Our Food Growing Journey Starts NOW! Transforming our Abandoned Vegetable Garden with No Dig Beds
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- Опубліковано 4 чер 2024
- This week we’re preparing our abandoned vegetable garden to be ready to grow our own food this year. Our dream is to one day have our own small holding and live off the land… but for now, this is our answer to provide for ourselves whilst floating nearby in our little narrowboat off-grid home.
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ABOUT US
We’re Jack + Gabby and we live on our narrowboat on the UK canals. We’re currently building our floating home to be fully off-grid and powered by the sun.
If you'd like to read more about our journey into slow and seasonal living, you can find our blog, recipes and sustainable living guides via this link: thistiny.life
We also regularly post on Instagram with content varying from boat life to foraging tips and sharing our simple living lifestyle: / thistiny.life
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We'd love to have you onboard and thank you for checking out this video!
Jack + Gabby xxx
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VIDEO LINKS 🔗
If you’re looking for something to watch next, how about trying out some of these?
Daily Life on a Narrowboat with a Baby: We’re 4 Months In • Daily Life on a Narrow...
After 5 years of boat life, it’s time for something new. The start of our allotment journey.
• After 5 Years of Boat ...
A Life-Changing Week on our Narrowboat - • A Life Changing Week o...
Time to Keep Cosy! The Reality of Narrowboat Life in Winter - • Time to Keep Cosy! The...
How We Transformed An Empty Boat Into Our Off-grid Tiny Home - • How We Transformed An ...
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⏱ CHAPTERS:
00:00 Chapter 1
04:28 Chapter 2
07:59 Chapter 3
12:16 Chapter 4
16:00 Chapter 5
I recently moved to Wales so had to leave my allotment in London. My new allotment in Wales is in a terrible state, am taking delivery of my shed tomorrow so once I have that in can spend more time there. You are doing great. Am more than happy to come and help you out for a day in exchange for tea and food.
Your such a nice guy Sean 😊
Thank you Sean! That's really kind, I hope your plot is coming along well! It's been tricky to dodge the weather so far this year... Many of our seedlings are looking a little leggy so will have to get sowing some more soon. Bit more compost needs lugging first!
You're doing fine, you've just had a baby, you're still fitting out the boat, taken on an allotment, that's a lot all at the same time. The greenhouse will be great to shelter from the weather, somewhere safe for Tilly to sleep while you're working as well as for growing things on.
Big hugs to the 4 of you. xx 🏴
You are doing great, well don't 👏 Thanks for sharing u are all very sweet human beings 😊 ❤
Well done 😅I mean😂❤
This is the dream I have living in a nice little house with some land to grow our own food. Just have to be happy with the allotment that I have at the moment 😂
Echoed!
Omg, I laughed and laughed at your green house construction, sorry 😂😂😂😂 You four are so sweet. Thank you for another wonderful video.
We get there in the end 😅😅 thank you ✨
And that Gaby managed it with Joubert napping safely throughout too, hats off 🤓
I honestly don't know how you guys have so much energy and drive - I'm tired just watching you! 😅
Hahaha we're frazzled wrecks 99% of the time!
Request for update in regards to reuseable nappies (if you chose that option) and reuseable wipes, did you buy any secondhand, what the challenges have been or if you compromised with green eco disposables…and how living on the canal has affected this! Would love to know how yous have got on either way! (Please remember all that matters is yours and your son’s happiness, doing a grand job with the allotment, you are great parents x Many Thanks!
Hey Chelsea! We will probably do a video in a bit more detail about the ups and downs of a newborn on a narrowboat. But for now - we are using reusable nappies most of the time, and always use reusable wipes. All of our nappies are second hand, the wipes are new (these are just mini flannels really!). Had a mix of luck with the second hand nappies - have had to throw a few out after realising they leak right through but overall they've been in good condition! We've not quite nailed the reusables yet though, there are so many varieties and I'm not totally settled on the type we're using (prefolds and separate outer wraps) as the fiddly nature can add unnecessary stress to changing time.... But it's a satisfying feeling knowing just how many nappies we're saving from landfill!! We have disposables on hand for when we've not been able to wash the nappies etc. Still feels a learning curve but we'll get there! super long comment there 😅 Gabby xx
Well done guys, looks like some hard work! 💪🏻
Thanks you two 🥰🥰
Jack, don't feel bad about the compost bags. You can reuse the bags and grow potatoes in them. I used a big plant pot for mine and that worked fantastic. Good luck with the allotment.
