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Feeding Chickens

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Justin Rhodes on Youtube

Cold air is coming, frost is on the way, and we just found an incredible opportunity to complete our hay-making setup. The catch? Both pieces of equipment are four hours away—and our truck is still down. In this homestead vlog, we borrow a trailer, turn the family Suburban into a farm rig, take a full-day road trip for used hay equipment, inspect each machine before buying, and bring home the final two pieces we need for our hay operation: a hay tedder and hay rake. Back at the farm, we also set up a new GreenStalk vertical garden and insect cover for fall growing. Sometimes building a more resilient homestead means recognizing the right opportunity, making the trip, asking for help, checking your equipment carefully, and bringing home the tools that will make next season possible. 🌱 GREENSTALK: Grow more food in a small space with a GreenStalk vertical garden: https://bit.ly/43JuMTl Use code **RHODES10** for $10 off. In this episode, you’ll see: • Why we dropped everything to chase down the last two pieces of hay equipment we needed • Borrowing a trailer and using our Suburban as a practical farm vehicle for a big family • A four-hour road trip to pick up used hay equipment before cold weather arrives • Inspecting a used hay tedder before buying: checking the rotors, wheels, frame, welds, clearance, and overall operation • What we looked for before purchasing a used hay rake • Loading and balancing two large pieces of equipment on one trailer • The importance of trailer weight distribution, clearance, towing slowly, and checking the load during a long trip • Finding a used-equipment deal that helps us build a complete hay setup on a realistic homestead budget • Completing our hay equipment lineup: baler, disc mower, tedder, and rake • Bringing home approximately $12,500 worth of used hay equipment compared with an estimated $80,000 new-equipment cost • Why buying used equipment can be a practical way to start making hay on a small farm • A look at our new GreenStalk vertical garden, including self-watering planters and an insect cover with zipper access • Planning herbs, greens, cabbage, and fall garden crops in a compact vertical-growing system • Coming home after a long farm-equipment run to family, dinner, and a few exciting new garden projects We are learning that homesteading is often less about having everything perfect and more about taking the opportunity when it comes. The truck may be down, the drive may be long, and the trailer may be loaded to the limit—but little by little, the systems come together. #HomesteadVlog #HayEquipment #HayMaking #FarmEquipment #UsedFarmEquipment #HayTedder #HayRake #SmallFarm #FamilyHomestead #GreenStalk #VerticalGarden #FallGarden #GrowingFood #Homesteading
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$12,500 for $80,000 of Hay Equipment Day 60

Justin Rhodes 67 minutes ago

I’m not pulling another weed—we’re letting the sheep do it for us. With 61 days until frost, we move our sheep into the garden to clean up weeds, leftover plants, and spent summer growth without tearing up the soil. While the sheep go to work, we keep building our new side-yard garden with durable metal raised beds, plan for asparagus and strawberries, harvest tomatoes and peppers, and juggle the reality of homestead priorities when everything needs to happen at once. In this family homestead vlog, we put permaculture principles to work by bringing the animals to the weeds instead of hauling weeds to the animals. We also repair and set up electric sheep netting, build more raised beds near the house, check on our fall garden harvest, and deal with a truck repair and hay-equipment project along the way. 🔧 GARDEN BEDS USED IN THIS VIDEO: https://www.vegogarden.com/?transaction_id=1029bdbe43e6284e80eebe046b5123 Use offer code “REBEKAHRHODES5” for 5% off. (Affiliate) These metal raised beds are going in our sunny side-yard garden for asparagus, strawberries, vegetables, and more. They are durable, easy to maintain, and help us turn an overlooked space into productive growing space. In this episode, you’ll see: • Using sheep as a natural weed-management crew in the garden • Why sheep can clear weeds and spent plants without tilling the soil like pigs would • Moving unused electric sheep netting and repairing damaged sections before grazing • Setting up a temporary garden paddock so animals can work exactly where they are needed • Using the “touch it once” principle to avoid extra work while setting up fencing • Watching sheep graze lambsquarter, weeds, and leftover garden growth • Why we chose the closest, flattest, sunniest area near the house for a new garden • Planning a side-yard perennial garden with asparagus and strawberries • Building more modular metal raised beds with the family • Turning a sunny but overlooked space into a productive permaculture zone-two garden • Harvesting rotten, ripe, and preserving-quality tomatoes before frost • Picking peppers and deciding what garden jobs need to take priority first • Juggling garden building, harvest season, livestock management, vehicle repairs, and hay equipment • A truck brake problem, a helpful friend, and an update on getting hay equipment ready • Seeing how a little infrastructure and animal power can make fall garden cleanup easier Sometimes the best way to manage an overgrown garden is not more pulling, hauling, and hard labor—it is thoughtful animal management. The sheep get free food, the garden gets cleaned up, and we get one more step closer to putting the whole place to bed for winter. #HomesteadVlog #SheepInTheGarden #Permaculture #GardenCleanup #RotationalGrazing #ElectricNetting #RaisedBedGarden #MetalRaisedBeds #FallGarden #TomatoHarvest #AsparagusGarden #StrawberryPatch #Homesteading
YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLmY1S0pONUFpUGdJ

