My MUST GROW Heirloom List | Garden Planning | Roots and Refuge Farm

[@karaoketime2665]

Tomatoes: Slicers Grows a lot of slicers can roast and drain off juices use for sauces in place of paste tomatoes Dr. Wyche yellow large 1 pound each usually really good flavor low acid Kelloggs Breakfast large yellow low acid great on tomato sandwich Paul Robeson dark red really good smoky savory flavor best taste she’s ever had Climbing Trip-L-Crop very large red slicer two largest she’s ever had 2 pounds Pastes Amish Paste 1 pound really meaty Pink Oxheart 1 pound really meaty Cherries Wild Boar Farm varieties Blue berries red with dark purple blue shoulders first and last to produce get tons of them Blue gold berries yellow with dark blue shoulders first and last to produce get tons of them these two out produced all the others Napa Chardonnay Blush thin skinned pale yellow blush tomatoes really good flavor Barrys Crazy Cherry multi flora very large bunches of flowers and fruits thin skinned pale yellow blush tomatoes really good flavor everyone liked the best out of all of them really sweet skin splits when it rains so have to get them during rain fast thin skinned Saladette tomatoes Sweetie Cherry Indigo Apple dark purplish blue Rutgers basic red medium saladette size produces huge amounts Beauty King really pretty large neat looking Dancing with Smurfs dark purple cherry tomato Abe Lincoln must grow list hasn’t tried it yet Peppers Tabasco so many didn’t know what to do with them hot sauce super hot peppers especially if not a lot of space 1 plant would have been plenty for most families she had 3 plants that took less than 10 feet of garden space and had tons Mirasol Chili medium hot side very sweet deep rich flavor Arroz con Pollo chicken and rice Cuban pepper seasoning pepper really neat flavor not hot but unique ethnic flavor Bell Peppers California Wonder basic green bullnose bell pepper flavor tons of them Midnight Dreams deep dark purple really good flavor Corbaci Sweet long thin sweet pepper stir fry sautéed scrambled eggs quiches anywhere use a bell pepper Sweet Marconi Red medium size really mild deep sweet rich flavor same thick wall like bell peppers really good to dry for seasoning also in purple and yellow Fish Pepper hot but not super hot variegated leaves and peppers really pretty and good flavor hto but not super hot habanaros and jalapenos doesn’t have a certain variety tomatillos not a specific she’s done good with will try lots of different ones really liked Pineapple Ground Cherries only ones she’s ever tried Okra loves heat starts well in a green house Clemson Spineless basic green okra most common heirloom good and tender nice flavor healthy plant tried and true Texas Hill Country really squatty pods really liked it big round disks really enjoyed it Eggplant Black beauty round bulbus basic egg plant Ping Tung long purple slender variety Antigua striped purple and white Cowpea Purple Hull Pink Eye peas really liked those Beans Red and Green Chinese Noodle Beans favorite grow really pretty in the garden trellis good flavor in sautee stiry fry pickle Trionfo Violetto really liked those dark waxy skin pole bean pick young as snap bean prolific and healthy plants Tanyas Pink Pod beans ordinary green bean changed colors when cooked was hot pink while growing really cool growing Peas Sugar Magnolia Tendril Peas flavor is really good especially after frost grows a lot pretty blossoms peas are beautiful majestic in the garden Cucumbers Parisian Pickling really good flavor super crunchy grows really fast Armenian White Armenian yard long or snake not bitter really thin skin really crunchy don’t get bitter good pickling Mexican Sour Gherkin (Cucamelon) tiny little cucumbers sour bitter pickles that are really good National Pickling Cucumber boston, Chicago, darr, all very similar and good none just stood out all about the same dark waxy skins most of the time at the super markets Slicing cucumbers cannot pickle don’t stay good and crunchy gross if juicing would be great marketmore Squash Caserta Summer light green zucchini squash streaky color usable when on the larger size still good when larger Ronde de Nice Summer baseball tender really good flavor Pattison Golden Marbre yellow patty pan tons of squash bugs they lived longer than any other squash and no vine borers healthy and resistant to pests Winter Buttercup really healthy and grew a lot performance wise Melon Kajari orange and green great on trellis medium small fruit flavor is really good found the seeds in punjab Radishes try them roasted French Breakfast basic elongated red to white skin stays really smooth not warty or bumpy Crimson Giant 23 days red with white flesh Watermelon white on outside red on inside Purple Plum dark purple Watermelon Moon and Stars all plants got sick and died Carrots Oxheart big fat round ones really good flavor interesting Cosmic Purple piney side not super sweet great in soups Danvers Half long tried and true Amarillo orangey yellow one Lettuce Marvel of Four Seasons really pretty green and purple sometimes listed in French does better in the heat and bolts little slower spring and fall crops this one into summer time too nice and tender good falvor Merlot good leafy soft red romaine type Kale Blue Curled Scotch basic kind seen at grocery stores curly edges Nero di Toscano (Dino) dinosaur kale worth growing Flowers great habitat for insects very important Zinnias heavy Calendula heavy Chamomile heavy Borage heavy Marigolds all over Herbs all culinary basics of course thyme oregano marjoram basil all of them Genovese uses the most deters pests from tomatoes and peppers Holy Basil smell is amazing smells so good many health benefits brew as a tea medicinal plant attracts pollinators bees and butterflies Mint takes over so put in pot Lemon Balm medicinal takes over so put in pot

[@melc-centex1091]

You did SO much better than I did on the notes. THANK YOU!

