The Leaf Episode + Important Crop Storage Advice

[@kindhempco]

More surface area is the exact reason why waffles are better than pancakes

[@notillgrowers]

This comment wins

[@blankenmom]

Mmmmm.... waffles. 🤤

[@PrintrBear]

💯

[@l.sexton439]

Can't argue with waffles. ❤

[@maryhysong]

I'm in the desert so rarely have access to wood chips, leaves or grass clippings. But on the rare occasions they come my way they go in the chicken pens as part of the deep bedding. When mucked out and piled up they compost like crazy and the worms love it.

[@kellyh5250]

I love this sweet little image of chicken waste plus carbon. How do you deep litter in the absence of leaves or wood chips?

[@maryhysong]

@@kellyh5250 My goats waste a lot of alfalfa hay (which is also high nitrogen) and when I muck their pens or clean up the hay storage area a lot goes in the chicken houses. So it bulks up the manure. When I can I pick up sawdust from a friend that has a small sawmill.

[@kellyh5250]

@@maryhysong I see. Thank you for this reply. You have much to keep you busy. All the best.

[@DavidMartin-bx6wm]

Thank you for steering clear of politics. Its good to have a break from it no matter anyone's political views. I appreciate you. 👌

[@MattTCfarm]

I wish I could have steered clear of the crushing mass that collided with me last night. I will never be able to steer back on my previous path. I wish you well.

[@reno_death]

Dude, you're bringing it up...

[@devinsullivan7233]

How did he steer clear from politics? He literally said Trump winning is going to be terrible for the environment. This guy is a softy.

[@karenr7931]

@@devinsullivan7233 ... and showing derogatory clips from the news media.

[@DavidMartin-bx6wm]

@@devinsullivan7233 He is not a softy. I've worked for big ag and factory farms. I raise my own eggs and food now. It's appalling the scorched earth policy that modern industrial agriculture uses. Regenerative agriculture is the only true beacon of hope to me when it comes to food safety, security, and true freedom. The beautiful thing about this country is that we can disagree and still have our freedoms to live out our vision as best we can. He made a small comment and moved on. That's why I made that comment. It takes strength to do that.

[@smflexner]

for anyone/everyone: doing leaf compost in more of a large, to scale for needs 6-24 inch dugout pit will drastically speed up leaf composting process/let worms and microbes access surface area of biomass more easily. Less water, less turning, letting mother nature do the work. The biomass being closer to the water table in the soil will help the process happen faster on its own without need to water (unless in desert climate). Less dry spots over time when leaf composting in a pit! Hope it helps :) A spot underneath old big trees that is shaded during heat of the day is ideal.

[@kellyh5250]

Beautiful details. Thank you.

[@smflexner]

@@kellyh5250 Welcome! It takes alot of time to dig a large shallow pit area initially, but have had fantastic results when making leaf compost right on top of the subsoil/hardpan this way. The mycorrhizal fungi will spread through the leaves faster to help with decomposition due to the biomass being set IN the earth as opposed to ON the earth.

[@robertengstrom6257]

In my garden, I mulch with a leaf/straw chopped together mix. This avoids the matting of just leaves. A dose of compost tea with fish fertilizer on this mulch works well for me.

[@marfiesteve]

Am a family gardener in the damp Pacific NW (52”/year). I store leaves over the winter to mix with grass clippings and chicken manure starting in spring when mowing season begins. I’ve not chopped the leaves nor been strident to keep them covered until this winter (‘24/‘25). Yes, they get quite matted and Although not a huge problem, I find the mats persist even on 2nd or 3rd pile turn. So, I’m not only going to store them covered, but also chop them coarsley with my push mower.

[@jvin248]

If you have grapes you want to expand your plants inexpensively: Pile up hardwood maple+oak leaves on the garden and churn some dirt into them to hasten breakdown in the fall. In the early spring, take cuttings from the newer "little finger diameter" vines with two buds, trim so you have flat top and angled bottom cut planting direction identifier, put them in a bucket of water as you collect. Then push them into the composting leaves, point side down, tight together like a mini fort fence. Later when they are rooting and putting leaves on you can choose to leave until fall to transplant or dig and move and keep watered. This only works for "native american" grapes (concorde, niagra) as the european wine grapes (cabernet, syrah, merlot) need grafted (american) rootstock to survive any amount of time nearly anywhere. This also works in large 5-15gal planters.

