Summer 2022 LAND & PROJECT UPDATES Tour - Ep. 120

[@stellaewunia9783]

Really enjoy seeing Sander in front of the camera. I would greatly enjoy seeing more building-themed episodes!

[@FlockFingerLakes]

That's great to know. I know lots of folks are here for the gardening, but the renovation and the hardscaping, etc. are a good portion of the work here. Sander doesn't love being in front of the camera, but he's so good at explaining and think we can coax him more into the frame. Thanks for the encouragement.

[@sjoerdmhh]

Your land is so beautiful in September. I've never thought of September as the most beautiful time, because a lot of flowers are gone and the autumn colours are still to come, but grasses look so good now. I hope you're enjoying the view!

[@keeps717]

Garden Supply is definitely one of my favorite wish catalog, if I had to choose one item it would be a focal piece for the large backyard I’m reimagining for my new mother in law residence.

[@gcarmichael]

Opening aerial with beautiful voice overlay, the gardens, etc. Very well done!

[@sanjoth90]

Amazing progress. Thank you guys for the update. I agree to one of the comments below. I think the imperfections on the house and deck is ok and would not mind it looking a bit faded or irregular. Nevertheless, great job with all the work done! Looking forward to future updates!

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

'Barn Paint' is great stuff and last strong for decades

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Is that a Sikkens product?

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

@@FlockFingerLakes Bedec

[@elizabethperry7117]

I get so much joy from watching your videos and seeing all the progress! I have so much respect for the thoughtfulness with which you live on that land. A beautiful example for all of us. ❤️

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Thank you for such a wonderful statement of appreciation and encouragement.

[@sarahhollingshead6289]

Inspirational ! Seeing something as a bigger picture and slowly executing it , is a total gift!!!! 💕🌿🌲⭐️🌲🌿💕

[@caranicolewilcox]

I was literally just thinking of your meadow today and wondering how it turned out. The gardens are looking so beautiful. Looking forward to an update about the meadow.

[@aldas3831]

Composite decking is great! No paint no maintenance whatsoever !

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Yeah, and it can be upcycled at the end of its life (and it's easily cleaned too!). We are likely going to opt that route.

[@LifeHomeandGardenwithAnaRica]

It's coming along! things are looking good and a beautiful spaciuos property

[@emkn1479]

Oh my word, great tip on the drywall tape! I’ll be applying some right away! I only have screens on half of each window, so that will help to protect the birds. Thanks!

[@RebeccaKnight927]

I vote for waiting for spring! And I think the meadow is beautiful even now. Planting more plants that have beautiful seed heads would be great among all the grasses.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

absolutely agree.

[@RillaofPlumHill]

Really enjoy these updates. We have just over half an acre and we have been slowly adding more native plants over the years, a perennial pollinator flower garden, a deck garden, a luscious herb border, and we just planted three arbutus madrone trees (native to the area) that we are really excited to see develop. Our deck boards looked quite similar to yours when we sanded them back (we live in the PNW so get a lot of dampy slimey mossy growth over the winters), but we weather sealed them a few years ago and we really love the rustic look. It's quite fun comparing our tiny version to your much more ambitious project. We also have a few ongoing house projects going on too. We ripped out the kitchen and bathroom floors this summer and put in bright patterned new vinyl tiles, and make annual plans for cosmetic and functional updates as we can afford it. Amazing how small changes can make such a big difference.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

All of that sounds like cool projects. And if you're in the PNW, I'm guessing you're around our growing zone (5/6), is that correct?

[@RillaofPlumHill]

@@FlockFingerLakes We live on a gulf island in Canada on the west coast just off of central Vancouver Island, and are actually in zone 8b. We rarely get temps below freezing in the winter and snow usually only lasts a week or two before it melts. It's a pretty magical place!

[@lkhfun6575]

I LOVE all the work you all are doing. I am blown away by the attention to detail on the meadow house. Looking forward to all the future videos. ❤🌻🌲🔨🏡🚽

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Really looking forward in the next few months to see the Meadow House finish up. Sander has done a ton of the labor there and it's looking so good. Very proud of him and his level of attention to the detail down there. Not bad for his first big renovation gig. :)

[@rickyt3961]

amazing progress! can’t believe it’s going on two years now.. 👏🏽

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Almost 2 years! but half the time we're under snow, so sometimes it just moves a lot slower ... haha.

[@poedah3875]

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful land and to everything that you done for the land.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Thanks for taking the time to enjoy in the process with us!