[@davidhodges6282]

Thank ya mam

[@GinasBeautyReviews]

Thank you so much! This was genius 👍

[@jendehaan]

Awesome!!

[@MelissaSchulze]

Thank you so much!! 😘

[@tewasgardenkirkland450]

Paul Robeson was a civil rights activist,athlete,actor and much more. the russian variety was named to honor him and the description of the tomatoe very much describes his personality!

[@suanlake]

I'm glad you wrote about Paul Robeson cause I was thinking about it.

[@yoclark2723]

He was also one of the best singers I have ever heard. He sang "old man river" in Showboat. Deep deep voice.

[@judyrobertson9479]

@@yoclark2723 The very best rendition of that song. Brings tears to my eyes. Heard it once while standing very close to the Mississippi River. Moving experience.

[@paddy6358]

Thank you connecting the man and the tomato! So fitting that such a great man has the best tasting tomato named after him.

[@richardduarte9118]

Quick tip on the Tabasco peppers. If you grow too many of them, feed them to a couple of choice egg laying chickens and here's why: Birds are unable to detect spice. The capsaicin in the peppers is what makes normal people hate themselves and their life decisions when they eat it. Birds don't know the difference. And if your birds scrounge and eat bugs and eat nothing but red Tabasco peppers for a few weeks, the yolk TURNS RED. It is a great selling point and being that Tabasco peppers don't take much room and grow like a weed, it is very much worth it. Also, the yolks don't get spicy, if you were wondering.

[@thebarefoothomestead]

i've read that it increases egg production in the winter...so you could also dry them and save them for the winter

[@karaoketime2665]

i get tons of them every year and they're fantastic SUPER good for diabetics i eat one every morning in my eggs... at the end of the year leave all the peppers there and beginning of the next planting year pull them all off and TONS of peppers to grow for the next year... favorite thing to grow in the garden!

[@loboalamo]

Nasturtiums interplanted among squash keeps squash bugs out. Enjoyable and thank you for the inspirations.

[@ashleighscott9896]

Thanks!! I love squash but these dang bugs are absolute mobsters

[@1982MCI]

loboalamo oh thank you so, so very much for this tip!!!! I’ve never heard of this before surprisingly and earlier today I ordered a one pound bag of nasturtium seed to grow and sell as edible flowers and such so this is very very good info to find!!! Thank you so very much!!!

[@a.n2675]

Nasturtiums?! Officinale? ... 🙂🙏

[@StaceyHerewegrowagain]

I can't wait till I can start homesteading at least 50% of my own food. I want to get to a point where I can donate what I grow to the shelters. I'm just hoping for finances to get a little better, so I can invest in the seeds & tools to make it a little easier. Thanks for sharing! Love growing heirloom varieties too

[@Bellavanacoffee]

I would love to send you some seeds I have to share! I'm having a giveaway on my channel this week! Sharing is awesome! Keep the dream going.

[@Bellavanacoffee]

Stacey*

[@StaceyHerewegrowagain]

@@BellavanacoffeeWow! Thank you so much! That is really generous of you! Someone told me to check out churches for donations, so I'm going to as soon as I can, you never know! We can exchange information if you send an email to [e-mail] or I can email you if that's better.You are my first donation and I appreciate that, you have no idea! 😊 I love to see others trying make a difference and helping eachother! I truly believe its what I was meant to do and decided, I'm finally going for it at age 31. Lots of years to help left! Lol

[@1982MCI]

Stacey Here we grow again hey Stacey, can you update us on how your first year went? Were you able to get some things grown and find enough seed to get you started? I’d be happy to donate some seed to you also this year if it would help ya get going. I’m a disabled Desert Storm Vet and it has taken me 5 years to get my farm up and running but this year I’m growing on about 10 acres and without a little help from others along the way, I wouldn’t be where I’m at now either so you can totally do it young lady, just do it and don’t ever look back!! Give me an idea of what seed you need this year and I will put together a goodie box for ya and send it out ASAP! What state are you in also, that will help give me an idea what to send for weather conditions also. Keep it growing girl!! You can do this and there’s such a huge need for more local food growers out there, especially this year with the virus going around

[@privatetatum]

I have binge-watched your videos since I discovered you a few days ago. I just wanted to thank you for the time and consideration you put into them. They are so informative, and your joy is contagious. I really appreciate all the effort you put into this service.

