It's worse than I thought!

[@markpashia7067]

Your best local option is when you get the chickens working for you. Chicken manure is going to give you a huge boost. Also watch out for areas with evergreens and cedar. They acidify the soil drastically. Much more than deciduous leaves. You may need to bring in some amendments for the first year or two if you wish to produce much. At least until you get a better balance from your own production like the chickens. Trading rotted manure for some wild game would be a fair deal and not opposed to your goal of self reliance. Even the native tribes had "trade routes; to diversify their diets and resources. Think pipe stone for venison or turquoise for flint. Obsidian was desirable everywhere yet occurs naturally in few places. So blueberries for chicken manure would be seen as a "fair deal". True self reliance does not mean producing everything since resources are dispersed widely. Actual self reliance is producing extra of what you have to trade for what you need. Thus it all comes from your own labor. No man is an island. Or at least very few survive that way.

[@tebeardenkahboom1]

That almost sounded like poetry : D

[@cslife6666]

That's we ended up in cities

[@platobach8309]

It is refreshing that, amid a sea of negativity in social media, there are wonderful comments like this, which are informative and heart-warmingly sincere.

[@bobcaygeon6799]

Looks like Mark might be able to trade some knowledge/wisdom for a stay at The Cabin for workshops :-) Nicely done!

[@erjatikka3029]

"Chicken manure is going to give YOU a huge boost." Lol.... Where have I heard this kind of a statement before? Lol... It's better just to sprinkle it in the garden only! lol lol lol :-) ;-)

[@deborahol]

I'm just in awe at what you do. A real man 👌.

[@csmits4233]

Hi Shawn, Big, big, respect for your work out there and off course for your choices in your Life. I’ve been following you for about two years now. Greetings from Holland.

[@jimrowland6089]

It looks like a lot of good advice on soil amendments here in the comments. One that I don't see but you have all the things there to create is making charcoal and using it for a soil amendment. You have lots of wood slash and all that wast makes great charcoal. Good luck and stay safe Shawn.

[@plan-st-consultants]

Yes, adding biochar improves the soil quality; it enhances microbial life in the soil. One can make biochar oneself in a barrel. Biochar buffers (fixes) nitrogen and it binds other useful nutrients, which makes it especially a good solution in combination with compost. Biochar also adds a lot of carbon to the soil, thus helping with soil build-up, making the soil layer thicker over time. When the biochar is made at a slightly higher temperature, its ash content increases, which helps to raise the soil pH.

[@scootaroo28]

You're a good man! I'm glad you have a million and a half subscribers in this culture of the shallow hollyweird superstars that influence so many people in a bad way. It gives me hope in humanity that a person like you is so popular. I look forward to your videos and learning from your example. God bless you and your beautiful family.

[@ICyrusQI]

Great point, nicely said.

[@198634]

Arudawakening amen !!!

[@pamelacharles3061]

Hi, just want you to know how much I enjoy your video’s. I love Gods creations, all of the outdoors. You do amazing work, so talented. Your strong willed, and you have an amazing dog. I can see how much you love her. And she adores you too. Waiting to see more. God Bless You dearly. He sure has. Until next time.

[@mikedavidoconnell]

I grew up in the midwest in the the U.S. As a young man I didn't realize how lucky we were living in the old flood plain of the Mississippi River. The soil is top notch, and the climate is such that it is easy to have a blossoming garden. Now I live in Florida, and the entire property is sand. Its easy to take things for granted until they are no longer available.

[@TheReinoPaasonen]

Relaxing Hammock Music you are so right!!

[@videodistro]

And we are in a glacial area that left rich soil!

[@frankbabeoh]

Relaxing Hammock Music yeap...me from Lower Alabama to The Villages...ha, it you want dirt you got to buy it and that ain’t good ! Lol

[@MrJx4000]

*_"Its easy to take things for granted until they are no longer available"_* you got that right. I can't imagine being one of the early settlers of 200 years ago, who came there, cleared the land and tried to make a living, all within their own short life spans back then. No such thing as an 8-hour day, and 5-day work week.

[@quintonhas]

Hi Shawn. You're videos have been helpful during the stay at home "quarantine". Stay safe!

[@StanislavG.]

There's a shortcut you can take Shawn. Since you only need nutrients and PH at the plant's stem and not at the same time, the fastest method is to make two liquids: Make a nitrogen source - Take a bucket and fill it with green plants, like grass and such. Add some soil (or manure) to the bucket, it'll aid the fermentation process. Fill with water. Put the bucket in a warm place for the fermentation to start. It'll bubble up when fermenting. Once the bubbling stops, it's ready. To use it - add one quart jar of this liquor to a gallon of water. Pour one quart jar of the diluted solution under each plant bi-weekly or so to gain green mass. Always dilute the liquor - using it straight will absolutely kill the plant. Then, when your crops hopefully start to develop fruit, soak wood ash in a bucket of water. Filter out the the liquid and save it. Dilute it and use the same as the first liquid - 1qrt to 1 gallon of water, then 1qrt of diluted solution every two weeks under each plant. Also, make sure to spray your crops with whey once you'll get a good greenery going on - it'll kill the parasitic mites (cucumbers are especially susceptible to these assholes) and increase your output significantly. May the forest force be with you!

[@plan-st-consultants]

Thatʼs a good suggestion!

