I'm a farmer.....you need 2 cows minimum. Solitary cows don't do well, and milk yield goes down or stops eventually. They need another cow to be a cow with and be happy. Loving the content and your journey. 👍 👌
Came to say this. Thank you. Always makes me a bit nervous when people take on animals without knowledge. Plants ro DIY ignorance: no big deal, but animals are another thing.
@@truth3358 These two fully and freely admit they know very little about farm life. Your comment comes off as rude. Make helpful suggestions not BS criticisms.
My cow hangs with the goats and horses and she's happy and a hell of a producer. I think as long as they have companionship the type doesn't matter. A calf works as companionship also.
Here is a crazy idea. When we were in the mountains in Switzerland our neighbors had their own tiny cable car going across the little valley between their house and their fields. Not for people but for things like fertilizer and hay.
This is the first time I've heard Kayvan wax so poetic! The stone wall as inheritance to steward forward, the wild mysterious nature of the secret garden, trees that will outlast us, and other besotted expressive content. Love it!
So glad the worst of the storm passed by you. You've already learned where you were most vulnerable to strong winds and rains in the caravan and moving vehicles helps protect you. This video gives us a better understanding of your land, and the challenges and obstacles that you face there. If you've got a neighbor with some goats they could loan you they could help you remove some of the overgrown vegetation in your pastures, hillsides and the pathway to the barn. They make quick work of it. A few well placed Willow trees might help you with water issues in those boggy areas. It's nice to hear about your future plans and wishes for your land and I'm excited to see what plans you'll share for inside the cottage next week ❤
You were blessed to have avoided the worst of the storm, as did we ( Co. Limerick ) Crazy to think that there are still over 50 thousand homes without power.
I am so relived. I really worried about the additional damaged it could cause. Thrilled it's not too bad. It never rains.......... but it builds character. 😅😊
Thank you for a tour and another wonderful recap of your inspiring selves and dreams! A few thoughts to offer: 1) Prioritize roadway! Your home cannot be built with injured/worn down bodies, and all that carrying uphill creates an ongoing major impact on you while degrading/destabilizing the ground. 2) Consider wind direction when planning your cow's location, as intense dairy odors invade and can overwhelm your home. 3) Consider adding lighter (rather than heavier) meat producers first (turkeys before pigs), as pigs are friendly but will trash whatever landscape they live on and convert it into muddy soup. Also, cow needs solid ground so her feet aren't rotting in the mud. 4) YES for Broadbeans!!!!! So so so delicious and nutritious and versatile and easy to grow! 5) Celebrating your rewilding visions for your land! Cutting and removing ivy vines from smothering your trees is something you can do slowly and steadlily, an hour or two here and there, but will have a huge positive impact on the trees' health (and gives you great visual satisfaction). :) Lee
Dairy cows, and cows in general are herd animals. They like "friends". Like horses and hens. If you can I would suggest getting 1/2 more cows minimum. Even if you only have 1 dairy cow. They get on well with horses but won't "socialize" with them
A suggestion for the future, maybe look into Scottish Highlands cattle. They're well suited for your climate and conditions and require no shelters, thrive on native grasses and plants- even what most people consider weeds and brambles, actually like rough and steep terrain. Hardy animals good for meat and milk.
Hi guys, I’m glad you survived the storms, thanks for your update of your 2025 plans very interesting very good 👍 just a quick thought when you said about the solar panels, not giving you enough in the winter, have you thought about getting say too small? Wind farm blades just a smaller ones to generate extra in the winter as you’re not short of wind in Ireland.
I think you should start qith 3 dairy goats. One they can clean the brumbles in no time and goat milk is amazing. Just think cheese omg. Youll get milk and cheese from the cow to but I'd start with goats 1st. Also goat meat is so good.
Would a water collection tank. Use the rain…? They are popular here in Canada and come with an insulated cover. Simply a big plastic tank in a cage. SO so so, happy you fared well. Good plans. One day at a time. 🇨🇦🥂🥂🥂🙏
Other plans could be a natural pond filtering a swimming pond (works well), a sauna and a green house next to your cottage. And not to forget a permaculture wood garden. 😀 Cheers Claudia 🙋🏼♀
My neighbors' turkies used to come visit me. They were adorable. I named them Lunchmeat and Christmas dinner. One day, they stopped visiting. There is an elegant way to walk in a sucky muddy bog, and that was a perfect demonstration of how it's done.
Try researchibg a dexter cow dundrum co tipperary have mastered two heads one for milk another for meat. They are native small castle who do not need much vetinary intervention. Easy calves who are the size of a large dog. Perfect for beginners.