[@hawkspiritweaver6664]

I've been using leaves for years.. lots of maples in the yard. Chopping them up has sped things up drastically. Thanks again

[@waypointfarm9704]

We loved to sprinkle shredded leaves over our garlic beds after they had sprouted up in late fall to create a weed barrier! They worked amazingly and lasted great till we harvested in July. (Near Chicago zone 5b)

[@WesternMONo-TillGardening]

I have had luck with leaf lasagna, but I also collect leaves in leaf bins and just throw in some random veggie scraps here and there, which speeds up decomposition a fair amount. If I don't add water and/or nitrogen, they need to sit for 2-3 years to turn into leaf mold. Leaves have been a huge help with my heavy clay. Even just a layer of leaves as mulch for a year makes a surprising impact. As often as I can (based on how big my supply of leaf mold is), when I broadfork I sprinkle leaf mold into the holes the fork makes.

[@howmygardengrows3080]

I'm down for you saying absolutely nothing about the election unless there is a specific agricultural reason to, which I doubt. I like your channel for enjoying and breathing freely without all that drama. We're getting it from every other avenue anyway. ❤ ❤❤ Love your content!

[@alexkunnen]

There are undoubtedly many agricultural and climate implications to another Trump presidency. I don’t know how deep Jesse will go into it tho, I imagine not a whole lot

[@ronaldcummings6337]

Shredding leaves helps with decomposing

[@deadenddirtroad9870]

I shred mine also and mix it directly into my beds. I try to layer it with other things (i also have a worm bin going) like worm dirt and chicken coop waste. I only wish i had a better source of green things to add in. I usually cover with plain cardboard for the whole winter season (central New England) its the only reason i like my oak trees.

[@Dirt-Fermer]

Leaving some unshreded helps with bugs and especially fireflies so positives both ways

[@Freeland-Farm]

Potatoes and carrots can be left in the ground through the winter and harvested as you need them. Trick is to keep the ground from freezing. You know those leaves you were just talking about make a pretty good insulator.

[@scottbaruth9041]

I let the weeds grow in the potato patch after the potatoes bloom to provide shade through the summer so they don't bake in the ground. Then I dig potatoes all summer as needed. Do you think, a person could cover them with leaves to protect them from the heat and sun and avoid the weed patch? Or would it rot the potatoes?

[@Freeland-Farm]

@scottbaruth9041 Being in Michigan, I can't wrap my head around needing to cover potatoes for the summer heat and having the leaves available to do it. Hot dry climate growing them through the winter/spring, maybe? I mulch mine with compost, but that's more to keep the ones playing peekaboo from turning green. Don't think leaves would hurt a thing for what you're trying to do, though. Leaves can create a kind of tarp effect that can both shed and trap moisture, so if you plan to do this while they're still growing, you might want to use drip irrigation under them and keep an eye on soil moisture. The only way to know if it really works for you and your way of doing things is to try it.

[@JohnProbst-t7p]

Thanks!

[@notillgrowers]

Amazing, thank you!

[@alexpowell9]

Super helpful thank you. I will now flail mow all of the leaves I put down and hope for lots of rain. And will plabt salad greens elsewhere.

[@doncook3584]

I have had great success with little effort by Step 1 pulverizing with mower reg blade don’t have mulching blade. Step 2 bag in those huge black cheap plastic bags Step 3 IMPORTANT place bags in final position soak ridiculously Step 4 tie closed poking about 4 holes near knot Step 5 do nothing until 1 August next year Open and marvel apply wherever you wish

[@ximono]

Important: Be careful with composting in plastic bags, as it's an incubator for Aspergillus fumigatus, a potentially deadly fungus. A man in the UK died from opening a bag like that. Some nuance: Aspergillus is everywhere, you're breathing in Aspergillus spores as you read this. In small quantities, and for people with a healthy immune system, it's pretty harmless. If exposed to large quantities, it can become invasive and cause chronic aspergillosis (like farmers's lung). In extreme amounts, it can be deadly. It's all about the amount of spores and the state of your immune system. Growers typically get exposed to large amounts of Aspergillus when working with compost and in greenhouses. Both have been measured to contain large amounts of spores. If your immune system is healthy, the risk of disease is pretty low, but if you have a supressed immune system, I'd either avoid it alltogether or use a half mask respirator and only handle compost outside. Be especially careful when opening any bags of compost! I once got sick from working with bags of compost indoors, so I speak from experience. A blood test confirmed Aspergillus antibodies. Maybe Jesse could do some research on this and offer his thoughts? It's a topic that's gone under the radar for most people. It has received more attention in the UK.

