My Favorite YouTube Channels

I have over the years tried to grow things here and there. I has success with tomatoes one year, but that was about it. Once we move, I want a large garden that will be able to actually feed us and maybe have overage to sell at market along with the eggs. If I am not researching chickens or other livestock, I have been researching gardening. Here are three of my absolute favorites. I hope you watch them and enjoy them as much as I do.

One of the YouTube channels I came across is "The Late Bloomer Show". Kaye Kittrell began gardening only 4 years ago. Through tireless research and lots of ups and downs, she has a successful garden in only 300 square feet. She grows food in both summer and winter that the neighborhood enjoys. She turned her small southern California front yard into a food production oasis. The young kids in the neighborhood are learning so much from Kaye. She shares not only the information she learns as she gardens, but also shares the bounty. She is easy to listen to and her videos aren't long and drawn out. Kaye has been an inspiration to me. I now have a very small garden growing. If I wouldn't have watch her struggle at times and fight and educate herself through it, I may not have tried again. Thank you Kaye, I for one am glad you bloomed late.
https://www.youtube.com/user/kittrellkaye/featured

Another of my favorite people to watch on YouTube is John Suscovich and his show "Farm Marketing Solutions". John's videos are short, sweet, and packed with useful information. He has touched on so many points that I have made notes on. He talks about gardening and livestock, especially chickens. He explains it from every angle. From dirt to plate, basically. He is a farmer and a business man, that is what I like. I keep my notebook close while watching his channel. I will be using a lot of his suggestions on our farm. I hope to visit his farm one day and see it up close.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9IoNzDZIGhFZ2VGFoWjP-w

The last one of my favorites that I have watched is "Cornell Small Farms". These videos can be long, but are packed with info. They are well produced. This is their description:

Videos featuring small sustainable farmers in the Northeast US, covering topics ranging from marketing and profitability to producing vegetables, fruit, berries, poultry, pigs, sheep, and cheese. Visit www.nebeginningfarmers.org to find more guidance on how to start a farm, including tutorials, publications, FAQs, and online courses for beginning farmers.

https://www.youtube.com/user/cornellsmallfarms/featured

Beginning Farming? Or Wishful Thinking

My mini herd Garden 2015

I decided today to plant something. Anything. Like I have been dying to be a farmer! I have been watching nothing but small farm videos. Boy am I jealous. The tall sunflowers, the huge red tomatoes, full green papers, and herbs for days!!!

As I was opening can gods for lunch, I thought about throwing them away. Seemed like such a waste. BING! Planters!!!! At this point I was super excited. While eating I jumped on YouTube and began my "tin can" research. I found a lot of information. I took bits and pieces from each. Weeding out useless information or stuff I just didn't like.

Once kids were settled, yea right, I began my farming.I had five tin cans, four small ones and one large. I picked five herbs I love. They were Dill, Thyme, Cilantro, Oregano, and Sage. I love Rosemary, but there was no need to seed start some since my  awesome friend Chay brought me cuttings a few weeks ago. I gathered my supplies and headed out the back door to the HOT south Louisiana summer.  

I had potting soil already so that was a bonus. I filled each tin up to about and inch from top. I watered the soil in. Then placed lots of seeds. More the better. I learned that was best for maximum germination. I covered them with "shake."  Shake is just sifted potting soil. It's an easier dirt for seeds to poke their little heads through. I

Leftover mess

Shake

used a Styrofoam box to make the markers. As you can see, cilantro is my favorite!

To House or not to House, is that really a question

     Like I said before, there is an old house on the property in Tennessee. It was built in 1915 and is very run down. It doesn't have a real bathroom, just a blocked off hall with a potty and shower. It has been abandoned for so long that people had even vandalized it. There are no doors and windows. It is full of trash. It is also small. We aren't even sure if we are going to renovate or build new. Maybe we will put a mobile or modular home there. We will be planning a "measure and check" trip soon. This way we can see what is what.

Front of Savannah House

     I am hoping we can fix and add on to what is there. This would be ideal. If the house can't be saved, then other options have to be considered. We want to be able to build/renovate with NO LOAN. we want to begin a debt free life.

     Daniel and I have discussed many options. One is just camping out, not in a tent, but our RV. This would be temporary while the house is being renovated or built. I don't mind living in the camper. Kids will have lots of space outside to run around. Kitchen is small, but Daniel has said he will set up an outdoor kitchen too. This would be great. Won't heat up the RV and space is abundant outside. I have been buying and collecting cast iron pots and pans. Some needs some TLC, but my collection is growing. The hardest part would be the sharing of the tiny bathroom. Having a "high maintenance" teenage daughter will not be easy. But, I think we can do it.

     Another option is to purchase a used mobile home. Used because I just cant afford a new one, those things ain't cheap. This would have more room than the RV, but since we already own the RV, the cost would be higher. That would mean less money to start renovation. It can also stay on the property for when visitors come or for one of our kids to live in when they need to.

UPDATE

     We are planning a trip this month (August 2015) to visit the land and take measurements and lots of pics. My goal is to move in a year. Will I leave sooner? ABSOLUTELY! We have to go see what the next step is.