In 5 years time I can see the 3 of you sitting looking out on all that you have done with big cheesy grins and thinking back to every obstacle you have overcome in that time.I just know from the way you plan,execute and the never say die attitude you have that you will get there.Glad you all came through the storm ok and nothing was damaged.Onwards and upwards.
A few years ago, three of my friends and I took turns milking and caring for three dairy goats. It was so fun! I loved making cheese and goat milk soap! Doing a type of sharing of the responsibility for a cow is a great idea!
You could use a piece of the land for some glamping pods and have people stay in them as a working holiday! They could help with the land, cottage and the animals. ❤
I saw someone use cement they mixed into the muddy parts of their land so they could build on it. It made the soil more solid for their drive way, so they could get supplies on the land to build. It was way to muddy to walk on or even drive on. Might be worth looking into. I think they do that in Vermont, USA because it rains so much sometimes. Might be good for going up Hillary. I don't know how environmentally friendly that is, but it might be worth looking into and may lead to another temporary solution until you do something more permanent. Love your channel! Glad you're all okay!
You can mix garden lime in mud. Kinnnddaa acts like cement. Will dry up some water and more eco friendly! I have a boot sucking pasture with two horses.
I suppose this will sound naive, but if you could collect rocks to put on the paths where it's so muddy... Once you get your front-loading tractor you can haul them there. Having a pond, especially one that collects enough water to capture with a long hose to water horses, etc. would be super. Do you ever see videos of Joel Sallatin from the Shenandoah Valley how he has built up a large homestead that yields him profit? Love your enthusiasm!
You did well to prepare and thereby suffer no damage during the storm. We, in Sligo, suffered no structural damage. Our down pipes blew off and we lost four or five trees, no electricity for a few days but that was it. We were amongst the lucky ones. Love your vlogs. Keep them coming. Good luck!
have you thought about a sled for supplies when you go up to hillary. it might be easier to drag them than carry. it is nice to see you work your dream to come to reality.
We have raised turkeys for the first few weeks in our shower pan in our camper, in an oval rubber feed tote and with a tall cardboard surround for it. To shower, we temp set this on the floor and then pop them back in after.
dig a channel down the side of the path on hillary. That way the excess water can run down one side and reduce the mud. A natural looking water feature in the secret garden will attract frogs etc. Rabbits are a good meat and fur source.
Hello guys, good to see you didn't have any damage. A dairy cow really makes it feel like a homestead to me, we grew up having to milk before school and in the evenings. The only thing is when you start out you have a week or two of thumbs cramping lol, but you soon get over that. It was really difficult to get used to shop bought milk when we sold our cows, we were having a stock theft problem at the time and they were slaughtering the animals on the spot. We didn't want to wake up to face that with our cows after it happened to our pigs. You will definitely love the farm milk and cream, butter and cheese if you make.👍❤️🇿🇦
Cow's milk isn't all that healthy for adult humans, or many other animals, either. Is there a reason why a cow instead of goats? If you go ahead with the cow plan, might want to keep in mind you will need to wrangle her for hoof treatments, shots, other stuff. There are ready made holding or squeeze chutes, but they could be hugely expensive. I've seen homemade systems made with panels, but my point is you need a place, level and safe for such handling of cattle. Also a milking spot with a cover/roof. You'll want it to be away from the wind, I think. The more relaxed you can make the experience for the cow, the better it will be for everyone. Also needed for goats or sheep. Maybe with a cover/roof. Your vet will thank you. (Is there 4H in Ireland? A 4H family might love the opportunity to share an animal.) Maybe look into solar powered generators. I've seen some very powerful small, portable generators that are used by homesteaders I follow here in the States. Wonder if you can find something like that to supplement the solar array. If you like, I can give you the names of a few American companies. Are you collecting rain water for the chickens? The Secret Garden is exciting to consider. Many opportunities! It will be fun to discover if the mound is what you hope for! One farmer I follow, Jason Smith in Alabama, at Cog Hill Farm, has planted an orchard with most fruit growing on wire fencing. It means pruning the trees a lot in the early years to train the branches to grow on the fencing. You can check him out on Facebook (Cog Hill Farm), and if you can understand the charming Alabama accent, learn all about this method of growing. It keeps the fruit pickable from the ground rather than up high, and you can easily tell if all is OK or not simply by walking through the rows quickly. May be an option for you. They have bees on the property as well, but managed by a woman and her dad who stop by at critical times. The Cog Hill folks sell the honey on line. So, broad beans can be eaten green AND dried? Sounds like a good idea. Thanks for this great and exciting video. You guys are terrific!! (Deep fried turkey is a thing!). xxoo
I live in northern Italy, and I can tell you that most likely, all of Field #5 has massive mole tunnels under it. They raise up those bumps over time, and that makes the field hard to control for growing food as the moles get to the plants by the root first. If you use the field for grazing animals, make sure they are big ones haha, like pigs. Love you guys and your channel.
