When I moved to my homestead in 2014, I used the flattened, cardboard boxes to start my garden beds. I didn't actually start planting most of the beds until this spring, but I did plant an herb garden by my door in the spring of 2015. I had a topological survey made of my land, and got an electronic copy from the the survey company, which I had printed as poster size. This has allowed me to plan how to use my property. I am a permaculturist, and to me, design pays off in the long run. However, I am taking my time planning what I want to implement as I assess the climate and resources, because I moved to a completely different ecosystem than I grew up in. I'd been raising chickens in the city for a few years (and out in the country in 1995), so I built a predator-proof poultry house the first year I was here, and surrounded it by a predator proof, covered run. I've got very heavy predator pressure here on the edge of the Olympic National Park. Rather than chickens, I'm raising ducks and geese, that are hardier in this climate. They free-range behind electric fences during the day, but are locked up in the aviary at night. After 18 months here, I decided to remove several trees to let in more light, and had the branches chipped in place to create an orchard area. The following year, I planted hazel nuts, and this year I planted apple trees. I intend to keep adding fruit trees and shrubs. This year, I planted a vegetable garden for both me and my birds. We've been eating out of it since May. Next spring, I will plant several varieties of basket willow cuttings that I ordered a few months ago. I will be planting hedges & fedges (living fences) with the willow, hazel and other specie. I'll also coppice some of these. I'm also hoping that they will shade my seasonal pond and help me minimize evaporation to help convert it to an all-year pond. If nothing else, it will provide some shade for my flock and material to make some low woven hurdles to keep the flock out of areas I don't want them. ... and so on. I'm proud of what a 60-year old single, semi-crippled woman can accomplish.

Grace was so beautiful with Dolly, she had such wonder on her face and her eyes were sparkling, she looked like a painting...the consummate farm girl.

Thank you for stacking wood by the house. We worry about Bri slipping on that little hill between the wood shed and the house. You are a good husband. xoxo from Arizona.

I started with chickens for 2 years, after having a garden for a few years, and this year after moving from an urban area to our mini farm we are now keeping chickens, hogs, goats are coming, and our gardening is up and running.. We've planted our fruit trees and bushes too.. eeek!

The editing for this video is fun to watch. Well done.

Start fruit plants from seed now, some plants take 5+ years to grow from seed. It will save you hundreds of dollars when it comes to planting in your permanent homestead.

I like this because its REALISTIC and your words are to the point and clear cheers sir!

Great video thank you for sharing it. Good advice, nice candid homestead share. God Bless

Great tips, Art! Thank you for sharing!

Excellent ideas! This is why I enjoy watching you!

You just answered 2 problems I was trying to figure out with your wire fencing gates!!!!! Thank you!!

As usual another great video! I bet it feels so good to be able to say you grew and harvested your own food that you are now feeding your family with!

Everyone's always smiling and happy. Great video, really enjoyed it. TY

Loved the wood overheating syndrome section and editing. Another great video as always! Thanks for all you do.

Thanks for the tips! We already Homestead, but these were great to revisit.

Absolutely another great video to watch. Great info as well. I just love your family Art. Bri is the greatest and you remind me of Justin's family as well. Both families are so unique and know a lot of things. Thankyou so very much for sharing all that information. Hugs to you all - Anna Banana - big smile!!!

These tips are wht I have in mind. So its refreshing to know im heading in the right direction. Thanks for sharing.

Great tips! Always enjoy your videos.

You guys are awesome, inspirational, educational, and very entertaining. Thank you so much for all your great info and creativity!

I'm trying to find my way into this. Great video. Thanks!

good tips!

Great editing! Love the intro to your videos! Beautiful homestead!

Thanks for the great tips Art! We are an older couple, retired and about to move to the land my mother grew up on....I especially like the idea of preparing the soil now to plant fruit trees next spring even though we haven’t moved yet!

Wonderful tips and love the preparations being done for dinner. Lovely family. Hugs Art and Bri❤️

Awesome fun video!! Can't wait for a calf report! Love the wohs!

This is so helpful...thank you. God bless!

Another thing that urban farmers in the city can do is raise meat rabbits. They’re relatively low maintenance, there usually aren’t ordinances against keeping them (unlike chickens and other fowl), they are quick to maturity from kindling to butchering, and they’re quiet (very nice if you have close neighbors).

love the slowmotion!! soooo excited for dollys calf .. Godbless guys!!

Unfortunately, can't do much down here in England. Small garden attached to the terraced house in which we live means we're limited to 3 chickens and a small garden, plus the cold weather limits us further. Living my dream of farming through your guys' vlog i guess. Keep up the good videos :)

Thank you. Stay warm.

