Orchard Tour (2 Years Into Self-Sufficient Transition)

A tour of our orchard here in a wet and tropical Australia. Subscribe to come along for the journey. Thanks for watching. Az
#b2bhomesteadingEp7
*Please leave Questions in the comments to be answered in future videos.
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[@mrandmrsmeier8685]

So thrilled to see this update as we have been hanging to see how things have progressed. We when on our lap of aust will be coming to visit The Pocket 💯 you have inspired us to grown our own and be self sufficient and be mindful of our fragile planet 🙏🏻

[@markmeyer698]

Hey Az, really appreciate you showing us your farm! I’ve just bought 80 acres so I’ll be taking all the experience you share with us 🙏🏾 grateful

[@cgaymer7375]

I had chickens penned around “wandering dew” they completely cleared it out. Thanks for putting your project out there.

[@wallywombat164]

Please DON'T keep you vids private mate. ❤❤❤❤

[@SamMarkham]

Thanks for the update. Happy growing

[@MrThomasandersen]

Thank you coming with this update from your fantastic farm, I really appreciate that ❤

[@michaelbooth1097]

Well done Az! Please don’t stop. From all the folk that don’t have these opportunities to grow stuff….Your doing an amazing job! Keep it up!

[@GrowingFoodMadeEasy]

great video and great job! I grow in Central Florida, so subtropical. South Florida is basically tropical.

[@lyshi87]

I'm glad your shared an update, thank you. Always enjoy your homesteading videos. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to the next update and seeing how much it's grown.

[@courtneynewey]

What a dream! Thanks so much for sharing.

[@grantarchibald6874]

Great to get an update from you Az. You mentioned it briefly, and I have often wondered watching your previous vids, when are you going to get a hive or two? Surely that has to help with the pawpaws and rambutans.

[@danbasham9207]

I enjoy these videos. THANK YOU for sharing.

[@pkayyyy472]

Hey Az, would love an update on how you go through Jasper over the next week. Hope it doesn’t impact you too much. Love your stuff!

[@cameronmaltby8193]

Also you can pickle banana flowers as a way of using them in food.

[@AussiePharmer]

Wow well done! Trees are massive now! Durian might be suffering from wet feet. They prefer raised mounds, 1m off the ground. Very sensitive to root rot. Thanks for the update, please keep them coming!

[@rhysblack2542]

Awesome back yard mate and love the self sufficient living, I also struggled with passion fruit bushes until I put a shade cloth barrier around it now there is no stopping it.

[@Tiamariawouldntwanttobeya]

I believe with syntropics, their philosophy is - if you have unwanted weeds growing, you need to plant something there so they have no room to grow. Weeds are there because they have room to be there. Otherwise cardboard is always a good option. You can just leave it on top of the ground, add mulch over it and let it compost. That’s what we do with our syntropic rows

[@katl2735]

Great to see something in tropical Queensland our growing seasons are very different from other parts of Australia also what grows best. I am with you on the passionfruit, I have tried and have planted some from Bunnings and nothing. Then a little birdie came along and pooped one out and it has gone made passionfruit bigger than a tennis ball and sweet

[@freedomofexpression1382]

YouVe Motivated me!!! Oh and definitely GET BEES!!!!! They’re solve all your pollinating problems plus you get honey and wax!!

[@paulcox9366]

Just found your video. Love what your doing. My wife and I bought land in the upper Murry VIC at the base of the snowy mountains. Live off grid in a tiny home. Were surrounded by a dairy farm where I was lucky enough to gain employment. Now have 2 cows ( steer for meat and a Heifer who will produce a calf yearly hopefully for the same reason) loving life outside the city. Should have done it 20 years ago.

[@jamesbunnett1694]

I love these mate. My favourite!

[@specialized29er86]

Love your setup and I'm doing the same but on a one acre lot. Retired early and loving my orchard and gardens.

[@b2bhomesteading]

Stoked for you, congrats! Keen to hear how it goes for you

[@tiagooliveira4972]

Thanks for sharing your amazing orchard

[@b2bhomesteading]

My pleasure

[@leonieshanahan6439]

Love your videos which I have just discovered. I’m gardening at my friend who just put 60m of swales in - I’m like a kid in a lolly shop getting the soils and garden pumping For shade cover try using 40% white as it reflects the light rather than absorbs it making u trees hotter. Hold strong to 100% organic..we really got to stop all chemical use as Mother Earth needs all the love she can get. Thanks for sharing, I wish I lived closer to enjoy u restaurant and garden.

