LAZY BED potatoes the old irish way

[@susanmacdonald1868]

Such fantastic neighbours you have,and none of them afraid of hard work.This is what life is about,all of us pulling together.

[@OffGridBruce]

Great neighbours :)

[@Jimmy-nr4kr]

Your neighbors are the true definition of gentle men. What a good bunch!

[@OffGridBruce]

They are totally amazing people!

[@juliadickenson178]

Sometimes I think I'm going to scream when I hear the word community yet again in the media. BUT. This is it. This is real community.....Absolutely wonderful!!!!

[@OffGridBruce]

Ah it really is! Feels very wholesome

[@rebeccaruane]

An mheithal!

[@OffGridBruce]

@@rebeccaruane one of many :)

[@leestimis9264]

This is what life is really about. The world is so much better when it is more like it use to be. Neibors helping neibors and really becoming our family in the truest of of senses. You and yours have made the biggest change if your lives for the better. Soooo blessed are you!!!

[@OffGridBruce]

I feel extremely blessed right now to have such knowledge and help. Certainly feels like living right now

[@malcolmduggan5130]

Hi Bruce It turns out we are neighbors.. Tom is my godfather 😉 .. warm regards to you and your family. If you need a hand with anything let me know.

[@OffGridBruce]

Oh wow thanks very much. Tom is a great man. I’m sure we will bump into each other soon then :)

[@richardomalley1746]

Question for Tom Barry: that sod of virgin ground that was turned over was called a “feribeen” by my Ganda . Late 50s and 60s. Best of luck with your crop. He used sea weed (wrack) as fertiliser

[@OffGridBruce]

I wonder if it’s regional? I couldn’t spell the word he said. I know tom uses seaweed in his garden too

[@marcusd2380]

I learned something today. Hard to be old fashioned experience for braking up nee ground and growing a good crop of potatoes. The old farming methods are sustainable unlike many of the new methods used today

[@OffGridBruce]

It was great learning the old ways. Will have to do a harvest video when the time comes

[@orlamartin7564]

Your farming neighbours are gorgeous! How lovely to have that help and knowledge passed on. I used lazy bed method for all my beds starting off last year. Still lots of scutch grass and other weeds coming through but over time I’ll weaken them, I hope. Was cheaper than trying to build and fill raised beds. Best of luck with the shpuds!

[@OffGridBruce]

I am truly blessed! I am going to have similar problems I think to begin with but I’m one step closer now :) good luck with your spuds too!

[@davidfennell5124]

Great crack working with the old timers who pass on their knowledge to the next generation😀 pollytunnel looking well Bruce and drip irrigation on the ground is definitely the way to go 👍

[@OffGridBruce]

Already loving the drip line. Saving me loads of time

[@greenmoon9416]

Love how Tom gave the Irish words they used to use in the sowing of potatoes. ....wishing there was a bit more singing from the Girls when they where setting the potatoes. .....isn't it great to have folk around to help out 👍

[@OffGridBruce]

It is. I loved learning the Irish words. I have them committed to memory now

[@maeveskelly4686]

Great video Bruce. It’s lovely to see you have such helpful neighbours. Agree it makes all the difference in a community.

[@OffGridBruce]

it does doesn't it! I'm very grateful to them all

[@jigsey.]

Fantastic neighbours and proper gentleman... We have the same type of neighbours down here in North cork.. I'm English too and was welcomed into the community...great video

[@lenadeknegt9956]

It is so great to read what other people are doing for each other, but the irish and english are friendly and great singers, we always met very nice people in Ireland in our holidays, very nice memories.

[@Nate1975]

Interesting method. Complete opposite to how it’s done everywhere else. Love love the community planting vibe ❤

[@sshaw4429]

You are such a sweet grateful man. Wonderful.

[@JaiHylRubis]

Pleasure to sub. Just driving through Ennis Diamon today thought of you guys. Yes, parsnips, just planted 2 days ago. Don't plant to deep, water whenever surface shows drying and wait for up to 2 week appearance. We leave a few plants to seed for next year. Kale also does very well companion planted and is lovely for greens all year round and purple sprouting broccolli is a delicacy in the spring! Year 3 of no dig poly & raised beds gardening is our way now and very little weeding required which used to be a real chore, especially in the usually damp Co Tipp Mtns. lol 💖🙏🌻

[@OffGridBruce]

I was in the town today :) Thanks for that info. I want to do no dig where I can. I absolutely love purple sprouting broccoli!