[@Olivijad]

Yes same! 🤗🤗🤗

[@Jo_mommah]

I totally understand lol. I have cried tears of joy and wonder multiple times over the past few days. I am almost done with my first greenhouse and have made my first ever order of quality heirloom seeds and it’s a rather big order! So many beautiful plants I swear I can’t even I’m so excited! And grateful! Bless you girl 💕

[@barbsnyder480]

I don't pour over seed catalogs. I bank on my gardener friends such as yourself to TELL me what is good.So thanks for that. PS . Hi Jess! Stay warm😊

[@UncleDutchFarms]

I haven't even started watching yet and I am so excited! Was waiting for this one. And timely, I JUST got my whole seed catalog from BC in the mail Saturday. This morning my 12YO saw it and was like "OH YES now I can pick out what I want to grow!" and started circling things, just like I did with the old Sears toy catalogs... 😂

[@stephkrunic3884]

:) thumbs up for fan-girl crying when you meet the tomato guy! Made me smile!

[@puppetdudeproductions8080]

saved this video. We just bought a house. Not a lot of property, but enough that I can start. I think your channel is one of the only one's I binge watch. Thanks for the info.

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

Congrats on the house!

[@DesiGardening]

Winter is more exciting then actual growing season when you can’t sleep some time thinking what you going to grow next year Different ideas going on in your mind planing garden and waiting for spring to arrive and making long list of seeds you going to grow next year.

[@tracygarns9611]

Great video! I got three notebook pages full. We have 51.5 acres and I've mostly concentrated on growing our meat. The gardens have been pretty simple: tomatoes, peppers, green beans, onions, garlic. I can't wait to try some of your favorites this spring. I'm stalking the mailman for my Baker Creek catalog!

[@walkbyfaithfamily9177]

Jess! At some point you asked what we want to see you grow in your garden... I just got my Baker Creek seed catalog. I really want to see you grow the SNAKE BEAN. I don’t have the space in my tiny garden but I can just see Ezra and Ben loving this! 🤗👏🤗👏🤗👏

[@HoldfenyLendion]

We moved out of city on a 3000 m3 land last may and I was a bit confused what to do and how. So finally I ended up with tomatoes only that I started to grow on my balcony in the city. But I also planted lots of plants, fruit trees, berries, flowers, bushes.. I totally get your point: as winter started I got crazy. Almost all I could think of this winter is what and where to plant from spring. So I spend lots of my time with research on ideas, ways to treat different plants (this is also how I found your channel that is very informative - thank you!) while learning crocheting :D I am also planning to start keeping 4-5 chickens, maybe quails too. Ah.. I love this life! So creative!

[@tayisiyakugle6547]

Thank you so much for having this channel!!! I stumbled upon one of your videos last night, and have been watching your channel since. The way you explain things is just so clear. I am just like you, always asking "why" and you do such a great job presenting the information to the viewers. Also, it was so heartwarming to hear about your healing. God bless you! English is not my first language so I could never word it right, but you did it so good about the glory of God. Honestly, people seeing your life will see God more than from just being told about Him.

[@FosterFamilyFun]

Still “binge rewatching!” So far I have purchased my seeds from Baker Creek & MIGardener

[@sonyacurti]

As I watched this video I had a beautiful childhood (6 years old) memory of my neighbor gifting me a sweet ripe home grown tomato. I savored it and as all children are totally in the moment. I am so fan-girling you lol ... your videos play non stop while doing chores in my house. Growing a garden was always inside of me I just put it off for so many years. I'm 52 and I'm starting NOW. Thank you! I love that you have every level of video so a novice feels like its totally within thier reach.

[@rubytrotter3766]

If you're in Zones4-5, if you grow perennial hibiscus, you can grow okra. Cut into rounds & battercoated & fried okra is really good. My favorite tomatoes are Cherokee purple, Amish paste,Sweet 100 cherry, & Mortgage Lifter

[@ericm3991]

I have some advice for super hot peppers if you like the flavor but not the super heat of them! You can soak them in vodka/tequila, really any kind of alcohol for about an hour and it will take a lot of the heat out. I did it with habaneros and it leaves behind some of the really amazing fruity flavors of the peppers. You can also experiment with different soaking times depending on the heat of the pepper. Also despite popular belief that the seeds contain all the heat that is mostly false. While the seeds are hot most of the capsicum is retained in the white pith of the pepper, you can also remove that if you still find them too hot. Another trick is to ferment the hot peppers and turn them into a sauce. Fermenting will milden them out a little and and add great umami flavor! Love love love your channel by the way!!

[@aimhighhomestead5862]

Okra is amazing. My mother is from the south so I grew up eating it. We moved into our new house almost a year ago and I grew a test garden to see how the soil does and I'll be doing raised beds this year lol I want to grow so many thing's not just to save on grocery bills but also for my health. I have been fighting stage 4 colon cancer for four years and your videos have really sparked all kinds of ideas! Thank you for all you share.