[@vannee2426]

Wow thank you Summer for sharing

[@ella_wu]

Love Summers outfit 😍 so pretty

[@jsaysyay]

you guys have really done an astounding amount of work in one year, loving all the decisions you're making with literally everything. also cool that each of you get to show off your specialty in this one. one of the worst droughts i've seen in massachusetts was over the whole summer, recovering now, very sandy soil here so basically the garden was just Not It this year, but oh well, lots of inspo here for next year, especially with groundcovers. thrilled to see you're planting tulip trees, one i planted just a few years ago grew 5 feet last year, and about 4.5 this year even with the drought.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

We've found that those tulip trees grow really fast. That and cottonwoods. I don't know if you watched the video we did of the old growth forest, but he had mentioned that they could tell that the forest had either been cut or a storm came through because tulip trees need the light to grow-and grow they do once they get it! I find them to be beautiful trees. The leaf shape and floral structures are lovely. We are getting serious amounts of rain here now, so I hope you are too!

[@carolynclark8780]

Wow, you've made so much progress on the main house, the barn, the meadow house and the future chicken coop. Really beautiful work! And I love your thoughtfulness and care to reuse the waste materials. Can't wait to see the more in-depth videos you've promised.

[@thomasphillips6612]

Whatever you do anything is better than staining a deck every other year…👍🏼👍🏼

[@wingingitsemiretiredlife2981]

That's a very pretty spot beautiful in it's own right.

[@sylviagutierrez7676]

You have done so much work,but looks like it never stops! Good luck with all the projects! 💚🌱🌵☘️

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Yes, endless projects for us to sink our hands into!

[@tanyal7122]

Wow just wow. You should be so proud of yourselves. You have done so much work since the beginning. It has been so wonderful to see all the work you have done. Amazing ❤️ It's just beautiful 😍

[@FlockFingerLakes]

We are (in general) really enjoying ourselves. Sometimes it can feel daunting-especially because there is a lot of multi-tasking, but we know with a new place, there's lots to do upfront. Thanks for your encouragement.

[@Wendy-zl8kv]

Oh wow! Thank you both for the updates. Wonderful video!!

[@FlockFingerLakes]

You're most welcome.

[@rons3236]

Great video! You've done a lot of work in such a short period of time! Congrats on your progress. Going through a winter up there surely does rivot your attention on what it takes to be prepared! Your videography is wonderful! You guys never disappoint. Thank you for sharing with all of us!

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Thank you for the words of encouragement.

[@dianacroucher9139]

Wow, you've done so much, looking beautiful!! Congrats!!

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Thanks so much for the encouragement.

[@aldas3831]

Summer, there are also stickers you can put in windows to protect the birds. Maybe look into those. Great job guys!

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Yes, we had some of those on the old windows. Surprisingly birds still crashed between the stickers, though they were in general-pretty effective. They do have a tendency to really affect the view and they aren't the most elegant solution, so I think we'll opt for screens. Dry wall tape of course is no less elegant, but we find that by doing those racing stripes, the birds never hit the windows because you can really regulate that 2-4" spacing on the windows, which is what is recommended. Thanks for the tip here though because I think others will find that useful and a really cost-effective solution.

[@soulsworn13]

There's also films that reflect light in different wavelengths of colour that birds and insects detect but they still appear clear to us. They use them on some office building projects

[@LisaOsterholt]

Lovely video! Thanks for sharing the progress updates.

[@cathykirkmcrae7727]

So much work, so many rewards....very cool!

[@judymckerrow6720]

So much work done, so much work to do. 🌺💚🙃

[@RHYTHMgirlMo]

You are both very inspiring....driven, solution oriented and rock steady! I am enjoying the unfolding, it's very interesting and educational...THANK YOU!!

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Glad this can be a point of enjoyment and education. That's what we're aiming for. And thanks so much for the encouragement!

[@JeraldBaliteTV]

You guys are so inspiring!!! Love from the Philippines

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Love ya back Jerald!

[@thomasphillips6612]

Great idea cedar wood last a long time great for whatever you want to do with it I put cedar post all over my patio.

[@jeanneamato8278]

All you’ve done is mind blowing. Very exciting. You just need to realize you can’t do everything at once.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

So true. We are reminding ourselves of that on a regular basis. "Do we really NEED to get that one thing done?" That's why we're always prioritizing and re-prioritizing.

[@ValeriaVincentSancisi]

I think the silver grey wood is beautiful in the garden,

[@isabelferreiraalves6732]

Wonderful!

