NATIVE MEADOW Progress: ~2 YEARS of Growth - Ep. 194

[@Renateneetje]

Thank you so much for making this. I must admit I am so worried about climate change and loss of biodiversity. This is such a lovely antidote and inspiration to do what is in your possibilities 🙏

[@ColorfulHalo]

What a beautiful project ❤ The meadow looks absolutely stunning, the work totally paid off!!

[@TEPO--]

"The promise of this meadow" my goodness to say the least as your vision is a magnificent display of possibilities! ! The vision, the extensive clearing, preparing, planting and sowing is an effort, art and science as the sculptor chisels the marble slab, using hand tools to reveal the form and the internal vision of magnificent BEAUTY..... A WONDERFUL JOURNEY OF CONSTANT CHANGE AND INFINITE DELIGHTS.....

[@itsmewende]

This was the best tour, it's just so beautiful. I'm glad you mentioned 9 acres, just about the same time I was wondering. You guys have really made a gorgeous garden of your property. I can't imagine the wildlife you'll see over the coming yrs, build it and they will come 😊

[@Fishpistol]

We have been working on our prairie for the last 7 years. We are always learning new things and techniques. Thanks for sharing the progress. Glad to see others with a passion for native prairies.

[@matthewhuang9588]

What region? I'm planning on converting part of my yard and would appreciate some experienced advice

[@Fellowtellurian]

I'm honestly so surprised the seeds took given how rocky that soil was. Nature once again surprises.

[@markpage9886]

People like you will save the world. I believe that.

[@jeanneamato8278]

Making the bird and insect world a better place. Which make us and everything else happy.

[@ja-uh9gz]

You have made such great progress on your beautiful property in two years. The meadows are so full of life and wild beauty...with pops of colors and textures. The wildlife, birds and insects are appreciating it! The soft, reddish low grasses in the beginning of the video are very beautiful...very delicate, almost reminds me of smokebush blooms. The paths are very nice to walk through and just be in nature. The hard work is paying off! Thank you..🌻🥀

[@kenny89lvm]

What a beautiful transformation!! You’ve been through so much and can’t wait to see what more amazing things will happen here 😄!

[@rons3236]

Awesome Summer! The hard work and dedication you guys have put into the land is paying off exponentially! It is truly inspirational! Thanks for bringing all of us along on this adventure!

[@jcriverside]

Ahhh, so beautiful. This was a brilliant endeavor. Thanks for the update, can we get one each month?

[@Jeffswildlifeadventures]

Great to see the work you are doing! I am rewilding a suburban yard in the Houston area and it comes with its own challenges. Thank you for caring about the birds and Insects and sharing your passion with the world!

[@cefcat5733]

Have you ever seen such a well-fed caterpillar? ❤

[@yfrontsguy]

Wow bravo !! It is looking superb already ! There is nothing quite so exciting and magical as meadow gardening. You will have constant suprises and delights every year now. And having such a huge area is even more effective ! Glorious !!

[@lindabeaulieu6770]

Hello from Toronto, Canada. It looks great. I'm happy to hear the birds and insects have found your meadow. Take care.

[@ChevLeM]

The meadow is absolutely beautiful. The one thing I would say is that from what we've seen, to me it felt like the meadow was a highway and not a destination as there's nowhere encouraging you to sit back and take it all in like you have in the borders around your home. I don't know if maybe mowing small paths into the meadow and having small seating areas in the midst of it might make it feel more like a destination? Either way, it's beautiful and it's incredible what you've achieved and I swear I'm not at all jealous 😂😂

[@mayboggess2783]

The forage grass I think is reed canary grass. I live east of Cayuga lake and I also work to keep it down. Your meadow looks great. The wild bergamot is such a treasure

[@FlockFingerLakes]

It may very well be. We couldn't get the tractor on around 2 acres of the 9-acre meadow, particularly on the sloped areas, so that's where it's prominent and it's a beast! Would definitely make great hay! And our hope is that bergamont spreads, spreads, spreads. It's lovely and the bees seem to adore it.