[@gingercrader8176]

Great info

[@ellesbells902]

Was gonna say wood ash is readily available...

[@firefoley]

I really like the message behind this video: “Never give up!”

[@susanamunoz2295]

Wish I lived there beautiful

[@plotus5885]

And then the happy retriever goes running by in the background 💜 🌲

[@iwona4685]

Don't be concerned too much about the soil composition right now. Gardening soil has to be built overtime. Compost will resolve all your problems and you will not even need to run any tests. Sounds to me like back to eden gardening style would be great in your forest. I'm excited to see how it all works out! For now, if you want to plant this year you can bury kitchen scraps under your planting rows, a little soil over that and it should decompose as everything grows feeding your vegetables at the same time. You can amend also with blood meal to increase nitrogen.

[@grapestheoriginal]

I'm not sure about PH, but my mom was a farmers daughter and had a green thumb. I learned that chicken manure and fish emulsion are the BEST for growing vegetables. She also had a compost heap with all the kitchen scraps. Stay well, be safe! 😊♥️

[@michaelcaraway2305]

Things to add to compost that you will be able to use to add nitrogen there include coffee grounds, egg shells, vegetable leftovers (peelings uneaten greens etc.), tea and tea bags, stale and moldy bread and nut shells. (egg shells and nut shells take a long time to decompose so grind them up as much as possible). Also manure, hair and feathers are a great source so your chickens are going to work well in your favor.

[@private15]

No. Give scrapes to chickens to eat and make eggs and manure. He knows this. Any people with horses in your area? They often have lots manure to dispose of. 🐎🐎💩

[@JF-fx2qv]

This is true, but dangerous in the forest environment. Unless your intent is to attract bears, and it's legal in the area to bait bears. Personally, if my wife and/or daughter were with me at the cabin ... nope ... intentionally ringing of the dinner bell for the bears. Women tend to dislike when guys do such things. Got to keep the ladies happy.

[@wertfreund2480]

Eggshells don't add Nitrogen => N² but they help neutralizeing all kind of acids Calcium-Carbonate => CaCO³ 👍😜

[@ricoviselli]

NO coffee grounds! caffeine is a toxin that kills the plants near the coffee bush.

[@erikacooper8348]

Check out your tea bags are safe to compost and not glued together with plastic glue as they add micro plastic to your soil

[@foxfews3428]

because of your videos i started gardening inside my flat (and outside on the windows). i actually managed to harvest and eat my very first selfmade salat yesterday. no joke. unfortunately you cant share pictures in the comments to prove :P great stuff keep it coming. must be such a blessing to being able to mute the cazy noise of a socalled civilisation and focus on actual life happening. regards

[@lindanwfirefighter4973]

Good for you! Hope you have good success.

[@foxfews3428]

@@lindanwfirefighter4973 thx mate. i got 10 times the room to grow now and i didnt even start yet. tomorrow ill buy the plants for the things i build. i shared this to inspire people. i lived in my place for 8 years without ever comin across the idea to grow something, so maybe some ppl who read this dont have to wait that long. it really is worth it.

[@rm6857]

you can upload it and share link ;)

[@davidmesser8619]

If you have a deck you can plant things hanging from the ceiling. Peas, pole beans and cherry tomatoes do good in hanging planters. Spinach does really good on a deck. Potatoes can be grown in buckets as well as squash and onions. Have fun experimenting. Vaughn

[@foxfews3428]

@@davidmesser8619 yeah i thought about building something in addition to grow hanging plants out of. thx for reinforcing my plan i think thats what im gonna do. regards

[@declankerin5765]

See if you can get a big head of cattle + sheep/goats in there to graze for a day or two; watch it transform the soil ecology completely. One of the biggest additions will be a large variety of fungi that you currently lack. Worms will seem to appear from nowhere and your garden will be incredible. Love your channel!

[@Beth_Agnes]

I just built a garden area and I always keeping in mind is the future growth. I know my garden won’t be much this year but I’m planning on my winter and next spring more so than my current growth. If that makes sense. It’s hard to get the garden to wear it’s extremely productive right away. I will be moving in the next few years to another property within Arizona and will need to build another garden/ homestead all over again like you. I guess “enjoying the process” is what needs to be focused on and the long term plans

[@reneecannon1250]

Your steady patient demeanor is a golden thread xxxxxxx TY I feel more relaxed now ; )

[@markphillipson768]

I thought to myself, that’s allot of work it could be done easier, then I remembered who I was watching. Never surrender figure it out Shawn James.

[@Zooizooizooi102]

Cool to see you taking on this challenge! If you use rotten logs for your compost you will keep your soil acidic. You should try to use the potash as soon as possible after the fire because there are more nutrients in it than if you save the ashes. Good luck!

[@redbaron2342]

Shawn, seed Lupins, they are capable of binding Nitrogen from the air and make organic matter to enrich your poor soil. Lime neutralizes the acidity in the soil and also helps with moisture control and the overall structure of your soil.... Ashes from your stove are rich in phosphate which is good for flower /fruit development... Good luck and I love your channel!

[@dlsdyer9071]

did you mean legumes?

[@redbaron2342]

Lupins belong to the family of the legumes...

[@dlsdyer9071]

@@redbaron2342 do they all put nitrogen into the soil? I know that legumes do. I know peanuts do. Not trying to be difficult, here. I just want to know. Also I like to clarify that spell check has done a number on people.