[@AbedWally]

You are the most beautiful flower in this garden

[@opalqueen21]

Lot's of love 💕 from India

[@gardengatesopen]

I have that same problem with my picture windows & the birds... It's such a sad thing to have happen. Especially when the bird doesn't recover. For a few years I had a very large, free standing, arbor surrounding the one window the birds repeatedly run into. The arbor did work because it took away the glare on the window. However, I soon tired of the way it cluttered up the porch. Our only solution are the screens, just like yours. While it's not quite as nice as looking out a crystal clear picture window, the bird lives it saves are worth that small percentage of my silly human need to have that view from inside my house. And the next thing was the price to have a screen company come over and make oversized screens!! Of coarse, it was an outrageous amount of money! I ended up just making them myself. It's not at all hard to do. We're very happy with how they turned out. If I ever decide to get new windows, I've always thought installing them at an angle, just to eliminate the glare, would be a good solution. But that's a whole lot of "extra" in a window installation! Meanwhile, the screens have solved the problem.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Ugh, yes. It's really gut-wrenching when I hear a bird crack against the window. I can't bear it. We'd rather suffer through the white dry wall tape on the window in the meantime until we get the screens.

[@gardengatesopen]

@@FlockFingerLakes I don't blame you a bit for having that tape up there! It's a good idea!

[@cefcat5733]

It is a luxury to be able to grant your own wishes, when you are beautiful, energetic, handsome, strong and still...so amazingly young! It is a wonder, to meet minds, which/who share the motivation and then work passionately, to achieve a selected real-life dream. Most likely, all of the colors in the field and those reflected in the pond, will pale to the future time, when the chickens, cozy and quiet, in their nesting boxes, await your early nightly visits. After a hard day of work, when the sun goes down, it's nice to spend time with special animal friends and tell them, 'sleep good, see you in the morning.' There aren't words to explain the beauty and precision, of what you at Flock have accomplished and how you have proceeded, in it's creation. Thanks for sharing this tour with us. How exhilarating was that? 🌱🌷🌿🌺🌳 Do you have a day on which you would celebrate a type of Flock anniversary jubilation? 💐🎂

[@nancysueleske7819]

Very good progress. Good work you guys!!!

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Thanks!

[@Jennings-n6g]

Thank you, Sander. You're a cool dude. - Richard W Jennings, author, Orwell's Luck, (Houghtin Mifflin, Boston, 2000).

[@MrRKWRIGHT]

Good morning Flock Finger Lakes. Amazing video. Such beautiful sunflowers. My favorite method of maintaining a sustainable pantry and stockpiling items long term for the whole family is what I consider to be the most practical, utilizing every type of food storage methods and technology available, both old and new. . Except for the fruits and vegetables that get canned, I keep perishable items like meat, poultry, fish, fruit, vegetables and dairy products in the refrigerator on a short term basis until I'm ready to use them for a big family meal - and for even longer term sustainable storage, a large separate freezer, which can store a half side of beef with plenty of room left over for homemade ice cream etc. . I'm considering upgrading to a walk-in freezer at some point.in the near future, if my plans to open a bed and breakfast come to fruition. Sometimes, however a nice round of cheese can do well for quite awhile on a pantry shelf at room temperature - and doesn't mind even if it has to stand there alone. Store bought canned goods get shelves.in the large pantry closet - several for canned meat like corned beef hash, spam and sandwich spread and another for canned vegetables Bread, rolls, grains, homemade pasta, cereals and the like are stored in special humidity controlled bins I order from Amazon Prime - which usually get delivered to my doorstep about an hour after I order them. . Stuff from the family garden and orchard, like onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumber, pumpkins, carrots, corn celery,, potatoes and yams, cherries, blueberries and strawberries get canned in Mason Jars and stored in the cool, root cellar of this wonderful rambling former farmhouse (circa 1867) I share with my extended blended family and several rambunctious dogs raised on table scraps from the some of the finest food from a plethora of sources both commercial and home based. . There's even a special separate "summer kitchen" which I converted to store butter and ice cream churns, pots, pans, utensils, extra storage containers, foil, bags, cutlery, and other meal related accoutrement. Out back in the woods, just beyond the big pile of wood I maintain all year, (for use in an antique woodstove I keep on hand, in case the power goes out) there's even an old rusting vintage still where my great grandfather made some of the finest corn whiskey for miles. Next to it is the rusting hulk of the Ford Model A he used to transport that powerful hootch by the light of the moon on soft summer nights to his eager customers in a tri-county area. Further into this verdant forest of mostly sycamore, oak, pine and scrub, runs a cool stream into which I occasionally cast a rod or net to catch some Brook Trout, Bluntnose Shiners, or whatever takes the bait (just earthworms for the most part). And yes, hunting season means wild turkey, deer, and even an occasional wild boar. Next week, I'm planning on filing for a permit to 3-D print a smokehouse in order to be able to create gourmet artisan handcrafted, beef, bacon, turkey, and beef stick jerky, which interested local merchants can private label for other people to share with their families and their family dogs. Unfortunately, I had to break the bad news to my free range hens today that due to expected egg shortages regretfully numbered are their days of laying a couple of eggs and then basically taking the rest of the day off with ranging privileges' within the parameters of a few very nice rural acres - parts of which are rich with fat grubworms. There's even a short dirt road between the main barn and the farmhouse which they're free to cross to get to the other side as often as they'd like. My rooster Ben overheard me and he ain't too happy either, knowing full well that due to oncoming egg shortages, he'll be "workin' overtime to make sure there's plenty of eggs for the family and I.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Love your very thorough description of how you store your food. Very invaluable for other viewers / readers here. Thank you so much for taking the time to share. And say hi to Ben for me!