[@johnwilson3557]

Another excellent heart felt Jess video. Wonderful. Right now I have molar tooth infection and in so much pain I am seeing crosseyed. Your videos so good it takes the pain away just for a little while. Okra good. Must pick when young otherwise woody. Regardless seeds always good. Like to crush the swelled seeds with my teeth. They explode with flavor and creaminess. Must cook okra with all the usual suspects like whole skinned tomatoes a little vinegar and sugar including salt, garlic, onion powder, cayenne, celery seed, green bells and paprika. Late picked okra ok. The stem area usually woody and the tip area tender. Just spit out woody area and just eat seeds. For me always delicious. Have about 300 okra plants in seed trays. Harvest can't wait. John from 1/5 acre house in Riverside Co. Ca.

[@kimmieRH05]

I just rewatched this as I garden plan... the sweet peppers you talked about I will be trying for the first time. I have what might be referred to as an “Italian” garden. I grew up in an Italian restaurant( which has been in our family since my grandparents came from Italy in 1933) , so most of what I garden to use fresh or can, are staples I use in my everyday cooking. These peppers will be perfect for fresh and canned roasted peppers. (Which is a staple in my house) I am really excited to try some of your varieties of tomatoes to use with my Roma’s for my sauce as well. I wish Spring were here.....thank you again for taking time to make this video....😁💕🌺

[@kprairiesun]

Do video on cooking okra! I've grown it and like it filled in pickles and had a dish of beans and okra fried or sauteed together. Was delicious. Wish I had the recipe. Looked like browned hamburger dish. Also how you like to use eggplant. I've grown them and just given them away, not knowing how to cook them. Thanks for another great video. By the way, my all time favorite tomato is an insurmountable Delicious. Huge pinkish fruits. Had great results last year with Better Brandy...or something like that. Great tasting, large slicers...pretty productive.

[@helenmassey3231]

Hopefully you already got an answer, but just in case you haven't, I just dip it in egg then flower and fry it in oil. Just like you do summer squash. Hope this helps.

[@littlehomesteadinalabama3435]

This is Cheryl. You have a She Shed!

[@FrogHighlighter]

Hey Jess, if you're trying a bunch of squash I would highly recommend Burpees Butter Bush (you can find seeds at Walmart). Its fruit isn't worth the trouble (very small butternut squash...although Ben might like that!) but the flowers are the most tasty squash flowers I have tried. They are about as big as your hand splayed out and have such an intense squash flavor, I loved going out there and harvesting a flower to put in my eggs every morning. The plant itself is also very pretty with dark blue-green leafs and silver-blue veins. They are on my must grow list this year and are getting covered in tulle to try and ward off squash bugs since I only intend on harvesting its flowers.

[@TheHoneystead]

Love love love!!!! I literally showed my husband your lights from your last video and told my husband that I want lights like this for Christmas!!! Thank you Sooooo much for sharing this video! I’m working on my seed list now!

[@dawndawn6946]

Kitten George is such a ham! 🤣 He just wants to be a star.

[@corinnaedwards]

Hey Jess. Totally took notes during this video! Lol. Excited to try some new things to me next year. I wanted to give a suggestion. I love having flowers in and around my garden and yard. I had lots of zinnias and marigolds that did amazing! But one that I was surprised with was cosmos. I had never had any. I found seeds at tractor supply late summer and planted them. Seashell Cosmos. They came up quick and were beautiful. The big thing I discovered with mine were they lasted thru some of our frost. I live in southern Kentucky and I had cosmos still blooming after the frost took out my marigolds and zinnias.

[@seedaholicgardens9085]

awesome!

[@gardeninthecurve9335]

Same here! They grew to the first of November. I’m in central Kentucky

[@sheilasugar5269]

corinnaedwards Me, too!

[@suzannegregory3109]

I have learned so much from you since I found you a month ago. I have been gardening seriously in south central Texas since 2008 and it has taught me so much. Your insight along with I need more beds to rotate crops, has given me such inspiration. Down here we start off cold and then warm up quickly, so that our harvest of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and beans happens all at the same time. Then you are sick burnt out, figurivitly and literally that it is impossible to go the second planting in 100+ degree weather. But I keep trying. I love your videos. I am fan girling.

[@LanaiDebbie]

I absolutely love your enthusiasm and joy...it is contagious and makes me even more excited about gardening. I will definitely be trying some of your suggestions. I just wish I had more space in my small back yard to grow more varieties.

[@tommathews3964]

Debbie Wheeler Don't know your specifics but have you considered "container" gardening? You can grow on driveways, street curbs etc. I just gave a lady 6- 15 gallon containers who has the same problem as you. One of the best things about containers is they are mobile and you can chase the sun or whatever your needs. Pretty interesting article in this month's Mother Earth News about container and hay bale gardening. I have plenty of in ground space but still use some containers for certain crops (carrots, for instance) in certain situations.