Sugar beet, would be great to grow if you're planning to feed live stock as you can get multiple harvests per year, especially cattle apparently. There is a book by John Seymour called "The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency which I found to be a very good read. I hope that this helps. Enjoying your journey every week, thanks for sharing, keep up the good work.
The other Irish Homestead, didn't make out so well, Sam and Becca. Their Caravan was damaged, even nocked a bit off the foundation. Becca was away and Sam did what he could to minimize any further damage. None of their animals were hurt or missing. Some damage to the Cottage's new roof. Sam works with the local fire department. He worked for hours to clear a road so he could get to the station. He spent almost a week helping his neighbors who were in worse condition. Thankfully they got a 3 month extension from the Grant people.
Great to hear your plans for the year. I think you posted you had got through the storm - great to see you afterwards and see the preparations you made to protect your caravan from the storm. Are you planning to rotate crops - usually beans and peas put nitrogen in the soil, so you follow them with brassicas which like lime, which you follow with root veg (which fork if the soil has too much nitrogen in). There are also 4 year variations too. That and companion plants can help you improve plant health without lots of chemicals. Hope this is useful!
Time to train the Ponies to pack stuff to the garden and back. Also I'd put Pigs in the secret garden for a season and then put the meat chickens in it until the road is built. Lots closer to the house and they will get rid of most of the nonnative ground cover then you can replant it with native plants.
Always wonderful fololowing all your new moments ...very nice place and housing, well done work and I also really love seeing your wonderful daughter new moments....she is so beautiful and also enjoying your new moments together 🙆♀️🤗🥰💝💫🌟💖
Started watching when I was back home in Ireland last summer! That muddy pathway up the hill brought back nightmares! Pigs???? might be a greater heartbreak than needed. A slip well or catch basin up on the hill might be the best bet for water. Goats (milk) might be best bet initially, cut back on the brambles etc. Good luck to you on this adventure.
I think some day in the future it would be nice to have a lean to or summer shack up on 5 where you can picnic and have lazy days overlooking the lake and lots of wild flowers.
Love watching you both and will continue watching. I've seen on another channel where they used large trash can to catch rain water, you could do this up where you keep your chickens. This way you may not have to haul so much water up to them. If I find the link to that show, I will pass it on to you. It is very simple to do. Also I wanted to thoughts on this show dreams and plans. When you was up around section 4 and 5 I noticed the wind was blowing pretty good. Have you considered a wind turbine to add to your solar plan. This could help produce power on cloudy days and night time? Anyway keep cracking on! John Woods
So glad you made it safely through the storm.. in relation to the cow,, they don't do well on their own, you will need two, and second I'm not sure you can get any cows unless you get a herd number, from dept of agriculture and thats another story.. welcome to Ireland we love red tape..
We have solar panels here in Ireland. Its doubtful sadly that you can be completely reliant on them especially in the winter. Just done a bee keeping course too and hoping to get my bees in April!
I don't know if they do this in Ireland but here in the states raising pigs in the forested area's is very popular. They keep the area cleaned up, same of course with goats. You can also get dairy sheep. Ask around some of the older farms if they have any un-used dairy equipment or know of any around. Who know just letting the word out may help you find low cost or free equipment. Also could you train the ponies to pull a cart. or maybe get a donkey for that kinda thing? Local farmers may also have easier idea's on the things you want to do. Turkeys can be raised with chickens I see it all the time.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS!!! I am so excited!! (I am a hobby beekeeper and have had hives for a few years now - I am opposite beekeeping season to you though as I am in New Zealand).
What do people think wild horses do? They will be fine. They have a way of finding shelter in trees behind hills and they have a winter coat. Will need to get rid of the ivy as it will choke the trees to death in the secret garden. Getting into the cottage while working full time is enough of a goal for 2025. Anything more will be an extra (for us!)
😮 Bees?! 🐝 Yes!!! You literally need a Mule, or such, lol. You could have a little trailer attachment, when needing to haul more. Please, John Deere @JohnDeere send help to our new English friends who are inspiring a movement for healthy living in Ireland. 🐓🪴🏡🐴🐴 Thank you for the tour and sharing your plan. Super realistic expectations for 2025! 😊 I’m sure spring and warmer weather will put some more ‘spring in your steps’! We’re seeing the longer days, which helps here in Steinbach, MB 🇨🇦. Have a great week!