[@christinelarkin8054]

You guys are going to realize with time and age, these imperfections are part of life ;). Nothing is perfect. You'll drive yourselves crazy 🤣.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Absolutely. My father reminds us of that all the time, but we may as well take advantage of our youth and our attention to detail now when we have the energy and interest for it!

[@extremechimpout]

@@Bluewaterpinessantarosabeach Random rambling nice

[@jzed9138]

There are UV coatings and even sting curtains you can use to deter birdstrikes. I have seen panes with evenly spaced dots as well on some newer public buildings

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Yes, the fritting (dots) is another solution, but even that is not 100%. I ended up doing months of research and calls with window companies, but the quotes for both the frits and the UV coating, (which is not 100% preventable to strikes) is literally double the price (and in some cases more than that!) for windows, and new windows are in the 10s of thousands of dollars already. At the end of it, screens were the best option for us (and the recommendation from the American Bird Conservancy, which we talked to as well). Plus birds can 100% recognize screens. Highly recommend for residences, but commercial buildings should 100% look into the UV and frits.

[@sandylunden5782]

Love your channel!

[@gardengatesopen]

It's pretty amazing how quickly mother nature covers open ground isn't it!! Especially if you're not living there full time, and keeping it in check daily. I have areas that get that way too. My big tip is to try and cut the seed heads off of the weeds I don't have time to pull. At least that way I'm not perpetuating the weed problem down the road with all those seeds. And I can pull the weed plant later, or even wait for the Winter to take it out. Altho... Cutting seed heads takes time too...

[@nizdanio1490]

I love it💗💗

[@allonesame6467]

Love watching how your vision is unfolding for you and friends! The dock, though magnificent russet red stately structure that it is, might soon over-power the meadow if it is allowed to seed out onto the ground and sprout next spring. I wonder if you plan on dead-heading it now and just letting the rootstock come back next year?

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Haven't gotten around to cutting back the dock or the carrot. Honestly, we'll see what happens. It's a HUGE experiment.

[@namthomson1124]

Beautiful 😻

[@angela86753]

That side of the house always reminds me of Billy Joel ~ Glass Houses

[@eprohoda]

enjoyed, you shared unrea lsharing,😯

[@meghancmahoney]

Hi Summer, not sure if you've mentioned this in another video but I was hoping you could drop in the species name of that helianthus you have growing in the meadow! Also would you mind identifying the reddish amaranth-looking plants at 41:35? Thanks a bunch, the meadow is looking amazing!

[@AnnaDruu]

you can make pretty designs with soap on the inside of the windows! you can just wash them off when you want. Or just screens that can open.

[@cherievallee646]

Have you considered winter sewing your perennial seeds in your meadow? They benefit from the natural stratification ( sp?)

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Yes, we actually sowed the seeds in the meadow in November of last year. Definitely the best time to plant. Honestly, wish we had the funds and the bandwidth to get plugs because they are more likely to establish. Seeds, it's like rolling the dice and a waiting game. But just collected more seed of Baptisia and Lupinus and spreading them now so they can stratify for the winter.

[@christophertaylor9826]

Great presentation on the house as well as the grounds. Do bald cypress trees grow in your area, they would good tree near pond? Looking forward to seeing more videos.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

They can grow in the area, they are winter hardy here. We planted one in the back towards an area we're calling the "Jurassic area", so we'll see how it does. It's outside the deer exclusion fence, so we'll see if it survives! But I don't think the deer find it palatable.