[@lindabeaulieu6770]

FlockFingers: do you get hummingbirds? I understand they also love Bergamot. Or maybe the more red variety.

[@EighteenandCloudy]

I really admire your ambition with your land, you're so thorough with your planning and I love how this area is coming together, with some plants showing up earlier than expected. I bet those lupins were beautiful en masse.

[@joanfrellburg4901]

Inspiring and heartwarming. The birds and insects thank you ! I hope people get out and do this kind of transition on any level and on any size 9 acres or 9 square feet. It's so worth the effort !

[@_M_N]

Absolutely stunning. Loved seeing the progress. We have a small field in Michigan that I am slowly adding natives to. I have invasive Russian Olive and Black Locusts that want to take over everything along with a bountiful crop of poison ivy too.

[@luminouslightwork9552]

Amazing progress. Gaia is grateful.💜

[@AmandaGreenman]

The meadow is stunning. Congratulations on such a beautiful space! It clearly took a lot of hard work but what a payoff.

[@Fabdanc]

Very cool project! So interesting to see how even native plants jostle with each other for space. I do not know if it is all lupines, I grew up out West where we have quite a number of species, but some are allelopathic... which basically just means that they will either kill off roots of competing plants or prevent seeds from germinating. In some Western states, they are used to battle non-native weeds by establishing a patch and letting the allelopathic lupines start to neutralize the weeds.

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thank you Ms. Summer. 🌺💚🙃

[@dimitrinoahutz9547]

U look amazing in this dress. The contrast to all the green is amazing🎉

[@Angiebobandi]

Love the meadow updates. So beautiful and inspiring. Can't wait for year 3.

[@Dorothyfaganartist]

Thank you ❤ so inspiring to see all you have accomplished!

[@youremamasofat4414]

I’ve been following trough the entire process and you’ve turned that place into such a magical haven, love from Israel

[@marky3131]

Really outstanding Summer. It’s so satisfying to see that kind of progress. Hopefully some aggressive native thugs will push out some of the non natives.

[@dorislewis2852]

Your music choice is breathtaking.

[@JulietheUnruly3]

Congratulations, the meadow is spectacular.

[@flowerpixel]

Looks incredible. Echinacea is one of my favorite flowers

[@VickyHafler]

Mine too!

[@cosmiccatfish25]

Yall are great for this planet😊❤

[@brigittebilodeau8579]

This is amazing so much work , you both were so committed I can’t believe all the work you achieved! Thank you for the beautiful videos .

[@Xriceboy3000]

Great inspiration for my fallow grasslands

[@jemx3]

a breath of fresh air 😌

[@Supernaturalist1967]

Thank y’all for doing this it makes my ❤ happy!

[@lesliesgarden6798]

I’m very inspired by the work you are doing. Thank you!

[@powerofalto]

I’ve been really looking forward to seeing the meadow and the alliums! What a wonderful, inspiring transformation!

[@williamtetley8563]

The photography in your videos is amazing! I particularly like the shots from your drone. You also do a great job of editing. Whenever a new video becomes available I make time to watch it. Thanks for all your hard work.

[@annsosie1515]

Magnificent meadow 🪺

[@troyperry1231]

A fantastic job well done and enjoy the work and future views you have made.

[@philtaylor1588]

In the U.K. if our meadows are suffering from aggressive grasses we sow “ Yellow Rattle” which is parasitic on grasses . This helps to keep the grasses in control .

[@FlockFingerLakes]

It's very hard to find our native parasitic plants. A friend of mine is starting to sow some for me, so I hope they take!

[@malikaeastonAllahfirstanfamily]

Serenity and peaceful, it’s ever so beautiful and comforting. Mentally, I can just imagine smelling the flowers 🌸 🌺 and seeing 🐝 nature is so amazing and beautiful, soothing to the soul. Thank you for sharing give me the chance to allow my imagination on walking through there. God creation is beautiful, keeps me grateful and thankful I could sit there for hours ❤❤❤😊

[@cefcat5733]

I've seen the wild Bergamotte growing on the sides of quieter streets here. It looks like a flower which belongs in a garden. I am happy to know that it is wild. It's a tough life out there. Thanks for the shimmering meadow update. 🎉

[@Narnendil]

Great to see! Thanks for the update!