[@aquelejeito]

@@dlsdyer9071 It isn´t as easy as that. Many of the legumes (and other plants) don´t really "put N in the soil". They actually take N from the air and put it into their root-ends where some symbiotic microbes eat the molecules and there will be a certain leftover of N. It is usually not so much and can´t supply for all the fertilizing that is needed. But it helps.

[@KraftyKathi]

@@aquelejeito I always tilled my bean roots back into the soil with all those nitrogen nodules on them to do their magic over the winter

[@florianschafer103]

Good evening James. As a viewer from Germany I enjoy your videos every Sunday morning. Thanks for that! Regarding your nitrogen problem I can give you an advise my grand grand mother gave to me when I started gardening. Collect some nettles or stinging nettles, I do not know the correct word in english for that, put it in a barrel or bin along with water and wait 10 to 14 days until the mixtures is not bubbling any more. Now you have 100% pure natural fertilizer, with high nitrogen potenzial. Best regards and keep going from the north of Germany!

[@margaretjames4589]

'hi Shawn...of course you could start your livestock...a couple of cows and pigs chickens etc...healthy manure to feed your soil..'

[@claireleboucher4597]

I admire the colossus work you do! Well done, I have vegetable patch in my little garden ... and suddenly I love

[@westmeathguy]

That's exactly why many pioneers moved closer to the Barrie area. The region where you are does not support much in the way of crops, etc. Nice going!

[@charlesreohr6236]

My grandfather taught me to mix coffee in the soil for tomatoes and berries and to use charcoal for beans and other light green vegetables. I know it's a lot of work to make garden soil work good without man made chemicals. He also said something about tree leaves being the best for adding nitrogen by letting them compost for two years and adding an inch or so to the top soil around anything your growing for best results. It is supposed to work for trees, flowers, any kind of vegetable, down to grass and even moss. Or to grow mushrooms on a log with it embedded in the bark just pack the bark with the compost add the spores and leave in a damp dark place.

[@angelk.2591]

Wish you would add some audio to your videos! It would make for even a better video!! Loved every minute of your videos! Thank you! God bless!! ❤❤

[@ausbinpippin5411]

When growing up my grandmother would always clean out her chicken house and use the chicken manure in her granden and it did wonders. She grew enought to feed a family of four for the entire year .

[@barbaramatheney1410]

Happy gardening! We are going to get a freeze tomorrow night. I am covering everything I can, and will still have to replant. It is a late frost for us in KY. Enjoy your shows.

[@andrewbieger5004]

It appears that you have the perfect soil for growing rocks!!!

[@gusviera3905]

I sent this info to your website e-mail some time back, but not sure it got through. Here you go and hope it helps... Great plan and start on the garden, Shawn. Some thoughts (apologies if this has already been said or if you have already picked this info up): 1. When out on walks, keep an eye out for animal droppings--particularly the herbavores (deer, moose, etc). Manure has the benefit of providing carbon regeneration and other nutrients to the soil, which will enhance microbial activity, thus enriching the soil. Plus it reduces soil impaction, another essential for garden soil. Mix this into your soil as you would any other manure. Avoid wolf, bear wolverine droppings--too much grease fat and acids for most garden plants. 2. Use fish. Native Americans often used fish to fertilize, burying a fish with each plant. Use all your fish cleaning scraps and even devote a fishing trip to catching fish to fertilize. Provides all three essential nutrients for garden plants. 3. Stinging nettles are loaded with nitrogen. Break them up and crush them in a bucket and cover with water. Let them set for a week or two (depending on temperature) then drain off the "nettle tea" and store in a capped container. When ready to use, dilute with water--15 to 1 ratio--and pour on the soil around the plants (pouring directly on plants can scorch them). You can do the same with Comfrey (you really want to stick to the Bocking 14 variety-it doesn’t self-seed so it won’t invade areas where you don’t plant it). It is considered by many to be the wonder plant for self-fertilizing, as it has high levels of all 3 of the essential nutrients for plants. It makes a great liquid fertilizer. Make it and use it just as you would the nettle tea. I don’t know if Canada has restrictions on comfrey or if you have it native to your area (I have also heard that Comfrey has great healing and anti-inflammatory properties-much like Chaga-but I have not tried that personally). Remember the 3 fertilizer essential nutrients and their benefits: Nitrogen grows the part of the plant above the ground (gives full, green leaves and stalks); Phosphorus grows the part of the plant below the ground (gives deep, strong roots); Potassium grows the flower/fruit/vegetable itself. 4. Earthworms are really beneficial to a vegetable garden. Earthworms help create humus, enriching the soil with the essential nutrients for plant growth and use. Earthworms also help create good soil structure and their burrows open up the soil and improve aeration and drainage. I acquired a lot of my knowledge from Mother Earth News back in the 70’s. I would imagine there are many other sources now for this kind of info. I have used these techniques with success in the continental US and Alaska, but don’t have specific knowledge of how effective they are in Ontario. Heck, you probably already know all of this. But I thought I would throw in my two cents to try to help. Be well, Shawn. I’ll be watching and cheering you on.

[@tornelkin]

I'd recommend planting some green manures. takes up some time that ground could be growing a food crop, but its a great way to build soil fertility and structure without hauling in tons of outside materials. feed the soil and over time your pH and nutrient imbalances will start to correct naturally.