[@christophertaylor9826]

@@FlockFingerLakes Thank you for your reply it means a lot that you get back with your viewers. I will definitely keep watching your videos.

[@Zickafoose2024]

You didn't want to change that old tyvek with a new WRB?

[@FlockFingerLakes]

I'll leave that up to Sander. I think he and Walt (our contractor) said it's in good condition. But we're only removing that south-side of the house because that's the side that takes the biggest beating, so we wouldn't change the rest if we do.

[@Zickafoose2024]

@@FlockFingerLakes air seal as much as you can! especially around windows. You can use SIGA tapes or tape from 475 and really stop air from getting in. Every hole going through your sheathing layer adds up. :)

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

I love a contorted hazel. Its leaves are so beautiful! Does it actually bear nuts?

[@stuartdelamare4072]

Hempcrete the exterior 👍🏼🇬🇬

[@stuartdelamare4072]

In fact you could grow the hemp and use it for everything possible on the property while sequestering 20 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per hectare 👍🏼🇬🇬

[@FlockFingerLakes]

It really isn't widely available. We did look into it though.

[@stuartdelamare4072]

@@FlockFingerLakes couldn’t you grow it yourself to be used for other things on the property as well 👍🏼🇬🇬

[@MrOj53]

Is there a path around the lake?

[@FlockFingerLakes]

There is....But there is a deer fence currently that obstructs the back-end of it, so when we get around to refreshing the fence, we'll work on the path back there a bit more.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

There is....But there is a deer fence currently that obstructs the back-end of it, so when we get around to refreshing the fence, we'll work on the path back there a bit more.

[@itacaperduta]

I’m Italian living in France, and I don’t speak enough english language to understand everything you say in the videos, despite YT subtitles. You have enough to make a beautiful property. But I didn’t understand why you cut down large trees, on the edge of the forest, to replace them with small plants, when you have a huge bed without trees. I’m one of those who thinks it’s always wrong to cut down a healthy tree. It’s a great thing to plant hundreds of different plants. But, if you allow me a word of advice, consider planting trees on your huge property, especially local deciduous trees, and especially melliferous or pollen trees and shrubs. Because you’re young, It is now you have to think about planting trees, because trees grow very slowly. If you think about it in 20 years, or 30 years, you won’t be able to admire your adult trees. Best wishes for success! (excuse me if my translation contains errors).

[@brendanawesomeness]

I want to live and work there. It looks fun, but also peaceful. I’m curious why you planted forget-me-not. Isn’t it considered invasive here in the US?

[@FlockFingerLakes]

In New York, forget-me-not is not considered an invasive but it has naturalized (see here: plants.usda.gov/home/noxiousInvasiveSearch/noxiousInvasiveSearchResults?resultId=d34e11bb-a5d0-4612-918b-181cb996d82f). I grew up about an hour south and always enjoyed it hanging out at the interstitial between the water and the grass. It never seemed to do any seriously bullying of other plants, but those are just my personal observations. Unlike something like knotweed, which is just straight up aggressive. It is stoloniferous though, so I would imagine if you had bare earth, it would gobble that up, but with the other plants here, I suspect it won't put up much of a fight. Thanks for asking!

[@brendanawesomeness]

@@FlockFingerLakes oh, ok thanks! That makes sense.

[@YunaOnHome]

I thought until you explained the drywall tape on the glass that you had vertical blinds up inside. Maybe those would be a solution.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

yeah, we looked into vertical inside blinds, but the company didn't manufacture those in the window and supposedly they aren't 100% bird proof either :(

[@karikristinehaugberg3890]

So great to see the progress! I had a question, though - why do all of your doors swing inwards instead of outwards? I've noticed this with a lot of builds in the U.S., and I've always wondered why. I'm used to (in Norway) doors always swinging outwards, to save space in the interior part of the building and rooms. Why do you do it? Is it due to the amount of snow can lead you to be snowed in? Any other particular reason? I'm curious :)

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Simple answer, which you guessed: the snow piles up so much outside in winter, that you will literally lock yourself in the house if they were out swings. We have one "out swing" door but it's sufficiently under an awning, but even the drifts can pile up. We had 4 foot (1.2 meter) drifts last year, so that will sufficiently block you in.

[@karikristinehaugberg3890]

@@FlockFingerLakes Thanks for the reply! ❤️ That makes a lot of practical sense in those conditions 😊

[@caloocanboy5800]

what if a sliding/moving screen door

[@Rosyred5147]

Where is this lovely homestead located ?

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Finger Lakes!

