extra oyster shell dust on there too for the calcium. I bet those are gonna crank with the water retention.

[@Quercusssss]

I've worked on a couple small organic farms and we never pulled the flowers off of our potatoes, I suspect that it may make a difference, but with so much to do our time was spent elsewhere :p

[@edibleacres]

I think we'll end up leaving them. We got excellent rain lately and they are growing super actively

[@rensspanjaard]

do you have any intentions to do a longer film/ documentary on land care ??

[@Gabi-lt4mx]

Wow, I would like to have wood chips too

[@bitethebullet8213]

where's you get that hat sean? def. need one of those...thks.

[@rickthelian2215]

Nice the wood chips would of been great but on a cooler day😀 14:38

[@monkeywentbananas]

When the herbivores become to plentiful You just need to take care of business and thin the herd! If they don't have local predators like fox and coyote then they are going to wreek havoc!

[@elizabethkelley625]

Why would you feel the need to get your wood chips out quickly and not get too hot? Wouldn’t that just mean decomposition!

[@adkforester5428]

What are your top 3 favorite lowering trees or shrubs for our area (same zone yours)? Not necessarily edible to humans but wildlife, of course.

[@FungalNetwork]

Question! I have been growing my garlic seed stock for the last few years and I’ve had super solid success with your seed. This year I have been hit with some really bad rust and it’s terrible. I’ve just pulled all of it so it doesn’t continue to have that environment to infect the garlic more (although it’s already bad). Do you think it’s worth trying to save any seed from it and plan to treat it with something like jadam Sulphur or just try and accept the loss and get clean garlic seed and try again? Thanks

[@zmblion]

I pull flowers from potatoes but im not for sure if it helps i just think of them as flowers and if they sre making seed they make more tuber but im not for sure

[@amy3458]

What was the temperature today there?

[@NorthernGoshawk]

I'm not sure about the effect of plucking potato flowers, but it might be worth experimenting with true potato seed.

[@BackyardBerry]

How do you find the wood chips affect the plants? I’ve heard they leech nitrogen so I’ve been hesitant to use it for my annual vegetables.

[@racebiketuner]

Your potatoes are getting full sun, it's late in the season and you've had hot weather. IMO removing flowers is not worth the effort.

[@trumpetingangel]

Doesn't extreme heat cause some plants to set seed? I don't know about potatoes, though.

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

That’s what I’m thinking as well. A stress response. We had weather in the high 80’s to mid 90’s for almost ten days, without rain.

[@edibleacres]

I could imagine that being true although we haven't had intense heat here (it got pretty hot but not over 100) so it may be something different?

[@trumpetingangel]

@@edibleacres We were in the mid-90s that week, too (Hudson Valley). I don't know how hot it would have to be.

[@charlottegates6263]

Do you have kale cutting or seed

[@edibleacres]

We don't, sorry.

[@slipperyorca8092]

early gang!

[@BOBService417]

Awesome video. Are you interested in testing brand Seesii tools? Have you seen my email?

[@homestead.design]

I think with the peppers.... How much time do you think you have before deep fall??? I think this is going to be a long season, so i think just one more round of de-flowering and you'll have nice high production peppers. I have found its a gamble to push it too hard, but the temptation is real.