Please beware of scammers. Winners will be EMAILED. I will never comment on a UA-cam video asking for information or asking you to connect on another platform. Shop MIGardener Seeds: migardener.com/jess (Use code JESS10 for 10% off your order) Sign Up for our email list: www.rootsandrefuge/signup
You are always a breath of fresh air Jess. You never fail to make me smile. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! I have always wanted to try MIGardener seeds...it has been fun watching his videos and him open up shop. One day hopefully I can try your suggested seeds from there. I am super curious about heirloom seeds. I am learning so much amazing information from your channel. As always, thanks for being you! 🌻🌱😉
To be honest with you Jess I have never ordered seed online and I am very interested in doing it I was thinking about taking my next step as a gardener and treating myself after the holidays with some beautiful yummy food by buying some seeds and trying something new this year for my beautiful garden hopefully God will bless me through this journey 🙏♥️ thank you for your encouragement and I also forgot to say one thing and happy belated birthday I hope you had a wonderful 36 🎉🎉🥳💜
I love nasturtiums. Every year I hand each of my kiddos a seed packet of Nasturtium and tell them they can plant them anywhere in the yard. It's so fun to see flowers pop up next to sidewalks, around porch steps, falling out of wine barrels. It's become a favorite Springtime tradition.
Nothin better on a cold winter morning than listening to Jess talk about sitting in the dirt on a hot summer day with a box of salt and eating tomatoes straight off the plant. Reminds me of picking fresh tomatoes and peas, with the smell of the rich earth floating around me, in my grandpas garden. Then my grandma and I making us some tomato sandwiches and eating them while sitting on the porch swing and shelling peas. Oh, the wonderful memories that came rushing back at me 😌
Real talk about home grown tomatoes: my son is 3 and not really a picky eater but will pick the tomatoes off of anything you give him (tacos, sandwiches, etc.) but will eat my home grown tomatoes by themselves. Makes a mama feel good about her garden. :)
If you would have told me a year ago that I’d now be obsessed with gardening and watching videos about seeds.. I wouldn’t have believed you lol I love it so much ❤
I'm in this same boat. I did herbs last year and I probably ate $1000 of herbs (overstating of course) but fresh herbs are so d*** expensive. Expanding this year to different vegatables/plants and varieties and if I get an abundance again I'm going to be hooked for life. I'm also very bad with getting discouraged so praying for a good year.
Last year, I let my radishes bloom and go to seed so I could taste the seed pods that you mentioned in an older video. Oh my gosh, they were so amazing!! I'm convinced that this is how God actually meant for radishes to be eaten.
Plants like radishes, mustard, turnips, leaf lettuce, and so many others make so many extra seeds. And if you let the best plants make seeds you get better and better results each year. My grandfather grew 75 lb watermelons by careful seed selection. I have a radish plant in the yard now to see if it survives the massive cold wave and makes more seeds.
Im so grateful to Luke,Cindy and MI Gardner employee family they are doing terrific work and there kindness is so inspiring . Its exactly what we need in these difficult times.
@rootsandrefugefarm2313 Thank you so much I'm not on telegram but I am sincerely touched by your kindness. God bless and have a wonderful Christmas 🙏🎄💞
I agree. My lifelong friend actually works with Luke and Sindy and they are fabulous people! I've also attended their farmers market as a vendor and you couldn't ask for better community involved people 💗
I sure hope MIGardener realized what they've gotten themselves into... (me & other R&R lovers: I'm fixing to order all kinds of stuff I'm gonna try to grow this year) 🤣
I have found Luke's seeds to be SO affordable and have the highest germination rate. I love that i can try to grow something completely different with a $2 investment! I threw some cantelope seeds in the gound last year and was shocked one day..thinking they were leaves only...to literally stumble over a giant cantaloupe bigfer than my head!! It was so good. I got down in there and found a ton of canteloupes almost ready to harvest.
Basil tea will also be in my life for eternity! You weren't kidding when you said "life-changing", and those with whom I've shared, agreed! Love you so much, Jess!
I signed up months ago for this year's seed catalogs from several different sources, have yet to receive any??!? Has anyone else gotten their catalogs or still waiting?
I also follow Luke at MI Gardener and when he had his half-price sale a couple months ago, I felt like a kid again with the old Sears Wish Book (old timers will remember that). I love that his packets are super cheap because I love to experiment and try new varieties. Hopefully I’ll get more rain next spring, cuz in my little odd valley in NE Tennessee it only rained four times-yes FOUR. I felt like I was in the Mojave Desert! Where there are seeds, there is hope!
You are amazing!!! Single handed you saved me. I am struggling with lymphoma in my sinus and can hardly breathe. Depression is a thing. With health issues and a long winter ahead you’ve helped me look beyond the gloom. I have seven 3’ x 6’ vegtrugs on a deck. You literally told me--“Go buy those seeds!!!” Start your plan now!! Thank you Jess. You are such an inspiration.
@@marilynnew2189 This is my second time around in the sinus but this time my eyesight is affected-one eye. I see someone about that tomorrow. I’ll get thru it-I d just like not to have to deal with it. Thank you for your good thoughts.
My father in law called my husband today asking if there was something more extravagant that I wanted for Christmas because all id asked for was "seeds or seed stuff." 😂 I'm blessed with generous in-laws.
My husband told me not to go snooping in his closet before Christmas. "You hiding compost and seeds in your closet?!?" Was my respond cause that's all I asked for😂🤣
MI Gardener seeds are the best! I planted 2-year-old MI seeds, just as a test, and they grew great! Last season I saved seeds and am anxious to see how well they do this coming season!