[@LanaiDebbie]

Tom Mathews Thank you for the reply. I do some container gardening, and will do more so I can try more varieties.

[@moondazed5451]

We grew currant tomatoes and they're perfect for salads! They're incredibly prolific, covered in little currant sized tomatoes bursting with flavor. I grow for flavor not productivity, and my favorite orange tomato is called Flamme. I'm in central Virginia and malabar spinach grows like crazy here, as do cowpeas! My favorite lettuce is called Drunken Woman, it's so delicious! My favorite seed company is Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, they're nice to deal with and I've met some of their growers. Thank you for your wonderful videos :-)

[@evah3159]

I'm making my way though your videos and i must say that this is becoming my favorite garden channel! It's so sensible but has so much heart as well!

[@MoonGypsy]

LOVE Baker Creek ! I live about 30 miles away from the Missouri location. Can't wait to get some seeds started !

[@BRUtahn]

Oh man if i lived close to a BC store I'd be poor

[@kaitlinzacherl5590]

Your videos are always so helpful! This is my first year with orders seeds and I am so excited! My husband asked if I really needed as many seeds as I ordered and I said I don't have a Jess collection yet so its okay! ;) I can't wait to share my garden experiences with you! Thank you Jess!

[@shannonwilkie3065]

Aww Kitten George...always mischievous. Rest in Peace sweet boy

[@cathyreid4567]

Thanks Jess! Working on planning out my new vegtable garden for next year. Your reviews and comments on your garden produce a big help. Love, love, your channel.

[@zullylozano1840]

I love it when you review the varieties you grow!

[@SouthernLatitudesFL]

Thank you so very much for this list! I took notes too. I am in zone 9A, East Coast of Florida and we are adding in 2,000 sq ft of gardening space to our existing 500 sq ft. I am super excited to gleen off of your experiences and try many of these.

[@daniellegrandpa]

This has been great info. In the past I have always bought my tomato and pepper plants at a local nursery, sometimes spending close to $100. So now I have my catalogs coming and plan to start my plants from seed, thanks to you.

[@HeyWatchMeGo]

An EXCELLENT video, as usual. I really enjoy your videos because they don't drag on and on... Some (many) gardening videos do, with too much repetition and not enough actual information. This is by far the best gardening channel I have ever found. Top Notch, and well thought out/useable advice. Thanks so much! PS: My all time favorite garden plant, if I could only grow one thing, is the Sweet Million tomato.

[@seedaholicgardens9085]

Cheery tomatoes are serious commitment.I had 12 volunteers and i was exhausted i gave away tomatoes @church, work and to my neighbors! Very cool to see the list gives me ideas. Now I have to go readjust my own list!Oh boy!Since my heritage is Southern , i grow Okra every year. I grow Clemson an Red burgundy-which my hubby loves- every year! While watching, my 2019 bake creek catalog arrived!Gotta tell you growing world:The cover art is Out of this world! also just finished my blog for the church newsletter@expanding growing season ans planning for 2019. Great info and video as always, TYVVM!

[@TheMwales]

thanks for mentioning the slicers for sauces. i do the same as well. Paul Robeson is a fave. Glad to know i am not crazy

[@ploefff]

Not at all. I grew 4 types of tomatoes (Green Zebra, Paul Robeson, Auntie Magde and a free range type) last summer and the Paul Robesons tasted so good that the other varieties became a little ehh. Even the cherry tomatoes couldn't hold a candle to them.

[@Robin-eu8ve]

Every video has so many tips its unbelievable.thank you I will spread the word,

[@daniellebradley2728]

I have always lived in Georgia and so, of course ate okra all my life. My mother is from Connecticut and my grandpa grew it my whole life up there with no problem, but for a much shorter season. He may have even started it indoors and transplanted. So having that experience I, like you didn’t know for a long time that most northerners don’t know the beautiful secret of okra. Also, shout out to the triumpho violetto, i love that guy! Big red ripper are great to eat as cowpeas or as dry beans for storage. Check em out. They are space hogs through!

[@organicnorth5492]

Thanks for the list Jess! We threw out a spent pineapple ground cherry plant onto a wood ash pile by accident last fall. In the summer, a beautiful, healthy, prolific ground cherry burst with life right out of those ashes! I'll be setting some wood ash around my ground cherries this spring.

[@kimmieRH05]

You are my go to channel for gardening.... I love that you did this video... I am really excited to garden this year. We are expanding and now I know what to plant!!! You rock sister!! ❤️

[@lore5475]

It's 1:00 in the morning here and you're making my mouth water..and all I have is an ole' store bought tomato, but I HAD to go to the kitchen and make me a tomato sammich! hahaha You rock, girl!! LOL xo

[@amyjacob2100]

Next spring will be my second year gardening on my farm. We had to make the garden 4 times bigger so I can grow more things! So excited! Thanks for this wonderful list. So many great options!