I should have watched to the end. Not sure if you can find these pigs there, but in the States, there is a pig that is a pure grazer. Look up Idaho Pasture Pigs. Might fit the bill for you.
Could I make a small observation you have two horses? You could use them to cart everything you need on their backs up to the top field and not even overburden them.
Whew..worried about you..glad you were safe..and all chickens saved!! Your plans sound great. Mux is as n issue..we've just had snow melt ..then rain and the mud is not fun to walk thru.🙄
love what your doing folks, love your vlogs, an idea for you, since your remote in the country, how about an overnight parkup for campervanners with an honesty box?
is the little stream that runs down Hillary the only stream on the land if there is a bigger stream you could get some micro hydro to produce some electricity as well
Thank you for explaining the future plans - very interesting. Have you considered a small windmill to supplement solar in winter? I think small setups are available and you seem to always have wind. Or do you have enough drop and flow to have a tiny hydro system in your stream - if you channel all the water into one stream? Some homesteaders do that here in the hilly areas.
I no this family wld never be cruel to animals,so no doubt they will have seen and def heard all comments about the cow, they are learning so I'm sure next week we will here from them that they have looked into it,certainly about keeping a little baby one on its own.
As you have a grid power connection I think aiming for net zero through 365 days would be a much more viable aim. I.E imports and exports through a year matching.
Would having pigs be of value for both land maintenance and meat? Maybe building (2026) an outbuilding/shed up by the garden to reduce the challenges? Maybe a canning lean-to for the house to manage processing the food, the milk products, meat storage? I am thinking more down the road--I know you all keep very fit, but you also need to prepare for aging in place to keep it manageable. Nevermind about the pigs--already addressed.
Sounds like you have lots of wonderful plans ! one thing though, current thinking is that it’s not kind to have just one cow you must always get at least two .They are very pro-social mammals (herd animals) and they get very depressed if solo and it will affect her milk production too.
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I'm a farmer.....you need 2 cows minimum.
Solitary cows don't do well, and milk yield goes down or stops eventually.
They need another cow to be a cow with and be happy.
Loving the content and your journey.
👍 👌
Thank you for that 🙏🙏🙏 i just comment that here too that there needs to be more than one.
Came to say this. Thank you. Always makes me a bit nervous when people take on animals without knowledge. Plants ro DIY ignorance: no big deal, but animals are another thing.
@@debrascott8775totally agree they sometimes think they know it all
@@truth3358 These two fully and freely admit they know very little about farm life. Your comment comes off as rude. Make helpful suggestions not BS criticisms.
My cow hangs with the goats and horses and she's happy and a hell of a producer. I think as long as they have companionship the type doesn't matter. A calf works as companionship also.
Here is a crazy idea. When we were in the mountains in Switzerland our neighbors had their own tiny cable car going across the little valley between their house and their fields. Not for people but for things like fertilizer and hay.
My grandfather had a cable car that was just a flatbed to take the produce he farmed and everything else up and down the side of the mountain farm.
I wondered whether a pulley system of some sort might help
Great idea! What are some ideas for how it would be powered? Sounds like a great class project in science class. 🧐🤓
I was thinking a cable car too..😊..congrats on the 50.000..
@@maggiesmith8665 the Swiss one was powered by a 240v ski tow electric motor they got second hand.
May I suggest you put in a simple water collection system up by the chickens. I suspect you might get enough to supply all their needs.
Plus water for the gardens
@nancysalyer8174 I was just about to say the same thing, cheers Nancy 🥂🥂
This is the first time I've heard Kayvan wax so poetic! The stone wall as inheritance to steward forward, the wild mysterious nature of the secret garden, trees that will outlast us, and other besotted expressive content. Love it!
Me too, just wonderful.
Yes. I love that they love this land they’ve found. Or maybe it found them?
So glad the worst of the storm passed by you. You've already learned where you were most vulnerable to strong winds and rains in the caravan and moving vehicles helps protect you. This video gives us a better understanding of your land, and the challenges and obstacles that you face there. If you've got a neighbor with some goats they could loan you they could help you remove some of the overgrown vegetation in your pastures, hillsides and the pathway to the barn. They make quick work of it. A few well placed Willow trees might help you with water issues in those boggy areas. It's nice to hear about your future plans and wishes for your land and I'm excited to see what plans you'll share for inside the cottage next week ❤
I'm so glad you are all safe with no damage!❤
You were blessed to have avoided the worst of the storm, as did we ( Co. Limerick ) Crazy to think that there are still over 50 thousand homes without power.