[@plowestory]

Looking great- thanks for sharing

[@PedersonProperties]

Always looking forward to seeing more of these videos - it’s so inspiring and can never get enough.. mahalo nui for taking the time to do it!! 🙏🏼♥️

[@barber0611]

thanks for taking the time Az.....loved it!

[@colleenbalch328]

It’s a lot of fun to watch what you can grow, Az. And although what I can grow is really different I get the same joy raising my own food here in the US in Vermont.

[@andrewhorwood1058]

Wonderful variety. So exotic. Your orchard has grown a lot since I last saw it. Where I live, cold is minus 25 C. +25 is summer.

[@b2bhomesteading]

That's insane. What can you grow? Ive never seen snow.

[@andrewhorwood1058]

We grow a lot of annual vegetables. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, etc.Chestnuts, walnuts, Apples, some peaches. Our most exotic fruit is American Pawpaw, the most hardy relative of your custard apple or sour sop. I live at 45 degrees north on Canada's east coast. Hard to imagine a life without snow.@@b2bhomesteading

[@Aykosss]

Hey mate the farm is looking awesome. That ground cover is not wandering jew, it’s Commelina diffusa, an Australian native. It’s edible and medicinal

[@petermarum2364]

Hi, We have some friends in the Little Mulgrave over a period of time turned 12 acres of sugar cane paddock to orchards. It is now a battel withe the bloody cockies etc to beat them to fruits. Avo's, mangos and anything else they could think off

[@chefcamsey1375]

Great work mate

[@jodyherd2010]

Your an inspiration mate. Looking forward to swinging past for a coffee just after xmas. Cant wait to get home.... Not far from you on the beach.. Keep the Vids coming Az..

[@franiannarone8196]

The farm looks great, nice see the update 👍

[@jamesblake7338]

Looking great Az !

[@cameronmaltby8193]

Awesome work mate, did a trip up that way last month my friend just bought 100 acres in the area there’s so me beautiful farm land up there.

[@user-lk4gk2ep5w]

We do….but we don’t live in the tropics….but it won’t stop us….hope to show you….one day

[@lukephillips1188]

This was such a fun surprise!!!! Thanks for the vid!!! 🌴🌱🌿🌺

[@jacob18salmon]

Big props on the update and how lifes going and how healthy everything looks. From a long time follower from missouri usa. Hang in there through the confusion and stay free and living the dream 🤙✌

[@jameswoodriff7511]

Yeah legend, with the (is this plant name OK in 2023? haha) Wandering Jew the first thing to do is to make sure it's not Scurvy weed which is edible and full of Vitamin C hence the name. Wandering Jew has white flowers, Scurvy Weed has blue flowers. From there you need to dig a 300mm perimeter mote/trench around the area you want to get rid of it in. Then get some tarps or builders plastic rolls from your hardware store and put some cow/chicken manure down through the whole area then cover it all. The sun will heat the soil and vegetation under the tarp and the plants should just break down over a period of a few months. Hope that helps, thanks for the video 👍

[@amyalvarado3762]

Thank you.....well done

[@bencampbell2407]

Awesome mate ❤

[@akaMr.Boombastic]

love it

[@joshlovegood9392]

Awesome stuff Az. The growth is awesome. Mangosteen is crazy hard, but what a crop it will be!!

[@Bernie5172]

What to do about yellow leaves on fruit trees? Lemon tree with yellow leaves: why? | Better Homes and Gardens Nitrogen deficiency - shows as yellowing of older leaves in the tree's foliage. You can add special nitrogen-boosted fertiliser in your feeding to help resolve it. Zinc or iron deficiency - shows as yellowing of new leaves with green veins. To fix this, use a kelp spray solution or add zinc to the soil bed.

[@Matt_Norrie]

Suppose doing it all organically would also attract your beneficial critters like assassin bugs. Maybe they're already doing their work! Hope it all comes good for you mate.

[@nftarchitect2522]

I’m glad you are still putting out videos. I’m planning on buying acreage and starting a permaculture setup.

[@naomisfarm]

Hey legend, checked in last week and was looking for an update so i was glad to wake up to the vid this morning.. I’m an Aussie in East Java doing a similar thing but running some cattle in a cut and carry system.. Mangosteens have been tough here as well.. Got one that has finally pushed through after 3 years.. Too shady they don’t grow to hot they burn so for me it’s been about planting them in a good location.. I’m striving for organic too so no sprays but still bumping a touch of fert to help with nutrition until I can get the soil in better condition.. I’ve gone heavy on lemongrass in between all my trees bro, think it definitely helping keep the unwanted pests away, keeping the weeds down and I just started selling it, so it’s been a massive win for me.. Definitely feel like we’re in a similar situation riding the ups and downs of pushing for a sustainable organic farm, I was super down last week as all my papayas are getting smoked by a virus right after fruiting.. Turned around this week after harvesting selling some lemongrass which will help me cover costs to manure my system coming into wet season.. Stoked you shared bro I need to make some vids as well just struggle with time.. Keep charging it legend..

