This is the first big project since the flooding wiped out all our growing space. Excited to share it with you so find out what we’ve been up to. It’s been so nice focusing on something really positive 🙂
Hi there 🙂 We’re Marc & Allys, a couple of left the UK in search of somewhere we could build a homestead, live more self sufficiently, off the grid and connect with nature. This led us to the beautiful Alentejo region in Portugal.
Follow us on our journey as we learn to live more self sufficiently and acquire new skills!
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19 Comments
Good evening Marc. I wonder why you are rushing to invest in raised beds again. After the event of the flooding, I recommend waiting and continuing to watch what is happening in the field. In addition, the new bed is too big and not level. It is better to build it in cantor just like the swall. It is better to continue to invest and build the swalles across the area and plant winter vegetables wherever possible along the swalle and around the trees that will also have a hole to catch the rainwater, instead of building raised beds.
Great to see you moving forward from the flooding!
Marc, I know you've done a lot of research already, excuse me if I'm teaching you to suck eggs but have you seen The Dutch Farmer's swale clip? https://youtu.be/ushKuad2U3k
Just because he's also in Portugal and has similar landscape, into permaculture, food forest creation etc
Nice concept on the new beds. They look very nice, well done. Our garden looks like a jungle right now. It wasn't washed away but it is definitely like a swamp. Where do you get that timber from? Is it Douglas Fir?
great work
could you do a plan view, maybe google earth, and mark out where everything is going? At this level it just looks like a swale with no where to go?
don't have to remind you: get all the water and buffers to keep it for the next year right now
Don't dig the land when is raining a lot, going to turn in to a mud pit
Like I said a month ago, swales are 4 feet wide and 1 foot deep. Those are good looking swales.
I am surprised you didn't level the new veggie bed before adding compost. Lot's of effort but it would have been a one time thing only
Love your energy in getting yourselves back on your feet after the setback. If I can make a suggestion? I would pull the mulch etc back from the trunk of that tree a little as you may cause collar rot to set up and that will kill the tree. Just a few inches back is all to allow the trunk to dry down to where it goes into the ground. Love your work!!
👍❤️
way too much talking, we get what you are doing, trying playing the video back and ask yourself does this need anything clarification? More work and less waffle!
Border your beds with tijolo's. Start in the ground. If you don't the water will flushh under it. Then rais the beds till above the waterlevel you had.
Hi, we are in the Ribatejo area. You can prepare to capture as much water as you like, but in nearly 9 years l have only seen the dry stream bed that crosses our land have running water through it twice.
Why bother with fancy beds, the locals just plough the beds and plant directly into the ground.
They produce great veg , the soil is as good as you can have.
My old neighbour made trenches to let the water run through to irritate.
She was 86 and was a great food producer.
Nothing fancy. No greenhouses,cardboard, no shuttering, but great food.
Nice work, you put a lot of effort and thinking into it. Swale start looks much better then the ones you did before. The infrastructure looks good, as far as I can see. The garden beds however are looking a bit cramped to me? I would have made separate beds/frames with paths in between. The woodchips path are very small. I myself would like to have a bit more room to walk, work, turn on the paths. It will be hard to avoid standing on the soil, which will compact the ground more.
You can use scaffolding boards laid across the soil of the beds so that you can walk or kneel on them without causing soil compaction. It also means that the beds can be larger than you would normally be able to have as you're no longer constrained by the length of your arm's reach.
I would not make a higher bed around tree. Most trees will die if soil is above the growth crown that is why growers say plant higher then what soil level is in the pot, this allows water to drain off. You didn't say how big each planter box are. Have at least a 2 feet distance between for walking and ease of harvesting, 3 foot is better, line with small gravel to prevent weeds. Someone committed you talk to must but my opinion is you don't just be you and say what you feel you need to after all it is your channel. Good luck with your project and yes its alot of work to restarting the garden.
well done Marc and Allys, looking good already.