[@jakobbrun6535]

This is great information :) I've just planted a home fruit orchard / food forest and plan to rake in as many leaves as I can from my neighbours to really kick start the fungal activity in the soil. The "thick mat" is almost kind of desired in this instance, because I want weed suppression around the new trees as they get established. Also use a fair deal of wood chips. think I could get away with using a bunch of logs to keep the leaves in place? I cant tarp it for obvious reasons :D

[@ThinkLittleFarm]

looking forward to hearing your perspective on what the next 4 years might look like for farmers, the environment, etc. Until then, Go Cats and happy composting.

[@Dirt-Fermer]

Any foreign farm equipment or chemicals will be increased in price

[@TheBingram]

The rumor is that the Trump transition team has contacted Joel Salatin to be an advisor to the Sec of Ag. So.. there's that.

[@karenr7931]

@@TheBingram That's fantastic!! "Make America Healthy Again!!"

[@scottbaruth9041]

@TheBingram I have a farmer friend I do lunch with several times a year, who by chance on vacation Sat on a bus next to Joel's neighbor. Unfortunately, Joel's neighbor claims he's the biggest fraud out there. It's all second-hand to me, but I was very disappointed to hear that.

[@devinsullivan7233]

Joel always talks about how his neighbors think he’s a lunatic. So what’s new? Joel Salatin is THE man.

[@HuertadelaEra]

Hey Jesse, I'm loving the new format of the show! Useful information and short enough to watch the video during the coffee break. Thumbs up! I got a question for you: Do you have any advice on how to deal with voles? We've had some tremendous losses this year, especially with lettuce, onion, eggplant, parsley and swiss chard. So far we've tried traps and a few repelling plants and even a homemade liquid manure made from black elder (Sambucus nigra)... but the population seems to grow continuously. As we are in a protected wildlife area there are enough falcons, owls and other predators in our garden, but they seem to not be able keeping up with them. Any advice is appreciated. (Obviously, we don't want to put any poisons or such around the garden.) Greetings from Spain ✌

[@johnsix1749]

I mow the leaves into a bagger then till them under or mix with sawdust horse poop from stables for compost. I do use them for a mulch where I don't want anything to grow.

[@guillermosanchez5826]

I just bought the living soil a week or so ago. A good read so far

[@look2much2]

Great stuff. Please keep video names informative as possible. Thanks.

[@goldstandard3714]

My only "scientific" leaf story: November 25 - December 25, 2023) Collecting leaves with a zero turn mower. Good mix of chopped, dry leaves and fresh grass clippings. Made a 50' row 5' high x 8' wide. Finished the fence surrounding the leaves to make a 40' x 50' chicken run/ future garden. Let the landscape crew (25 laying hens) into the area February 01, 2024. Harvested the leaf mulch during the month of June to till into my main garden 63' X 32'-6". Tarped the "Main garden" till October, 01 where I planted fall crops. While the main was under a silage tarp I put the landscape crew back into the original chicken run. Then I tilled the leaf mulch in and planted a field of black oil sunflowers. The chickens are back in there now (November 06 2024) with about 20% of the sunflowers knocked down. The scientific part? Prior to covering the area with leaves, the ground was thinly growing Bermuda grass and digging holes required water soaking, digging bar, clear with a shovel, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat... When the girls were done with it, there was nothing green growing and the tiller made quick work of it down to 8" or so. Still hard underneath. Praying for progress next year after following a no-till, cover cropping and veggie scheme. Thanks Jessie. Under a microscope the leaf mulch had a heavy fungal presence compared to my usual compost leaning heavy bacteria. A soil sample taken while the sunflowers were in full bloom still had a heavy fungal presence and the busiest slide full of life I have witnessed to date. (Only been using a scope this year) For what it is worth...