[@umabatata]

a silhouette of a falcon or other predator on the windows can also prevent birdstrike

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Yes, we had some of those on the old windows, but the windows are so big, that sometimes the birds still crash in between the stickers. So we opted right now for the very multifunctional dry wall tape. Seriously though, I personally love the stuff. Using it in our medicine cabinet too. Makes a great cast wrap!

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Yes, we had some of those on the old windows, but the windows are so big, that sometimes the birds still crash in between the stickers. So we opted right now for the very multifunctional dry wall tape. Seriously though, I personally love the stuff. Using it in our medicine cabinet too. Makes a great cast wrap!

[@punjabseth260]

👌🏻🌼

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

Whose been recording geese sightings and corresponding onset of winter? WRT the deck coating. It's expensive but there's a product from rustoleum called "Stone effects"

[@FlockFingerLakes]

I just noticed that they did not fly back this early last year. Then a farmer told me that the farmers almanac shared that it will be a long, hard, cold winter, and then I was like, "Yeah, maybe the geese know a thing or two!"

[@cefcat5733]

Maybe set fake plastic weather-resistant Crows by the windows. That is another kind of flock. They do that here to prevent birds from roosting on balconies or under a roof overhang. Or find a plastic hawk or other flying predators, but I have never seen these.

[@katherinespencer2073]

All that mulch. What a huge monetary & time investment. I did that one year & then got thistles & horsetail fern in all of my gardens. Never had any for 12 yrs. Now, almost have given up on all 7 gardens. Letting the bushes grow crazy big since all the perennials are chocked out by these aggressive mulch loving plants. I work at least 5 hrs a day 7 days a week in my yard but even with longer days in early Spring, can't get a total handle on these; hope it doesn't happen to you.

[@ingridmenninga]

I had the same experience in the PNW. Horsetail loves mulch. I’m trying to cut off the fertile spores every Spring which apparently helps.

[@katherinespencer2073]

@@ingridmenninga I hand dig all of my weeds with a strong sharp knife frm. Very early spring on till mid June when planting time starts. (Including any dandelions in 3 wide deep ditches along the hwy.) As many of the long underground black threadlike runners I take up, makes not a bit of difference. Right now some of them are as tall as my Hosta or sedum into which they are entwined & clustered in thick dry grey masses. Drying H. F. look like masses of pubic hair. Ugly look for what were gorgeous gardens that passer-bys commented on. At this time it's imperative to dig out, pull out, cut any wild 'pollinator friendly' weeds like wild aster, plantain, golden rod, Queen Anne's lace, bindweed etc because ultimately the goal is to have beautiful gardens & FOOD for humans. If we don't want farmers to use aggressive chemicals, we MUST ensure that weeds do not get into their crops through seeds on the wind or bird poop. We only have so much land, so much time. Priorities have to be correct or you just get a wasteland mess. Some ideals are counterproductive & just silly. Rodents like moles, mice, rats, chipmunks all are extremely destructive to homes & forests where burrowing & chewing kill trees. Deep mulch makes life easy for them all, as do wild seed everywhere. HAVING ACTUALLY LIVED FOR MANY YEARS OFFGRID & SELF SUSTAINING TO 80% I KNOW 1st hand what I must do to keep my property in check. Not just 'cus the matriarch of this ocean property told me when I moved here that their local investment has been great & never to let dandelion go to seed! (There are plenty of early blossoms in gardens to feed polinators. ANTS & SLUGS love early dandalion & in all my hundreds of hours digging them out, have never met a bee in one! Old wive's tail that they are needed as a food source.) Naturally I wanted to do what's right, wanted to fit in. Has paid off in huge dividends in gorgeous cuttings, tubers, friends. So, another 1pm to 8 of weed eradication for me today. Fall is seeding prevention time to ensure food harvest in coming years that is free from sharp seeds, aggressive pollens & roots which tend to be deep tap roots.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Wow that's so interesting! So far, so good. We've gotten a load of mulch twice and it's been solid. But we ask for the really, really aged stuff, so it feels more like a composted mulch more than anything. Maybe that has something to do with it. We have horsetails that are native here-and that like to hang around the pond, but haven't really edged into any other place on the land as far as we can see. Will keep my eyes out!

[@rezayaseri2790]

💚💚💚💚💚

[@shephusted2714]

add cow manure end of fall and see things do better next year - it looks kind of sparse #dunning kruger

[@thomasphillips6612]

Way to time consuming wise decision to paint…👍🏼👍🏼

[@allonfollett8416]

I would use more mulch. To stops Weeds and increased Bio-Mass.