[@kprairiesun]

Feel the same about pickling cucumbers, they taste great for slicing, too. Never wanted to grow slicers

[@crazychickenladyhomestead6918]

Had to like it to prep for next year!!! I would forewarn people against planting oregano with tomatoes, and maybe anything else. I have seen a tomato plant 3ft tall fall over because oregano was growing in its place. Otherwise, very helpful and REALLY looking forward to next season!!! Love your channel!! And hope the best for you and your family!! Keep going!

[@kimr4005]

I have begun planning and dreaming about next year's garden season. So looking forward to it all.

[@StaceyHerewegrowagain]

Me too. Never to early to start..lol

[@DebbieBlanke]

Man that was awesome, thank you Jess. Problem is, my list is bigger than my real estate (and my wallet) affords. A couple things I'm hoping to hear your take on are Bitter Melon and Amaranth. Going to venture out on both of those, but of course your words of wisdom would be great. I hope to hunt down a video from you on pest control. Fellow-Arkansan here, and you're right - the war on squash bugs, beetles, etc is just brutal.

[@directionknown4me]

My must grow list are all the ingredients for canned vegetable soup with beef broth and tomato base. Thank you so much for your list!

[@bluedazz]

This was wonderful info. Thank you for taking the time to add photos to go along with your narrative.

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

For those of you who want to skip the intro info about seed companies and all that jazz, the actual list starts @4:14 in this video. Please, tell us, What are your must grow varieties?

[@redpillrevival736]

Roots and Refuge Farm I wonder how many hours you pondered over that list? lol A tad disappointed in your winter Squash section though, look up Mashed Potato Squash

[@brigittelm6054]

Roots and Refuge Farm Never skip ahead... We would miss hanging out in the greenhouse with you and sharing in the joy. 😇🎉🎊💕

[@RootsandRefugeFarm]

Red Pill Revival Oh I’d love more squash recommendations. I just can’t sing too many praises because I haven’t been able to get a harvest passed out squash bugs! 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@sarahdowner4806]

the only thing so far that I absolutely must grow again is Vintage Wine tomato. It was our favorite tomato this year!

[@kirarussom5780]

I have some seeds I want to send you. can I send it to the PO box? (I don't use snail mail often)

[@denisem6754]

I grow lots of peppers and tried Marconi Golden this year for the first time, it is my new favorite pepper, but I am planning to try Arroz con Pollo because you have praised it. Yes, diversity is the key to organic gardening and I would just suggest that you give Cosmos a try. They come in lots of varieties and are as easy to grow as zinnias and marigolds. Also, I plant a some dill for the Swallowtail Butterfly, it is the preferred host for their caterpillars here in Nebraska, so I purposefully plant enough for me and them, lol. But all the pollinators seem to love the yellow flowers of dill in bloom.

[@gogogardener]

I love to see the butterflies and hummingbirds when I garden too. That's the main reason I add flowers to my garden. I have friends who will harvest the flowers, but I don't tend to use them. I just love seeing nature's diversity in my garden.

[@digarcia1890]

+Sj Smith me too

[@GrammaDebsStorytime]

I thought there was an earthquake going on when 'Kitten George' was trying to climb on the greenhouse! Thanks for sharing your favs ♥

[@SnackyJackie79]

Thankyou for the information it is very helpful. I started laughing because i could hear kitten george meowing lol. Than when he went on the roof i died laughing. I think you should call him diva george lol he loves being on camera. Thankyou for all that you do.

[@kirstywaitoa9416]

Jacqueline Freeman i could hear meowing too and paused the video thinking it was one of my cats!! Lol

[@cursing_creations]

Basil is so easy to grow. I always grow Thai basil and Italian basil. I will definitely branch out and try the holy basil.

[@Miss449686]

Loved this video --- great food for thought this winter. Okra is a must plant in my garden, tomatoes, green beans, peas, peppers, squash -- so many !!

[@shonitagarcia3222]

Great share! Wow! That's a lot to take in. I'm going to have to watch this video several times. Your greenhouse is lovely n cozy. Thank you for sharing this!

[@dallasmandy]

Holy cow! Thank you for all the work you put into this.

[@LauraMichelGreenRaven]

Love your new office! Laura

[@christopherda89]

First has Okra when I visited Germany and now I love it. Will def be growing it in my northern garden.

[@genevapriest6190]

My Mother (Kentucky born & raised) loved cooking small okra pods placed on snapped purple-hull peas cooking down in a pan. Test with a fork for their tenderness.

[@juliek7650]

We love okra and grow it every year. We use it in gumbos, we fry it, ect, but one of our favorite ways to eat it is to just boil it,and at the very end, not earlier, add a small amount of white vinegar to the pan. It's delicious!

[@HarvestingFaithHomestead]

Amish paste is my favorite. I use them as a slicer too because they get GIANT and are super sweet! Truly delicious.

