Addicted to your channel. God has now put a new dream in my heart - to homestead, after watching you guys and your other channel. My husband and I are currently doing what we can in the suburbs, with a garden and backyard chickens. Love seeing everything you guys are doing and getting ideas for being more self sufficient. God bless!
Good videos. High water table build an above ground root cellar. Earthbags are easy but use what you have and berm it. If you put it on a slight slope and use gravel/rock foundation it will be self draining. You will get the same effects as an underground one. Check out getting or making a "slaw box", or cabbage shredder. I have my grandmothers and wouldn't do kraut without it. Although I have crocks I use them for pickles and make my kraut the traditional way in a single purpose large plastic garbage can with a lid (bought new and ONLY used for kraut and other foods). If you don't have crabapples to use for your pectin use green/underripe apples and you can also make your pectin separately to add to jams when needed. Good luck to you all!
FYI wherever your BlackBerry/Raspberry plants have good contact with the ground they will send out roots giving more vigorous Bushes and shoots and of course berries.
Some old timers use to use th e springs to help chill the room. My uncle had a spring house. It set beside the house & was bermed on 3 sides. Out of the back of the cellar a small spring run through the cellar & down a drain. The room was cool no matter how hot it was in the summer. Just a thought
Me and my husband enjoy all yall's videos. I know its a lot of work but so rewarding. It inspires me to do more and grow my own garden. I've been collecting jars and researching.We are building chicken coop and having fun.Keep doing videos we love them.
Tip: store bought pectin is made from crabapples. If you have a neighbor w a tree they will have an abundance & share. Plus crabapple jelly is really good. It is pretty too since it comes out pink it is also loaded in vit C..
What a great episode! That blackberry jam looked amazing and I love that you experiment and play with your canning. I also love how you think of the self sufficiency side of things. You can always add some warm water to the jam to thin it up if needed. I love putting a spoonful of jam into my oatmeal.
23:20 - Next time you make preserves and its not thick enough, add a little cornstarch to the cold mixture, Then reheat it and cook it down and your preserves will be as thick as peanut butter. Wink wink.... I grew up in the islands and thats how we made THICK preserves. Don't worry, You won't taste a bit of cornstarch in it. And it'l be just like the commercial stuff but still healthier. And you also can add unflavored gelatin too. That's my favorite. Gelatin is probably the most preferred method. Happy preserving !
I take the shoots and put them in the ground with a brick so the piece you pinch off will become new bushes and the originals will bunch up! I am assuming that your blackberries are the ones here! I have sold new plants this way!
Another great episode where I've learned a few things. I would love to see a post on how to make the mason jar sauerkraut. Would love that blackberry jam recipe using the grated apple. Looking forward to the next video!
Nice episode , the wisdom of gardener could save the world one day …. that being said clipping the tip of perennial plant is usually a common way to establish a more robust and well grown bushes, my father always used to clip the flower blossom on any annual he planted in spring, sure our house was flowerless in may but boy oh boy did those plant who had more time to establish themselves paid it forward later in the summer… keep up the good work
Concerning the root cellar... friends of mine have theirs built into the side of a hill. Maybe one could build a small room using concrete blocks and earth berming the sides and the top for insulation. Just a thought.
You might think about growing a quint tree .Its an old type of. Tree from the apple family here in Canada every farm in the old days had one of these trees for making preserves.I guess they are extremely sour well I know they are because we had one of these growing on the farm where I grew up.I was told by my grandmother that before they had pectin they used to quarter one of these fruit in the jam mix then remove before placing in jars and this would make jam set.One tree could service all your jam making needs.
You can make any type of jelly or jam with no pectin. equal parts of fruit and sugan and cook to soft ball stage. Look that up it is a term used in making old fashioned candy. If you fail and miss the magic mark use it over ice cream or to make cobblers and pies. Your ground flour would make an awesome fruit cobbler in the brick oven. Use the cast iron and don't go for pretty. I grew up on these and the only way it gets better is if you have fresh cream to pour over it. When I missed the mark, I just labeled it peach sauce and knew to use it in other ways. Pancakes and waffles end up gourmet. Sourdough makes perfect pancakes.