[@aquariumaddict]

Couldn't he just use lime and a fertilizer high in nitrogen? maybe a good lawn fertilizer? Doesn't seem like he has a very big problem.

[@tornelkin]

@@aquariumaddict temporary solution, at best. increased organic material in the soil will lead to better structure and more nutrient mineralization. I guess lime is a good start, but it takes a lot more than you might expect, especially to buffer an acidic forest soil.

[@cesarts283]

There is no doubt Shawn, you are doing the right thing. I just hope you dont push yourself to hard since this is a major project, with numerous unforeseen situations. What is sure is this structure your will build to protect your garden and chickens, will need to be very strongly built. You proberbly thought about bears, like your doors, it simply needs it. It is always a pleasure to comeback from my daily agenda, and get your updates playing. Un franc salut du Québec !!!!

[@Riverside_Homestead_Off_Grid]

Rabbit manure is good for the soil. It has a lot of nitrogen and phosphorus. It's very dry and you can mix it directly into the soil, or you can put it into the compost. It decompose very quick. You can put it on wood charcoal and put it together into the compost. It builds micro organisms in the charcoal that are beneficial. Best wishes from Portugal

[@artsymamanana]

I think its the best! It works so good. I never composted it, unless I was doing root veggies

[@JF-fx2qv]

Ye Ole Bunny do do is weak ... those pesky rabbits ... they enjoy consuming their own shit!

[@jax-zm1bb]

Rabbits are good eating too if you can get by their cuteness factor.

[@Convolutedtubules]

Where did you get this knowledge?

[@77Cardinal]

@@Convolutedtubules I suggest looking up "Bio Char". It's an interesting concept.

[@tunnelrabbit4293]

Very helpful to see you work through a similar problem I have. Learned lots. Thanks!

[@plan-st-consultants]

To increase the pH of the soil, you could try to add alkaline biochar. To obtain a good liming effect (rendering the soil less acidic, i.e. more alkaline), one can use biochar with a high ash content (25 % of ash up to 30 % ash or higher), produced at a high pyrolysis temperature (600 ºC or higher). Biochar also helps to retain nutrients in the soil, avoiding that the nutrients are flushed away to the groundwater / into the surface water. It can help to better fix phosphorus in the soil, too. Biochar is often made from wood leftovers and other biomass. Biochar can also be made from manure and bones. Biochar made from manure or bones contains a lot of nutrients. Adding that kind of biochar to the soil helps to store the nutrients in the soil for a longer time (the biochar avoids that nutrients are flushed off with rainwater that seeps into the groundwater). Furthermore, biochar raises the carbon content of the soil, stimulating soil build-up. By using biochar, carbon is removed from the atmosphere, which contributes to mitigating climate change. Terra preta is a nice example of the beneficial effect from biochar on the soil. Terra preta in the Amazon river basin originated from charcoal that had been added to the soil by historical Indian tribes. Evergreens can indeed cause acidity. Needles that fall onto the ground render the soil more acidic, so if there are many needles lying on the ground, one could scrape these off and put them on a composting pile (together with leaves, twigs, green waste, etc.) After compostation, the compost from needles will have a neutral pH. It may take quite some time for needles to be fully composted. By the way, anaerobic composting (without air) is a source of biogas: clean energy that can be used for heating / cooking, or even for electricity generation. To improve the soil nutrient level and raise the soil pH, a combination of alkaline biochar, mulching and compost will probably give good results. In turn, a less acidic soil (with a neutral pH, roughly around 7) also means that there will be more calcium in the soil, which is good for many sorts of animals (stronger bones, nails, beaks, egg shells and snail shells). You may be interested in the work done by Indigo Ag on microbial soil improvement; theyʼre based in Massachusetts. Indigo found that microbial soil amendments (nature-based) can greatly improve soil health and carbon uptake in the soil, leading to better plant health and improved crop resilience. Concerning nitrogen, a way to go can be to cultivate green algae in small rainwater ponds, that are slightly stepped down a hillside for example, to obtain a slow water stream through the ponds. Microalgae (microphytes) and macroalgae will absorb nitrogen from the air. This works best when adding wastewater to the rainwater ponds, which makes the algae grow better. The bacteria culture in the pond absorbs nitrogen from the air and makes it available for the algae to grow. Algae will also bind phosphorus from the wastewater, thus improving the local phosphorus cycle. By laying out a sequence of ponds, for example three ponds in a row, the residues from the waste water will be fully consumed once the water reaches the third pond. The algae-rich water can be collected from the third pond. This algae-rich water can then be used on the soil as a natural fertilizer. The algae will bring useful nitrogen and phosphorus to the soil. The ponds also help to store rainwater, which can be used to irrigate the garden during dry periods. It would be good though to fence off the ponds (especially the first two ponds), so that dogs and other animals can’t reach the pond, to prevent them from drinking the water. Using algae ponds will probably require some experimenting, to ensure that suitable types of algae grow in the ponds. There may be algae seeds available on the market. (There are various types of freshwater algae, for instance Cladophora, Spirogyra or Oedogonium.) Itʼs possible to enhance the filtration effect of algae ponds by planting macrophytes (reed, Miscanthus and such) in the pond. The reed provides a good environment for growth of bacteria in shallow water / in swampy ground, which then better fix nitrogen and phosphorus, more efficiently cleansing the wastewater. In the late autumn or early spring, the reed can be harvested, providing useful biomass. Potassium (aslo called kalium, K) is found, amongst others, in clay minerals. Clay is good for crops. It may be possible to find potassium-rich, loamy sediment in a river or pool nearby. The bottom of the river may contain a thin layer of clay (argilous sediment), that is potentially rich in potassium. Perhaps some of that potassium will have been absorbed in the sods of the river banks / pools. In your part of Ontario, where the soil may be a bit thin and quite rocky or sandy, any clay that can be found will be of great value for growing plants. Clay could be mixed through the soil of the vegetable garden. Clay also buffers rainwater, which helps to bridge dry periods. Minerals like calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (kalium, K) and natrium (Na) function as a buffer against acidity, so itʼs beneficial for crops when the soil contains enough of these minerals. Plants and crops need sufficient iron, too. Some water streams contain iron (coming from deeper rock layers), so there may also be some iron contained in these sods or in the river clay. On your videos, the water of the river looks quite brownish / yellowish, which could be a sign of iron or clay sediment - positive for the vegetable garden. However, the river water might actually contain almost too much iron (ferrum, Fe). An iron concentration thatʼs too high can be detrimental for plants, so itʼs a matter of finding the right balance, by mixing with rainwater. It may be useful to look at the pH of the river water / pool water as well.