[@jennekes4293]

Are there new videos coming? I'm looking forward to them! They are very inspirational.

[@nixferguson7323]

That was such an amazing video well done to you you're doing an excellent job 👏 👍 😊

[@TheRealTimmyK]

Soursop leaves are good for steaming if you get a flu too btw

[@clubgus07]

Az it looks awesome like from nothing to a live fruit heaven. You might-be more luckier growing Atractocarpus Fitzalanii the Native Gardenia aka known as the Native Yellow Mangosteen, this native plant seems to really grow vigorous down here in sub tropical Brisbane. And too keep the weeds away you probably want Moses in the cradle or Rhoeo Discolor a tip from a family friend that lives not to far from you in Mareeba he swears by it. I also see council use The Pig face Carpobrotus for weed management. Cool if thats what winter is i cant wait to see the Spring update cheers Michael.

[@scottcunningham5386]

Next time we are up your way we will come visit the cafe Love everything you all do it is very inspiring ❤

[@notyouraveragegringosnotyo563]

Hoping to start the same thing in Belize by this summer. Keep up the good work!

[@tombeespoke9384]

Az, the Chlorosis is either Iron or Magnesium deficiency but I only saw the leaves for a sec. Mix some epsom salts and Iron Chelates up in a watering can and give it a drink. You’ve got quite red earth up there so I’m guessing it’s magnesium you need, remember the PH of your soil can lock up micro nutrients so you may need to add lime or sulphur as required, these amendments are all organic btw so fear not. I also am a beekeeper and echo previous comments, having a few hives will not only increase pollination but make the cafe more Beespoke! Love your freaken work by the way!!! PS Qualified Hort and soon to be TAFE teacher.

[@alexcorbel6267]

Yeah brother get some bees! I got two hives on my homestead, best decision! Not a huge amount of work. Beautiful insects.

[@b2bhomesteading]

Awesome. how much honey out of 2 hives? after this next wet season will get for sure

[@alexcorbel6267]

@@b2bhomesteading I have the langstroth bee hive and I get about 60lbs from each hive that are four supers tall. Hope that makes sense. So for two fully established hives I get roughly 120lbs of honey, which is pretty dope for the amount of work it takes. For reference I live in Alberta Canada and my bees only have about 6-7 months to get things done.

[@user-yi1wv8uj6m]

Rosemary and thyme and mint are good insect repellent s as well

[@RustyTorch]

honestly this seems like what i envision as a mans dream, i wish i could live off the land like this where i am, i dont own land atm but one day haha

[@wallywombat164]

Az, you said awhile ago, why you didn't have any mangos. I forget why. I love ❤❤❤ Savoey mangos mate.

[@BasicBeachCommunity1]

I was about halfway through the video and I loved it I had a macadamia nut in my front yard and Southern California pomegranate in the back... I'm not sure if you had any of those growing but I heard the macadamia nut is super good in Australia

[@petermestroni153]

Hey mate just across the road from you. Watch the Cassowary and all the fruit haha love the show keep it up.

[@christianhendry7136]

I noticed that you had a padlock on your greenhouse. That's a bit sad that you need to use it. Loving the content though. Have been hanging out for this next video to come through after you got us hooked with the first few

[@latemcire8387]

The core (and root stalk) of the banana's trunk is edible if you up for experimenting. In developing countries they’re extracting fibers from the trunk to make cordage and fabric.

[@ibbyboo90]

Hey Az, first off you look like someone i know in my country, hit me up ill share his photo... second... amazing what you doing with the orchid, i'd love to share insights on the variaties of Jackfruits... we have a fruit we call "Shelisheli" in swahili (in in Tanzania, East Africa btw). i saw it in the eps of B2B where you were on an island using sticks to get some of the fruits... i'd advise getting a root/branch graft and planting that too... you wont regret it

[@thepossibledreamhomestead786]

Hi Aaron loved your video looking great You mentioned wandering dew the best thing I’ve found to battle it is Guinea pigs they eat the whole thing down to the roots

[@bunyipdan]