I'm so glad I decided to wait to finish this video. I'm sitting in silence with the only sounds around me being snoring dogs and brewing coffee, perfect for admiring the Christmas tree being the only light in the house and watching an hour long video about seeds from my favorite local company with Jess💗
😮😮 Girl!! Jess, I’m thinking you’re next book needs to be a cookbook!!! “Cooking with the Garden” I love these ideas you’re sharing at minute 32:00 ❤❤❤
Yes!! Like simple instructions on how she would roast a certain thing vs pan fry, or what herbs and spices she would add. That would be fun! And pictures of what it should even look like prepared for some of these things that a lot of us haven’t seen.
Oh my goodness, I so wish I was able to grow a garden again... I used to help my Granny every year, we grew 2 big gardens and a smaller one close to the house...we shelled pinto beans and purple hull peas and husked corn and cut some off the cob and left some on...we froze things and canned them... Lots of tomato juice, we picked apples & pears and blackberries and strawberries and made jelly and jam... And when I got married my husband and I grew our garden and 40 rose bushes, and hydrangeas and zinnias and peonies, tulips... My yard was so pretty...I have 1 rose, 1 hydrangea, and some gladiolas now... I miss the garden so much❤
Today’s intro is so fitting because I didn’t even have a greenhouse when I started watching Jess a few years ago and today I’m am gardening in it as I watch… 💚
I can't thank you enough for all the inspiration you provide me with! I am a novice gardener and I am hoping to have a homestead soon and dear Lord, you help me so much even from across the ocean and many countries, you provide more knowledge and encouragement than people in my close vicinity. Thank you very much!
I have the privilege of managing a green house in Minnesota that offers around 380 varieties of peppers and 180 varieties of tomatoes as well as other vegetable and flower starts. It's so fun having a huge variety of plants to choose from. We get customers from all over our state and even some from surrounding states. We do not ship plants, but if you're in the twin cities area in May or June, come visit the Hugo Feed Mill to buy unusual tomato and pepper plants.
@@FortNite-jz1wj yes, we're taking applications for the 2023 season. We are open 7 days a week for May and June. I have a few returning employees, but am looking to hire a few more. If you're interested in more information, you can stop by the Feed Mill to pick up an application. I work 10-2 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the store in the winter.
Hi Jess, this is Lori, from Ontario Canada. I love MIGARDENER. They are the only seed company that I have found that will ship to Canada. My homesteading journey was set into hi speed when I lost my job due to Cov**. I watch you and I find you a delight. Keep up the good work!
I love the seeds I buy from MIgardner. I started buying them because I kept seeing them on Utube. Been buying from them ever since. Price is within my range also.
MIGardener is my go-to for my region. I do love his videos. The store is only 2 hours S/E of me, so I can apply what he says to my yard. Grow big or Go home! (Hatching up idea of going to MIGardener, getting pic while wearing a Roots and Refuge T-shirt ... hmmm.)
I have never had a garden before, but this past spring, I put out some marigold plants in a pot on the balcony and they did so well that I am inspired to try vegetables this coming spring. My mom always had a garden, so I grew up eating garden fresh fruits and vegetables and they were so much better than what I can get at the supermarket. They seem to lack that punch of flavor that they used to have. I am so glad that Morgan Gold from Gold-Shaw farm introduced you because you are quickly becoming one of my favorite channels. It's always relaxing to come hang out with you on the homestead. Thanks for taking the time and effort to do these videos, and belated Happy Birthday Jess!
mmmm we are in the frozen snowy north and I am looking forward to growing tomatoes again too. I learned to grow tomatoes from you! and I love them and have no desire to eat store bought tomatoes! I nearly cried for you when you lost your tomatoes from the poor soil last year! may you be blessed by a great tomato year in 2023!
The New Zealand tomato Wherokowai is pronounced fair-ro(with a rolled r) core-fi(strong I sound). In Maori whero means red, and kōwhai means yellow. Awesome to see you growing an NZ variety!
We use eggplant as a mushroom replacement. We peel them and then leech the bitterness out of them, then put them in a marinade made up of beef broth, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, onion powder and then freeze them raw in the marinade and pull them out whenever we want to do beef stroganoff or for Asian dishes. My husband loves mushrooms but is allergic so he like the similar mouth feel and taste.
It's always nice to "hang out" with you for a day when I'm spending a day doing anything gardening or cleaning related and am hanging around the house. Thank you for inviting us into your life and for giving us the opportunity to have you in ours.
The Brandywine tomatoes are tasty. I have never had any issues with them and generally grow the pink and yellow varieties. The yellow is a little less acidic tasting which I find is generally the case with the yellow tomatoes that I have tried.
MIgardener is great! Very affordable, and I love that I’m not wasting seeds with them because I’m never gonna plant 100 tomatoes in a season or two. Also love rare seeds for their crazy amounts of options.
I love MIgardener seeds. I get many seeds and share with family and friends. Plus, I share the produce with family and friends that aren't able to garden for different reasons. LOVE YOUR SEED HAUL VIDOES. Yes, I did just yell that. 😆
Thank you Jess! I have a brand new greenhouse- this will be my first spring growing my own plants. I’ve been gardening longer than you’ve been alive, but I’ve always bought plant starts. Thank you for the encouragement! I’m turning my waiting room into a classroom and it makes me so very happy! I hope your birthday was blessed! 🌺
@@ElderandOakFarm mine is very small, it’s got glass panels. After seeing what high tunnels are, maybe I should’ve went that way? Our veggie garden is only half an acre so I may be ok - here in Northern Michigan we have very distinct growing seasons!
@@robingirven4570 That's a lot of growing space in my opinion! But yes, a greenhouse is mainly for seed starting, maybe putting a couple potted things in the winter in cooler climates, like oranges or lemons, etc. & a high tunnel or hoophouse is mainly for growing actual crops in... I got 2 small hoophouses this year also...
@@robingirven4570 I am in the Thumb, but grew up in Gladwin County. I think your glass panels are great. I am planning to build a greenhouse/high tunnel in about a year. The high winds at my house will require panels instead of plastic. Just be aware of your snow load.
