🌱 Thanks to Reolink for sponsoring this video! https://Reolink.com/?aff=1016
Winter at SkyRidge can look still on the surface, but there’s a lot taking shape right now.
In this video, I’m sharing a look at where things stand across the property — how the chickens are settling into their new home, an unexpected development along the banana walk, a first glimpse at how we’re approaching Christmas in the gardens, and an early preview of the vegetable garden as it transitions into a fully designed terraced potager.
This isn’t a how-to or a big reveal. It’s a walk through the garden during a season of change — a moment to step back, take stock, and see how each space is coming together.
49 Comments
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I’m with you on the stairs. They really look good. Why don’t you, as you say leave space for the stairs and see what it looks like once the raised beds and plants are in. Good luck.
You might consider renting a couple of goat to do your weeding. That way you don’t have to care for them. They are someone else’s responsibility and if it doesn’t work out your only out a few bucks for a short term rental.
Happy Holidays🥰
Great idea to plan for future stairs. Oh, we have weeds like crazy. Oy. And how did your sweet son grow into college age? Our granddaughter is a sophomore this year and plans to go to Uni next year. You know that for in state California residents the first 2 years are free, right??
Love the look with the stairs also, but take a better look at yourself. Did they change your gender?!😯🤣 You definitely look different in their portrayal. 😁
Keep doing what you're doing–things are looking great, and you seem happier.
Merry & Happy Everything!
Happy Birthday Emily! Wishing you a great year.
Please do your research on having goats. They are scape artists. They require things to hop on. They do not like to be rained on, so you need a good shelter for them. If you get male goats, be ready to enjoying the awful smell. It’s best to rent them to clean the weeds.
Both ways look nice but the path and steps up the middle are way better. Here's a question – do you really need the raised bed frames that make everything taller? Could you just bring in some good soil to mix into the existing soil and plant directly in the ground? Maybe not – because of the gophers?
I would dig all of that dirt out, gopher wire the hell out of the bottom and sides, and then fill that dirt back in. Now you're basically growing in-ground, but really those beautiful walls that you built ARE THE RAISED BEDS. You save money not buying all that dirt to fill up all the tin beds you you;re not paying for now. ??
Noah is going to college? When I started watching your channel he was this cool, adorable kid helping you test dirt and taste watermelons and maybe they didn't taste that great but he was hanging out with you, doing really neat stuff with his dad and that really warmed my heart. Gosh, congratulations Brian & Emilie!
How about putting up a bird net over that whole chicken area? It's a lot cheaper and light weight. You can use some of the tree's as posts. It doesn't really need to be 100% enclosed. Just above to keep the aerial predators from swooping down.
Is it possible to bury the metal beds a bit to expose the walls more?
I love the idea of the staircase. It will break it up so you can focus on the different plants that you have. 😊❤
Merry Christmas 😊❤
Which episode touched on what happened to your sheep 😿?
I must've missed one 😭
Such a shame your terraced walls will be hidden. The only way to make them visible is to excavate down with a digger, but that may destabilise the upper walls. The path up the middle is a compromise, even if you don't put in the stairs.
I have not eaten chickens since I have kept chickens. Just cannot do it. Happy that the rogue chicken is back with her particular buddies, they form cliques. Even though mine all get along, sometimes the cliques re-assert themselves.
First the inportant part, Happy Birthday Emily! 😊
GepPetTo sure does have great ideas. 💡 I love what it did to your garden! …then there's the whole "creating a lot more work" aspect. 😂 Can't wat to see how it goes! Keep sharing, brother! The growth of your property is so much fun to watch! TFS! 🎉
Definitely plan for the stairs through the middle of the vegetable garden beds.
I get the new direction and the need to make the business work. but I miss some of the cooking and such. what about holiday specials? Do a recipe or prep show for the feast holidays like Christmas, Easter, 4th of July, yadda yadda. And It can be just a few times a year and make it kind of how to use what you get blessed with from your garden. Cut flowers, food prep, favorite holiday dishes or traditions kind of thing? I do love what you are doing , but I also loved what you did. Just saying, I am a fan
o with the deeper beds
I'm elderly and crippled up by arthritis so raised beds are ethe only way to fly. All I have to do is walk up too them and pick or plant. No bending.
Hay!! Fun to learn that your son is about the same age as our granddaughter who is also a senior getting acceptance letters to colleges. Good luck to him and of course, you. Hope he gets some scholarship money.
Love the steps. It's a whole level up in terms of aesthetics and accessibility. It looks professional. If it's just accessibility you're concerned with, perhaps a few prefab wooden bridges such as are used to cross man-made streams? Not terribly expensive last I looked, and a wide variety available. But for that matter you could install ramps.