[@bigwilf1966]

We just paid for our land and been watching this too stay calm. Now all excited about it again. thanks guys.

[@OffGridBruce]

Amazing! where have you bought land? good luck with it all

[@bigwilf1966]

@@OffGridBruce Aryshire Scotland

[@anthonytodd3408]

Blimey you’ll have enough potatoes for the year, good to have great neighbours. Tony

[@OffGridBruce]

We have some great neighbours! we weren't even planning on planting any this year until we were offered help :)

[@rebeccaruane]

An mheithal!!

[@ldg2655]

What a LOVELY area you’ve landed in… with LOVELY neighbors!!! How I wish to have landed in such a lovely hospitable area with kind and helpful neighbors..

[@OffGridBruce]

I am extremely blessed that’s for sure

[@allonesame6467]

I store my seeds in the fridge in a tin box. They have been good for years. Germination may not be what it could be, but good enough for me. Beautiful soil! What lovely neighbors! Truly a blessing!

[@OffGridBruce]

That’s a good tip. We will have to try that. We definitely have more seed than we can plant this year. We have some great neighbours :)

[@diratlion1664]

I'd make a large concrete tile and put them end to end down the middle of your pathways, so that you can use a snow shovel. So much easier to walk along a shoveled path to the polytunnel. Yet again the polytunnel should have been dug down at least 3 or 4 feet or below the frostline to use the thermal heat of the ground through winter. The frost line, also referred to as the frost depth, is the depth at which the groundwater in soil is expected to freeze.

[@OffGridBruce]

Thanks for the info. We don’t really get snow here and if I dug it down it would probably resemble a pond in the winter months but I do love the dug in greenhouses they are such a great idea

[@rosecromhout5892]

Oh I enjoyed this episode. No concerns about doing everything on your own. Even I am learning as you go along. Another huge thumbs 👍 up for your community.

[@OffGridBruce]

Thanks Rose. This was a real highlight for me this week too.

[@michaelmcclafferty3346]

Great video , thanks. I see a lot of old lazy beds or feanagan in Donegal when I’m there even in remote places. You might want o look at Bruce Darren’s Red Gardens Blog on this. Also, have a look at Terry King’s allotment YT channel on growing parsnips. I used his method last year and it was very successful. Math thu

[@OffGridBruce]

Thanks i will check out the blog. I have watched a few of his vids and find them very useful. I hadn't heard of terry king so will be keen to check that out.

[@TerryTerryTerry]

Nice one Bruces.

[@OffGridBruce]

Thanks Terry

[@gawain8000]

Nice

[@kateburk2168]

If they think that's an easy lazy way, I'd hate to know what they think is hard!🤭 But am thinking with new ground anything is harder. What a blessing to have living books of knowledge around you.😎 Have problem with the kids planting food inside those old tires. Leaching of chemicals will be sucked into the carrots etc. Personally, I would use them only for non-edible flowers etc, like away from the greenhouse and vegetable beds, fruit trees & any herbs.

[@OffGridBruce]

It was actually surprisingly easy well with all the help anyway. The tyres are a temporary method but I hadn’t actually given much thought to leaving chemicals. I also have some Jerusalem artichokes in another so I guess I better think about moving them

[@amyhoffman5839]

Have to say, I had never heard of a poly tunnel until I saw it initially on here. I'm familiar with greenhouses, which are mostly to start seedlings, etc. Guess it all depends on your location and climate as to whether or not you'll require a poly tunnel. Also, your friend's "funny face" made me LOL! Thanks!

[@OffGridBruce]

Polytunnel growing is quite common here. it can bring you up one whole growing zone. Thats my brothers girlfriend she is very funny

[@JaiHylRubis]

Polys are a huge advantage in rainy chilly Ireland for self sufficientcy. lol The saying is that Ireland is grand if you can put a roof on it! 😃 💖🙏🌻

[@amyhoffman5839]

Lol! It's grand no matter what! Would love to visit the Emerald Isle someday, but love seeing Bruce's scenery (old tires and all!)...take care.

[@sshaw4429]

Beautiful furrows!!!

[@OffGridBruce]

They did a fine job didn’t they!

[@robscoble1579]

Another interesting video and great to learn how to grow potatoes the old Irish way. I'll have to give it a go. What do you do with the sod that was on the top though? Do you just turn it over and then put the manure on top? Lovely neighbours and friends who helped you out. I can see how that would make you happy 😊

[@Corfine]

very good

[@OffGridBruce]

Thanks Liam

[@franziskabertram3286]

Catching up on videos atm. Those were definetely not 'lazy' men. Wonderful neighbours. And great knowledge adapted to your specific area and growing conditions.