Ah come on, Jess.. i was planning to go through seeds in an hour, my tea is already steeping.. well thank you for that little mind reading! 😁 And thanks for keeping me company while I'm finishing dishes. ❤️
Thank You, for the blast from the past! I am 80yo and remember my trip to the garden with a salt shaker in my pocket. Eating ripe tomatoes off the vine! Oh, my Thanks for your UA-cam channel!
I am one of those people who didn't like tomatoes until I grew them myself. I fell in LOVE with them. Can't get enough. My favorites are ones with black streaks, I love that anthocyanin flavor! I need to grow more red and streaky slicers this year!
Buying/collecting seeds is so addictive! Jess... you are NOT helping. LOL! Love you, your family and your videos so much!! Thank you so very much for all the work it takes to share this great information with us! You are an absolute angel!! God bless you all!!
I’m allergic to eggplant but I still want to grow it because I MUST GROW ALL THE THINGS! 😅 I’ll probably grow it to give away when I graduate from my small garden “classroom” to a larger space.
It's amazing how many people are now starting to pick up on herbal remedies. I'm just starting and planning a separate garden by my house specific to herbs. And adding different tomatoes now to my regular garden. It's my second year and I'm so excited to begin! Spending the winter planning everything! Thanks for all the information!!!
Make sure you add mullein to your list of herbals. Look it up. I first found Mullein in the tea my friends gave me last year when I got sick while visiting for Christmas. It helps the lungs a lot, and does a whole lot of other good things if you have access to the fresh plant.
@@renaebettenhausen3611 I bought a small bottle of it to hold me over until I can grow it. I already got the seeds. 😁 I have two books I'm reading and learning a ton from!
We are moving our herbs from the front to the back this spring, I CANT WAIT! My daughter grows a lot of medicinal herbs 🌿 I do culinary. HAPPY PLANTING!
I used to spend my garden money at Baker Creek, but ever since I saw the video where he was SO thrilled he was able to offer his employees health benefits.... I make a list of what I want and if he has it there, I buy those from him. Only the truly rare seeds come from Baker Creek.
Dear Jess-I bless you with a magnificent, FABULOUS, overwhelming, massive, daunting extraordinary burden of tomato abundance (to make up for two tomatoless years). Looking forward to watching your garden-and you-bloom this coming season.
I love that my favorite content creators buy from Luke MiGardener. As a Michigander, I’ve been watching him for years. I am amazed that you can describe the plants with such detail. Your memory is amazing. Love your videos.
Well heck. I was not planning to buy any seeds; my goal was to work through my stash...an abundance of veg, herb and flower seeds. But your chatting about all the different things you'll be sowing & growing "made" me go to MI Gardener's site and buy a bunch 😑 Looks as if I'll be sharing & donating a bunch of seeds next year! 👍🏾😃
Last year EVERYTHING failed. It was my 7th year gardening here, and I didn't heed the "7th year rest" advice, so my plants did it on their own I guess. So this year coming up, I feel like I am back at ground zero again. Here's to a hopeful season!
I’m in the Canadian north… it’s -45 this week. Here I am sitting and pinning for garden tomatoes LOL. I don’t get to start my garden until June but I start my plants in February in the house because that’s the longest I can wait lol. thank you for feeding my Garden soul with your informative and lovely videos! Can’t wait to see your garden this year!♥️happy belated birthday dear Jess 🎉
My grandparents always ordered their seeds before thanksgiving as well as any tools abd items needed to prepare the ground to plant. Seeds from various plants each have their preferred environment to grow in, they are picky about what their roots are in, picky of not having certain nutrients but way more of a soe ific one at times. My grandpa used to say a seed is like a woman, if you give her the best loving care and environment that suits her personal needs then like a woman the seed will grow and bloom and produces great offspring. Yes, my grandpa said all kinds of quirky things. Heirlooms are what my grandparents always planted in their own garden. The farm was an Idaho russet potato growing farm. My grandparents never fo.lowed the packets exactly for their personal garden. They cut the spacing by 10% less than the packets had on them for the spacing and separated rows by the same spacing. Their garden was like a jungle for us grandkids. It looked like one of those opalescent and bountiful gardens that looks like there was no end to it. They claimed what is on the back are just guidelines.
You are so awesome. Because of you we are growing our own food and getting dairy goats. We are actually homesteading. It is nuts how our lives have changed.
I don't have a big budget that I can spend on seeds, so I developed a whole strategy 😎 When I get paid, I buy 2-3 packets at the local garden store. Most often, this is how I buy flowers, etc. And then for Yule I treat myself and buy a large amount of heirloom seeds, especially tomatoes. I found a great little association that preserves vintage varieties. That's how I stock up on everything during the year, it's not a huge expense all at once, and yet I can afford almost everything I want.
Look into your local library or master gardeners association to see if they do a seed library, free, frequently entire packets or 20-40+ seeds for free. I got started that way and now I share seeds from rare varieties I buy plus I save seeds and donate back.
I so enjoy seed hauls because you share your experience with the seeds, maybe encourage stepping outside the norm to ‘try’ it in our areas. My seeds are already purchased but I’m always open to trying something new! Thank you so much for sharing!
I too love shelling beans!! So much silence and thinking time OR so much conversation while shelling. Brings up so many fond memories with my grandparents and parents and now making new memories with my grandkids. ❤
I have not had the opportunity to try ground cherries, but my local farmers market had "GOLDEN BERRIES" (also like a tomatillo) this summer. I also found them at Grocery Outlet this fall. They have a tangy tropical taste. Love them!