Lovely video and well done with glass house. I think reusing plastic bags on soil will make soil 'sour' my old father in law said. Just check before using. Your garden bed are brilliant, whish mine were as smart looking. 😊 Look forward to next episode.
Thank you 🌱
Hi Jack and Gabby. Just found your channel and very much enjoyed my very first episode. I too allotment with a miniature schnauzer - slightly more yappy than your lovely girl. I feel your pain with the cellotape! I also have a second hand greenhouse - it has been languishing on the plot for a year because I don't have a clue 🤣 Was nice to see you succeed with yours. And yes surprising how much compost you need! You did a super job on the plot 👍
Hey! Thanks so much. Ah don't be fooled... She can be a loud mouth when she wants 😅🐾 amazing how similar temperaments all schnauzers seem to have!
I’ve seen people really struggle putting up those greenhouses, brand new , with instructions. I give you guys so much credit for even trying. Well done!
Thank you!! We had no idea before we started 😅
Well done Jack, yur getting it up and running & it will keep you fit as well! Happy days!! 😊🤗
Thank you! 😀
It’s looking great guys. ❤
Thank you 🥰
You guys are SO lucky! You have dandelions!! Do you know that if you have a headache, you can just eat a dandelion flower and your headache will go away! Every part of it is edible and good for some specific reason. I think I live in the only place in the world that doesn't grow dandelions!😢 So sad!
Gabby, I love those pants you're wearing! Very artsy!
You must be very strong carrying your baby on your back like that!
And Jack looks good with his new hair cut!
Ohh, when all else fails, read the directions?
You got the tune right!
The rhubarb sauce looks delicious! Have y'all ever tried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? If not, there is a right way -- Jif peanut butter and lots of jelly or jam with a glass of milk! Fabulous!
Yay! The greenhouse looks good.
If you ever find old windows, they can be used to make a greenhouse too! 0:02 💕
It's been a good year for the dandelions! We might have a video coming out about them soon 😉 I've even heard you can use the root as a coffee substitute when roasted
This is so beautiful....❤❤❤
Thank you.🥰
A suggestion to help your channel grow, do some shorts in between videos. They don’t have to be new but a capture of part of a video about 30 secs to 1 minute long.
Once we have time...
Compost bags are fantastic for spuds! Looks great. Hats off for getting that greenhouse up!
Thank you! I'm interested in this compost bag spud plan?
@@thistinylifehalf filled bag with compost. Place chitted potatoes on the compost. Cover several inches then keep topping up when shoots appear. One way of doing it. Loads of info on line 👍
Great little family keeping life real. Well done 😊😊😊
Thank you 😊
I got an allotment in August, so I know how you feel about slow progress - it’s been a seriously soggy Winter!
I’m sure you probably already know this, but I think the plinth on your greenhouse needs replacing! Metal ones are crazy expensive, so I used some heat-treated 3x3’s and screwed the greenhouse frame onto it - it works perfectly!
Also, you might need to get some ground anchors to stop it flying away in a storm, it depends how windy the site is - I’ve even had to silicone in my glass panes because I lost so many each time we had a storm 🥲
I’ve done a similar thing with the cardboard in the raised bed, and my compost has sunk SO much in these past couple of weeks, so you may need to haul even more in the future.
Don’t get too down about the progress, you’re all doing great! ☺️
It's been such a soggy winter and still so cold, a lot of our seedlings have gone leggy which is a shame. Feel like we're very behind with the planting! The plinth should be fine, it's rusted in a few places but will take a long time before it crumbles. It's firmly anchored with stakes and the soil will build up around the frame.
Not looking forward to lugging more compost! It's cost a small fortune already haha Need to get our own bins up and running asap!
@@thistinylife I know what you mean, I keep telling myself it won’t be quite as expensive next year because everything will be set up!
I’m sure the leggy seedlings will make it 🤞
Always a joy to watch. You all make me smile 😊
Thank you Ruth! ☺️☺️
Lovely vlog as always. The shots of the bumble bees and snails were so cute. I guess you're going to be organic, how will cope with slugs and snails. I can't harm anything in my garden, so just don't grow things that they eat, hence I don't grow veg. (tiny garden 🙂)
There's a few slugs and snails, I have a mixed view on them really! I don't really want them munching on our plants, but also if something isn't nibbling on them then you're not part of the 'eco system'. Most of the slug control will most likely be me with a torch and picking them off, or using coffee grounds around seedlings. I also hope we have a decent level of natural predators - hedgehogs and frogs etc!