[@OffGridBruce]

They are total legends

[@oc7414]

Ive had parsnip seeds that are over 10 years old and they still have wonderful germination. I keep them in the freezer like all my seeds.

[@OffGridBruce]

Thanks for that tip I’ll do that

[@jembo1959]

Well done you better get out and collect some boxes you'll be storing some potatoes this coming year.👍

[@OffGridBruce]

Hopefully 🙏

[@886jules1]

Try freezing your seeds when you're finished with them for the year. I store mine in the freezer till next year's growing season. They definitely last longer.

[@OffGridBruce]

ah that's a great tip i will remember that!

[@Anjuli72]

And if you freeze for 24 hrs before you sow it should speed up germination!

[@boldertash]

Brought a tear to my eye❤

[@OffGridBruce]

This was a great week

[@christinamontano11]

The potato beds are beautiful as well as your garden. Will you plant tomatoes or cucumbers? They grow very well in the greenhouse..they will climb upwards if you train them onto a string. Happy Spring!

[@OffGridBruce]

They look great don’t they. We have planted tomatoes (a few varieties) and cucumbers especially as they are Betsys favourite. Happy spring to you too :)

[@MildaGoesWild]

Extremely interesting that old Irish lazy bed - they didn't weed or anything!

[@OffGridBruce]

I think we will have to weed as we go but it looks lovely

[@treecutter]

Parsnip seeds need to be fresh each year for good germination carrots are ok for 2 or 3 years hope this helps

[@OffGridBruce]

That does help. Thanks David

[@treecutter]

@@OffGridBruce hi just watched mossy bottom video just in case you didn't know you can order a boiler from esse still but it's a 12 week wait

[@OffGridBruce]

@@treecutter I spoke to Esse technical and they said that there have been internal modifications to the stove making it so the original boiler doesn’t fit. I have taken the plunge anyway and the guy I ordered from has an original boiler on the shelf that I can buy if I think it will actually fit but if not I’m going to fabricate one to size

[@treecutter]

@@OffGridBruce hope it all goes well I've had mine for 12 years and it's great

[@OffGridBruce]

@@treecutter I can’t wait to have it. Such a big purchase but feel it going to pay us back in no time. It’s a real beauty isn’t it

[@ZuzanaWalsh]

Hi Bruce and the family. I just discovered your videos and they are amazing. We did the same as you in February 2020 but our plans we had were dramatically affected by the situation that came in March 2020. Instead of buying a property in France we ended up in Sweden 😂 but there is no community here :( I cried when I watched this video. But you and your family are a great motivator. Here in Sweden we can’t homeschool our kids which is starting to bother me with our 6-yearl old. It has been 2 years now on our plot but no community. We are thinking of selling it and set on the journey ones again :(. Maybe Ireland? :)

[@OffGridBruce]

The lack of home school would be hard for me to swallow. We do have great community around here. The Irish people have depended on their neighbours for a long time not so long ago and I’d say that reallocating shows here with the help and support I have had. I wish you the best of luck

[@user-ve8gx5fk5k]

Looks like a great drip line kit do you mind me asking where you got it from thanks Jonathan

[@OffGridBruce]

Its very good. We got it from fruit hill farm in Cork

[@ivyjulieharvey3043]

could use a rain harvester system or a soak away system

[@OffGridBruce]

Rain water harvester system. Do you mean the burried tanks? we have very high clay so a soakaway on a large scale probably wouldn't work for us although i don't actually know for definite. I will get to see next winter i guess if it does anything. I guess at least ill be above the mud anyway :)

[@ivyjulieharvey3043]

@@OffGridBruce rain harvest tanks can be above ground the pipes buried leading to a storage area where the filters and water tank can be in. I have done this at my eco holding forest with a solar water heating system for water and am about to insult an airflow heating system under the floor but will insulate the floor first as others have done this and found it did not work so the floor insulates and see what happens. Good Luck and keep going you are doing a great job. Being autistic has it challenges but I love to try something different

[@OffGridBruce]

@@ivyjulieharvey3043 that all sounds great. Thanks for the info. I’ll look into that

[@ivyjulieharvey3043]

@@OffGridBruce collecting large amounts of rainwater you will have enough for garden use and animals also for the home use if you use a wastewater collector you can use the wastewater for the garden or with filter use it to wash clothes with or flush a toilet. just ideas to help you and your family

[@tiarnanvanderbrun8260]

Great to keep tradition alive! Quick question, what's the name of the big blade tool they used? I saw one in a restaurant a few weeks ago and was scratching my head about it since.