[@HamsterLife_EnglishLearning]

I learned something new once again from watching your video's on testing the soil and ash levels.

[@MarkRose1337]

Another thing to keep in mind is that pH will naturally stratify in soil over time. If you don't till your soil, roots can better find the pH they prefer. So after you add your amendments and mix in, I would try to avoid disturbing the soil too much.

[@mztwixed]

What a cool human being you are. Thank you for sharing such valuable experience.

[@alexkasacous]

Soil on granite on the Shield will always tend to acid, unlike say along the Bruce Peninsula which would be limestone and more alkaline. Given rain/snow tends to acid (due to sulfur and CO2 in pollutants being acidic) you'll get lower PH reading around spring run off. You'll need to test throughout the growing season to ensure you don't over correct in the spring.

[@JamesBrown-ux9ds]

Yes, and of this a little too theoretical, 'still too much city-knowkedge' in it? One or two larger greenhouses from a diy market would have been okay as well for the job for the beginnig? - in the forest hunter and gatherers live - from that. They let animals find fruit and nutrition, etc - on squaremiles - and hunt and eat the animals later on. The most lean soil is in the jungle we learned at school. 100% of all Energy we now comes from the sun. The jungle transforms it into max. biodiversity, via most lean soils and waters. (Mother nature does, when let alone.) Mankind is the problem. (... As soon as man leaves his own lifestock farming in cities and suburbs, gg)

[@katherinebragg9704]

You need to get you some bunnies. Their manure is real good for planting in.

[@mawmawvee]

And you can eat the rabbits and use their fur for clothing amendments to keep you warm.

[@janelloyd4332]

When you get the chicken manure leave it for a good while before using it in your vegetables garden, or it will burn your plants if it's too fresh..believe me it happened to me..good luck Shawn you have a lot of work in front of you..

[@fynbo1007]

Very beautiful video from the lake, thank you for sharing your amazing journey. God bless you and your family.

[@Stevesworld80]

I always love watching these videos! So relaxing and gives me something to dream about in my future!

[@niceguysfinish80]

Moronic Media Man I totally agree!!

[@americanidiot9091]

I can’t wait have my own property and build a cabin or small house!

[@Stevesworld80]

Yes as a filmmaker myself, I love to create videos making music and also gardening, I can’t wait to have my own land to live out my dreams like he is!

[@americanidiot9091]

Moronic Media Man wow I just saw your Time Of Your life video, you have a great voice, good job! 🤘👏

[@OverwelmingTriumphnt]

Thanks for another great video. Animal manure, wood ash and natural compost, as well as the sludge from the bottom of local streams makes great soil. You'd be surprised how well plants will thrive in imperfect conditions. I wouldn't overthink it, just get the plants growing and use this year to learn. I live in Oregon and last year I cut out a 60x60 section of my grass and just tilled the ground underneath, started some seeds and planted them straight in the ground. I did about 10 tomato plants, 10 pepper plants, 10 cucumber plants, corn, zucchini, tomatillos, carrots, onions, and garlic. Everything thrived even though the soil was full of grass roots and relatively poor in nutrients, i used old water from my fish tank, and compost from my grass and it worked well. I ended up with over fifty jars of canned goods and zucchinis bigger than my arm!

[@Kathy_Is_Blessed]

I know nothing about this, but it is an interesting subject, a great video as always and good comments to read too. 🤗

[@Latina4Life]

Though you have a lot of projects and sometimes set backs, you love it and you push through to achieve your dream. If we all had your determination, we would be much happier and productive human beings. Always a joy to watch your videos. 👍

[@mindyvaughn8217]

I think you deserve a day off. This is so interesting. I just don’t understand why the soil is not better. I don’t understand soil amending. But look at everything that you have already done. You can do this. Its going to be great.💖

[@donnajakubos4249]

We have a lot of sand up by Mackinaw, but have brought some soil from the woods, plus word chips from cutting firewood, adding aged horse manure and organic dirt. See how it goes. Last time we did a large garden was in Iowa that had awesome soil. Going to use covers till things get a good size and help against potato bugs etc. Good luck to you and your family, will be fun to see how we all fair at this. We're in our seventies so lots of challenges..