It's coming along brilliantly 👌. Just wanted to say how lovely your filming is too... such a great watch you guys 🙏😁🐾💖
That's lovely to hear, thanks so much for commenting ✨
I have two allotment plots on the go. Its really hard work, but the benefits far outweigh that. You have the satisfaction of growing your own produce, plus save money on fruit and veg once its ready for harvest. Keep going, youre doing a grand job. 😊😊
Great job guys! Love your raised garden beds...we have four and there the best thing I've done...you can grow lots of food in one bed...I bet Joel is getting a little heavy for Gabby to carry around, he's getting big...cant wait to see what you plant...Have a great week ❤
They seem a good idea just to mentally plot out where everything will be! The amount of seeds we've ordered is ridiculous.... Let's see how much we can fit! 🌱
Step by step and before you know it you’ll have a garden. : )
Little by little!
Well done the allotment is really beginning to come together and all your hard work is going to pay off when your enjoying all your delicious home grown food. I'm just as excited as you all are watching this journey. Have a wonderful week xx
Thank you for such a lovely comment! It's beginning to get there :) we've just had our seeds delivered, might have slightly over ordered haha!
Please don't use plastic to go down as a weed block over the ground. You don't want plastic to breakdown into the soil. It will be taken up in your plants that your growing. 💖🌳🐦🐝🌄
You can use cardboard as weed blocker.
We are also using empty compost bags, turned inside out to grow potatoes in again this year, also we are using compost bags to line hanging baskets, I just prodded holes all over the bag once filled with compost and plants.
Great progress with the allotment 😊
Thank you! It's getting there 🙂
With teething try having some ice cold water in the fridge, then massage it on his gums with your finger, it will help but even ice cold juice will work, the action of massaging and the cold will help with the teething,
My brother has moved to a small holding and has just put up a 40ft Polytunnel, It will be worth all your hard work to have space to grow what you like. Will you sell what you grow? 😊
That's a whopper! We've just done our seed order and have gone slightly over the top with the amount we've bought haha! Good luck to your brother, is he in the UK? We probably won't be able to produce enough to sell and I think legally it gets a bit complicated. More hopeful to barter a few items away! Hopefully we will have some honey at some point soon from the bees!
@@thistinylife
My brother is in Pembroke shire, they both have been growing stuff for years and they make chutneys and jams and pickles. I'm sure you will do well, it's good for your health mentally and physically. Really enjoy your vlogs, hope your family are well.😊
Your allotment looks great already and it is very interesting to see, how it grows❤️
Thank you! We can't wait to get the first seeds planted in the beds! Hopefully it'll be this weekend 🙂
Well done that lad for perseverance .
Rhubarb, you luck thing, there's nothing nicer than rhubarb and custard.
Grow some radishes, they are so easy.
Jack's favourite! Radishes are going to have a HUGE reserved spot 😅
Awww you are both doing grand wish you all the luck in the world for growing yr veg hope the weather improves very soon so you can get going luv to all four from yr oldies tc now xxxx🤗🤗🤗🤗
Thank you!! Had a glorious bit of sun today but sadly not sticking around!
That’s a huge amount of work, well done you two. Jack, you reminded me of Tom on “The Good Life” in your jumper! Your greenhouse and raise beds will be full of homegrown goodies before you know it - watch out for those pesky slugs and snails, they’re already eyeing up your plot 😄🐌🐌
HAHAHA you know what, I think watching too much of the good life when I was a kid is starting to rub off on me! It's very much been an inspiration as has Hugh F-W! I read a lot of John Seymour and Thoreau too
I know, those pesky slugs and snails are already moving in! Hopefully we can encourage a few hedgehogs!
Hi jack gabby Joe and Tilly, nice to see your allotment coming along and to see you have great neighbours on the allotment site. If you love rhubarb and have a space you can put it on your allotment why not get a rubarb plant as it doesn't need any looking after once you have planted it and you'll get at least 3 to 4 lots of it each year for a few years to come. Best of luck guys xx
Hey Stephen! Well, judging by how much our neighbours have growing, i'm not sure we're going to need our own plant haha Thank you for watching :) x
After watching years of different narrowboat channels, and fending off many of the new ones (sorry), thistinylife has rose to to the top as my favorite watch before i head out for work each morning. (only brtis know what meccano sets are...in the US they are called construction sets i think, of which there were many)
This is such a lovely comment to read! Thank you so much :) You've made our day! Xx
No, not only Brits know what Meccano sets are. The world is much larger than USA and UK.
Good reuse for those sacks. Taking a not ideal situation and getting the most uses out of those bags. Thats my MO- get as many uses out of everything as possible-especially stuff that will end up in dumps. Those bags can also be used as grow bags or to cover things.