I am so relived. I really worried about the additional damaged it could
cause. Thrilled it's not too bad. It never rains.......... but it builds character. 😅😊
Thank you for a tour and another wonderful recap of your inspiring selves and dreams! A few thoughts to offer: 1) Prioritize roadway! Your home cannot be built with injured/worn down bodies, and all that carrying uphill creates an ongoing major impact on you while degrading/destabilizing the ground. 2) Consider wind direction when planning your cow's location, as intense dairy odors invade and can overwhelm your home. 3) Consider adding lighter (rather than heavier) meat producers first (turkeys before pigs), as pigs are friendly but will trash whatever landscape they live on and convert it into muddy soup. Also, cow needs solid ground so her feet aren't rotting in the mud. 4) YES for Broadbeans!!!!! So so so delicious and nutritious and versatile and easy to grow! 5) Celebrating your rewilding visions for your land! Cutting and removing ivy vines from smothering your trees is something you can do slowly and steadlily, an hour or two here and there, but will have a huge positive impact on the trees' health (and gives you great visual satisfaction). :) Lee
Dairy cows, and cows in general are herd animals. They like "friends". Like horses and hens. If you can I would suggest getting 1/2 more cows minimum. Even if you only have 1 dairy cow.
They get on well with horses but won't "socialize" with them
I give your disaster preparedness an A+.
I love your plans for. Your beautiful homestead. ❤😊🫂
Exciting and ALL doable. Home first and all will follow. Small projects along the journey. Life is good. 🇨🇦🥂🥂🍷
A suggestion for the future, maybe look into Scottish Highlands cattle. They're well suited for your climate and conditions and require no shelters, thrive on native grasses and plants- even what most people consider weeds and brambles, actually like rough and steep terrain. Hardy animals good for meat and milk.
Hi guys, I’m glad you survived the storms, thanks for your update of your 2025 plans very interesting very good 👍 just a quick thought when you said about the solar panels, not giving you enough in the winter, have you thought about getting say too small? Wind farm blades just a smaller ones to generate extra in the winter as you’re not short of wind in Ireland.
I think you should start qith 3 dairy goats. One they can clean the brumbles in no time and goat milk is amazing. Just think cheese omg. Youll get milk and cheese from the cow to but I'd start with goats 1st. Also goat meat is so good.
Keep in mind that male goats in the vicinity of female goats being milked make the milk taste bitter.
To add to that: goat milk is great as long there’s no male around it 😊 when males are around, the taste if the milk „turns into something 😣“ 😂
Would a water collection tank. Use the rain…? They are popular here in Canada and come with an insulated cover. Simply a big plastic tank in a cage. SO so so, happy you fared well. Good plans. One day at a time. 🇨🇦🥂🥂🥂🙏
Would love to see some of the stone walls exposed that are under the brambles. If they were clear you could use styles to get between some fields.
Other plans could be a natural pond filtering a swimming pond (works well), a sauna and a green house next to your cottage. And not to forget a permaculture wood garden. 😀 Cheers Claudia 🙋🏼♀
My neighbors' turkies used to come visit me. They were adorable. I named them Lunchmeat and Christmas dinner. One day, they stopped visiting. There is an elegant way to walk in a sucky muddy bog, and that was a perfect demonstration of how it's done.
Try researchibg a dexter cow dundrum co tipperary have mastered two heads one for milk another for meat. They are native small castle who do not need much vetinary intervention. Easy calves who are the size of a large dog. Perfect for beginners.
In 5 years time I can see the 3 of you sitting looking out on all that you have done with big cheesy grins and thinking back to every obstacle you have overcome in that time.I just know from the way you plan,execute and the never say die attitude you have that you will get there.Glad you all came through the storm ok and nothing was damaged.Onwards and upwards.
A few years ago, three of my friends and I took turns milking and caring for three dairy goats. It was so fun! I loved making cheese and goat milk soap! Doing a type of sharing of the responsibility for a cow is a great idea!
Now I can appreciate the mammoth effort you put in for the veggies. Good on you! ❤
So happy you are all well after the storm ☺️💗💗💗 you are doing a great job 💯😁👍❤
Have a great week
You could use a piece of the land for some glamping pods and have people stay in them as a working holiday!
They could help with the land, cottage and the animals. ❤
The original owners of your farm must be looking down and smiling on you for loving their old property 💕
It may be possible to install a winch atop Hillary to drag materials/goods up and down with a sled elevator style. Great videos!
I
Hi from suffolk UK,,,can't you have a wind turbine,,,doesn't have to be huge and could work well with your solar panels,,??
Good luck with all your plans.
As much as it appears that you get, why not think about a wing generator? You could supplement your solar on those dark winter days.
