Spring Vegetable Garden and Food Forest Tour Portugal

It's Spring time and we take a tour of the food forest orchard and vegetable gardens.
We look at what's growing now and see how our plants and trees have survived a cold winter.
Since moving to Portugal and buying an abandoned farm, we've been planting and growing fruit and vegetables.
Living in rural Portugal is beginning to show progress.
We're sorry about the wind noise, it's been windy all week.
We really hope you enjoy this video.
Meraid and Dan

[@Susan.I]

You are both wonderful gardeners!!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you so much 😊

[@notajoke4587]

Looking great

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you 😊

[@100Noddy]

The bond that you have developed with the land and the joy you have with nurturing the garden is infectious. A second microphone for Meraid will improve your videos.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks Noddy, and you’re right about another mic. Any recommendations?

[@owenp65]

I absolutely loved your garden tour. So many different plants and all with a purpose. With regards to your Asparagus I planted one year crowns last year which are just about coming up now. I'm sure you'll be as amazed as I am at how quickly they develop into good sized spears. This will be third year for me and I will be having one small harvest just to taste 😉, despite the 3-4 year rule. The archway is looking good and it will be fantastic covered with fruit over time. Thank you for a lovely update.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you, Owen. Asparagus is a lovely perennial vegetable and worth waiting for. And of course we all have a little harvest to taste (just to be sure it’s worth growing)😉

[@rosbeaton637]

What a food and nature paradise the two off you are creating! ❤ I loved every minute of your garden tour. I could smell the smells, hear the sounds and feel the grass beneath my feet from my living room chair.😊

[@NearbyVeggies]

Wow 🤩 thank you for watching and we’re delighted you enjoyed it.

[@erikryde7879]

Looks like paradise to me !!!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you. It feels like that to us too ( after the day’s work) 😊

[@frankasturino3416]

Beautiful organic garden, it is absolutely necessary that we surround ourselves with nature as much as possible, this is something that most people very much need today but are not getting, they suffer from nature deficit disorder, very impressed with your garden !!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Much appreciated, thank you 😊

[@markdawsonbruce4457]

I just got back from the pub, if i watch this vid now i be seeing double, i watch in da morning, god bless you both🙏🙏🙏😎

[@NearbyVeggies]

See you tomorrow.

[@marianela111]

Loving Meraid's excitement. I see future merch "breaking Bud." You two are amazing. Thank you for sharing a bit of your life 💞🙏🌻🐈

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks so much, Manuela. I do get quite excited when I’m in the garden. Love the idea of ‘Breaking bud’ 😂

[@marianela111]

@@NearbyVeggies 🌻💞

[@paisley293]

@@NearbyVeggies : it is a little paradise on earth!

[@NearbyVeggies]

It’s a delicious apple though not the prettiest. 😀

[@heidiedwards4160]

Such a tonic to watch and how blessed you are to have Bay Leaves at this time of year 😉

[@NearbyVeggies]

That’s so kind of you, Heidi. Thank you 😊

[@flaviocolin8902]

A hard work today and a special wine tomorrow. Congratulations.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you.

[@kathleenpitt1981]

You’ve done so much in a little bit of time. Garden looks great.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks 👍

[@strasaku]

High life joy in your garden work. Rich versatility.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you 😊

[@kathleendenison8925]

Wisteria is lovely but very invasive...it will get out of hand if not maintained. Beautiful property. ALOT of hard work.... great job y'all.

[@NearbyVeggies]

The wisteria has been here for many many years and doesn’t appear to be doing anything naughty at the moment. They’ve been cut right back now so we can keep an eye on them. Thank you for the heads-up 👍

[@bealbocht63]

I can feel the excitement of Spring in this video. Love this time of year, do the same thing in my own yard, checking to see what has survived the winter and what is starting to bud. Still to cold to put my seedlings in the ground but soon…

[@NearbyVeggies]

It’s a wonderful time of year. Spring is hugely exciting. Totally understand your feelings about getting seedlings in the ground. 👍

[@susanyates4233]

All your hard work. Interesting tour.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks for watching. 😊

[@josecorreadequeiros9062]

Welcome to my country! Good and pleasant life, it is Springtime! Prosit!❤🎉

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you so much 😊

[@shirleyrice7093]

I love the verdant growth of everything in Portugal.🎉 You have done so much work and accomplished so much. I admire your gardening knowledge and I wish I could come and just pick from your trees when they all produce fruit. You will have to sell it.