[@allonfollett8416]

I would even go as far as "Biodynamic agriculture, a form of alternative agriculture based on pseudo-scientific and esoteric concepts initially developed in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner". Because it works and is easy to do large scale.

[@sdqsdq6274]

i just saw a dude who build a aviary , comments were just a bar of soap , and drawing the exterior window with lots of design to break the mirror reflection , worth giving it a try since its cheap or matt window film on the outside not inside

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

I wouldn't use that building as a chicken coop as you will have to deal with urine and faeces soaking into floor and walls.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Yes that will inevitably happen but I really, really like to keep a clean chicken coop. Clean enough that I don't mind spending some nights sleeping there (yes, I've slept with chickens in a coop). And I honestly swear, swear by Sani-Care on the floors. It is the cleanest substance. And the poo is so quick to clean because it clumps like kitty litter.

[@katherinespencer2073]

They didn' t use stink pipe cap? How stupid is that. It seemed quite a bit ago that I watched that time consuming artistic task of clay work. I was thinking that there would be an update of how that investment was working out with sales of eggs or meat birds. I wondered about it every time I was delivering eggs or making pickled eggs here at home. Nice big workshop space. Will be expensive to heat. I see tht you have your RSO partway framed out for the windows etc. On update it would be good to see the finished doubled up large measure lumber for above the openings. I'm interested in your building codes. U have so much to do before winter....when do you actually work at your career to earn your living? Also in updates, can you show the other group members working at winter prep. Like to keep up with everyone's contribution as they learn new skills and display those they already have to contribute to the lifestyle. It is a big goal.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Luckily we have our two other partners who will be joining us in October, so you'll be seeing more of the Flock then! (Spoiler alert). And yes, Sander and I work other jobs. The time management is CRAAAZY. But we've opted to say "no" to more projects just so we have more time to work on the land. I suppose it's making us more decisive on what's really, really important at the moment. We'll keep you updated on the builds as they continue forth.

[@katherinespencer2073]

@@FlockFingerLakes Land ownership of all kinds is a responsibility of longterm investment, be it a home or 'farm' of sorts. The 1st thing to always do is build infrastructure that has immediate benefit financially otherwise it is just a hobbie. Great when retired but not so great while still career building. My 90+ yr old neighbours still m. their veg gardens although the other stuff is now done by help. One, whoes grandparents had been 'granted' hundreds of acres of land here on the edge of the Atlantic still is surrounded by many family members. Probably 1/5 of all the properties here & forest lands in our small community. She wisely said "you build a veg garden, put in some animals, then when you are certain that you can maintain that properly along your other responsibilities, you expand those to cover property expenses. THEN if you can keep up w. that properly, you start to have fun by making beds for flowers, bushes, memory trees. Always take care of business first & foremost for longterm success. Her gardens have won awards, been in books, magazines incl. in the US...photos sent in by tourists who always stop to take photos or even get private tours. Over 60 yrs of 6 days a week dedication by a stay-at-home mom. Now, a big expense that fortunately she can afford to have the help with. However, no garden help is as meticulous as a dedicated gardener to her own hobbie.

[@Shaden0040]

Not an early winter an early fall due to the drought acroaa the world.

[@dbrbruce9950]

OMG SAUNDER IS THE LUCKIEST MAN ON EARTH

[@livingonthedelta7068]

you cannot touch up outdoor paint because it fades if you paint the decks it will peel

[@xinransong7421]

I have to say that color filter is ruining the video, it's not natural

[@FlockFingerLakes]

without the filter on the lens, the sky would be completely blown out. But in the morning, when the light is red-orange, it just casts that color all over the landscape and really seeps into the skin tones too, so I'm not sure how much of it is the actual filter on the lens and how much is just how the lens reads the light, particularly the light in the morning. I try not to futz with the color correction too much in post production either, but I'm no expert in that!

[@Pt0wN973b0iI]

*SUMMER!!!!!! DO YOU KNOW HOW TO KILLLLLLLL A WHOLE LOT OF LANTERN FLIES!!!!!!!!!!!!????? IT IS TOO MUCH FOR ONE PERSON TO SWAT THEM ALONE!!!!*

[@FlockFingerLakes]

You should really contact your state cooperative extension and see what methods they recommend in your area. In New York, it's a lot of preventative methods, like getting tree of heaven out of the area. (It's a rampant tree in NYC actually...) but google their egg masses, because they are really recognizable and I would start there. Ugh, they are so beautiful but so awful.

[@alankovacik1928]

don't cut the meadow, burn it! eliminates woody and invasive plants, encourages native plants.