Have you considered using a flame torch to try to manage wandering dew and other weeds. Durian might be a bit exposed same as the mangosteen ..... they are rainforest trees like shade and wind shelter. I think espaliering is a great idea for many orchard plants, just not so sure it works with the delicate rainforest plants....think more clumping shelter companion planting rather than exposure. Why no mangoes? Citrus? Avocado? Cocoa? Native fruit trees (Macadamia, Syzygium fibrosum, Buchanania arborescens, etc...) Quite suprised you dont seem to be growing sweet potato or varieties of edible Bamboo (clumping) might be options to consider. Fish carcasses are great but can attract unwanted critters (of the fury kind) that also like a varied diet like fruit and veggies, so maybe value add fish carcasses by processing through water maceration..... then applying I know there are only so many hours in the day, really impressed with what you have done so far

[@b2bhomesteading]

Thanks for the valuable tips mate, next video I hope to be able to show a bit more diversity. Fully agreed on the shade for the durian and magosteens.. I just got a bit too keen and moved it off in winter haha

[@bunyipdan]

@@b2bhomesteading @b2bhomesteading @b2bhomesteading Hope some of it proves usefull, providing enough protection from wind burn for these more delicate rainforest plants cannot be overstated. One thing on cyclones, in the Northern Territory we have shallow soils and even mild blows upto cat 2 can really knock trees about, I have found that some of the most difficult trees to uproot or physically transplant have been ones growing on the edges of old dump sites.....particularly difficult are trees whos roots have grown around buried debris, this seems to really aid the anchoring of the trees. The most stubborn have turned out to be trees grown over engine blocks, I have taken to digging deep holes and smashing a couple of star pickets diagonally in the bottom of the holes, dropping a fish carcass in then deep planting my more valuable trees in the vain hope it might help.......but here again companion planting wind shelter is also key.

[@donlister7425]

Starting something similar at our farm. Have you considered growing mombasa grass in your interows for more biomass/ mulch production? Keep up the good work, and the videos! Cheers!!!

[@user-fb2pi8we9s]

Show us more of the creek Az, maybe a JP mission

[@b2bhomesteading]

Agreed!

[@Mackays.Microhomestead]

Looking great! How about making/getting a chicken tractor, put the girls to work between the rows and/or trees, they'll make short work of the weeds/grasses, and at the same time add natural fertiliser! It's free food for them too, and you'll get the best eggies!

[@saltyseadogs4422]

Grear progress there!! hey let me know if you'd like an aibika cutting, it'll grow great where you are, I can drop it into the Cafe. You had the pronunciation right, sort of like ibika

[@viversemrestricoes]

Hey, we love your video. We are in Brazil and living on our little farm now since about one year. It was exciting for me to see that we ar growing in very similar lines and we plant the same kind of fruit in Brazil and you in Australia! Banana, Mango, Papaya, Dragon Fruit, Abiu, Jackfuit, None and many more. I alreadt inscribed to your channel and hope we are having similar harvest in one year.

[@b2bhomesteading]

That is awesome! Keen to see pics

[@user-bw4hf8yx7i]

Do a choko vine they go great up here and bear well

[@jbh1983]

In Northland New Zealand they have been trialing a beetle (tradescantia leaf beetle Neolema ogloblini) to chomp that horrible weed away..

[@MasterKenfucius]

I feel your pain with the wind... I'm in Florida in the US and we get hit by hurricanes all the time. I have to sink steal beams next to the fruit trees and keep them under 4 meters or even less so they don't get uprooted. Real pain in the rear. I can't believe they let you have a coca leaf plant there! Wow!

[@b2bhomesteading]

Not legal in US? The wind and insane amounts of rain really gets me .but thats farming haha

[@MasterKenfucius]

@@b2bhomesteading The US is super restrictive with that. Can't have any coca plants. We can't even have Tonka Beans which are used as a vanilla substitute! Too much control if you ask me.

[@OffGridInPanama]

looks great man. but doesn't look like a syntropic system to me. i know its diverse but syntropic is about the nutrients/firtiliser being created on sight through heavy pruning and using plant succession in order to maximise photosynthesis through stratification. those young trees being shaded out could be underneath some castor bean shade unit something like banana and then eucalyptus is ready to take the place as the mother acting essentially as a nursery/shade cloth until the tree wants to take that place in the strata. so yeah definitely dense and diverse but it would be worth looking into syntropic systems more in depth and packing in way more support species, using the idea of plant succession so ther're occupying different stratas at different times but can be in the same square footage. hope this offers some insight- I have a farm here in panama

[@troyryan956]

Hey AZ love this. I live in trinidad 🇹🇹 ..where are the coco nuts?