It feels so wasteful not to reuse them, doesn't it? I'm amazed we don't live in a more circular world by now. The amount of things that are just use and chuck is daft!
Are taking part in Narrow Escapes programm?
😉
Hi U all . Don't kick urselves it's the same for all of us it was a long winter ... is there no one who can give u 5 mins to put it together? ...I think U have to ask . Don't forget frosts poss. till end of May .
Fabulous to see it all coming together. Can’t wait to see your first produce, keep at it xx
Nor can we! Haha thank you. :)
I was told by an expert gardener that a raised bed should have two thirds top soil and one third compost otherwise the soil is too rich.
Good to know - however, these are going to be no dig beds. Check Charles Dowding's channel for how to start them off 🙂
Thank you so much for replying you have so many messages
Thought you had a permanent spot just couldn’t remember then again if I had thought about it I haven’t seen you cruise 🙄
use triple walled polycarbonate instead of glass: more durable and insulating|!
May do - it'll be a case of seeing what we can get our hands on. If our neighbours have spare glass I'll use that first over buying new stuff :)
Hi Jack and Gaby.Youre doing really well with the allotment. Putting up a greenhouse isn’t easy. Make sure that you add plenty of extra W clips and ensure you anchor down the base as when it’s very windy the greenhouse could move. Take care. Nick
Thanks Nick - she is indeed anchored down, just not an interesting enough bit to make the edited film! They're tricky constructions but hopefully with it!! 🌱🌱
Great work on the allotment guys ❤ take your time and enjoy every moment and then reap the rewards in the coming months. ❤
Thank you! It's a really lovely place to wile a way a few hours, feel very lucky to have a patch!
Garden coming along!! 🫂🫂🫂
Good going!
I'm always thrilled to see y'all.
We're not gardening this year, just tending the orchard & vineyard.
We can get other crops from the local farmers markets & the Amish.
We've been adding a deck to the house & have two garden sheds still in their boxes.
Cheero
That sounds like plenty to keep you busy even without the gardening! Do you make your own wine from the vineyard? Sounds a lovely life!!
@@thistinylife we do make wine & cider, albeit from market produce. This is the first year we can expect a yield from ours. Young trees & Vines.
Wow you have done so much on your allotment . It looks amazing.alwas look forward to watching.😊😊🧸
Thank you Sally 🥰
Great work. Having done a greenhouse I suggest putting some treated fence posts on the ground under the greenhouse base plates, it's makes easier to level. Oh and drive some spikes in at an angle to fix it down. Strong winds will lift it up. Keep up the good work. We've been cc for 3 months now on electric NB.
It is fully in there with fence posts...we just didn't film that part! Thank you 😊
It would be hilarious for you to do a FB short of Abby's food reactions. It probably would go viral due to the hilarity😅😅😅😅😂
Can’t wait for the next one ❤❤❤❤
So happy to have found your channel...just lovely🍃💟🍃
Aw thank you 🥰
Well I thought I commented on this hours ago! Anyway wotalotofwork!!!! and patience!!! Looks like you’ve made a good start on the greenhouse & filling the raised bed with compost - you’ll have huge muscles at the end of all of this!!! Darn weather eh? We’ve seen a bit of sun here & there but it’s still quite chilly esp at night! Take care y’all! xxx
Way more work than we anticipated! Thank you 🥰🥰
Love your videos, always inspiring and I've learnt so much since finding your channel
Thankyou! ❤
Thank you!! We honestly really appreciate your kind words, makes all the effort worth it :) xxxx
Thanks!
Thank you Tony :) This is very kind :) Xxxx
What a nice garden, it works out so well! I am looking forward to seeing the veggies too. By the way, did you know that the 'foot' of the rhubarb is the most tasty part? All the best 🤩
Thank you! We've been offered so much rhubarb! Seems to be a glut of it on the patch ☺️
Great work guys xx
Thanks so much!
Xx
It's really looking good now x
Thank you 🥰
Great job. Baby steps!
Thank you!
What hard workers you both are
I might have missed this ,are you moored up now or do you cruise ?
We have a permanent spot, took it on a few years ago to help with the boat build. Quite settled here now, it's nice to have a base to call home.
Love you guys. Always give me such a wonderful vibe...I was going to say were you going for the Richard Briers "The Good Life" feel with that sweater! ✌
Thank you!! It's is very Good Life haha I genuinely think it's been an inspiration to me, I watched a lot of classic british comedy as a kid... it's obviously had an impact! Haha
Can I ask where you got the Greenhouse from? We are looking for one for our Garden. Love the channel thanks.