[@RedHairGreenThumbs]

Smaller particulate matter is not always a good thing. Yes it has more surface area for microbes but doesn’t provide good structure for the compost pile to stay aerobic. It can cause compaction and anaerobic conditions especially in the center of a big pile. Just something to keep in mind.

[@YOOTOOBjase]

It can also become hydrophobic

[@carolyncarlon9870]

Link doesn’t work for Beyond Root Cellar. Find book for pre-order at Chelsea Green Publishing (Vermont). My favorite publisher!

[@cypsteel]

Did Jesse mention where he kepts his? He mentioned the coolbot piece for temperature control, but what is the building/container?

[@hansonrh]

Thanks for a very useful episode on leaves. I just have a home garden, and I use various mulches including shredded leaves, hay, and straw. I always put down compost first. Sometimes I include alfalfa pellets. Should I put those into the leaves or under them? Thanks.

[@brokenmeats5928]

I love ALL No-Till Growers videos!

[@PlantRelated]

Love all your work ❤

[@dawnlemieux3877]

I have a rotating chicken run/vegetable garden. One year chickens have one side and the vegetable garden has the other. The next year they will swap. I was thinking of dropping leaves in the chicken side for them to scratch around for the winter and amend the soil. Do you have an opinion on whether this would be a good idea or a big mistake?

[@elisenapier2676]

What about garlic storage? I just discovered the garlic in paper bags in my basement is drying/shrinking and some is going bad. Harvested in July, it’s now November

[@TheNoTillGardener]

You could grind the dried cloves and make a wonderful garlic powder or granulated garlic with a spice grinder or blender. Do not add any heat, rather thoroughly air dry the garlic grindings and then store as you would any other garlic powder/granules. Enjoy!

[@elisenapier2676]

@@TheNoTillGardenergreat idea thank you!!

[@MattTCfarm]

As a result of the 2024 elections, I need to give up my dream of a food growing business. It maybe 4 years until I can resubscribe. I thank you for all the benefitial information and I wish you al the best.

[@reemanasir406]

Why

[@MattTCfarm]

@@reemanasir406 The land owners I was working with are not interested in doing anything seen as "liberal." If anything, this elections has reinforced the lies about the environment. They would rather grow dry grain using soil depleting methods because they want to believe they know everything. It is false security.

[@MattTCfarm]

@@reemanasir406 I thought I posted a response to this shortly after you asked the question but it did not stick. As to why, the people I who own the land I was going to use feel reinforced in the belief environmentalism is a hoax and are no longer interested in the project. They are going to stay with convention soil depleting methods.

[@ProfessorWalker]

@@MattTCfarmbuy a different piece of land.

[@MattTCfarm]

@@ProfessorWalker If only it was that easy.

[@UprightFarms]

I thought your "clunky segue" was very well put. Glad you had time with your kids. Would love for every kid and teacher to experience composting and gardening/farming (to know where soil and food come from)

[@lamarevans5848]

Other than black walnut leaves, are there leaves you would avoid?

[@peterellis4262]

The leaf mat issue suppressing garlic? Yeah, I've learned that one the very hard way ;)

[@johnwright6403]

Worms love leaves

[@soilbellefarm3210]

Great episode!

[@TrappManSC]

I've been gardening since the fall of 2021. I'm working about 20,000 square feet, more or less. I'm glad I found your channel. I'm learning a lot about soil health. Finding out that I have some bad habits. 😮 What are your thoughts on wheeled hoes? I don't do much in beds, but I think I'm going to start. I use mostly wheeled hose for cultivation and hilling. But since I want to move to low-till methods, I'm worried I'll compact the soil too much by walking behind my wheeled hoes.

[@LadyPeter]

“Leaf it there.” LOL

[@sjulliette]

I just garden for our household, but had a rough year with anthracnose on my tomatoes and wondered if it was coming from the poorly decomposed leaf compost that I top dressed with. Is that possibly another risk of mulching with leaves?

[@MikeNiemchak]

I love this!! Thank you.

[@nategunn2830]

How about an update on your static airated piel? ASP

[@HollyWiebe]

We have cottonwood trees. I have heard conflicting things about these leaves. Is it beneficial to compost/mulch cottonwood leaves?

[@WesternMONo-TillGardening]

I use cottonwood leaves. They are mixed in with other leaves. The only thing I've noticed is that they tend to take longer to break down than some other types of leaves.