Ma'am if you think I'm going to sit here and watch an hour long video of Jess unboxing seeds ... you are absolutely correct. I'm here for it! Thank you for being our thermostat 🤎
Amen on the joy and taste of homegrown tomatoes! I ran out of space in my garden and placed cherry tomatoes on my back patio last summer in pots where I normally put flowers. Those cherry tomatoes were my favorite thing all summer because I would grab a handful and snack whenever I was out in the yard. Heavenly bites of goodness! So good that very few actually made it into the house,
Well I learned something new today Jess. I have started and grown tomatillo plants for a couple of years. This year I gave 1 plant to two different friends and I couldn’t understand why their plants did not do as well mine and I had multiple. So thank you so much.
Thank you again for all your help with seed selection. I was late viewing this v log and was only able to get half the seeds I wanted. Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, prosperous new year
I dropped what I was doing and got my own seed collection out to go through while watching this. Besides the farm animal births I think these kinds of videos are my favourite. **Can we see the horses again soon??** Merry Christmas to the Sowards family and all the loyal viewers here!
I feel the same way about eggplant. I don’t hate it but the plant itself and flowers are absolutely beautiful. Im glad you shared the seeds you purchased from MIgardner .You and Luke are always very informative. I am going to get back to gardening in 2023 after a 30 years of not. Long story.
If space is an obstacle in growing beans, I highly recommend bean teepees! We grow Blue Lake pole beans on two teepees and always have plenty for fresh eating and plenty to can. My teepees have poles that are 8 feet tall and I have four per teepee. At the base of each pole I plant 5 beans. Five plants per pole. Not only is this a great way to grow these climbers in a compact space, they make an very impressive display in the garden. Tuck a teepee in a corner you wouldn't normally use and enjoy more green beans!
How did you get your teepee beans to grow all around? When I tried the teepee, the beans grew well on one side and shaded the beans on the other side, which just stopped growing. I don't get morning light so thats probably why. 🧐🧐🧐
Thanks so much for the beet recipe! I had beets in my fridge and I kept looking at them and feeling uninspired to try them but we loved your idea to roast and yogurt sauce!
I always make my orders before you drop your seed haul and then I buy more after 😁 I have literally thousands of seeds, all my friends and family know they can come peruse it and have anything they want to try.
I received another order of seeds from MIgardner yesterday. Over the past couple of weeks my seed catalogs have started drifting in. Already mulling about what I want to plant this year and getting my planner set up with dates and reminders. I am so ready for spring.
Please beware of scammers. Winners will be EMAILED. I will never comment on a UA-cam video asking for information or asking you to connect on another platform.
Shop MIGardener Seeds: migardener.com/jess
(Use code JESS10 for 10% off your order)
Sign Up for our email list: www.rootsandrefuge/signup
You are always a breath of fresh air Jess. You never fail to make me smile. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! I have always wanted to try MIGardener seeds...it has been fun watching his videos and him open up shop. One day hopefully I can try your suggested seeds from there. I am super curious about heirloom seeds. I am learning so much amazing information from your channel. As always, thanks for being you! 🌻🌱😉
To be honest with you Jess I have never ordered seed online and I am very interested in doing it I was thinking about taking my next step as a gardener and treating myself after the holidays with some beautiful yummy food by buying some seeds and trying something new this year for my beautiful garden hopefully God will bless me through this journey 🙏♥️ thank you for your encouragement and I also forgot to say one thing and happy belated birthday I hope you had a wonderful 36 🎉🎉🥳💜
I just bought 20 packets of seeds during this video. I couldn’t be more excited!
I'd love to know where you got that mug! So cute!
Seed love 🫶🏼
Does anyone else look at the time on the video and get so excited when you see how long it is? 🥰
YES!!!
Me toooooo!
Yes, I love to see how long I get to hangout with my bestie.
Yes!
Oh you bet, cleaning pan with burned bits was never so enjoyable. 😁
Dad's Sunset is my all-time favorite.
"Friends don't open seeds without sharing with their friends." Love this! :)
Me too💚💚💚. I buy most of my seeds from mi gardener and from mi. Plus I save my own🤩. Nice to see a local Michigander on Jess’s channel.
Same!!!! It's so exciting!
I love this! I just filmed a couple see hauls too and was thinking the same thing.
I might be weird, but there's something sweet about the sound a dog drinking water. A moment of camera time with your dog would be great. ❤️
Us: Beets taste like dirt
Jess: Beets taste like the smell after rain
Us: OK WE WILL EAT THEM😂😂
( We 💕 you! Great Video)
Lol this is so funny
😂❤
They do taste like dirt though lol
An hour long seed haul with Jess? Yes, please!!!!
Almost an hour of talking about seeds with my favorite gardener?!?!?! Heck yes!!!!
I love nasturtiums. Every year I hand each of my kiddos a seed packet of Nasturtium and tell them they can plant them anywhere in the yard. It's so fun to see flowers pop up next to sidewalks, around porch steps, falling out of wine barrels. It's become a favorite Springtime tradition.
This is beautiful! They will remember this sweet tradition always 🌺
@@nikkireigns I sure hope so 🌱💚
Nothin better on a cold winter morning than listening to Jess talk about sitting in the dirt on a hot summer day with a box of salt and eating tomatoes straight off the plant. Reminds me of picking fresh tomatoes and peas, with the smell of the rich earth floating around me, in my grandpas garden. Then my grandma and I making us some tomato sandwiches and eating them while sitting on the porch swing and shelling peas. Oh, the wonderful memories that came rushing back at me 😌
Her story made my heart happy
Jess, I loved this video. It was so informative. Thanks.❤️
The beautiful sensation of eating produce directly from the Garden is there anything even better?
thank you for your strength and vulnerability ✨💞 you send waves of courage, light, love, joy and kindness in so many ways.
Real talk about home grown tomatoes: my son is 3 and not really a picky eater but will pick the tomatoes off of anything you give him (tacos, sandwiches, etc.) but will eat my home grown tomatoes by themselves. Makes a mama feel good about her garden. :)
Mine was that way with broccoli.
