The summer solstice is here, and the land is in full summer growth. As the meadow responds to regular hay cuts, the wildflowers are returning! Red campion, buttercup, meadowsweet and hogweed flowers all seem to be loved and visited regularly by honeybees, both the native dark variety and the more common yellow-black banded honeybees.
The hay is cut with a scythe and dried before gathering into bundles for animal feed and mulch for the vegetable garden.
In the vegetable garden, the beetroot and kale are doing well despite a rough start. There were lots of slugs this spring. Which, combined with moles, badgers and my own inexperience, made for quite a harsh introduction to the world!
The beans are also growing nicely, some of which are tall enough to start removing the tips. This encourages growth at the side shoots, preventing collapse and allowing more energy for bean production.
The carrots and parsnips have struggled, beset on all sides by slugs, badgers and my own poor soil preparation! But they are starting to make headway.
Unfortunately, the onions aren’t doing well, perhaps due to low fertility in the soil. I have been replacing the direct sown onions with shallot sets in order to get some kind of onion harvest later this summer.
I have lots of learning to work on; improving soil preparation, sowing techniques and sowing into compost, making compost and experimenting with mulch to improve soil fertility, and rotating in peas, beans and other legumes to improve the soil. I am looking forward to applying all that I have learned and have yet to learn next year!
Now that the seedlings are large enough, I have mulched the beds. This helps the soil retain moisture and fertility and keeps the weeds down; the first step towards a ‘no dig’ garden.
I’m grateful for the many creatures keeping me company on these summer days. This little wren has made her nest in the thatch underneath my porch, lined with soft feathers from her chest. At first I could see the pale curve of eggs in the nest, until I looked inside one morning to see a sleepy eyed chick, newly hatched, all pink and grey. They are growing fast, and just beginning to open their eyes fully.
While the wrens move in, the mice have moved out of the house and into the meadow, now that it is drier. Although, that still doesn’t stop them trundling out of their grassy holes to chew on toast as I eat by the campfire.
For the Anglo-Saxons, the summer solstice was a time to give thanks to the life-giving sun, for the blessings of the year, and to look forward to a plentiful harvest.
With thanks to:
Herknungr, Musician, playing ‘Нови Циклус’
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Wildflowers are returning in response to regular haycuts Little neighbour: a wren has made her nest in the porch The beetroot and kale are doing well despite a rough start There were lots of slugs this spring Combined with moles, badgers and my own inexperience Made for quite a harsh introduction to the world! The parsnips and carrots bravely growing despite the slugs The onions struggled as I didn’t prepare the soil very well I have replaced many with shallots Lots of learning to work on improving sowing techniques Improving soil fertility with compost, mulch and legumes Weeding in preparation for mulching with hay Mulch improves water retention, soil fertility and texture
37 Comments
Hi all! You can check the subtitles and description for much more detail. Thanks for watching, and many thanks to Herknungr for the music 'Нови Циклус'! If you like what I do and want to support me further, consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/gesithasgewissa/
Another brilliant video! Happy Solstice and best wishes for a bountiful harvest. Thank you for sharing.
Did the bees discovered a little cute home you did for them?
A newly planted on a virgin soil garden might be tricky, my aunt was complaining about her crops growing harder at the added to her property land, despite she did all the same way as at the main garden. But after a few years they were almost the same, so, I believe, your garden will provide a good amount of vegetables (and maybe berries) later.
Juste à notre aplomb, une corneille est posée sur une branche. Dans quelques secondes, elle va s’envoler…
Voilà. Nous avons franchi le solstice d’été. Et pendant que d’autres célèbrent le jour le plus interminable de l’année, nous allons secrètement nous réjouir du retour des longues nuits…
Levez-vous.
Lovely video as always. I don't know if it's our host's thing, but I'd love some old school cookery videos with those lovely vegetables when the time is right
Nice video!!! Keep it up!!! 😀
I wanted to compare the scene you show us to "les Très Ríche Heures de Duc de Berry" but gave up when I realized that was 700 years after the time you are showing us. I have pet birds. They responded to the birdsong in your video.
so thats why we had nets on roofs like those in the tropics…. to keep the birds out….
Happy Solstice.
Where might I ask, do you live?
Beautiful job. Were the tall plants fava beans or broad beans? Those will definitely help your soil. So peaceful. Your hard work is paying off.