I saw someone use cement they mixed into the muddy parts of their land so they could build on it. It made the soil more solid for their drive way, so they could get supplies on the land to build. It was way to muddy to walk on or even drive on. Might be worth looking into. I think they do that in Vermont, USA because it rains so much sometimes. Might be good for going up Hillary. I don't know how environmentally friendly that is, but it might be worth looking into and may lead to another temporary solution until you do something more permanent. Love your channel! Glad you're all okay!
You can mix garden lime in mud. Kinnnddaa acts like cement. Will dry up some water and more eco friendly! I have a boot sucking pasture with two horses.
I suppose this will sound naive, but if you could collect rocks to put on the paths where it's so muddy... Once you get your front-loading tractor you can haul them there. Having a pond, especially one that collects enough water to capture with a long hose to water horses, etc. would be super. Do you ever see videos of Joel Sallatin from the Shenandoah Valley how he has built up a large homestead that yields him profit? Love your enthusiasm!
You did well to prepare and thereby suffer no damage during the storm. We, in Sligo, suffered no structural damage. Our down pipes blew off and we lost four or five trees, no electricity for a few days but that was it. We were amongst the lucky ones. Love your vlogs. Keep them coming. Good luck!
have you thought about a sled for supplies when you go up to hillary. it might be easier to drag them than carry. it is nice to see you work your dream to come to reality.
Congatulation on 50k !
We have raised turkeys for the first few weeks in our shower pan in our camper, in an oval rubber feed tote and with a tall cardboard surround for it. To shower, we temp set this on the floor and then pop them back in after.
About the dairy idea: you shouldn't have one cow alone. Cows are social animals.
Please think about that.
dig a channel down the side of the path on hillary. That way the excess water can run down one side and reduce the mud. A natural looking water feature in the secret garden will attract frogs etc. Rabbits are a good meat and fur source.
A zip-line or Clothes-Line pulley system could work, running from the cottage to the top of Hilary with a basket-type thing to carry the heavy stuff.
Hello guys, good to see you didn't have any damage. A dairy cow really makes it feel like a homestead to me, we grew up having to milk before school and in the evenings. The only thing is when you start out you have a week or two of thumbs cramping lol, but you soon get over that. It was really difficult to get used to shop bought milk when we sold our cows, we were having a stock theft problem at the time and they were slaughtering the animals on the spot. We didn't want to wake up to face that with our cows after it happened to our pigs. You will definitely love the farm milk and cream, butter and cheese if you make.👍❤️🇿🇦
Cow's milk isn't all that healthy for adult humans, or many other animals, either. Is there a reason why a cow instead of goats? If you go ahead with the cow plan, might want to keep in mind you will need to wrangle her for hoof treatments, shots, other stuff. There are ready made holding or squeeze chutes, but they could be hugely expensive. I've seen homemade systems made with panels, but my point is you need a place, level and safe for such handling of cattle. Also a milking spot with a cover/roof. You'll want it to be away from the wind, I think. The more relaxed you can make the experience for the cow, the better it will be for everyone. Also needed for goats or sheep. Maybe with a cover/roof. Your vet will thank you. (Is there 4H in Ireland? A 4H family might love the opportunity to share an animal.)
Maybe look into solar powered generators. I've seen some very powerful small, portable generators that are used by homesteaders I follow here in the States. Wonder if you can find something like that to supplement the solar array. If you like, I can give you the names of a few American companies.
Are you collecting rain water for the chickens?
The Secret Garden is exciting to consider. Many opportunities! It will be fun to discover if the mound is what you hope for!
One farmer I follow, Jason Smith in Alabama, at Cog Hill Farm, has planted an orchard with most fruit growing on wire fencing. It means pruning the trees a lot in the early years to train the branches to grow on the fencing. You can check him out on Facebook (Cog Hill Farm), and if you can understand the charming Alabama accent, learn all about this method of growing. It keeps the fruit pickable from the ground rather than up high, and you can easily tell if all is OK or not simply by walking through the rows quickly. May be an option for you. They have bees on the property as well, but managed by a woman and her dad who stop by at critical times. The Cog Hill folks sell the honey on line.
So, broad beans can be eaten green AND dried? Sounds like a good idea.
Thanks for this great and exciting video. You guys are terrific!!
(Deep fried turkey is a thing!). xxoo
Can you put down straw over all that mud?
So glad to hear that you survived the storm!🇨🇦
Put your ducks in with fruit trees/orchard because they will remove and consume any snails, little geniuses 😉
I live in northern Italy, and I can tell you that most likely, all of Field #5 has massive mole tunnels under it. They raise up those bumps over time, and that makes the field hard to control for growing food as the moles get to the plants by the root first. If you use the field for grazing animals, make sure they are big ones haha, like pigs. Love you guys and your channel.