Great video! You have a Wonderful family! 🌼

Love this video! Fun and you all seem so happy😍. Love dolly, Sichuan a Beautiful cow!. It Will be great to see her calf!

I love how clean & safe your homestead is, not only for your family but for the animals too. Another thumbs up.....

We had the same thing happen with my Aunties Jersey. She kept showing signs that she was going to calve soon and then when we weren't looking she had a gorgeous heifer calf. Well worth the wait! X You guys are such an amazing inspiration, thank you for all the great advice and videos! X

Great ideas!! Thanks for sharing

GREAT! LOVED this!

Excellent video!!! Lots of knowledge and lots of fun, thanks😇😇😇

Beautiful editing and video quality! Great tips too!

Art, Great video. Bri, My Grandma always made her pumpkin pies out of butternut squash. Thanks for the great memory of her.

We really appreciated the advice. One thing at a time.

Gracie is so good with all the animals! What an amazing experience you have given her!

Im totally picking up what you are putting down! Between you and Justin I dont think I could ask for better or more knowledgeable mentors. Thanks for the share!

Another great video .Wow I saw that boot wax a while back on Starry Hilders burnt boots episode.I'll have to try it.

awesome tips Art !! i live in a small bungalow in the middle of a small town and i got my amy my neighbors garden to grow my own fruit and veggie. i've just started canning and we want to get some chickens for eggs

Great video Art - loved the fruit tree mulch prep idea...it's one I hadn't thought of :) thanks! So glad you guys are putting videos out again :) The wood stove humour was really cute o.- .

This was so beautiful , funny, and exciting with Dolly , love your family , I know the meal will be delicious ! Thanks for allowing me join in the excitement ! We have 7 hens a laying ( not ducks ) although I lived on a farm growing up and we always had farm animals , we slowly slept away from all that , even though we always had a small garden - I'm about to turn 64 and my husband is 71 , and we share your channel with our now grown children ! May God bless you all and keep up what you do - changing the world one tree, one chicken, one garden , at a time , it can create a better world for our next generation.

Art thanks for putting this out. Whew we jumped right in this summer and I feel that I have too many things going on.... I have pulled the e brake for a second. Re-evaluate. We just started getting eggs that helps a bit. Enjoy yalls channel

Taking the plunge into homesteading can feel intimidating. After our kids were grown & moved away, we wanted our next chapter to be homesteading. But buying land, improvements, fencing, ... it can get expensive and we though we wanted to homestead, living the life can be very different than dreaming it. Our solution? We sold our house in the suburbs and are LEASING a small 12 ac ranch already set up for cattle. Over a couple years time, we added animals as we were ready. Starting with laying hens, muscovy ducks, & geese; then slowly added dwarf goats, meat rabbits, & guinea hogs. About a year ago we decided to test our interest in beef cattle so have a friend running 6 on our pastures. (and we don't have to mow!) A couple months ago, we added a little bottle heifer to our hearts, the beginning of our beef breeding stock. It's been a 3.5 year experiment and we LOVE it, now shopping for a ranch of our own.

Good tips, we kinda fit into the second group, currently renovating the house on the property while we live on our 50x150 lot. Been gardening, plan on doing 50here/50there garden this coming year, with adding chickens to the mix come spring.

Your both so funny!!! Our woodstove is always making it hot in here. When the addition is done that probably won't be a problem. Love the edits!!

I really enjoy your videos and am a new subscriber today from Mobile, Alabama.

Great hacks Art. We have a 4 acre homestead in Blairsville, GA. I think we're just a few hours from you. Lived here 3 years. Raise chickens and horses, have a nice garden and have fruit trees and berry vines. Would like to get goats and hogs. Your videos are inspiring. Thanks!!

Our family really enjoyed this!! We think you guys are wonderful and should have your own reality show!! A great source of homesteading info. is the local county's Cooperative Extension Office. Every county in the U.S. has one and they also have tons of free online information. They are connected to a state university and all their services are free! They will even come out to your home, or farm and access any problems and answer questions. They have bee experts, too. Thanks again!!

Wow! You've really stepped up your game this vlog! Love it

Great video. Our family have been suburban homesteaders in California for about 12 years and we are now disassembling our gardens and what not so that we can sell our home and move across country and buy our forever homestead. Its sort of sad but we know the house will sell better this way and we know where it is leading us to. And wow -- that snow melted fast.

Inspiring.captavating.informative. and as always in good spirit.

Love the gate ideas! I can't wait for dolly to calf! If things go well and you catch it in time, maybe try to do a live video! That would be awesome!

Great advice Art.

Thank you for sharing.