[@landdesigner4195]

Thank you for the reviews! Love Kitten George, I can sooooo relate to a crazy garden kitty, had me laughing out loud in the office. 😹

[@Idontwantachannel67]

Nice list. I just ordered arroz con pollo peppers on Black Friday. Can’t wait to taste them now. That’s so funny, I totally hated the blueberry tomato and the Napa Chardonnay. But one of my favorites was Napa Rosé brad gates. Super delish. Agreed Paul Robeson is great. Japanese Black trifele taste almost just like them. Also red ox heart is one of my favs so good and Thornburns terra-cotta was out of this world flavorful. My new fav cherry is white ivory pear. BC had them then got rid of them last I checked but the flavor is great.

[@BRUtahn]

Where did you get the seeds? I'm having a hard time finding them.

[@AliciasInTheKitchen]

Thank you for making this video Jess! I grow Abe Lincoln tomatoes and love them. When I send extras to my husband's co-workers they all say they are the best tomatoes they have ever tasted. Have you tried North Georgia Candy Roaster for a Winter squash? We grew them 2 years ago and they were so prolific, and delicious. I got 230 pounds of squash from one plant. I have never had luck with yellow carrots, but I concur on loving the cosmic purples and Danvers Half. Thai eggplants will be going in to my garden this year, because we eat a lot of Thai food, but also, you can slice them fresh and make a salad out of them. Thanks again for sharing your TNT heirloom varieties!

[@grannybee6805]

Great video. I took care of my dad for the last 3 years, and did not grow a garden. I lost him in Dec. 2017. This year was too busy with estate issues and moving to our new home in the Ozarks, so, I am really getting pumped about having a garden again this year. Two of my musthaves are Red Velvet Okra. This is very prolific with pods that are still tender up to about 8 inches long. I will have to find new seeds, since I am not sure my 4 year old seeds are still good, but I shared with so many friends, I am sure I can get some back. The other is Red Ripper Peas. OMG these peas will keep you picking until frost. The pods are 10 inches long and will have an average of 14 pinto bean size peas in each pod. I have done cooking videos in the past, but I am going to expand and include gardening and cooking the produce. So glad to have found your channel and I look forward to seeing more.

[@robinlynn6940]

I am now growing Moringa Oleifera. I don't know if you have heard about this amazing tree. It grows very fast and because it does not like temperatures below 45° F from what I understand - they won't survive our Central Texas winters. (This is my first year so my plan is to grow them like annuals.) My soil is vey poor but they came up and I am now harvesting the leaves. These leaves are so amazingly nutritious! The tree and leaves are gorgeous! The whole tree is said to have great medicinal value - the roots, bark, flowers, seeds. The leaves and the fruit - called drum sticks are food. This tree is also called a Drumstick tree. Just thought you might find interest. ❤

[@vinceberardini9709]

Another great video, demonstrates the "zest" for growing, the necessity of planning things out, introduces new and untried as well as "tried and true" varieties, gives "insight" to what works, tastes best and nurtures the excitement that those who grow ...know". I know I mentioned this before but Jet Star tomato, which is a hybrid looked so fabulous for size, interier shape and color I've decided to grow some this year as well as the yellow and red Marconi peppers and if I can find the seeds the sweet one you mentioned as well. Thanks for your enthusiasm, insight, knowledge and for ..."sharing" because Even though "they" say knowledge is power" ...The true value lies in the sharing...Keep on smiling...It looks good on you !

[@noworriessoap5494]

Thank you for the list. It's fun seeing what you are excited about.

[@hollyweaver7292]

True love and homegrown tomatoes!

[@triciarosamilia8632]

I am planning on growing Napa Chardonnay Blush, Blue Berries and Barry’s Crazy Cherry next year. Along with Kajari melons and Arroz con Pollo peppers. Thanks for the review!

[@eWarriorDLC]

I live in Minnesota and love the idea of groupings okra. It is so good in soups and fried up. You're making me wish I was further south!!

[@CrystalA777]

So glad you made this video I'm already planning my next garden as well. It's nice to have a break but already ready for the spring.

[@VirginiaRKunz]

I'm super excited to watch the green house grow

[@banhit75]

Although I live in a much colder climate this was fun to watch! I heartily recommend trying some Asian eggplants too, much more versatile. Baker Creek is good, I also recommend a tiny place called Victory Seeds out of Oregon for tomato shopping.

[@MaryMakes]

German Pink best slicer ever! I have had several over 2lbs and the flavor is incredible. Dester is another good one. Wild Boar Farms Atomic Grape is amazing. The colors are crazy and they are so sweet and dehydrate into delicious snacks! I also love Super Sweet 100 we can barely keep up with the plant is grows so so many!

[@lynnb7511]

You are awesome! I wish I had started this when I was much younger!!! But its never too late to start, we purchased a place in the country and have 1.2 acres, plenty of room for a small garden. I watch you all the time and you inspire me to get going! i live in Shreveport, La. so we have the heat too, Thank you so much for taking the time to explain all these different plants. Love your green house,!