If you would have told me a year ago that I’d now be obsessed with gardening and watching videos about seeds.. I wouldn’t have believed you lol I love it so much ❤
Sarah! I’m right there with you. Maybe 5 years ago:) but same idea, life has changed and so has the way I spend my free time.
I'm in this same boat. I did herbs last year and I probably ate $1000 of herbs (overstating of course) but fresh herbs are so d*** expensive. Expanding this year to different vegatables/plants and varieties and if I get an abundance again I'm going to be hooked for life.
I'm also very bad with getting discouraged so praying for a good year.
Do I have an hour at work to watch and listen to Jess? Why Yes! Yes I do! LOL
Last year, I let my radishes bloom and go to seed so I could taste the seed pods that you mentioned in an older video. Oh my gosh, they were so amazing!! I'm convinced that this is how God actually meant for radishes to be eaten.
Plants like radishes, mustard, turnips, leaf lettuce, and so many others make so many extra seeds. And if you let the best plants make seeds you get better and better results each year. My grandfather grew 75 lb watermelons by careful seed selection. I have a radish plant in the yard now to see if it survives the massive cold wave and makes more seeds.
Right! I let my radish go to seed, not on purpose, the pods were great.
Radish are great be ccause all of it is edible. I usually blanch and freeze the leaves for extra greens in the winter :3
Im so grateful to Luke,Cindy and MI Gardner employee family they are doing terrific work and there kindness is so inspiring . Its exactly what we need in these difficult times.
@rootsandrefugefarm2313 Thank you so much I'm not on telegram but I am sincerely touched by your kindness. God bless and have a wonderful Christmas 🙏🎄💞
I agree. My lifelong friend actually works with Luke and Sindy and they are fabulous people! I've also attended their farmers market as a vendor and you couldn't ask for better community involved people 💗
@@loveandlighthomestead1915 Where do they live so that we can attend their farmer's market to buy their produce?
Loved the Star Wars reference. "These are not the tomatoes you are looking for". 😂
51:15 my mouth just started watering when you said fried greens tomatoes! 🎉❤
I sure hope MIGardener realized what they've gotten themselves into... (me & other R&R lovers: I'm fixing to order all kinds of stuff I'm gonna try to grow this year) 🤣
Some of her recommendations are sold out. Already lol!
I have found Luke's seeds to be SO affordable and have the highest germination rate. I love that i can try to grow something completely different with a $2 investment! I threw some cantelope seeds in the gound last year and was shocked one day..thinking they were leaves only...to literally stumble over a giant cantaloupe bigfer than my head!! It was so good.
I got down in there and found a ton of canteloupes almost ready to harvest.
Basil tea will also be in my life for eternity! You weren't kidding when you said "life-changing", and those with whom I've shared, agreed! Love you so much, Jess!
I am so excited to have my Rareseeds catalog. 500 pages of beauty!
I signed up months ago for this year's seed catalogs from several different sources, have yet to receive any??!? Has anyone else gotten their catalogs or still waiting?
I also follow Luke at MI Gardener and when he had his half-price sale a couple months ago, I felt like a kid again with the old Sears Wish Book (old timers will remember that). I love that his packets are super cheap because I love to experiment and try new varieties.
Hopefully I’ll get more rain next spring, cuz in my little odd valley in NE Tennessee it only rained four times-yes FOUR.
I felt like I was in the Mojave Desert!
Where there are seeds, there is hope!
You are amazing!!! Single handed you saved me. I am struggling with lymphoma in my sinus and can hardly breathe. Depression is a thing. With health issues and a long winter ahead you’ve helped me look beyond the gloom. I have seven 3’ x 6’ vegtrugs on a deck. You literally told me--“Go buy those seeds!!!” Start your plan now!! Thank you Jess. You are such an inspiration.
❤❤❤ you can do it!!
❤ 🙏
🙏
Hang in there. I've had lymphoma and they can do marvelous things now. Mine was 17 years ago. My thoughts are with you.
@@marilynnew2189 This is my second time around in the sinus but this time my eyesight is affected-one eye. I see someone about that tomorrow. I’ll get thru it-I d just like not to have to deal with it. Thank you for your good thoughts.
My father in law called my husband today asking if there was something more extravagant that I wanted for Christmas because all id asked for was "seeds or seed stuff." 😂 I'm blessed with generous in-laws.
Now's the time to ask for a BIG gift certificate to a garden center, or bigger scale/nicer hand tools, leather gloves etc.
Ask for a greenstalk or something! 🎉
My husband told me not to go snooping in his closet before Christmas. "You hiding compost and seeds in your closet?!?" Was my respond cause that's all I asked for😂🤣
Getting pumped seeing the seed haul videos, watch out seasonal depression, Jess is coming at ya 🥰 😂😂😂
Girl!! When are going to write a cookbook!!!! 🥰
Roasting root vegetables was a complete game changer for my family. I've always loved them but my kids LOVE them now that we roast them!
MI Gardener seeds are the best! I planted 2-year-old MI seeds, just as a test, and they grew great! Last season I saved seeds and am anxious to see how well they do this coming season!
I grew 3+ year old MI gardener seeds last year and had great germination.
Most seeds (stored properly) should produce for many years...my 2022 garden was largely grown from 4 year old seeds from Johnny's and Baker Creek.
Most seeds remain viable for many years.
A good chunk of seeds I planted this past summer were from Migardener and they were 4 years old and I had almost perfect germination.
Sounds awesome I’m just getting in to seed saving. This will be my first year to try and save. Let me know how you seeds turned out?