[@livingonthedelta7068]

our thousands of canada geese fly north and south in the same day!they are here year round and others also show up in the winter

[@ValeriaVincentSancisi]

vinyle offgasses...

[@CariMachet]

Let him speak without interrupting

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Pardon! I typically interject when I feel that I can contribute something, when I get excited, or when he may move onto a different subject and fail to mention an important point.

[@cefcat5733]

You could remove the 1st comment on the bottom of the meadow video (E) unless it's a private joke. It's a weed.

[@SM-ik8lu]

Y are you dressed as sumo wrestler tho??

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Taking up a new sport!

[@livingonthedelta7068]

they wont insure that house without egress

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Not sure what you mean by that because the doors are the points of egress in the house-not the windows. We switched out awning windows on the front of the house for solid windows because they provide better protection, from airflow plus provide for a nicer, uninterrupted view. When you sat down inside, the bar from the awning window was always in the field of view; if you're familiar with building code here, an awning window anyway cannot be a legitimate point of egress. But rest assured, the house is insured and we worked with a wonderful local architecture firm that drew up our renovation plans for us to make sure that everything is up to state code.

[@livingonthedelta7068]

paint the house stain the deck city boy

[@FlockFingerLakes]

Well I personally grew up an hour from this land-in Northeastern PA in a similar town of 3,000 people (and lived in this area for college)-"More cows than people" folks would say! Joey also grew up in rural Canada. Kiya (whom you have yet to meet) grew up in rural Ethiopia. And Sander grew up in a small town in the Netherlands (~10K people) but has moved and lived all over, as has Joey lived and moved all over. We did all move to cities for a part of our life, which is how many of us (gratefully) met one another. So yes, we lived in the city for some time, but the country is in our hearts and will be our forever home. That being said, I would not be so quick to discourage people who have been born and raised in cities to cast off the idea of moving to the countryside. It's been so revivifying coming back here. And wish that for more people who want to venture on that path-regardless of where they have grown up.

[@FlockFingerLakes]

@@Bluewaterpinessantarosabeach oh and some words of encouragement: it's never too late to start your own YT channel to share your wisdom!

[@livingonthedelta7068]

i have all windows in the country by the water 65 years.maybe 10 times in my life have birds hit the windows you are a city boy we dont birdproof the house

[@gardengatesopen]

Well, sheesh! Why you gotta be so judgy??? I'm not a city girl, and I've got large picture windows that are now covered with screens for these same reasons! My windows have such a perfect glare on them that when you're standing outside, they can be used as a giant mirror! THAT'S how perfect the reflection of the trees and sky are in these windows. The birds fly into them DAILY. I'm not exaggerating. Every single day- it happens. And many of those birds end up with a broken neck. MANY of them. Besides, when you're inside the house, and you hear a large bird plowing into your window, it can be quite jarring!! So there's THAT too. I'm always amazed the window hasn't been broken! I ended up using the screen method to stop the glare, save my windows from breaking, and most of all, to save the birds from dying! So listen, it's not a matter of being a city kid who doesn't know how to handle the country life! NOT AT ALL!! It's more a matter of humans invading the wild spaces, and THEN taking the responsibility to destroy as little wildlife as possible during that invasion. In other words- Putting the importance of Nature above our own selfish needs. Especially considering that we have the brainpower to do so. Obviously, like Sander said, "The birds don't understand windows." I mean listen, if I could put a sign out there for the birds to read & LEARN how NOT to fly into a window... Or even hold an annual class for the birds that frequent my area on how to avoid flying into windows... IF all the birds had the capability to learn like that (learn like humans learn) then that would be totally different story, wouldn't it!! Yes. Yes, it would. Obviously, they do not have that capability. As a human, the learning is on MY shoulders. I DO "understand windows". And I'm not so selfish that I put my need to look out a crystal clear window above all else out there in the natural world. Nor would I jump to any judgements about how other humans are trying different ways to help animals avoid the needless human trappings we build. Now... If there were only a way to get the humans to learn how not to be so rude while judging others on social media... Maybe there's a sign that could be used... ? Or maybe an annual class could be taken...

[@FlockFingerLakes]

You're fortunate not to have any birds hit your windows where you are. Not the same here, and not sure why you would assume that it would be the same in every part of the world. We see lots of bird strikes, especially during migration season-though not now because we have the window dressing and turn lights off. It is so gut-wrenching when you hear a bird hit the window. Sometimes the window collision doesn't kill them, but the fall to ground does. It's so terribly sad. We'll opt for the screens. We love our birds too much.