[@NearbyVeggies]

It really is lush and verdant now, Shirley. Our favourite time of year. In another few years we hope to be picking lots. 😊

[@milliebanks7209]

Lady, I don't know from where you came but you remind me of the bloody queen of England showing her pride in her garden! Well done! It's beautiful, a bit rough, but beautiful!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks, Millie. I’m from Ireland. 😊

[@JayDee-ck4op]

Great tour of your garden and seeing everything start to burst into life. Well done you two 🤠🤠

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks again 🤠🤠

[@Susan.I]

Have a happy growing season!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you, Linda 🤩

[@markdawsonbruce4457]

In a few years time you will have forest of fruit, love you guys God bless 🙏

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you, Mark. We are hoping so too. 😊

[@nancyspence2965]

Excellent to visit your garden! Spring has spring!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you. Spring has arrived for sure. 😀

[@theresadunlop5602]

Everything looks amazing! Loved seeing all the “breaking buds”! Enjoy spring!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you, Theresa. ‘Breaking buds’ everywhere 😀

[@kathytucker2491]

Love coriander for the life of me can’t grow it 🙈🤷‍♀️🌺 good luck with the kiwis our national fruit - gee your so good remembering what tree is what 🌺

[@NearbyVeggies]

Coriander doesn’t like too much heat so we plant it on the cooler sides and in shade. We plant it twice a year.

[@peggyr.346]

People’s who criticize are just jealous! I think you both are doing an amazing job!! Your property looks amazing because of all your hard work. You should be proud! 👍

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you 😊

[@Aotruba]

Great progress!👌🥰👌

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you! 🤗

[@zainormamzainalabidin9975]

I'm watching from Malaysia. Your organic garden so awesome. With hardworking not impossible everything will be ok.😊

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you and welcome to our little farm in Portugal 😊

[@dinac7361]

O love your house ,views ,the garden area just so wonderfully beautiful

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks so much. 👍😊

[@larhumba4233]

I do love Loquats. Last year during the short season they were available to buy in London from a posh supermarket, I paid £4.99 for a pack of 4 fruits every week for a month till they weren't available anymore. I hope your tree has lots of fruit. 😊❤

[@NearbyVeggies]

Oh wow! They’re probably a bit delicate to ship, hence the price. Delicious 😋

[@anthonybutler3157]

We, also living in portugal, get bags of them from our neighbors

[@larhumba4233]

@@anthonybutler3157 I'm so jealous! 😋 I'm on the lookout for this season's Loquats, as they should be available shortly. I'm saving up LOL!

[@hatcherhollerhoodlum4418]

Another very informative video From my lady in pink😘 I cant wait to see the apple tree flourish

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you. From the lady in pink waiting for the pink lady apples. 🤗

[@elizabethalexandraroberts9550]

Living the dream ❤❤❤❤

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you 😊

[@MrZedagaita]

Property looks good and all that hard work is showing

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you. We’re delighted 😊

[@suusecue77]

quince blossom will come later in may ... nice gardening work

[@NearbyVeggies]

It’s already quince blossom time here. I think we’re going to have to wait another year 😊

[@NearbyVeggies]

I have great news, we have blossom on the quince tree. It’s beautiful.

[@suusecue77]

@@NearbyVeggies I didn't doubt ... nice

[@NearbyVeggies]

It was absolutely wonderful seeing the flowers for the first time. 🌸

[@MariaMoreira-wm7tn]

Adorei a visita guiada ao vosso terreno. Está a ficar cheio de vida, compensando o vosso esforço e dedicação.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you so much. We really appreciate your encouragement 😊

[@mesutozsen903]

Eline emeğine sağlık bu güzel video için kolay gelsin hayırlı işler....👍👍👍👍

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you 😊

[@offgridwanabe]

No Bugs in Portugal? in Canada when spring is that far we have many black flies and mosquitoes. Lovely property, you will have a busy year lucky you are full of energy.