Shared - encouraging others they CAN get started!

hahaaa! did not see the WOHS coming. I love NC. I tried twice to get away from the psychoanalytic world to 'homestead'. It was not necessarily called that then. I did get to have some amazing experiences!!! You are very blessed, even when it is hard!!! I thank you for sharing your blessings...

Great tips! We live on an inherited farm. We have been raising kids, football, baseball, band, ect... Now we are in our 50 's and want to start homesteading. This farm has been in the family since 1951, it has barns, fencing, a lake with fish. We have been renting it ou t and not using it.

Two suggestions for your wood carting - firstly, if you use a wheelbarrow or small cart to carry wood to the house, you don't have to make so many trips and you can get the job done more efficiently. And if you build a wood rack on the verandah for it, you don't have to worry about the pieces of wood at the ends of your stack falling down if they're bumped or the cat climbs on it. Even better is a big built-in wood cupboard with a door on the outside so you can fill it up and a door on the inside so you don't have to go out in the cold and snow for more wood, with all the getting cold and letting cold air into your house that comes with that.

Wow what amazing editing, when you cut the firewood, looked like a movie!

So excited to see that calf!!

Thanks for the tips

Such sensible inspiring advice.

Thanks! God bless!

Good positive ideas!

love your video's ,nice to watch

Good stuff. Thanks bro.

Wow Art looks so happy today!! ♥ :)) and Grace too! Grace looks like daddy :)) best wishes for dolly n calf!!

That was an awesome video!!!

We got our place in May, so we were able to take advantage of the end of season sales for apples, pomegranate, blueberries, raspberry and blackberry. We are preparing our garden for next year using leaves and manure from our neighbors along with kitchen scraps and mulch from trees that fell during Hurricane Irma. I also added some worms since I didn't see any when planting our fruit trees. I especially loved this video for content, humor and editing.

Great tips! Im a new subscriber. Looking forward to the birth of your calf! Jerseys are my favorite cows! I grew up on a farm and we had 2 Jersey milk cows. I use to love milking them. They have such a loving nature. Nothing better then fresh milk & cream! Merry Christmas to your family!

I love it!

Great tips for beginners. You all are doing so well. Glad you took that break. Can't wait to see the new baby human...LOL . Dolly has a really nice udder and I think she will do your family well. I am all about a nice udder on a cow or a goat. LOL

Great tips!!! Happy 350th! Episode

Good ideas thank

Great tips. Another tip is to compost and mulch the ground deep and often to build soil.

Great tips! Even if they weren't all counted! When I am more ready I think I might ask the neighbors just down the street that has a large lot that he has sheep on it, to use it for something. I have to figure all that out first.

i moved to Asheville a few years back and had wanted to start my own homestead ever since moving there. With my occupation as a merchant mariner its kind of difficult. I knew my first step was getting out of debt. Next is saving for a large down payment and getting down a location.(NC taxes are kinda crazy!) All this year, When I'm off ship I'll be living out of my camper shell and searching out different parts of the country in where I'll have my homestead! =) God bless you and yours!

love this video

Hahahaha!!! Art! Look at you playing with some color grading! That looks like the Lumetri Color in Premiere to me! My guess is the Fuji 250D preset. Lol. I am a video dork that wants to be a homesteader. Great video man!!!

THAT was cool, I don't know much about cattle or animal husbandry beyond cats but while Art was crouched down next to Dolly there was definitely movement right next to his head, was it the calf moving I don't know.....a contraction maybe??? Love it, you guys are AWESOMENESS.

Yeah got it. Was searching your channel for new videos. I'm from India!

Yes my biggest regret was not being able to plant trees early on. watering them was the stumbling block. but i do have a few in now!!

Interesting vlog thanks for the update

Thanks Art,,,,, you are so smart about Homesteading. I am so excited for Dolly to have her calf. I'm watching everyday !!!!! thanks from Josanne

Nice video... Good tips.

This was great! I've been thinking of renting a spot from a farmer for gardening. I've just been worried the distance will prevent me from really working the area well

We need all the help we can get! Thanks. You're the second person we saw that said to plant fruit trees. Maybe it's something we should do.

awesome video!!!

I have started planting willow for baskets and firewood.

Great job Art! ✌🏻

Loved this video art

nice tips; wish me a good luck now :P you doing awesome job.

All good tips. Only thing I would add is get soil tested in the area where you plan to have a garden. Our garden will ultimately be 100x20, and we took samples from multiple places and combined them. However the first section we actually garden is only 40x20, but we are building the soil in the other 60x20 plot at the same time.

Preparing soil to plant trees is an excellent first step.

Absolutely loved the humor of beeeiiiinnnggg toooo hooootttt.