Geese are as good as guard dogs Balantines whiskey in Dumbarton have them as gusrd dogs doing a wonderful job. Xxxxx
Cows are social herding animals they get lonely and depressed alone.🙂
Been watching you on catch but I have found it really interesting so I have now subscribed
Sugar beet, would be great to grow if you're planning to feed live stock as you can get multiple harvests per year, especially cattle apparently. There is a book by John Seymour called "The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency which I found to be a very good read. I hope that this helps. Enjoying your journey every week, thanks for sharing, keep up the good work.
Exciting plans. I think your plans for the cottage being liveable first is brilliant. Thank you for the lovely video.
The other Irish Homestead, didn't make out so well, Sam and Becca. Their Caravan was damaged, even nocked a bit off the foundation. Becca was away and Sam did what he could to minimize any further damage.
None of their animals were hurt or missing. Some damage to the Cottage's new roof. Sam works with the local fire department. He worked for hours to clear a road so he could get to the station. He spent almost a week helping his neighbors who were in worse condition. Thankfully they got a 3 month extension from the Grant people.
Thank you for sharing your time showing us your land and telling us your dreams for 2025. 🤞 Everything goes to plan.
Take care and stay safe.😊
Oh and one of the best things we did was get geese. You have no lived until you have had goose fat roasted Irish spuds…
What is the update on the cottage renovations? We can't wait until you can start that project 🙏
Finally one last suggestion have a good old Irish mehul for planting trees and fixing up the barn.
Great to hear your plans for the year. I think you posted you had got through the storm - great to see you afterwards and see the preparations you made to protect your caravan from the storm.
Are you planning to rotate crops - usually beans and peas put nitrogen in the soil, so you follow them with brassicas which like lime, which you follow with root veg (which fork if the soil has too much nitrogen in). There are also 4 year variations too. That and companion plants can help you improve plant health without lots of chemicals. Hope this is useful!
Time to train the Ponies to pack stuff to the garden and back. Also I'd put Pigs in the secret garden for a season and then put the meat chickens in it until the road is built. Lots closer to the house and they will get rid of most of the nonnative ground cover then you can replant it with native plants.
Always wonderful fololowing all your new moments ...very nice place and housing, well done work and I also really love seeing your wonderful daughter new moments....she is so beautiful and also enjoying your new moments together 🙆♀️🤗🥰💝💫🌟💖
Started watching when I was back home in Ireland last summer! That muddy pathway up the hill brought back nightmares! Pigs???? might be a greater heartbreak than needed. A slip well or catch basin up on the hill might be the best bet for water. Goats (milk) might be best bet initially, cut back on the brambles etc. Good luck to you on this adventure.
I think some day in the future it would be nice to have a lean to or summer shack up on 5 where you can picnic and have lazy days overlooking the lake and lots of wild flowers.
Love watching you both and will continue watching. I've seen on another channel where they used large trash can to catch rain water, you could do this up where you keep your chickens. This way you may not have to haul so much water up to them. If I find the link to that show, I will pass it on to you. It is very simple to do. Also I wanted to thoughts on this show dreams and plans. When you was up around section 4 and 5 I noticed the wind was blowing pretty good. Have you considered a wind turbine to add to your solar plan. This could help produce power on cloudy days and night time?
Anyway keep cracking on!
John Woods
We avoided the storm too, (wexford ) we grew up on a dairy farm and had "raw milk" every day we were never sick.
Add a goose to your wish list, it would be a great character in the background of the farm. A foil to the banter.
Absolutely love ur videos. Look forward to it every Sunday.
Love the idea of an orchard! To have your own fruit would be wonderful! I have a Meyer Lemon Tree and a Kafir Lime tree.
You should also consider a small windmill to add to the solar since you have a lot of wind there. Craig
I think finishing your house should be a priority before you get a cow.
Until you get a roadway built up to your garden area, could you use your ponies to pack things up?
They talked about that in a previous vid, unfortunately they can't be used for that purpose for a variety of reasons.
So glad you made it safely through the storm.. in relation to the cow,, they don't do well on their own, you will need two, and second I'm not sure you can get any cows unless you get a herd number, from dept of agriculture and thats another story.. welcome to Ireland we love red tape..
We have solar panels here in Ireland. Its doubtful sadly that you can be completely reliant on them especially in the winter. Just done a bee keeping course too and hoping to get my bees in April!