[@NearbyVeggies]

It’s not too bad here. When it gets hotter we sometimes get the bugs. 👍

[@saleemmalik490]

An excellent, educative video.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you very much 😊

[@ursulapaulfranz9024]

You two are very hard working people, quite a project you took on. I wonder how old the olive trees are. Keep up the good work.👍👏❣️🙋‍♀️❣️

[@NearbyVeggies]

There are several olive trees that are more than 100 years old and one is possibly 200 according to a local lady. 😊

[@maryhauser6523]

I find it very impressive that you can identify everything that you planted, as for myself , the only way I can identify is when they are on my plate, or growing on the tree. Keep up the wonderful work that you have done on the land.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Sometimes I get the plants mixed up. 😊

[@jamesconran9871]

Well done. The place looks great.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you!

[@Ana-vp2vu]

Beautiful property, and you are doing an awesome job in the garden... congratulations, but please leave the buds alone 😅

[@NearbyVeggies]

Deal! 😊

[@poosmate]

Oh it's so exciting! You have so much fruit growing, will it all be for personal use? Maybe in the future you'll produce enough to open up your own little fruit n veg store - maybe in that undercovered area next to the house. Take care, Poo

[@NearbyVeggies]

I think we’ll probably have enough for us and some to share. Fingers crossed 🤞😊

[@maggiemorgan8422]

Late to the party this week! I’ve been walking up and down Yorkshire peaks! Lovely to see the spring growth, especially Barney’s pear tree and James’ hazel. What about Dovey’s little lemon tree?

[@NearbyVeggies]

Yorkshire is beautiful. Hope you stayed dry. No blossom or new growth just yet. The lemon tree will get its shot in the lemonlight. 😊

[@clinton925]

Good work 👍

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you 😊

[@elisiocampos7481]

You like vegetals, try plant a chuchu, it grow s like maracujá in winter dies but in spring it regrows and have good prodution

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you 😊

[@tisaninhacerveiraesteves7579]

Olá a vossa horta está a ficar bonita! Eu também tenho alcachofras, admiro vocês são como eu gostam de ter de tudo Deus vos abençoe

[@NearbyVeggies]

Muito obrigada 🤩

[@HassanHassan-iv7lk]

Be careful Meraid! I didn't like the idea of placing that sharp tool in your back pocket, if you fall that could result in nasty accident.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Oops 😊

[@marcosfigueiredo8515]

good afternoon couple, I follow your project in Portugal. Funny, some couples from the UK, going to live in Portugal. I live in Rio de Janeiro(Brazil), but my son and his wife in Montijo(in front of Lusbon). I liked your story and I've been following. Looking forward to seeing you guys work on the home renovation. if you want seeds of something, like passion fruit seeds I can send them to you, as well as tomatoes. I think that for both you will need a greenhouse. Success

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you. We have a big passion fruit vine (maracujá) growing up the ugly wall. We grow the tomatoes outside. 😊

[@marcosfigueiredo8515]

@@NearbyVeggies ok , but maracujá from Brazil is completely different from “ passion fruit, our fruit Is yelow and we have two spicies . Is possível to see at the internet. Well, I’m here.

[@NearbyVeggies]

It’s a purple fruit passiflora edulis one we have growing on the wall. We did try a yellow one on the archway but I think the cold spell we had might have sent it to an early death.

[@marcosfigueiredo8515]

@@NearbyVeggies it’s true. if on some occasion in the near future they decide to build a greenhouse...I can send the seeds. Last week I saw on KZbin a Brazilian planting passion fruit, aipim(root), in Japan with great success. See you soon

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you so much. Fabulous. 👍

[@victorgscardoso]

Great garden! Will not take long until you start making some food preserving videos 😉 As you mentioned some vole damage, I'd like to ask if the damage they do to your plants is manageable and one can live with it, or can it be totally crop/plant ruining? Where we live if we do not protect the ground with wire mesh we have losses from 80-100% on almost every vegetable...