I had tall wood beds before we just moved. I LOVED them. Mine rotted quickly as well, though, even though I researched and painted the insides with an all natural product. It was expensive and definitely not worth it. At this house I’m either putting in metal beds or building stone ones. I love the steps up the middle of your rendering!
Brian i was watching some one talking to a farmer about eggs😅he raises his chicken purely outside but he keeps a goose and cuple of ducks this he said saves his chickens from hawksof i find the video again will try and link it
Happy Birthday Emily (yesterday)! I hope your day was special. Re: vegetable garden area and heavy rains. Would putting in stairs make a way for excess water to wash down a stairs area? Water will always find its way to the least resistance downhill exit. I like the picture with the pathway left clear but retaining walls in place. (from an erosion paranoia perspective)
Best wishes for 2026 Brian and Happy Christmas
YES! I love the idea of leaving the space for the stairs. It also provides some depth and dimension to an otherwise straight line.
You will lose chickens to ariel predetors, but their quality of life and health will be so much better. The roosters will warn them when to hide. We had over 70 mixed poultry (chickens, ducks turkeys, geese, and turkeys) free range. They thrived and bred completly free range, with accessto a creek, and rain forest. They perched and nested where ever they wanted. Disease was nil., egg production amazing. It was when we realised we hardly ate eggs and my husband wanted to put in koi ponds, that we gradually went out of "the poultry business".. by natural atrition and not letting them breed. I still twenty years later miss many of my feathery friends, the last peacock. passing, 3 years ago. Have a wonderful life Brian, happy birthday Emily, Cheers, Muffy PS..please, never, ever get goats. They will decimate EVERY THING!!!!! Merry Christmas.
I think the path idea is a great one! Also about the goats I watched a yard guy borrow someone’s goats and those goats cleared a horribly overgrown yard in under a week. It was unbelievable so that might be an option. Borrow or rent some goats. They will eat everything and all you have to supply is water for a week.
Happy Birthday Emily!!!!
Happy Birthday Emily🎉
Wait, the sheep are gone too? I missed a few videos….
How about a compromise on the stairs for now. Just have them come down from the very top leading down to the bottom bed. It does not have to be open where you were standing at the bottom. The design is very beautiful and practical too! I would love to come out of the house with my basket and pick things for my dinner that night. Love it!
One more thing . . . a winter cover crop for the entire garden should be mustard plant. Laura's mother on Garden Answer did this to get rid of the nematodes in her garden. She said let the plants grow tall, then cut them down and work the greens into your soil. She said it will get rid of many insects, etc. You might contact Laura to get the exact type of mustard plant. I am sure her parents sell the seeds at their garden center, or can offer a good source. This would be a little extra insurance when you finish tending to your new garden beds. NO MORE NEMATODES!
I bought solar Reolink cameras with hub. Great product! Thanks for the info.
How about some Hugleculture for filling the bottom of the beds with some soil in top?
I am the goat advocate. Also, you could consider renting goats from a 4H Kid. It helps you both out. It would also give you a preview of how much the goats would eat in a day as well as what it is like to have them around BEFORE you make a livestock investment.
Stairs don't look too hard to do… I can never get the garden to look like photos. Zack from an American homestead said that he will never own goats again. He said they act like drunken teenagers…. Just food for thought.
Happy Birthday Emily ❤
Merry Christmas to all 🎄
Garden plans are great, leave room for future stairs and pathway
Loved the format and the season of change at SkyRidge. Looking fabulous. Would those bananas grow at our location, too (since you've been here)?
And of course, happy birthday do Emily. CameraGuy
I hope you and your family have a Happy Christmas and a wonderful new year
Happy Birthday, Emilie! You did say it was your older chickens you put in the pasture area so you shouldn't be surprised they go to bed early, us mature ladies need our beauty sleep. I love the garden layout that gives you the option to add stairs later; in the meantime, you can put a few grow bags in the spaces if you really wanted something. Have you considered adding a macadamia tree or two somewhere on your property? I think you might have the right climate for them. Have a wonderful time with your family and I can't wait to see what 2026 brings.
ChatGPT for the win! Who knew? Brian, what about digging out the garden area so your new beds would still show the wall? I know, more work! Also stairs are nice, but would a ramp be more helpful? Thinking about wheeled carts, etc (no idea how you'd do ramps!).
Brian, do put in the stairs as soon as you are able. It enhances your whole house. Makes everything look more beautiful and will probably save you more steps than you can imagine. What? You are looking at college for Noah? I thought he just turned 16 and got his driver's license. Emilie was following him to school to make sure he got their safely. How fast the time flies by!
Merry Christmas
goats are a challenge to keep contained, just get a couple more sheep then when they are grown take to be processed
Just heard the forecast! Stay safe! I’m glad y’all are on a hill.
Chat GPT . . . really. 😐😒😑
Dude, I thought you cared about the planet and about creation and about tending and stewarding and caring for it.