Jess, Unintentionally making my mouth water with her description of a Multi variety tomato sandwich.🤤
I'm so glad I decided to wait to finish this video. I'm sitting in silence with the only sounds around me being snoring dogs and brewing coffee, perfect for admiring the Christmas tree being the only light in the house and watching an hour long video about seeds from my favorite local company with Jess💗
Learning that two of my favorite garden UA-cam teachers are buds has totally made my day
😮😮 Girl!! Jess, I’m thinking you’re next book needs to be a cookbook!!!
“Cooking with the Garden”
I love these ideas you’re sharing at minute 32:00 ❤❤❤
Yes!! Like simple instructions on how she would roast a certain thing vs pan fry, or what herbs and spices she would add. That would be fun! And pictures of what it should even look like prepared for some of these things that a lot of us haven’t seen.
Yes!
That’s a great idea. From seed to plate. I would definitely buy that book.
Oh my goodness, I so wish I was able to grow a garden again... I used to help my Granny every year, we grew 2 big gardens and a smaller one close to the house...we shelled pinto beans and purple hull peas and husked corn and cut some off the cob and left some on...we froze things and canned them... Lots of tomato juice, we picked apples & pears and blackberries and strawberries and made jelly and jam... And when I got married my husband and I grew our garden and 40 rose bushes, and hydrangeas and zinnias and peonies, tulips... My yard was so pretty...I have 1 rose, 1 hydrangea, and some gladiolas now... I miss the garden so much❤
Today’s intro is so fitting because I didn’t even have a greenhouse when I started watching Jess a few years ago and today I’m am gardening in it as I watch… 💚
I can't thank you enough for all the inspiration you provide me with! I am a novice gardener and I am hoping to have a homestead soon and dear Lord, you help me so much even from across the ocean and many countries, you provide more knowledge and encouragement than people in my close vicinity. Thank you very much!
I have the privilege of managing a green house in Minnesota that offers around 380 varieties of peppers and 180 varieties of tomatoes as well as other vegetable and flower starts. It's so fun having a huge variety of plants to choose from. We get customers from all over our state and even some from surrounding states. We do not ship plants, but if you're in the twin cities area in May or June, come visit the Hugo Feed Mill to buy unusual tomato and pepper plants.
I'm in St Paul, I'll see you there!
I got my peppers and tomatoes from the Hugo feed mill this year! I was very impressed and will be back! Are you looking for new employees? 😉
@@FortNite-jz1wj yes, we're taking applications for the 2023 season. We are open 7 days a week for May and June. I have a few returning employees, but am looking to hire a few more. If you're interested in more information, you can stop by the Feed Mill to pick up an application. I work 10-2 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the store in the winter.
Thank you Jill!
Hi Jess, this is Lori, from Ontario Canada. I love MIGARDENER. They are the only seed company that I have found that will ship to Canada. My homesteading journey was set into hi speed when I lost my job due to Cov**. I watch you and I find you a delight. Keep up the good work!
I love the seeds I buy from MIgardner. I started buying them because I kept seeing them on Utube. Been buying from them ever since. Price is within my range also.
MIGardener is my go-to for my region. I do love his videos. The store is only 2 hours S/E of me, so I can apply what he says to my yard. Grow big or Go home! (Hatching up idea of going to MIGardener, getting pic while wearing a Roots and Refuge T-shirt ... hmmm.)
I have never had a garden before, but this past spring, I put out some marigold plants in a pot on the balcony and they did so well that I am inspired to try vegetables this coming spring. My mom always had a garden, so I grew up eating garden fresh fruits and vegetables and they were so much better than what I can get at the supermarket. They seem to lack that punch of flavor that they used to have. I am so glad that Morgan Gold from Gold-Shaw farm introduced you because you are quickly becoming one of my favorite channels. It's always relaxing to come hang out with you on the homestead. Thanks for taking the time and effort to do these videos, and belated Happy Birthday Jess!
Happy belated birthday Jess!🌻❤️🇨🇦👋
mmmm we are in the frozen snowy north and I am looking forward to growing tomatoes again too. I learned to grow tomatoes from you! and I love them and have no desire to eat store bought tomatoes! I nearly cried for you when you lost your tomatoes from the poor soil last year! may you be blessed by a great tomato year in 2023!
IT DOES **NOT** GET ANY BETTER THAN SITTING HEARING A FRIEND GO ON N ON WITH HER SEEDS XOXOXO LOVE YOU EVERY DAY 😍🥰🥰🥰
The New Zealand tomato Wherokowai is pronounced fair-ro(with a rolled r) core-fi(strong I sound). In Maori whero means red, and kōwhai means yellow. Awesome to see you growing an NZ variety!
Love MI Gardener and his seeds. What a wonderful gift. Good Luck everyone.
We use eggplant as a mushroom replacement. We peel them and then leech the bitterness out of them, then put them in a marinade made up of beef broth, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, onion powder and then freeze them raw in the marinade and pull them out whenever we want to do beef stroganoff or for Asian dishes. My husband loves mushrooms but is allergic so he like the similar mouth feel and taste.
It's always nice to "hang out" with you for a day when I'm spending a day doing anything gardening or cleaning related and am hanging around the house. Thank you for inviting us into your life and for giving us the opportunity to have you in ours.
The Brandywine tomatoes are tasty. I have never had any issues with them and generally grow the pink and yellow varieties. The yellow is a little less acidic tasting which I find is generally the case with the yellow tomatoes that I have tried.
Paul Robeson will always be in my garden, even if I can only grow one tomato plant. Thanks for sharing your haul Jess, and even more so, your time.
So excited to get Almost an hour of Jess
MIgardener is great! Very affordable, and I love that I’m not wasting seeds with them because I’m never gonna plant 100 tomatoes in a season or two. Also love rare seeds for their crazy amounts of options.