A lot of searching marketplace on Facebook... You have to be very speedy as they seem to be snapped up!
Great job. But how do worms get into your soil through cardboard??
The cardboard disintegrates... If you make your own compost you'll see how good cardboard is at providing carbon content 🙂 take a look at Charles Dowding's channel 📽️
it remains me having a flatpacked raised bed out of metal to install...there is a bag of bolts in the box😢
Ooo the metal ones look really smart!! There's always tomorrow 😅
Do you both still work from home? I went back and looked at some of your older videos. Just wondering. Your lives between the boat renovations, a new baby, a garden, and daily living are pretty full.
We do. We're both freelancers so sculpt work around our life. Part of our lifestyle is living frugally, reusing and buying second hand when we need something. These films and our blog are also part of our work
Well your videos are a joy to watch. If you can find someone with bales of hay, you can also grow potatoes that way as well. I have done it, and it worked great. Right now I have 3 pineapples in different stages of growth. Gardening is so much fun and very therapeutic.
I have a few questions. Does your Narrowboat have an electric motor? I see that you now have a garden nearby that means you have to stay nearby.How long can you stay in one spot. Do you ever travel on the canals? You both are very brave having a baby on the canals. How are you able to work?
Our boat is fully electric, we only have solar power! We're lucky and have a permanent mooring in a village we love. The plan originally was to do some summer cruising, however with the baby life becomes trickier and we really love having the garden and the other projects we have lined up this year. The biggest appeal for boat life, for us, is that it gives us the freedom to live a simpler life. We've engineered it so our costs are low, we live frugally, and our income covers our monthly bills. When it comes to work, we have multiple streams of revenue, these videos create a trickle of money and we both have a few freelance jobs that keep the coffers topped up
There's not much I can't stomach, but rhubarb is one of them. I would actually rather drink cider out of a tramps sock. (That's the polite version!) Urgh the stuff makes me gag just remembering the taste of it at school. 🤮 Apart from that, lovely video lol.
Hahaha this comment made us laugh! I love rhubarb, we'll have to convince you to try something different with it!
@@thistinylife Haha, there's literally nothing that would make me eat it lol. Three things in life (can't even bring myself to call them foods) that make me literally hurl the minute I smell them. Rhubarb, liver and liquorice. Actually shuddered just typing that! 🥴😂
Forget the lottery, look at Sweden, Really cheap( Well for homes anyway)
Interesting! Although I hear the cost of living is much higher!
Hand all future building projects to the baby please! Or keep going, the entertainment value alone is great. Teething is not nice, poor Joe-bear.
Lots of progress, but you need to be aware of a few things:
You seriously underestimated the amount of soil needed, you need about twice as much soil for one bed - remember that an average carrot grows to about 20 cm length so you need at least that much soil on top of the cardboard.
If you can't find glass to replace the broken pieces, get polycarbonate not acrylic - acrylic will bend in summer.
The raised beds are very wide, you will not be able to easily reach the middle without getting into them, ideally they should be about 120 cm wide.
And please, please wear gloves when handling soil and make sure your tetanus shot is up to date.
It's not a raised bed, it's a no dig bed (see Charles Dowding) - we do need some more compost to make it up to 6" but then we're good to go! With the width we're pretty much as you've said... We've planned them so we can use the wood economically and reach the middle!
@@thistinylife They're still raised beds :) to make them no dig beds you need at least some organic matter besides the cardboard. That 6" is supposed to be after the soil has settled, not just loosely poured into the bed - you will lose a lot of that after the first heavier rains.
They look wider than that in the video!
@@YaaLFH Fair enough. We're going by the advice of a professional market gardener friend and several No Dig books... I guess, however, you're more knowledgeable. Thank you for the tips 👍
I think you need to wear gloves when handling soil/compost as you can catch diseases.
I don't plan on putting my hands in my mouth before washing them, but thanks for your concern :)
If your excuse for not doing work is, "the weather's not great". you are never going to be small/large holders of land for self sufficiency. Do you think that people who grow food for the general public wait for a lovely day to do it?
We've had one of the wettest winters on record and knowing a number of market gardeners, everyone is running behind on the season. Equally, we have a 5 month old baby so alongside keeping him alive, filming and editing, our time has been stretched. You're probably right though and that's why our aim isn't to be self sufficient and we've never claimed to be. Have a good day 🙂
Great job on greenhouse and raised beds, just need more dry days to finish and plant. 🫠
Can't wait! It's got to be soon!