Deer and veggies are great, but a saxon without some sheep is a poor man indeed. Even the early Saxons would have raided the post roman settlements for ANY wealth, and sheep were a massive source of that wealth.
The Saxons influence would have dominated much of the trade in the south of Britain since in the early years there would have been sea travel over the channel back and forth from the germanic homelands. Early on, the influx of that wealth would have swayed enough people to follow and grow their territorial dominance. Gaining a monopoly over taxable goods and the management of trade with those goods is what solidified those early chieftains into the later huscarls as these invasive settlers evolved into major kingdoms throughout the era.
What you're doing in your videos is terrific! Ever consider more long form videos?
Happy Solstice! I just love your videos. I want to live on the farmstead. Need any help?😊
You should should carve a Seaxnēat (totem, figurine, idol, whatever) to protect your spring from any Nicor that might want to take it for themselves. You don't want those vile wyrms to poison your water sources.
I’m curious—what sources are you using for period farming techniques? Or are you using methods that feel right, but are undocumented? Love your project!
I love your videos. Makes me appreciate how easy we have it today, but there is something so fulfilling about watching the hard work you are doing in making a homestead from that era! It is nice to see life flourishing all around you due to the fruits of your labor.😊
Mulch with straw if possible, not hay. Too many seeds in hay, so you’ll be fighting them as additional weeds next summer…
Thanks for sharing these videos.
Let's hope your crops survive the harsh weather conditions we've had in the UK.
ladle is not authentic 🙂
If you put straw or cut grass over your garden it will keep moisture in for longer, then you don't need to water it as often 😉
Wait nvm
Idea for video: How did they make that cool hat you've got?
Hail, Sol Invictus!
That is the good life right there. But what about winter gardening? The Romans made greenhouses using stretched hide instead of glass. Go on … you know you want to.
Nice one!
Gardening is not my thing so I appreciate a lot people that can do it. Maybe some day I will get it 🙂
Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful garden. How do you keep out the rabbits?
Slug feast anyone?
Absolutely lovely!!
I very much enjoyed this one as I'm sure I've made my passion for extreme gardening fairly clear at this point😆
I understand this is a long term project, which I truly applaud and appreciate, but I was curious to know as you've begun sowing and growing are your plans to stick with 'period' crops/herbs and what not or are you going to be growing what you actually like to eat and cook with as well?
Are you intending on using only techniques of the region or do we have looser boundaries such as, 'A traveler brought knowledge of a far away technique that would work well to improve this plot' type thing?
For example, were you to employ the half-moon garden bed tech (which goes back thousands of years globally) to one of those lovely slopes you could do some really amazing stuff with little input beyond the initial set up. However, I don't think this style was being used in your region at that time.
I just love this project and look forward to seeing it develop alongside you and your skills.
Huzzah to you, friend and may your belly always be full!
edit: the song was ON POINT as well!
double edit: As for slugs, lay a piece of flat board or wood down at night near the veggies. return in the morning and lift the board, it will be covered with them and yours to dispose of at your leisure. Not a cure all but helps LOADS. You may also want to look into companion planting flowers and herbs pests HATE with your crops or plant 'trap crops' to distract them from what you want to save for yourself.
So you're not attempting to use their growing methods, right? Because I'm fairly sure they didn't use mulch or compost, nor knew about the importance of rotating crops (although they did something reminiscent of it). At least as far as I know when it comes to fields, small vegetable and herb garden might've been different, although I'm certain they really wouldn't waste hay on their garden beds when they could feed it to their livestock (which would've been wastly more important than their own nutrition).
awesome video as always,would like to see a bit more of that scythe,please keep the videos coming
can you used that scythe in an uneven land or ground with a lot of rocks and bump?
Hey mate, saw you on Tony Robinson's docu.
Cool dude.
It seems strange to see a veg patch with no potatoes, when they are one of the easiest things to grow and can make a meal, and last for months. Crazy to think it would be another 500 years after the Anglo Saxons before people could grow potatoes here in Britain.
Your videos make me happy. How I wish I were young again and could do something like this! Mulch will invite slugs to camp out in your plot and eat your plants.
Do you live there full time?
Oh, and add in wood ash. If you can make charcoal, and break it into small pieces, that will improve your soil a lot. Composted manure. Or throw fresh manure and bedding from your animals on top in the fall, and turn it in before spring planting.
Amazing work, great shots if wildlife!