[@Wips14]

As I can recall from my soil science classes back on college, forests that are really productive tend to have a low nutrient soil. As crazy as it may sound, the amount of "compost" that generates the death of leaves and branches, is quickly used to rise new plants and trees, so there's not much left in soil itself. That's very typical on jungle biomes and rainforest. Ofc this might or might not be your case. Geology itself can (and do) play a big role in all of this. Something you can try: - Maybe just leaving the area clear as it is now will stabilize the soil. Depending on what you plant in there, their leaves may be enriched on some nutrients that, when they decompose into the soil, may rise the pH. - As the old saying say "lime to raise, sulfur to lower". That is much more complicated and will require more effort on you (as you will need to intervene) but might work. On the nutrient side I fear is much more complicated. If the soil has no nutrient, you need to provide it, but manure tends to acidify the soil, so... Maybe you will have to plant the most adequate plants for now, and see how soil evolves from there.

[@cookybanana]

Hey Shawn, we grow the plant Comfrey exclusively for our compost at our urban garden. The plant can be composted right in as greens you can make a compost tea out of it. Despite what older information says, it shouldnt be taken internally. Its good for bone injuries (salve or compress).

[@walkinginthenorth7216]

Thank you for the update on your garden! Looking forward to see it evolve into an edible forest 🌍❤

[@kayt6262]

I admire your desire to tackle this enormous project. As a goat herder I know the "goat goodies" will help a lot as they can be used even uncomposted. Soak some in water and make a tea you can use as liquid nutrient. May I make a suggestion? It make take quite some time to enrich so large an area for gardening. Perhaps for the first year or so, as you work to enrich the larger garden area, that you do container gardening using each container as a test area to determine what combination of amendments will provide the results you are looking for. This also would allow you to plant veg now with less risk. We have been successful at growing tomatoes, potatoes, pole and bush beans, onions, carrots, peppers, leeks, bok choy, all types of salad greens, and beets in this manner. At the end of the season, the soil used as the growing medium is dumped into a newly constructed raised bed and mixed with less than optimum soil. It seems to work. The containers increase our total garden area and are easy to keep watered and fertilized. As a sub, I love your channel / videos and am delighted when Friday comes along for a new one. Thank you for them all. A scratch on the head to Callie, encouraging hugs to you and your wife. Stay well and strong. Upstate NY K

[@Squarecirlces]

The leaves are going to produce a lot of Tannic Acid (especially if they are maples) You can deal with it by adding something basic (lye, ash, washing soda, baking soda, limestone, chalk)

[@hollylynnoverin6126]

You are such a phenomenally hard worker! So good you enjoy it. I wish I had your energy.

[@user-wx3wc4bo7c]

Reading the title of this video out loud got me in trouble with the wife ...... she asked “what is it now?”

[@MySelfReliance]

😂

[@senderbransome7948]

😅

[@soleaguirre100]

😂👌🏼

[@maritesdavid5586]

Just start gardening today , by the time you harvest it , left all the leaves in the garden until you’re next planting , the soil we’re going to fertilized by that , so on and so on

[@silviaflores791]

Algaes!!! I HAD SEEN THIS OTHER GUY WHO LIVES IN THE WOODS IN CANADA USING algaes to better the soil!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 I wish you all the best😊

[@leann4925]

Very interesting as learned something new. Thanks and hugs to Cali.

[@omaeve]

My brother used to make huge piles of leaves he had limited leaves at first and then I brought in bags of leaves that people have gathered and put out at the Air Force Base then he found out he could get the town to deliver leaves and chipped wood and just dump it and then automatically made a compost pile if the weather was too cold you can cover it with black housewrap and that helps to heat up the compost pile and prevent a lot of weeds from growing it also chipped wood from your chipper is great To put in the bottom of your raised beds because Wood will actually hold a lot of water and keep you from having to water your beds in the summertime

[@JF-fx2qv]

Warning about wood chips and leaf debri from some other local .... if the tree cut down or the leaves from a tree of some unknown location has a disease ... perfect way to transmit to your trees / property. Also if you live in an area that termites like to exist ... wood chips encourage and feed termites ... by the way, termites love log cabins.

[@luilu9167]

Hi Shawn, The quality of your soil is almost equal to the soil I had here under some trees. I added some horn shavings to add nitrogen and chalk for the pH. Then I sow mustard and canola and once it how small bloosoms I chopped all down and worked all into the soil. This gave far better quality and lots of vegetables:)

[@elizabethlee6435]

Think about using some green manure. Red clover is a great species for boosting your Nitrogen. The seed is readily available as it is a commonly used cover crop.

[@northof7551]

Great video! We are at virtually the same stage as you... clearing forest and trying to get a food producing garden established in the forest soil, so this is super helpful. Thank you!

[@woodrateater8006]

Be careful with wood sawdust and wood chips, they will "pull" the Nitrogen out of the soil, but are good for "loosening up the soil " if you have a lot of clay in it. All leaf detritus and tops organic matter is "good" for the garden, but more preferable to add it in the fall after the garden is finished. ( ie, duff soil.)