I don't know if they do this in Ireland but here in the states raising pigs in the forested area's is very popular. They keep the area cleaned up, same of course with goats. You can also get dairy sheep. Ask around some of the older farms if they have any un-used dairy equipment or know of any around. Who know just letting the word out may help you find low cost or free equipment. Also could you train the ponies to pull a cart. or maybe get a donkey for that kinda thing? Local farmers may also have easier idea's on the things you want to do. Turkeys can be raised with chickens I see it all the time.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSS!!! I am so excited!! (I am a hobby beekeeper and have had hives for a few years now - I am opposite beekeeping season to you though as I am in New Zealand).
What do people think wild horses do? They will be fine. They have a way of finding shelter in trees behind hills and they have a winter coat. Will need to get rid of the ivy as it will choke the trees to death in the secret garden. Getting into the cottage while working full time is enough of a goal for 2025. Anything more will be an extra (for us!)
Good luck with your plans , I love your videos 😀
😮 Bees?! 🐝 Yes!!! You literally need a Mule, or such, lol. You could have a little trailer attachment, when needing to haul more. Please, John Deere @JohnDeere send help to our new English friends who are inspiring a movement for healthy living in Ireland. 🐓🪴🏡🐴🐴 Thank you for the tour and sharing your plan. Super realistic expectations for 2025! 😊 I’m sure spring and warmer weather will put some more ‘spring in your steps’! We’re seeing the longer days, which helps here in Steinbach, MB 🇨🇦. Have a great week!
I should have watched to the end. Not sure if you can find these pigs there, but in the States, there is a pig that is a pure grazer. Look up Idaho Pasture Pigs. Might fit the bill for you.
Could I make a small observation you have two horses? You could use them to cart everything you need on their backs up to the top field and not even overburden them.
Whew..worried about you..glad you were safe..and all chickens saved!! Your plans sound great. Mux is as n issue..we've just had snow melt ..then rain and the mud is not fun to walk thru.🙄
A bee luxury hive in the secret garden ❤
Runner ducks would be awesome
You should create a co-op with the other new homesteaders.
Thank Jesus you all are okay, was praying for you , love from west of Ireland xx 😘😘❤❤
love what your doing folks, love your vlogs, an idea for you, since your remote in the country, how about an overnight parkup for campervanners with an honesty box?
THere is a American homestead channel you might get some helpful information from. Sow the Land . They are very good.
Kayvan did you mean runnerbeans or broad beans,bb dont need stakeing but rb does??pigs great for clearing ground and great tillers for new ground.🇮🇪☘️
is the little stream that runs down Hillary the only stream on the land if there is a bigger stream you could get some micro hydro to produce some electricity as well
Thank you for explaining the future plans - very interesting. Have you considered a small windmill to supplement solar in winter? I think small setups are available and you seem to always have wind. Or do you have enough drop and flow to have a tiny hydro system in your stream - if you channel all the water into one stream? Some homesteaders do that here in the hilly areas.
Another great video. Really enjoying your journey.
U need 2 cows for company ❤
Hello, Cows are herd Animals and keeping one alone is Animal cruelty. At least I think so. Greetings.
I no this family wld never be cruel to animals,so no doubt they will have seen and def heard all comments about the cow, they are learning so I'm sure next week we will here from them that they have looked into it,certainly about keeping a little baby one on its own.
As you have a grid power connection I think aiming for net zero through 365 days would be a much more viable aim. I.E imports and exports through a year matching.
Have you thought about goats for milk? Smaller and easier to care for- many books about products you can make from the milk
Would having pigs be of value for both land maintenance and meat? Maybe building (2026) an outbuilding/shed up by the garden to reduce the challenges? Maybe a canning lean-to for the house to manage processing the food, the milk products, meat storage? I am thinking more down the road--I know you all keep very fit, but you also need to prepare for aging in place to keep it manageable.
Nevermind about the pigs--already addressed.
look in to small house hold size wind turbines there are on the market for around 500 and produce up wards of 5kw hours
Is it possible to get a Neighbor with a brush cutting “hog” attachment to clear more field space for livestock? Maybe after the road is made.
Rain barrel(s) in the garden field to supply the chickens & garden when needed?
I see a cheese making course in your future! So much can be done with raw milk. Butter also. Great dreams ( plans); may they all come to be.
Sounds like you have lots of wonderful plans ! one thing though, current thinking is that it’s not kind to have just one cow you must always get at least two .They are very pro-social mammals (herd animals) and they get very depressed if solo and it will affect her milk production too.
Stoic chicken!! :). You're keeping an ear out for the latest bird flu occurrences right?
Have you considered a funicular? If it's feasible it would be awesome.