To make your own pectin Take sour/Tart apples(crab apple,granny smith} chunk it fill a large pot at least 3 gallon add water to cover apples, Bring to a boil. After boiling mash the apples strain through a cloth press all the liquid (and water into another pot big enough to accomidate.) bring liquid to a boil to reduce by 1/3 what is left is pectin Use like the liquid store bought. Note pectin can be canned just like jam and stored for future use. Note 2 This was my Grandmothers recipe and I have used it for years.
pickle red cabbage helps keep you healthy in winter , you can pickle many veg almost raw , they are very healthy , cauli , cabbages , beats . peppers , all kinds of veg , commonly done in the eastern block to keep them through winter , btw did you know you can have apple in some Sauerkraut , thats great with pork
you could look into earthbag house for a root celler. they are supposed to be mimicking the same temps. also they are supposed to be cheaper and easier to build.
I know it might not be an option for you guys but I use lemon juice and zest for it's natural pectin in my jams. I only ever have to buy pectin for my jellies.
I just checked out your video,and I may have some information that may help about a root cellar. If the water table is so high you may want to try and above cellar. One of my friends mother had to build hers because of the slate on the property. And had built out of stone as I hear. That may help but just try it out and see if it does indeed work,
Check out a herb called Culantro, We use it in the Caribbean Islands. Its very simular to cilantro . its a long leaf with ridges.Its also called Spinny Cilantro. Nnette .
It's amazing how I find out about myself watching youtube video's. LOL Everytime we eat a our local Mexican eatery, I complain that the dishes aren't properly rinsed. I never put 2 and 2 together to think it was an aftertaste of the cilantro. Go figure! I am one of the few. Aren't I special......hahahahaha Great video.
When I was a child I watched my grand old auntie who lived in North Carolina mountains chop cabbage, then put it in jars with a table spoon of salt and some hot water. She then used a butter/table knife and poked it down the outer edge of the inside. Then she put the canning lids on them. Then she put them in a dark corner on some trays in like a shed or something like that. Days later, don't remember how many, I heard popping and she showed me how the lids on those jars were sealing shut. I thought it strange that the grownups called it cold canning when they used hot water. One of the grown ups said something about having to keep an eye on them and clean the trays out as needed. I may have missed something in the process but I don't think so. Her sour kraut was the best in all the world and to this day I find my self craving for it. Is this a possible way to do it? I've not found any where on the internet or in books where it is done like that though I've searched. Do your lids pop and seal. It looked like a couple may have but most looked like they didn't.
have you tried growing cilantro in the forest? Ive heard of people growing lettuce in the forest during hot summers. I LOVE cilantro and would try to grow it about everywhere I could try. Porch, shade, under your home (haha) I haven't canned my salsa before but thinking of giving it a try this year. I think i would add the cilantro fresh after we open the jar in the cooler months. I just can't eat salsa without cilantro. Its just wrong in my kitchen :-) Many blessings on trying to get cilantro this summer. ;-)
Love your videos, I hope you continue the series! BTW, have you ever investigated adding biochar to your garden beds? There are quite a few very informative videos here on UA-cam regarding biochar.
if the apple method doesnt turn out you can use it as a syrup... i made English mint jelly and i didnt boil it enough so i turned into syrup instead of jelly
Is some sort of shade shelter for the outdoor cooking area on the to do list? I'm dealing with skin cancer from burns I got in my teens and twenties. Sun screen helps, but shade is better.
I did see a method recently to make pectin from apples and then use the pectin rather than the apples themselves providing enough. Also I understand crab apples have much more pectin than regular apples. Do you not have concerns preserving/canning with honey? I heard you shouldn’t. I assume an abundance of caution- the same way we don’t refrigerate everything. 🤷🏻♀️
Are you self-sufficient w/o selling your canned goods. I mean is all your livestock, berries and vegetables what your living off of yourselves throughout the year?
Hopefully my question is not offensive but I am really curious coming from a different culture (Asian living in the South East Asian region). I really enjoy watching homesteaders' youtube channels including your channel...really interesting and educational. I am curious why is it most of the men grow all these beards once you are living off grid? Any particular reason? :)
kay lee I live here and I don't much get the beards myself. I think it's a Hebrew or religious thing. But, until someone explains it to me that is all I have to go on. Beards are okay. But, these kind....??? Just my opinion though. To each his own. But, it's so distracting trying to watch the content of the video.