[@donna9384]

Jess, those smurf tomatoes look so interesting, I just have to give those a try. And going to some of the peppers a try. I didn't even plant peppers last season but you have me interested in some of those sweet peppers. Thanks so much for sharing. Hugs

[@gmjsteele2625]

Love that you have thrown in pictures. This video is my re-watch list. I am so glad that Living Traditions Homestead had suggested your channel. God Bless from Prince Edward Island, Canada

[@jessicasmith1815]

Hey Jess. I love your channel and overall attitude on faith and family! We live right down the road in Romance and I’m interested in info on the place where you get the scrap cedar that you’ve used for your raised beds. Also, as you research about quail, please share your experiences. We’ve been interested in quail for a while but are still in year one of our land which means we’re in the clearing and planning stage. Thanks for being you!

[@suzannem5674]

Looking back at your videos. Good refresher for this time of the year.

[@rachelattack]

I love radishes! The first season in my first garden it was what showed me that it wasn't magic, I could grow things if I tried. French Breakfast are my favourite too, but that first crop were called Sparkler White Tip. It blew my mind that homegrown food tasted so different than what I can buy at the market - they were like SO HOT, like eating horseradish!

[@maria09mc051]

Thank you for this video. After trial and error I'm starting to figure out what does well in my region and when to plant things; however, I'm still trying to figure out different varieties of fruits and veggies and this really does help.

[@cherienicholas5649]

Thank you for taking the time to share your favs with us! It helps a lot!

[@kprairiesun]

How do you eat kale? I don't care for the taste but know it is nutritious. I always have rosemary and mint as well as sage, oregano and some stevia. Nothing like rosemary in chicken dishes and on roast chicken. I grow and juice wheatgrass and grab a few leaves from the garden and weeds in the yard to add into it, like dandelion, creeping charlie, sage, mint, lambsquarters, Stevie and oregano. Might as well get some of these super foods into the juice!

[@BearBottomAcres]

Hooray! Thanks for adding in the all pictures and spellings with your descriptions. That probably took you a long time. Thanks for doing that for all of us.

[@ladonnawoodley5279]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'm a new Gardner and didn't have a clue where to start. I'm also originally from Arkansas but now live in Texas so things may not grow as well in Texas as they do there but I'm sure going to try. I've started a few containers on my patio but plan on raised bed gardens when I move to Louisiana. I'm learning as much as I can as fast as I can and loving every minute of it. I recently found your channel and love your down to earth style. Thanks again for this wonderful video.

[@growagarden54]

Thank you for all the work you put into this video. Such great information for a new gardener like me. I learned so much about flavors of what you grow, which is very helpful. Thanks again. I hope I'm not too late in getting my seeds. It's Jan 22, 2019 in California.

[@gvas7560]

Thanks for sharing. I can't wait for spring.😊 will be watching this video over and over 😁 God bless you.

[@lynnschmidt511]

Your such a inspiration in growing your own food. I love your enthusiasm and care about what your feeding your family and educational and study of veggies, fruits and love of what you do! Thank you for your videos. I've learned so much. 👍👌✌

[@Jonathan-ob4sl]

I was gonna watch those video all over again because I was looking for a variety you had said thank you for having all of the varieties in the description saved me some time

[@MaryMakes]

I’ve grown almost ever pepper you mentioned. All good choices. Try Tequila Sunrise it grows as easily as Corabaci. I LOVE the history behind the fish pepper! I grow them in my front flower/herb bed and everyone comments on them. Dry your Tabasco peppers and add to chili it’s a must!

[@sarahlarson7797]

I wonder if she has updated this list in 2020? If not, I hope she does, because in her new videos there are some new varieties. I would love to see them all put together in one place. I really appreciate all the work you do to bring us your amazing videos! Thank you Jess and Miah, and may God bless you and your family for all the days of your lives🙏😁

[@AJsGreenTopics]

Thanks for sharing your gardening knowledge.

[@cynthiahamblin-perry5880]

Thanks! I so love your videos! So informative. I already grow a lot of same favs as you but picked up some new ideas. I get overwhelmed with all the choices in these beautiful seed catalogs. The pineapple ground cherries did amazing this year - I made pies, muffins, sauce - will def grow more ground cherries next year! I agree about Basil - my favorite - I even have it growing on my windowsill all winter - nothing like fresh basil in tomato sauces! Marvel of 4 Seasons was my fav lettuce this year - did not bolt and prolific and never got bitter. Unfortunately the slugs and snails love Kale as much as I do and I lost that battle! Calendula is a fav too - I use it to make skin salve and even made a vinegar hair rinse this year I love(Thanks to Heidi at Rain Country) Thank you for making videos - love seeing your garden during growing season but love these info vids too! Many Blessings!