[@OffGridBruce]

It’s a hay knife I think or straw cutter. Not what it was originally designed for

[@tiarnanvanderbrun8260]

@@OffGridBruce mystery solved! Cheers Bruce

[@MsDoobly]

You really achieved alot in this video well done, are ye going to be getting more animals for your homestead chickens goats etc?

[@OffGridBruce]

We are getting some goats next week :)

[@jjpower6769]

Long ago, when tenant farmers were evicted in Ireland, some families moved to marginal, untilled, poorer ground. This ground could be boggy or mountainous. The method show in this video was developed as a way of sowing a lot of potatoes, a staple food for people and animals, in a short time. You only need to dig the area between the beds, initially. The beds allowed you to keep the potatoes above the water level and the furrows between the beds helped the water to drain away. When you were digging out the potatoes you dug the bed where the potatoes were growing. At the end of the potato harvest the whole area had been dug and manured and was ready for other vegetables. Next year you could move onto fresh ground for your potatoes and start all over again. Of course, when you had five acres reclaimed and a house and a few sheds, the landlord's agent came around to charge you rent on ground that was initially worthless and that had been brought into production by your own hard work. Then the cycle of eviction would start all over again. You can still see the outlines of potato ridges on the sides of mountains in parts of Ireland. Some of them date from before the potato famine in the 1840's when the population of Ireland was about eight million people.

[@OffGridBruce]

Yes I have seen the old ridges on the hill sides. Dark times and greedy landlords. I’d like to visit the famine museum. My ancestors left Clare during the famine

[@msfussyb]

Thanks for sharing this old Irish method so useful and interesting, I didn’t catch whether the manure was fresh or does it have to be rotten manure? Does it matter what kind, was if horse manure?

[@OffGridBruce]

No worries. The manure was relatively fresh. It was farmland manure from cows on an organic farm. I’d say you could use any manure though. They are currently doing very well!

[@msfussyb]

@@OffGridBruce thanks so much!

[@OffGridBruce]

@@msfussyb no worries :)

[@Endtimescoming]

i am no expert on parsnips but I had some carrot seed here from 2019 which I did not expect to grow, but I planted them anyway and planted them very thickly assuming that if any did come up the germination wouldn't be great, I will be thinning the carrots very soon. I was really suprised. Same goes for corn. I bought some corn this year but didnt have enough to finish out my rows..what I get for buying it at the big box store instead of a garden store, so I found I had some old corn also from 2019 and from a garden store with the pink captan powder on it, and I was like well I guess i will finish out with this and see what happens. It germinated better than the stuff i bought this year maybe it was the captan maybe it was higher quality seed to begin, it certainly wasnt stored in a climate controlled sealed room or the freezer or anything just on a shelf in a hallway. Everything I read on the internet told me I shouldn't expect much from these old seeds but I was quite pleasantly suprised. I still have quite a bit of that corn left apparently I bought a very large package of it that year I may try and plant it again next year and see if it still does well btw both the new and old corn variety was the same "Peaches and Cream" which is definitely my very favorite.

[@OffGridBruce]

It’s always interesting pushing the boundaries of the instructions :) Annie is a big believer in just giving it a go and seeing what happens and sometimes it rewards

[@richardomalley1746]

That was known as turning “feribines” in west mayo

[@OffGridBruce]

I love hearing the Irish words. We are learning at the mo with a friend

[@dreadedscotslass]

That'll be why my carrots arny growing! The seeds are a few years old 😂☹🙄🤦‍♀️

[@OffGridBruce]

Possibly lol. I'll let you know how we get on

[@Corfine]

mr price was garden stuff low prices argos for low price walking greenhouse

[@howlandreed4031]

Takes an Irishman to plant a field of spuds

[@OffGridBruce]

This was a great day

[@reginahetherington1769]

Totally off topic. both you and your family have the most amazing white teeth. Is there a secret :)

[@OffGridBruce]

😂 thanks 🙏 no secret just brush :)

[@Corfine]

national learning network hourticultre course the allownce are low €12 travel allowance week better off to get job or work placement programe three hundred week from goverment

[@Corfine]

national network hourticultre course mostly seat in classroom all day the course not suit me