I love MIgardener seeds. I get many seeds and share with family and friends. Plus, I share the produce with family and friends that aren't able to garden for different reasons. LOVE YOUR SEED HAUL VIDOES. Yes, I did just yell that. 😆
Thank you Jess! I have a brand new greenhouse- this will be my first spring growing my own plants. I’ve been gardening longer than you’ve been alive, but I’ve always bought plant starts. Thank you for the encouragement! I’m turning my waiting room into a classroom and it makes me so very happy! I hope your birthday was blessed! 🌺
Congratulations on your greenhouse!!❤
Congrats! I just got my first greenhouse also! 👏
@@ElderandOakFarm mine is very small, it’s got glass panels. After seeing what high tunnels are, maybe I should’ve went that way? Our veggie garden is only half an acre so I may be ok - here in Northern Michigan we have very distinct growing seasons!
@@robingirven4570 That's a lot of growing space in my opinion! But yes, a greenhouse is mainly for seed starting, maybe putting a couple potted things in the winter in cooler climates, like oranges or lemons, etc. & a high tunnel or hoophouse is mainly for growing actual crops in... I got 2 small hoophouses this year also...
@@robingirven4570 I am in the Thumb, but grew up in Gladwin County. I think your glass panels are great. I am planning to build a greenhouse/high tunnel in about a year. The high winds at my house will require panels instead of plastic. Just be aware of your snow load.
Love Migardener! I took advantage of their end of season sale!
Ah come on, Jess.. i was planning to go through seeds in an hour, my tea is already steeping.. well thank you for that little mind reading! 😁 And thanks for keeping me company while I'm finishing dishes. ❤️
Enjoy!
I always watch Roots and Refuge videos while washing dishes!! Makes me feel like Jess is in my kitchen just chatting with me.
Jess is the BEST dish doing partner ❤️
Thank You, for the blast from the past! I am 80yo and remember my trip to the garden with a salt shaker in my pocket. Eating ripe tomatoes off the vine! Oh, my Thanks for your UA-cam channel!
I am one of those people who didn't like tomatoes until I grew them myself. I fell in LOVE with them. Can't get enough. My favorites are ones with black streaks, I love that anthocyanin flavor! I need to grow more red and streaky slicers this year!
Buying/collecting seeds is so addictive! Jess... you are NOT helping. LOL! Love you, your family and your videos so much!! Thank you so very much for all the work it takes to share this great information with us! You are an absolute angel!! God bless you all!!
Oh man. Now I really want to have some garden snacks of ground cherries, some okra, some cherry tomatoes…😋
I’m allergic to eggplant but I still want to grow it because I MUST GROW ALL THE THINGS! 😅
I’ll probably grow it to give away when I graduate from my small garden “classroom” to a larger space.
Sour cream and chives is my favorite beet topping.
It's amazing how many people are now starting to pick up on herbal remedies. I'm just starting and planning a separate garden by my house specific to herbs. And adding different tomatoes now to my regular garden. It's my second year and I'm so excited to begin! Spending the winter planning everything! Thanks for all the information!!!
Make sure you add mullein to your list of herbals. Look it up. I first found Mullein in the tea my friends gave me last year when I got sick while visiting for Christmas. It helps the lungs a lot, and does a whole lot of other good things if you have access to the fresh plant.
@@renaebettenhausen3611 I bought a small bottle of it to hold me over until I can grow it. I already got the seeds. 😁 I have two books I'm reading and learning a ton from!
We are moving our herbs from the front to the back this spring, I CANT WAIT! My daughter grows a lot of medicinal herbs 🌿 I do culinary. HAPPY PLANTING!
Well learned about your channel from Luke @MIgardener he spoke highly of you. So figured I'd take a watch. Glad I did.
I used to spend my garden money at Baker Creek, but ever since I saw the video where he was SO thrilled he was able to offer his employees health benefits.... I make a list of what I want and if he has it there, I buy those from him. Only the truly rare seeds come from Baker Creek.
Dear Jess-I bless you with a magnificent, FABULOUS, overwhelming, massive, daunting extraordinary burden of tomato abundance (to make up for two tomatoless years). Looking forward to watching your garden-and you-bloom this coming season.
Thank you Jessica Sowards for being our Teacher and blessing others
I love that my favorite content creators buy from Luke MiGardener. As a Michigander, I’ve been watching him for years. I am amazed that you can describe the plants with such detail. Your memory is amazing. Love your videos.
Well heck. I was not planning to buy any seeds; my goal was to work through my stash...an abundance of veg, herb and flower seeds. But your chatting about all the different things you'll be sowing & growing "made" me go to MI Gardener's site and buy a bunch 😑
Looks as if I'll be sharing & donating a bunch of seeds next year! 👍🏾😃
Paul Robson tomato has become my favorite as well.
Last year EVERYTHING failed. It was my 7th year gardening here, and I didn't heed the "7th year rest" advice, so my plants did it on their own I guess. So this year coming up, I feel like I am back at ground zero again. Here's to a hopeful season!
Me too! I tested my 7th year garden soil and it was depleted across the board! Adding lots of compost and hoping for a better 2023 garden!
I’m in the Canadian north… it’s -45 this week. Here I am sitting and pinning for garden tomatoes LOL. I don’t get to start my garden until June but I start my plants in February in the house because that’s the longest I can wait lol. thank you for feeding my Garden soul with your informative and lovely videos! Can’t wait to see your garden this year!♥️happy belated birthday dear Jess 🎉
I LOVE Luke. I’ve been getting seeds from him for several years now. Almost 100% germination. Love when I see you promoting.
My grandparents always ordered their seeds before thanksgiving as well as any tools abd items needed to prepare the ground to plant.
Seeds from various plants each have their preferred environment to grow in, they are picky about what their roots are in, picky of not having certain nutrients but way more of a soe ific one at times. My grandpa used to say a seed is like a woman, if you give her the best loving care and environment that suits her personal needs then like a woman the seed will grow and bloom and produces great offspring. Yes, my grandpa said all kinds of quirky things.
Heirlooms are what my grandparents always planted in their own garden.