[@charlesbale8376]

Love seeing the progress and appreciate the information on what you have planted and why.

[@AmericanaGardens]

This is stunning!

[@MikeSwimm]

This is really inspiring work!

[@a5trad]

Fantastic results! I was looking forward to this update. It would be great to see a bit more of the birds and insects too.

[@_JanetLouise]

so exciting to see the results of your hard work ... carry on

[@Em-mr6wu]

Beautiful. Love it.

[@melissamybubbles6139]

What beautiful, hard work.

[@Tminus89]

Good to know I need to be extra patient with my Echinacea😄 Just got Fatal Attraction which was new in stock last weekend at my local nursery, saw the plant in an earlier episode and knew I wanted it haha

[@FlockFingerLakes]

We were actually surprised to see it pop up before the 2-year mark. It's short, however, so we imagine it'll start putting on height next year. That's more or less what it did in the pollinator garden we have here too. Good luck! The 'Fatal Attraction' cultivar is a beauty! Nice and compact for smaller spaces.

[@echothegoodwolf]

So beautiful!

[@jeffreynokes5555]

stunning.

[@LINativePlantConservation]

absolutely love your videos, brilliant

[@timgarner1957]

The meadow is simply ah inspiring.!! Along with the cool dress.. Question for you .. What is your educational background ? All the planning and your know how is outta this world!

[@LINativePlantConservation]

You are just gorgeous in and out, thank you for sharing this info

[@tedpickles1835]

well done!

[@jessheppell750]

Beautiful 💕

[@TheNotoriousNemo]

Oh man that looks nice

[@mariyanadudley2312]

An awesome job.

[@NickBoileau]

I love Euthamia graminifolia. Much more delicate and considerably less aggressive than Canada goldenrod.

[@merip7826]

I read that toxins (lupinine) in lupin pollen cause bumblebees to produce fewer offspring. I wonder how well they know to avoid them and how much we affect the amount of insects with the plant choices like this. Would be an interesting video subject too!

[@SlackerU]

*honeybees which are native to Europe & Asia experience productions of fewer offspring, bumblebees can use lupin pollen & not have the same experience.

[@merip7826]

@@SlackerU the study I read specifically mentioned bumblebees. Source: British Ecological Society (BES)

[@SlackerU]

@@merip7826 Ah I found it. It does reduce their offspring & is toxic to honeybees. The caffeine in citrus nectar improving the negative effects of lupin were interesting too, I was unaware that caffeine was in citrus nectar.

[@SlackerU]

@Disabled.Megatron That would be an interesting marketing strategy. Every coffee-breakroom in America might need a blooming Citrus plant.

[@ella_wu]

just wow 🤩

[@janxious]

Looks great. I think I saw some sochan in there - incredible green for the table. Did you all put any Helianthus tuberosus out? Good work, love to see it!

[@chrisis9030]

It's beautiful!

[@VickyHafler]

It’s stunning 😍

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Coming together!

[@LINativePlantConservation]

omg its the most beautiful!

[@martinlehtonen]

What if you use a scythe to cut along the paths couple times a year, couple of meters both sides. You would give different plants a chance. Better for diversity.

[@WashTheLZ]

Yall are awesome. Come help us in southwest Missouri lol

[@wingingitsemiretiredlife2981]

So pretty.

[@extracaliber432]

Are you considering leaving parts of the field to go fallow? An undisturbed area may produce more wildlife.

[@makaveli1085]

When you cut the meadow down, do you rake it up or just cut and drop? It's looking beautiful BTW 😍

[@FlockFingerLakes]

We just chop and drop. :)

[@makaveli1085]

@FlockFingerLakes and I'm guessing you didn't amende the soil in any way before seeding? After the big clean up and tilling.

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

I didn't see any thistles. Do you have any seed plants for the Goldfinch? When will you mow it all down? You said once a year.

[@BN-nq5wb]

That’s crazy 😍

[@lindabeaulieu6770]

What was result of the survey of the trips you may plan for all? I'm sure it wasn't a spam thing. Surve was about 5 months or so ? as to do nature trips together.