[@NearbyVeggies]

We get most of our losses from voles but I’m accepting and persevering. Planting some for us and some for the voles. They love onions cardoons and artichokes but they seem to hang out predominantly in one section of the land. Maybe when we move in we’ll be more active on the property and the cat will scare them off (or catch them). I grew everything I mentioned there from seed and even when they were over a year old and established, the voles wiped many out. I planted about 30 artichokes and have 4 left. (I transferred 3 from vole city to the walled vegetable garden). Keep us posted on your progress 😂

[@thisorthat7626]

Your gardens look so healthy with all the rain this winter. Your hard work is paying off. So glad you shared your progress with us. You are inspiring!!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you. We’re so grateful that we’ve had a decent amount of rain this winter. 😊

[@antonioripped9832]

Glad to see you all enjoying spring iam hoping to be in portugal soon, in fundau area can you give some info how to find cheap apartment to rent?

[@NearbyVeggies]

I’d suggest starting off by going into a local estate agent and asking there. All the best with your plans 😊👍

[@marcellasimerly8233]

Cilantro’s coriander will taste like Soap, am told by my Natural-path, is a sign of metal toxicity. Mercury being the biggest offender. And eating Coriander leaches the heavy Metals. We love it too. Tasty

[@NearbyVeggies]

Interesting! I’ve read that it is genetic whether or not you taste soap when eating cilantro. 😊

[@oliveirachapas]

Olá! Parece que vocês vão ter em breve umas garrafas de "untamed wild horses" produção própria! 🍷🍷👍🏼🙂

[@NearbyVeggies]

Esperamos 👍🍷

[@mariaguadarrama7801]

Hi, Sr. And Mam. I’m from texas. New in gardening, what are those long ashy leaves close to the Rosemary? I enjoy all your videos. Blessings always!🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🇺🇸

[@NearbyVeggies]

Hi Maria, They are cardoons, Cynara cardunculus with a purple thistle like flower.

[@anamagalhaes7571]

Bom dia! Acho que os damasqueiros estão muito perto das laranjeiras porque ficam, em adultas, árvores muito grandes. Eu já tive de cortar um porque fazia muita sombra e tive de os plantar mais afastados. Desculpe estar a dar a minha opinião pois nem sei se esse é um damasqueiro anão.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Provavelmente tens razão, Ana. Tentaremos manter essa árvore de damasco pequena. Se começar a sombrear as laranjeiras, temos mais duas. É bom receber conselhos úteis. Obrigada. Tive de obter ajuda com a tradução hoje. Mais prática para mim. Obrigada. :-)

[@tudomerda]

Would it be a good idea to sprinkle some fertilizer at the base of all fruit trees during winter in order to give them extra nutrients for fruiting ?, prune them low and some fertilizer to increase fruit size and yield.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Yes you can! Thank you 😊

[@lesimkien724]

I love both of you. I just got an old house with .5 acre. We plant and plant.....all types of trees and flowers. It is back breaking job but we love it. Happy planting.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you and keep on enjoying your garden 😊

[@williamsabourin572]

What do you do with all of that produce? Especially the lemon and orange trees. That is an awful lot of fruit to eat.

[@NearbyVeggies]

We eat mostly everything and we share. Sometimes we swap for eggs. We can use 50 to 60 oranges a week just making freshly squeezed orange juice. We eat whatever is growing and I’ve made almost enough marmalade to keep us going for the year. 😊

[@coby6417]

🌟👏👍🍀💐 26:51

[@NearbyVeggies]

🤩

[@milliebanks7209]

Hey dude, she needs a glass of wine. She's gone off half cocked! Save her! Please.

[@NearbyVeggies]

🤣

[@portugal1969]

👍

[@NearbyVeggies]

👍

[@farmerconnie8172]

Strawplant? Sempreviva? Dry flower plants both

[@NearbyVeggies]

Statice sinistra (sea lavender) and carpobrotus edulis (gel ground cover) Sorry I forgot to add the names in the text. 👍

[@NearbyVeggies]

I have the strawflowers too👍

[@christinenaughton5334]

I remember in some of your videos you complained about voles. I am struggling with them now. Did you come up with any kind of strategy to deal with them?