[@b2bhomesteading]

I just planted 5 dwarf ones! will update next vid mate

[@putiwang7679]

I grow fruit trees, edibles in front, back yard too. I try to continue grow organically.

[@b2bhomesteading]

Nice! I am Struggling with the organic side of things, a lot of time.

[@user-yi1wv8uj6m]

Edible Gardens are the best

[@ERICWAGNERSLUCID]

You could so raise freshwater shrimp!

[@chefcamsey1375]

❤❤

[@jondoe5536]

I live on the south side of brisbane (known as the dark side) on a acre and have about 120 different fruiting plants and varieties. I have had Jack fruit in for about 6+years prior to fruiting. One has some die back branches I thought it was in a area of to much water, but were you live you probably get 2+ metres of rain a year do you have a rain gauge. Are you using the grass that you cut as mulch. I have seen people that have heaped grass on a pile for years and when removed at the bottom was black mud about a foot thick the pile was about 5-6 feet tall.

[@xuejiaoxu6778]

Often you will struggle with fruit set on passion fruit if you have lots of native bees. They are to small to pollinate the flowers but still manage to remove all the pollin.

[@timgofa8822]

Easy to grapht eggplants onto the wild tobacco, wich is a weed in all parts of Australia

[@redhotsizzle2121]

That turf is sapping nutrients before they reach the tree roots!

[@b2bhomesteading]

I know, I wonder what percentage though? and what the alternative is to spraying with a grass/ weed killer. mulching healvily?

[@redhotsizzle2121]

Id mulch it on thick. Eventually the support species will make it happen but the sooner you get up to like 150mm mulch, the sooner you start building an advanced soil biome. And that means the trees can start sharing and talking under the soil. You've set your rows up nice and wide so going out 400mm from tree center would make for some happy trees. But focus on the struggling crops and see how ya go.

[@ashleighcash4681]

Feed your grass to feed your trees. The problem is the solution.

[@stevejackson2580]

apparently chooks love wandering dew

[@pastihijau5043]

🎉

[@timgofa8822]

Wondering Jewish, can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked like spinich. If you want to knock it off soapy water with a dash of salt

[@jakebrown9060]

Hey mate im just up the road, we have over 50 fruit trees now and still struggling with the black beetles, is there anything you have found thay works? Besides termighty 😂

[@Ree67_08]

Plant peppermint plants around , as a bug repellent, also different varieties of mint plants, will help keep some bugs from eating your fruits and plants and field mice off of your garden

[@b2bhomesteading]

Thats awesome! Thanks for sharing

[@LisaGray1000]

Mint is a problem plant here as it spreads too easily and takes over

[@mrdex3828]

what about a white sopate, looks like an apple, tastes like a pineapple, texture of an avocado.

[@Treatiesalways]

Oh Az, you are going to have to get on to that wandering dew. You won’t succeed smothering it. You have to weed it ALL out, every single bit of it, because every node can re-root. Don’t think you can pile it in a heap and cover it to kill it, it just re-roots underneath. You have to take it off the property to a noxious weed dump. It is the MOST invasive plant. Seriously, it’s intense - you can’t afford to be rough with your weeding - EVERY node, needs to get removed. We’ve been battling wandering dew on our block for decades now. We were too laxed, and it took off in a period my husband wasn’t well - and now struggling. Also our dogs get affected by wandering dew causing inflammation on their paws. So - METICULOUSLY bit by bit, get on to it now, remove every bit off your property. 😳

[@raysubrata1337]

Did you grow those durians, and other tropical fruit trees from seeds or from young trees bought from nurseries?

[@b2bhomesteading]

Both mate.

[@maxfish4770]

Boiling water for the weeds 👍

[@user-ke5kt1qp6s]

Feed the walking drew to the chicks it help with their digestion and goats

[@Adnancorner]

Why dont you get some sheep... ? They will the plants and fertilize under the trees ?

[@stoneymcguire8805]

pH issues on the durian fruit may be your issue.

[@Milliesgarden992]

Is devils fig Tabacco weed?

[@outdoortherapy6596]

how much is a block of land worth up there mate, I'd like to live this lifestyle

[@travishowett7651]

How do u spell the name of the fruit you said taste like caramel and vanilla?

[@b2bhomesteading]

Abiu

[@travishowett7651]

@@b2bhomesteading thank you and amazing work out their in such short time

[@Adnancorner]

I think its just too big. for me. I would create a silvopasture where I'd grow timber and certain fruit trees that all can be used as forage for goats. I'd personally produce a lot of goat and sheep meat and tons of milk for cream and cheese making. I would be satisfied if I have my meat, butter, cream and cheese. some chilies and some fruit.