[@breakdown2878]

Ac is a compressor for cold air. Sounded like you turned it into a duel blower function

[@LegacyFarmandHomestead]

I'm putting leaves in my chicken coop where my 80 hens will absolutely shred them for me!

[@chriskimber7179]

would you give same advice for pine needles?

[@marfiesteve]

Family no till gardener here in the wet part of the Pacific Northwest (52 in per year). Our compost is made with grass clippings during the spring and summer plus chicken manure from about 15 to 20 hens. In November I collect leaves and store them until spring when I can mix with the grass and manure. One year I also added ponderosa pine needles which I found take a few years to break down, so I stopped that practice. It was too stringy and tough (10” needles). So, I wouldn’t recommend pine needles in compost. Would be great for mulching pathways, although I would research the acidic thing first.

[@chriskimber7179]

@marfiesteve I'm in SE BC, rocky mountains. We are always looking for ways to drop pH. Plenty of Ponderosa here too, shredding needles is a pain but might be worth it.

[@NCman321]

Hi Jesse, really appreciate your daily videos, I do have a question for you, given the results of the election, I’m curious if you have looked into/have an opinion on your thoughts on RFK jr and his views on industrial farming and use of pesticides and herbicides in our food. I hope these issues are addressed regardless of political views are seen more as a human issue. Thanks again Jesse

[@antoinemonteils2271]

Using leaves as chicken litter on the ground where they are outside and a few weeks later using them in a permaculture mount . That solves the nitrogen source

[@jdschuncke]

Joel Salatin Is going to be involved in the USDA

[@PrimeTimeFarm]

ive had good luck dropping leaves into 6 inch height then flail mowing it. Turns out like a sawdust mulch

[@wendyeames5758]

If some farmers don't like Vilsak, wait until they see the guy who's rumered to replace him.

[@lulajohns1883]

Who will it be, Perdue??

[@wendyeames5758]

​@@lulajohns1883 Sid Miller

[@lulajohns1883]

@wendyeames5758 I will check him out. Thx Wendy

[@bobbiebingham1819]

Couldn't find farmland link

[@anomicanomic2705]

Thomas massie as secretary of agriculture will be great for small producers. Watch his documentary he is a homesteader

[@StinkeyTwinkey]

Ah, so a wacko

[@dorcasrodriguez2901]

❤❤❤

[@johncarter1150]

Post humus ...

[@Ryan-dx5iu]

What's up with the microscope? Never noticed it before.

[@blankenmom]

I cheat and compost my leaves by feeding them to my goats.

[@karenr7931]

That's called working smarter, not harder!🤗

[@rosscarbaugh7945]

Thanks for keeping politics off of your channel. We are completely smothered with it everywhere else - ha.

[@onehubcapfarm]

Please don't become political. Either way. Please don't assume your followers vote one way or the other. Stick to facts, not opinions. How Trump actually plans to handle agriculture and small businesses. That is what's relevant to your followers. Facts. Political opinions have no place on any business page.

[@amyk6028]

What I find interesting...you say you don't want to comment on politics BUT you plaster a huge picture of the headline "Stunning return to Power after a DARK and DEFIANT campaign" Sounds pretty obvious that you don't like Trump without "saying" you don't like Trump *wink* *wink* If you wanted the ACTUAL no comment route, you would leave off the one-sided articles and photographs. Just sayin

[@devinsullivan7233]

It’s because this guy is passive aggressive. Just like all liberals. They were the needy kids in school who weren’t good at anything. So the brain is wired backwards.

[@samuelmjlfjell]

The new York times is the Fake news that farmer Jesse posted. I am I am disappointed that farmer Jesse would flash a headlines from The New York times. Fake news.

[@samuelmjlfjell]

That was NY times Fake news

[@devinsullivan7233]

@amyk6028 You are exactly right. He was virtue signaling to his fruity little friends. Very unfortunate because now I cant even take this guy serious.

[@nataliecurwick194]

"Fruity little friends"? WTH? Also, he was showing those in the context of the environment. ​@@devinsullivan7233

[@devinsullivan7233]

This guys deleted my comment on politics because he’s passive aggressive. But surely not aggressive. What a little weasel of a man.

[@notillgrowers]

Haven’t deleted any comments friend

[@devinsullivan7233]

Ok I guess it just disappeared then? Thanks I will repost.