[@NearbyVeggies]

My strategy is to plant extra and closer together. The onions are almost ready to harvest and so far so good. Maybe it’s luck. Who knows. 🤞

[@hasmika9412]

👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👍

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks 😊

[@dorotakepa9193]

Beautiful garden. Was it difficult to find the property? Would you recommend any website or the agent guys?

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you. We have a video here with lots of information about how we found the property and links in the description of websites to search kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqvCZIuLZZ2VoMk

[@dorotakepa9193]

@@NearbyVeggies thank you!

[@NearbyVeggies]

You’re welcome ☺️

[@isabelrodriguezmitchell6057]

How many hectares did you get? I live in the canaries and at the moment I am looking for land but not sure how much I would need to buy. Being Islands, land is not cheap. Another thing,why did you decide on Portugal? Why not New Zeland or Spain?

[@NearbyVeggies]

We would need a visa for New Zealand and never been there. Also I probably would never see family or old friends. We liked Portugal 😊

[@isabelrodriguezmitchell6057]

There are a hundred questions I would love to ask, what was behind your decisions for this or that, but I will not bore you.

[@NearbyVeggies]

👍I’ve answered a few. 😊

[@elenikotsaki3020]

She is like a little girl in a candy 🍬 store ,only she is in edem!!!!

[@NearbyVeggies]

Feels like that sometimes 😊

[@lollypop2413]

Watch out for wisteria its invasive! Put it in a pot

[@NearbyVeggies]

It’s been growing here for at least 30 years and we’ll keep it pruned 👍

[@isabelrodriguezmitchell6057]

Are you planning on having bees?

[@NearbyVeggies]

I did but our neighbour has bees and hives would be too close. 🐝

[@isabelrodriguezmitchell6057]

How many hectares did you buy?

[@NearbyVeggies]

7500 m2

[@kathya1956]

Is “food forest” a term made up from environmentalists?

[@NearbyVeggies]

I’m not sure about that, Kathy. I first heard the term from a man called Geoff Lawton who was a surf dude in the 1970s. He was in Morocco and found an ancient piece of land in the hills tended by many villagers. It looked like a forest from a distance and in there grew an abundance of plants including fruits and vegetables that you would not expect to find in the climate. Several years ago, Dan and I set off on our bicycles to find this special place and after great difficulty (including cycling up many hills to find this paradise garden, we ended up in a tourist site of the same name ) We realised that this wasn’t the real place so we set off on our quest again and stumbled across it almost by accident. With our limited Arabic, we found a local man who farmed the food forest. I would not ever have called it an orchard because it really did feel like a forest. Huge date palms created a canopy to give fruit and nuts shade from the searing sun. Coriander (cilantro) and mint grew in beds in nearly full shade. Bananas, prickly pears, oranges and lemons grew on the perimeters and the entire area was looked after by about 60 families. The man also spoke French and we found out so much. Ancient irrigation channels brought water from the mountains to irrigate the plants. It really was dripping with food and it was December. So, in my opinion it’s the perfect term for what it will hopefully become. I truly hope you enjoyed this story and whatever term you want to use, keep growing and planting 😊

[@NearbyVeggies]

Robert Hart, an English horticulturist is credited with the phrase. And here’s a really nice article that tells that story in a much better way. www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-permaculture-food-forests.amp

[@thisorthat7626]

@@NearbyVeggies Thank you for sharing this. We can learn so much from older cultures about how to grow food. Microclimates are overlooked with "conventional" farming since they focus on one crop. I admire you and Dan for your lovely gardens and the variety of crops you are growing.

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. We appreciate everything. 😍

[@christasmicroflowerfarm2695]

I'm going along for this exciting ride and just love how your property is coming along.💚 Hi from Australia.🪃🦘🦜😊

[@NearbyVeggies]

Wonderful to read this. Thank you and welcome to spring! 😊

[@katherineparsons9585]

Looking lovely

[@NearbyVeggies]

Thanks, Katharine 😊