I love y'all's videos. I watch them consistently.You're living the life I only dream about. I'm also about 10 or so years "older" so I KNOW from my own garden in suburbia it takes A LOT of "WORK". I'm just going to say this and hope it's not taken in a mean spirited way. I promise I don't mean it that way. I understand the social trend these days with that beard. I'm not a facial hair person. And, I know that is just ME. But, I'm so distract by his beard. I love ya both. But, ugh. I find myself distracted by the content of the video just by watching him. UGH! Bless you Jamie. Just a nice trim would help. I'm sorry. I love your videos. But, I'm just being honest and saying I spend half my time being grossed out by his beard...untrimmed. I'd much rather Jamie be real and take the do-rag off and show her grey hair. No...I'm kidding. I'm a hold out. I still color because I'm too young to be old. But, one day I know I'm going to have to deal with that fact that I'm totally grey. I'm too young for that. Why are all of these young men growing these long, nasty, unkempt, beards? Some say it's a Hebrew thing. Okay...then just say that. But, dang, his nasty beard drives me bonkers. Love you both and love your videos. Love what you stand for. But, that beard. UGH! Or just be yourself and don't listen to people like me. I'm still gonna watch even if that beard is disgusting. Judge me for saying all this. LOL I already am!!!
Addicted to your channel. God has now put a new dream in my heart - to homestead, after watching you guys and your other channel. My husband and I are currently doing what we can in the suburbs, with a garden and backyard chickens. Love seeing everything you guys are doing and getting ideas for being more self sufficient. God bless!
Build an above ground cellar and cover it with dirt.
Good videos. High water table build an above ground root cellar. Earthbags are easy but use what you have and berm it. If you put it on a slight slope and use gravel/rock foundation it will be self draining. You will get the same effects as an underground one. Check out getting or making a "slaw box", or cabbage shredder. I have my grandmothers and wouldn't do kraut without it. Although I have crocks I use them for pickles and make my kraut the traditional way in a single purpose large plastic garbage can with a lid (bought new and ONLY used for kraut and other foods). If you don't have crabapples to use for your pectin use green/underripe apples and you can also make your pectin separately to add to jams when needed. Good luck to you all!
FYI wherever your BlackBerry/Raspberry plants have good contact with the ground they will send out roots giving more vigorous Bushes and shoots and of course berries.
Some old timers use to use th e springs to help chill the room. My uncle had a spring house. It set beside the house & was bermed on 3 sides. Out of the back of the cellar a small spring run through the cellar & down a drain. The room was cool no matter how hot it was in the summer. Just a thought
Me and my husband enjoy all yall's videos. I know its a lot of work but so rewarding. It inspires me to do more and grow my own garden. I've been collecting jars and researching.We are building chicken coop and having fun.Keep doing videos we love them.
Khali Matthews actually this posted under my daughters name. But i have her watching too I am Sherrie Byrd.
Tip: store bought pectin is made from crabapples. If you have a neighbor w a tree they will have an abundance & share. Plus crabapple jelly is really good. It is pretty too since it comes out pink it is also loaded in vit C..
2redbird1 that's what we do each year. We get at least 10 gallons of crabapples from my one tree. We make pectin, jelly, jame, crabapple sauce, etc.
What a great episode! That blackberry jam looked amazing and I love that you experiment and play with your canning. I also love how you think of the self sufficiency side of things. You can always add some warm water to the jam to thin it up if needed. I love putting a spoonful of jam into my oatmeal.
Another idea, look up "zeer pots" for cold storage without having to worry about compromising your well with food leakage.
Been a subscriber for a while. Really encouraged by you all. Thank you for the videos. God bless.
Nice seeing you and your wife interaction in the video. You should do this more often.
Good job Jamie. I know is a great feeling getting all of that canning done.
Would definitely love to see the daily chores.
Great video, must admit these are some of the best homesteading videos I've watched on you tube. Looking forward to more in the future!
23:20 - Next time you make preserves and its not thick enough, add a little cornstarch to the cold mixture, Then reheat it and cook it down and your preserves will be as thick as peanut butter. Wink wink.... I grew up in the islands and thats how we made THICK preserves. Don't worry, You won't taste a bit of cornstarch in it. And it'l be just like the commercial stuff but still healthier. And you also can add unflavored gelatin too. That's my favorite. Gelatin is probably the most preferred method. Happy preserving !
I take the shoots and put them in the ground with a brick so the piece you pinch off will become new bushes and the originals will bunch up! I am assuming that your blackberries are the ones here! I have sold new plants this way!
Another great episode where I've learned a few things. I would love to see a post on how to make the mason jar sauerkraut. Would love that blackberry jam recipe using the grated apple. Looking forward to the next video!
i agree cilantro is an awesome herb. When I buy it I always hold the bag to my face like re-breather and inhale the cilantro-y goodness
Nice episode , the wisdom of gardener could save the world one day …. that being said clipping the tip of perennial plant is usually a common way to establish a more robust and well grown bushes, my father always used to clip the flower blossom on any annual he planted in spring, sure our house was flowerless in may but boy oh boy did those plant who had more time to establish themselves paid it forward later in the summer… keep up the good work
you two are so likable! Ty for the vid.