The farm was an Idaho russet potato growing farm.
My grandparents never fo.lowed the packets exactly for their personal garden. They cut the spacing by 10% less than the packets had on them for the spacing and separated rows by the same spacing. Their garden was like a jungle for us grandkids. It looked like one of those opalescent and bountiful gardens that looks like there was no end to it. They claimed what is on the back are just guidelines.
@rootsandrefugefarm2313 I do not even have telegram. See my channel about.
You are so awesome. Because of you we are growing our own food and getting dairy goats. We are actually homesteading. It is nuts how our lives have changed.
I'm glad there are do many others that get a feeling of pure joy and giddiness from seeds. Something so simple, that provides endless joy.
I don't have a big budget that I can spend on seeds, so I developed a whole strategy 😎
When I get paid, I buy 2-3 packets at the local garden store. Most often, this is how I buy flowers, etc. And then for Yule I treat myself and buy a large amount of heirloom seeds, especially tomatoes. I found a great little association that preserves vintage varieties.
That's how I stock up on everything during the year, it's not a huge expense all at once, and yet I can afford almost everything I want.
Look into your local library or master gardeners association to see if they do a seed library, free, frequently entire packets or 20-40+ seeds for free. I got started that way and now I share seeds from rare varieties I buy plus I save seeds and donate back.
Where I live, we don't have such options yet, but that hasn't stopped a few of us enthusiasts from exchanging seeds and experiences.
Just caught your first seed video for growing in 2023 and it made be so happy, thank you!
I so enjoy seed hauls because you share your experience with the seeds, maybe encourage stepping outside the norm to ‘try’ it in our areas. My seeds are already purchased but I’m always open to trying something new! Thank you so much for sharing!
I too love shelling beans!! So much silence and thinking time OR so much conversation while shelling. Brings up so many fond memories with my grandparents and parents and now making new memories with my grandkids. ❤
I have not had the opportunity to try ground cherries, but my local farmers market had "GOLDEN BERRIES" (also like a tomatillo) this summer. I also found them at Grocery Outlet this fall. They have a tangy tropical taste. Love them!
I love talking about seeds, so share away anytime!
I love when Luke has his 1/2 price sales. I bought Kellog's Breakfast tomato seeds because of your recommendation. Also a few new veggies.
I love MIgardener. I only buy seeds from Luke. I love the fertilizer as well.
My grandmother made a mashed rutabaga and potato mash that was great. It's a wonderful combination.
Ma'am if you think I'm going to sit here and watch an hour long video of Jess unboxing seeds ... you are absolutely correct. I'm here for it! Thank you for being our thermostat 🤎
Happy Belated Birthday!!! Whoop! Whoopp! Praise GOD for another year.
I agree. Homegrown tomato is 1000% better than store bought. Love your seed selection.
Thank you have all hubby's family in Downriver, Trenton Michigan. I've watched MI gardener. This is great. Thank you. God bless 🙏❤️
Aunt Ruby’s German Green and Brad’s Atomic Grape were hands down my favorite tomatoes last year both in flavor and in blight resistance.
Amen on the joy and taste of homegrown tomatoes! I ran out of space in my garden and placed cherry tomatoes on my back patio last summer in pots where I normally put flowers. Those cherry tomatoes were my favorite thing all summer because I would grab a handful and snack whenever I was out in the yard. Heavenly bites of goodness! So good that very few actually made it into the house,
Well I learned something new today Jess. I have started and grown tomatillo plants for a couple of years. This year I gave 1 plant to two different friends and I couldn’t understand why their plants did not do as well mine and I had multiple. So thank you so much.
Thank you again for all your help with seed selection. I was late viewing this v log and was only able to get half the seeds I wanted. Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, prosperous new year
I dropped what I was doing and got my own seed collection out to go through while watching this. Besides the farm animal births I think these kinds of videos are my favourite. **Can we see the horses again soon??** Merry Christmas to the Sowards family and all the loyal viewers here!
I feel the same way about eggplant. I don’t hate it but the plant itself and flowers are absolutely beautiful. Im glad you shared the seeds you purchased from MIgardner .You and Luke are always very informative. I am going to get back to gardening in 2023 after a 30 years of not. Long story.
If space is an obstacle in growing beans, I highly recommend bean teepees! We grow Blue Lake pole beans on two teepees and always have plenty for fresh eating and plenty to can. My teepees have poles that are 8 feet tall and I have four per teepee. At the base of each pole I plant 5 beans. Five plants per pole. Not only is this a great way to grow these climbers in a compact space, they make an very impressive display in the garden. Tuck a teepee in a corner you wouldn't normally use and enjoy more green beans!
How did you get your teepee beans to grow all around? When I tried the teepee, the beans grew well on one side and shaded the beans on the other side, which just stopped growing. I don't get morning light so thats probably why. 🧐🧐🧐
Thanks for the information on peppers being heavy feeders. This answers my question as to why my peppers were small this year.
Thanks so much for the beet recipe! I had beets in my fridge and I kept looking at them and feeling uninspired to try them but we loved your idea to roast and yogurt sauce!
I love talking about seeds. 😊 spring will be right around the corner
I always make my orders before you drop your seed haul and then I buy more after 😁 I have literally thousands of seeds, all my friends and family know they can come peruse it and have anything they want to try.
My daughter age 9 adds a basil leaf to all her water bottles she takes to school.. she loves it!
I was today years old when I realized you use basil in tea!? Now I find out you can put it in WATER!? Great. Now I need to buy more seeds🤣
I received another order of seeds from MIgardner yesterday. Over the past couple of weeks my seed catalogs have started drifting in. Already mulling about what I want to plant this year and getting my planner set up with dates and reminders. I am so ready for spring.
What an amazing gift away! I LOVE what Luke is doing and I'm looking forward to attending the grand opening at the new MiGardener location!