[@globetrotting2628]

We had to do a lot of work on our soil, too. After about a year of composting, and throwing out our BBQ and fireplace ash into the soil, we have been able to grow a wide variety of crops going on 5 years now. Soil, water, sun, and repeat. It's been an interesting and rewarding journey. If anyone can do it, it's you.

[@PeterSolarchannel]

Who disliked the video anyways? Does that person know how hard is to create quality content?

[@margaretkeays3434]

A fun challenge Sawn. I started raised beds 9 years ago, although I have gardened for over 50 years in ground. I purchased garden soil from a presumably trusted source. I took samples to my co-op center to have it tested and the report came back very bad. I was bummed. It took 5 years of composting and rebuilding the beds soil until it was rich. I used vermiculture as well and made tea with the castings as well as straight castings added to the soil. It was a fun, but lengthy process. I couldn't afford to buy more, better quality soil. I stored my worms in my basement and fed them all winter with my kitchen scraps. Then hauled them outdoors to a 24/7 shady spot and fed them all summer as well.

[@lorenzodicocco3748]

Next time you go into town bring back a quarter ton of lime stone and slowly bring it up to the garden. It will leach in quick for now

[@roycarder6179]

Haven't checked in for awhile....hope your well you and the family and your lovely Retriever ...

[@TheFlatlander440]

I hope you tested the water to establish a baseline.

[@blanknone5408]

You make such an important point! I hope he checked the water ph before hand too!

[@timothybowen2481]

William Logan How about you show us your garden!? Then you can spout off about testing!?

[@linusTheBirb]

@@timothybowen2481 Dont be so defensive, maybe Shawn overlooked something and... yeah that is that.

[@timothybowen2481]

David Lambert yeah, he said he tested it so go annoy someone else! 🤷🏼

[@annrhodes3544]

Now, now boys, stop it.

[@deblucas2264]

Hi Shawn...Watching you start up the garden...Lots of work!... Here are 2 Easy Quick tips I have learned through the years...Gratefully passed on to me through the years, that made gardening a little easier...you may already know them but here goes.... 1...As you collect all your food scraps for compost... even paper and cardboard ...Just dig a hole near you plants and dump the whole bag in it and cover it up w dirt...In a couple of months of decomposing your soil will be like gold..Make a new hole each time...So easy and you have to do nothing it works itself!.. (I had similar conditions as you in N Wisconsin). 2...Helps keeps deer from eating all your stuff...Tie a string around bars of regular "Irish Spring" Soap, the original green one and hang around the perimeter of the garden, even on trees...Have to refresh them now and then, but word great for me. Deer really hate that soap...who knew.???:) Good luck I miss working in the dirt!

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

We have lots of acid soil here in Oregon from the "evergreen trees". Old-timers have told me to burn as much woody waste and vegetable scaps as possible and turn the ashes into the soil. Supposedly works better than compost. I'm not the expert, just passing on what the old-timers around here swear is good. Sounds like your other additives will be good. It can take a lot of effort and time to build good soil from forest dirt.

[@MissMarleyLovesYou]

My boyfriend who went to school for plant science recommends adding egg shells or snail shells to make the soil more basic (but you may need a lot of them!) Pot ash or lime are probably the best way to increase pH though. Best of luck to you! :)

[@routeboundexperience6518]

Burried raised wood compost is a method called, "hugelkultur". It's great way to balance pH after many years and takes, little to no watering in a few years. I suggest you research hugelkultur and BTE gardening. (Back to Eden). I've been doing it for years. No till...and after a few years...requires little work.

[@aubieal0878]

C P that big berm behind him in the video is his start on that hugelkultur

[@aaronjoseph7573]

It's evident that you haven't been following along the last year... lol.

[@gabrielgomez6819]

Hola Shawn. Te cuento que no hablo Ingles. Veo tus vídeos y te sigo en las redes hace mucho tiempo (2 años), usando el traductor. Vivo en el Norte de Argentina, Provincia de Corrientes. Quiero decirte que admiro el esfuerzo que realizas para obtener tu huerta. Aquí en nuestra zona solamente tiras una semilla en la tierra y crece o nace sola. Realmente admiro tu esfuerzo, son un gran trabajador. Espero que funcione tu huerta y te deseo todo los éxitos. Saludos. Gabriel desde muy lejos. te admiro y admiro a kali. Un gran abrazo.

[@justjake4652]

I always had good results using lime to neutralize the ph in my soil.

[@dandaniels4558]

Nope he's bound and determined to do it the way the pilgrams did .LOL No man made nuttin, just old fashion hard work and what ever is on his property. Going to drive me bonkers but hes doing it the pilgrim way. I would have already had a garden center truck deliver everything I need to have that garden growing everything under the sun. Hmmm I wonder if we all chipped in and cenr the truck load of everything he needs if he would use any of it? LOL. Oh well we will just watch him and his hard work and brain power solve the dirt issue eventually.

[@salyblack1009]

Just Jake Yes Just Jake . I Agree Lime would also help his Soil , he said it’s very dry . But I think he should get some top soil delivered. But I don’t know how far away the town he sometimes mentioned is .

[@484848474]

@@DPWingo Don't you mean lye?

[@DPWingo]

@@484848474 Yes you are right.