All that jelly/jam. Should have made syrup for pancakes. I bet your family would love it.
Concerning the root cellar... friends of mine have theirs built into the side of a hill. Maybe one could build a small room using concrete blocks and earth berming the sides and the top for insulation. Just a thought.
You might think about growing a quint tree .Its an old type of. Tree from the apple family here in Canada every farm in the old days had one of these trees for making preserves.I guess they are extremely sour well I know they are because we had one of these growing on the farm where I grew up.I was told by my grandmother that before they had pectin they used to quarter one of these fruit in the jam mix then remove before placing in jars and this would make jam set.One tree could service all your jam making needs.
I'm sure I'm late to the party, but my first experience was soap. Now I can't get enough.
You can make any type of jelly or jam with no pectin. equal parts of fruit and sugan and cook to soft ball stage. Look that up it is a term used in making old fashioned candy. If you fail and miss the magic mark use it over ice cream or to make cobblers and pies. Your ground flour would make an awesome fruit cobbler in the brick oven. Use the cast iron and don't go for pretty. I grew up on these and the only way it gets better is if you have fresh cream to pour over it. When I missed the mark, I just labeled it peach sauce and knew to use it in other ways. Pancakes and waffles end up gourmet. Sourdough makes perfect pancakes.
To make your own pectin Take sour/Tart apples(crab apple,granny smith} chunk it fill a large pot at least 3 gallon add water to cover apples, Bring to a boil. After boiling mash the apples strain through a cloth press all the liquid (and water into another pot big enough to accomidate.) bring liquid to a boil to reduce by 1/3 what is left is pectin Use like the liquid store bought. Note pectin can be canned just like jam and stored for future use. Note 2 This was my Grandmothers recipe and I have used it for years.
pickle red cabbage helps keep you healthy in winter , you can pickle many veg almost raw , they are very healthy , cauli , cabbages , beats . peppers , all kinds of veg , commonly done in the eastern block to keep them through winter , btw did you know you can have apple in some Sauerkraut , thats great with pork
Thank you for the video.
and if you don't have some, you may want to plant a couple of crab apple trees for their pectin
you could look into earthbag house for a root celler. they are supposed to be mimicking the same temps. also they are supposed to be cheaper and easier to build.
I know it might not be an option for you guys but I use lemon juice and zest for it's natural pectin in my jams. I only ever have to buy pectin for my jellies.
I just checked out your video,and I may have some information that may help about a root cellar. If the water table is so high you may want to try and above cellar. One of my friends mother had to build hers because of the slate on the property. And had built out of stone as I hear. That may help but just try it out and see if it does indeed work,
Check out a herb called Culantro, We use it in the Caribbean Islands. Its very simular to cilantro . its a long leaf with ridges.Its also called Spinny Cilantro. Nnette .
It's amazing how I find out about myself watching youtube video's. LOL Everytime we eat a our local Mexican eatery, I complain that the dishes aren't properly rinsed. I never put 2 and 2 together to think it was an aftertaste of the cilantro. Go figure! I am one of the few. Aren't I special......hahahahaha Great video.
You could also try blueberries. They have a lot of pectin too.
I'll bet that jam is good unleavened bread
When I was a child I watched my grand old auntie who lived in North Carolina mountains chop cabbage, then put it in jars with a table spoon of salt and some hot water. She then used a butter/table knife and poked it down the outer edge of the inside. Then she put the canning lids on them. Then she put them in a dark corner on some trays in like a shed or something like that. Days later, don't remember how many, I heard popping and she showed me how the lids on those jars were sealing shut. I thought it strange that the grownups called it cold canning when they used hot water. One of the grown ups said something about having to keep an eye on them and clean the trays out as needed. I may have missed something in the process but I don't think so. Her sour kraut was the best in all the world and to this day I find my self craving for it.
Is this a possible way to do it? I've not found any where on the internet or in books where it is done like that though I've searched. Do your lids pop and seal. It looked like a couple may have but most looked like they didn't.
add half a lemon to your mix as you heat it. lemons contain huge amounts of pectin
You can try Pomona’s pectin for lower sugar content jams and jellies.
Ugghhh... Cilantro! Tastes like soap to me. The first time I had it I couldn't believe people liked it.