[@kathiesimpson571]

💚💚💚

[@rurutuM]

i'm in northern NJ getting lots of invasive Chinese lantern flies. are they making it up to where you guys are?

[@dengueberries]

Could you please clarify: what birds eat the seeds of which flowers?

[@SlipMahoneyBowery]

Hoping for a 2024 update later this year.

[@christopherlaws3077]

Great video,get rid of the Queen Anne's lace (wild carrot) can be VERY INVASIVE and isn't native.Try planting more NATIVE asters like New York Aster and some Common Milkweed.

[@clairevickers8925]

THE MEADOW LOOKS BEAUTIFUL IS THERE A WAY TO CONTROL THE WILD CARROT PERHAPS JUST IN ONE AREA, TAKING SOME ELECTRIC HEDGE TRIMMERS AND REMOVING THE FLOWERS TO RELIEVE THE PRESSUE AND GIVE OTHER FLOWERS A CHANCE. NOT SEEING YOUR POPPIES WHAT HAPPENED?

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

This video, did not even feel like fifteen minutes! You should let scientists release insects an birds in your meadow ( for science )! It would help, in both ways! Even rehabilitated animals, could be released on your property! *I LOVE IT!* Using a once wasted space to add color, along with helping the environment! Would be cool to see scientific research on.. How the impact of improving the land, helps the air quality an other issues in the area!💙💚💛💜💛💚💙

[@adkforester5428]

When do you do your 1x annual mowing?

[@user-dw7kg8bt1c]

I was surprised not to see any milkweed which is native to the area, and attracts the monarchs.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

We felt as if we didn't need to plant milkweed because that's already quite prolific in the meadow and landscape and should seed itself naturally (vs. having to buy seed in)....Inventorying what is already on the land is important because it'll give you a sense of what may already be seeding.

[@user-dw7kg8bt1c]

Thank you for the response. I’m originally from that area, closer to Rochester, and was surprised not to see any in the incredible video. I look forward to watching more and again thank you for the response.

[@Fellowtellurian]

The meadow is my Game of Thrones. I count down the days until the next season to see what drama will ensue.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

I'm excited to hit year 3 of the meadow.

[@Neilhuny]

Jeez, I wish I was rich and could donate $1M for you to use as you wish! Personally, I kinda don't mind if you three spent $950,000 on personal things, like holidays, clothes, chickens, irrigation systems or greenhouses! Who cares?! But I'm not a millionaire, or a billionaire, or even rich. Sorry. I love what you are doing, I love that you are using mainly native plants, encouraging pollinators, birds, mammals, invertebrates etc *AND* educating people all over the world to do what you are doing, by example, and what is right for their environment, wherever they may be. Inspirational. I hope some American multi-billionaire (c'mon, Jeff!) recognises what you are doing for the world (mainly because I struggle from month to month, like many others, and can't afford to help ...)

[@Duchess_Nikki]

Will you harvest any of the wild carrots?

[@madelinerosamond3174]

Lovely meadow but I'm curious why there's no common milkweed (or if I missed it). It is a host for a lot of cool insects, not just monarch butterflies.

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

Is Wild Carrot the same as Queen Anne's Lace?

[@20cameron1]

That meadow would be much better off if it’s all native. The wild carrot isn’t providing anything to wildlife. Plant native mint, New Jersey tea, Virginia sweetspire, and common elderberry.

[@bluepooolmr]

That Queen Annes Lace carrot is bad stuff for a budding prairie.

[@BoomBoom-sr8nt]

❤❤❤❤

[@l...]

You Need all types of bees

[@rogerjacobs5240]

Beautiful meadow, well done! 👍 I'm sure you've thought of this, but a few beehives right in the middle would be awesome! Acres of flowers, a water source (lakes), you'd have so much honey, wax, bee pollen, you'd be boring your neighbors trying to give it away!

[@delightfulgardensbydebbie]

❤

[@SpaceDustStuff]

Instead of mowing your meadow once a year, would a herd of goats work?