[@SherryEllesson]

Shawn I have acid soil too but had issues with Blossom End Rot. Problem solved as soon as I started drying egg shells (Calcium) and spinning them down to a fine powder in a blender. I also mix fireplace ashes and finely powdered garden lime into my planter boxes for things that like a more neutral soil.

[@LeroyFurious]

The Quarantine King himself.

[@erjatikka3029]

It's all in the soil. Here in Finland soil and sand are very cheap to buy. And you need both for successful gardening! I wish I could somehow send you a few pictures of my sister's cottage which was first just a heavy forrest. Now it's becoming a dream garden! There is one great idea my brother-in-law made out of rocks, since you have so many of them. Interested?

[@bearrivermama6414]

I live deep in the woods as well. Before I had chickens I would rake up the deer poop and add it to my compost. I don't have access to any other form of scat. The deer poo was a huge help. I would be able to get a couple 5gallon buckets worth each spring and it kickstarted my compost (kitchen scrap, leaf litter, grass and garden trimmings) I was able to build a pretty good soil base that way. Of your out and about keep a ziplock with you and you would be shocked how quickly you can gather enough to amend your soil. Sometimes when your faced with a challenge think outside the box. I know your the kind of guy who always does!!! Every little bit helps 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 happy growing!!!

[@VIctorGonzalez-rz3si]

I admire your persistence and the fact that most of the stuff you do, you try to keep damage to the environment to a minimum. I also like the fact that you use hand tools in most of your projects. I like to take advantage of technology any time I can but I admire people that try to rely on technology only when necessary.

[@joshbabb7470]

I would love to see a garden tour !

[@festerofest4374]

Shawn, you develop a great acid neutralizer every time you make a fire. All the wood ash from a fire can be sprinkled in the garden areas you want a lower Ph in. Just keep sprinkling it in and after a couple of years it will help.

[@mwnciboo]

Not to be that guy, but if the ground had nutrients and was good for growing it would already be utilised for agriculture. You can definitely improve the ground, it will never be super productive but it can work, it will take 2-3 Years but if you box clever you can make it work for alot less work. Legumes and cover crops and get that back into the earth. Great stuff, you channel is always a refreshing change to other content i see on YT.

[@TheOwenMajor]

Forests can be made into farmland, it is a costly and intensive procedure but has been done in plenty of places. But it will take what he probably won't do. At the very least he needs a gas tiller, and some real commercial fertilizer. You need to beat the soil into becoming fertile.

[@andreasweber5638]

There is a way to use flowers and other plants to build up the soil, reduce acidic levels prior using the garden to grow food. Usually available as seeds . If the soil is as bad as you described it might be worth to wait another season and prepare the garden

[@MichalOlender]

As annoying as it feels, it's all a learning process. Good luck man.

[@richardpalmer6196]

Shawn , Don't get discouraged. Even though the pH , and nitrogen levels are low , you said the phosphate level was medium to high . That is to your advantage for fruit type vegetables, those that contain their seeds internally. Nitrates are needed for green vegetables, like lettuce, celery , cabbage etc. You seem to have a good understanding of what's going to be needed . The most important additive is good information. You already have a source of , shall we say , already processed vegetable matter from your farm friends . Good compost is your best friend . Good luck , and it's all a learning and correcting process , you have the ability of both .

[@websurferlady6223]

At my age, I'd have e raised beds to save my back.

[@johnsweat5247]

You most likely need to add lime to sweeten the soil. Virgin land usually has to have lime added to neutralize the acidity.

[@RiverbendlongbowsOutdoors]

Might be good to reach out to other homesteading people in your area and see if they would give you some ideas 💡 Good luck

[@Nakamura65]

you can adjust all of the properties of the soil, some garden limestone for the acidity, coffee grounds and planting peas and beans for depositing nitrogen, and some manure for the nutrients,.... Im sure you can get that in any small town, around canada.

[@loupiscanis9449]

Thank you , Shawn

[@philanthropchic2238]

Wow, I know it might be a lot of work but it sure is great content for the channel. Stoaked to be able to look forward to learning how to adjust soil. I am learning so much from your channel!

[@MartinPHellwig]

I think your best bet is to take a more holistic approach, that is use animals to condition your soil, mainly pigs and chickens. Of course you will have to feed the pigs which is a task and resource drain all on its own.

[@EDO-dk7ib]

Hi Shawn, you might check out how to create your own terra preta. It could solve the nutricient problem and stabilize the pH. Stay safe!

[@tebeardenkahboom1]

I got to tell you there Sir James, you are doing what it takes. The Mrs should be proud. Good job. You are a man's man!! : D

[@madal55]

Do they have Sirs up there in Canadaland!?

[@johanna2059]

Behind every great man 👨 is an even greater woman 👩

[@tebeardenkahboom1]

@@madal55 he fits the bill if they do.

[@Tracy-zj4sr]

All your coffee grounds. Even from coffee shops, delis, etc. in town. Works a treat.

[@MrCow579]

another Thursday upload? Hell yeaaah!

[@clintonroushff7068]

Once again it's a choice for balance. How much effort for how much reward. Enjoy your travels. Love Cali!

[@TheDanArt]

what makes the soil acidic is leaves, the natural way of neutralizing that would be putting loads of ashes, chalky soil or chalk...

[@Convolutedtubules]

That last clip... I could stare into it for hours. Great work as always and best of luck with your garden!