#CilantroBestHerbEver ☺️❤️
Remember to dehydrate the fruit also.
have you tried growing cilantro in the forest? Ive heard of people growing lettuce in the forest during hot summers. I LOVE cilantro and would try to grow it about everywhere I could try. Porch, shade, under your home (haha) I haven't canned my salsa before but thinking of giving it a try this year. I think i would add the cilantro fresh after we open the jar in the cooler months. I just can't eat salsa without cilantro. Its just wrong in my kitchen :-) Many blessings on trying to get cilantro this summer. ;-)
Love your videos, I hope you continue the series! BTW, have you ever investigated adding biochar to your garden beds? There are quite a few very informative videos here on UA-cam regarding biochar.
if the apple method doesnt turn out you can use it as a syrup... i made English mint jelly and i didnt boil it enough so i turned into syrup instead of jelly
why don't you make blackberry syrup with your excess blackberries and I make blackberry strawberry jam or blackberry blueberry jams really good too
would you consider making a cookbook to sell of the recipes you make? I would be interested in buying one
What kind of apple and how much per # of berry's.
can you give us the recipe for the berry and apple/honey.
THANKS
Papalo, is only good with Quesadillas :D
Is some sort of shade shelter for the outdoor cooking area on the to do list? I'm dealing with skin cancer from burns I got in my teens and twenties. Sun screen helps, but shade is better.
Can you do a vidio of your wife making the jellys and jams.
use a cheese grater instead of chopping cabbage
Enjoyed the show as always. Is papalo a perennial or an annual? Have used crabapples to make jams in the past. Thanks again.
How old were your chickens that you were getting eggs from during the winter?
I did see a method recently to make pectin from apples and then use the pectin rather than the apples themselves providing enough. Also I understand crab apples have much more pectin than regular apples.
Do you not have concerns preserving/canning with honey? I heard you shouldn’t. I assume an abundance of caution- the same way we don’t refrigerate everything. 🤷🏻♀️
try Eryngium foetidum latin call cilantro is better than cilantro both are good hard to grow but you have that green house.
you need a spring house
Can I ask how you keep the grass under control. Do you just let your animals graze or are you actually mowing? Thanks in advance.
Can you root the blackberry pinch offs?
What are the black flecks in the Saurkraut?
Have you tried the Achocha in a greenhouse?
Are you self-sufficient w/o selling your canned goods. I mean is all your livestock, berries and vegetables what your living off of yourselves throughout the year?
John D they trade some stuff with their neighbors and as they said they used store bought sugar and pectin, but they are doing great!
How did you store your jam?
sorry I miss spell we call that cilantro.
Hopefully my question is not offensive but I am really curious coming from a different culture (Asian living in the South East Asian region). I really enjoy watching homesteaders' youtube channels including your channel...really interesting and educational. I am curious why is it most of the men grow all these beards once you are living off grid? Any particular reason? :)
kay lee I live here and I don't much get the beards myself. I think it's a Hebrew or religious thing. But, until someone explains it to me that is all I have to go on. Beards are okay. But, these kind....??? Just my opinion though. To each his own. But, it's so distracting trying to watch the content of the video.
kay lee It keeps you warm, especially in the winter and you don't have to shave anymore. No, 9 to 5 punch the clock, suit wearing job here!
I love y'all's videos. I watch them consistently.You're living the life I only dream about. I'm also about 10 or so years "older" so I KNOW from my own garden in suburbia it takes A LOT of "WORK". I'm just going to say this and hope it's not taken in a mean spirited way. I promise I don't mean it that way. I understand the social trend these days with that beard. I'm not a facial hair person. And, I know that is just ME. But, I'm so distract by his beard. I love ya both. But, ugh. I find myself distracted by the content of the video just by watching him. UGH! Bless you Jamie. Just a nice trim would help. I'm sorry. I love your videos. But, I'm just being honest and saying I spend half my time being grossed out by his beard...untrimmed. I'd much rather Jamie be real and take the do-rag off and show her grey hair. No...I'm kidding. I'm a hold out. I still color because I'm too young to be old. But, one day I know I'm going to have to deal with that fact that I'm totally grey. I'm too young for that. Why are all of these young men growing these long, nasty, unkempt, beards? Some say it's a Hebrew thing. Okay...then just say that. But, dang, his nasty beard drives me bonkers. Love you both and love your videos. Love what you stand for. But, that beard. UGH! Or just be yourself and don't listen to people like me. I'm still gonna watch even if that beard is disgusting. Judge me for saying all this. LOL I already am!!!
theIAMofME He has a beard and she covers for religious reasons. His beard is magnificent, and she is a jewel. I do agree their videos are great. :)
I hate cilantro!