I Quit Weeding and Let The Sheep Take Over

Justin Rhodes September 1, 2026 4:00 pm

When your pulled three ways at once choose to secure what you’ve already built… One day I had to choose between building new garden beds and harvesting tomatoes, and there was not time for both. I went with the tomatoes, and here is why… Those tomatoes already exist. They are grown, they are on the vine, and the only thing that can take them from me now is my own neglect. The asparagus is a gamble. I can put those crowns in and they can still fail, and I have lost two asparagus beds already so I know that is not theoretical. When you are in a bind, protect what you already have before you chase what you hope for. Much of what we lose on our farm and our lives we’ve lost while being busy starting something new.
YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLkZmLUVzR29mZ1BR

What to do when you're pulled three ways at once

Justin Rhodes September 1, 2026 1:59 pm

We’re expanding the side-yard garden with a brand-new perennial bed—built for asparagus in the middle and strawberries all around the outside. With a visiting friend ready to learn more about homesteading, we turn a simple raised-bed build into a family project before heading out for North Carolina apple season. In this homestead vlog, we unbox and assemble modular metal garden beds, choose the best garden layout for sun exposure, make space for a future asparagus-and-strawberry patch, and enjoy a late-summer trip to support a local apple farmer using organic practices. Whether you live in the country, the suburbs, or the city, growing more food starts with making a plan, building one bed, and getting your hands in the dirt. Vego Garden Bed: https://www.vegogarden.com/?transaction_id=1029bdbe43e6284e80eebe046b5123 Use offer code “REBEKAHRHODES5” for 5% off. (Affiliate) In this episode, you’ll see: • Building and assembling modular metal raised garden beds • Choosing a long, narrow 9.5-foot by 2.5-foot configuration for a perennial planting bed • Planning a companion-style layout with asparagus down the center and strawberries around the outside • Why garden placement matters—and why we chose the south side of the property for better sun exposure • How to think about garden space while balancing future driveways, berry bushes, and other homestead plans • Turning a raised-bed project into an easy team effort with kids, friends, bolts, screws, and an assembly-line system • Welcoming a friend from Port St. Lucie, Florida, to the mountains of North Carolina to experience homestead life • Visiting a local multigenerational apple farm during the beginning of apple season • Supporting an apple grower who has shifted toward organic growing practices • Taking a break from projects for fresh local apples—and then getting back to building more garden beds A garden does not have to begin with a huge field or a perfect plan. One raised bed can become the start of years of homegrown food, perennial harvests, and a more productive backyard. #RaisedBedGarden #MetalRaisedBeds #AsparagusGarden #StrawberryPatch #PerennialGarden #HomesteadVlog #BackyardGarden #GardenPlanning #NorthCarolinaApples #AppleSeason #OrganicFarming #Homesteading
YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLkNTNVhZWGpyaUc4

Finally Trying (pre-made) Raised Beds

Justin Rhodes August 31, 2026 4:00 pm

YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLnVtdlExTjdvaGxV

Hang in there Oregon, Washington and California

Justin Rhodes August 29, 2026 7:31 pm

Our root cellar is flooding, running too warm, and nowhere near ready for the potato harvest. With 200 feet of potatoes hiding under August weeds, we have to figure out how to cure and store them without the root cellar we planned to use. In this homestead vlog, we harvest potatoes, sort out bruised and rotten ones, build and use a simple DIY potato-curing rack, and move our harvest into the coolest, darkest spaces we can find. We also harvest winter squash, feed garden leftovers to the pigs, let sheep help clear the garden, and discover an unexpected chicken treat: black soldier fly grubs growing in wet feed. If your root cellar isn’t working, you don’t have a basement, or you need a practical way to store potatoes at home, this video shows how we adapt with a garage, utility room, breathable storage crates, mesh bags, darkness, airflow, and regular checks. In this episode, you’ll see: • Why our root cellar is flooding and warmer than the outdoor temperature • What we learned about insulation, soil depth, solar heat, moisture, and root-cellar design • Harvesting 200 feet of potatoes before the garden becomes completely overgrown • Why potato curing helps identify bruised, damaged, sunburned, and rotten potatoes before long-term storage • How to build a simple DIY potato-curing rack from a wood frame and wire mesh • Why the coolest, darkest, and most stable place in your home may be the best temporary potato-storage solution • How we use garage space, a utility room, crates, mesh bags, and darkness to store potatoes without a functioning root cellar • Why regular sorting and removing rotten potatoes is essential when storage conditions are less than ideal • Harvesting Yukon Gold and Russet potatoes and making room for the new crop • Why Russet potatoes can be valuable for longer-term storage • Harvesting ripe winter squash, curing it, and leaving unripe squash and garden leftovers for the pigs • Bringing sheep into the garden to help clear remaining vegetation after harvest • Turning wet organic feed into a protein-rich black soldier fly grub treat for chickens • Preparing the garden for cover crops, grazing, and the next growing season We’d rather have a finished, cool, dry root cellar—but homesteading often means using what you have while solving the next problem. A dark garage, a cool utility room, breathable crates, and consistent checks can help bridge the gap until the permanent system is ready. #PotatoHarvest #PotatoStorage #RootCellar #DIYRootCellar #HomesteadVlog #FoodStorage #GrowingPotatoes #WinterSquash #SheepInTheGarden #RaisingChickens #BlackSoldierFlyLarvae #Homesteading
YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLlJvV2tNWDB2TVA4

Harvesting Hundreds of Pounds of Potatoes | No Root Cellar

Justin Rhodes August 27, 2026 4:00 pm

With 65 days until frost, we’re racing to put neglected garden beds to rest before weeds take over, harvest tomatoes and winter squash, rebuild pathways, add compost, and prepare the garden for its next season. In this family homestead vlog, we turn an overgrown summer garden into productive raised beds again—without tilling—while harvesting butternut squash, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. We also make fresh garden salsa, preserve pumpkin puree, and plan ahead for cover crops and next year’s garden. If your garden feels overwhelming in late summer, this is your reminder that you do not have to do everything at once. Harvest what you can, stop weeds before they seed, rebuild one bed at a time, and prepare the soil for what comes next. 🔧 BROADFORK USED IN THIS VIDEO Our favorite broadfork for loosening and aerating soil without tilling or flipping the soil profile: https://meadowcreature.com/?rfsn=7917713.69c3ea 🌿 EXPERIENCE HOMESTEAD LIFE WITH US Want to visit the farm and experience homestead life in person? Learn more about our farm experience here: https://rhodesfarmstayexperience.my.canva.site/?fbclid=PAVERFWAT7DeBwZG9mAmZkaWQWUNNMdNRSCTfJoKPOmfOKpYbs_0gBYmV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp_tzNdZaYHPHb9I7YWzmvznqoj46m3XmaS6rpwn_QW_P-BBXoTm4AHr3ZXRq_aem_CwMCnyw3vBjs6s17reJ4Dw In this episode, you’ll see: • How we reset overgrown garden beds before weeds become an even bigger problem • Why we rebuild garden beds now instead of waiting until winter • How a flat shovel helps reestablish one-foot pathways and reshape raised beds • Why a wheelbarrow works better than a garden cart for distributing compost down narrow garden paths • How we use a broadfork to aerate compacted soil without tilling or flipping the soil profile • Why we rely on compost instead of soil tests and frequent amendments in our garden system • Harvesting butternut squash, spaghetti squash, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and watermelons before frost • How we decide whether winter squash is ready to harvest and estimate how much food we need for the season • Why we harvest beds early, cover them with silage tarp, and plant a cover crop rather than leaving soil bare over winter • How cover crops can protect soil, suppress weeds, and become natural mulch for the next growing season • Sorting tomatoes into three groups: livestock food, ripe tomatoes for fresh eating, and slightly underripe tomatoes for preserving • Making homemade salsa with garden tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and other fresh ingredients • Preserving homemade pumpkin puree in two-cup portions for future pies The garden does not have to be perfect to be productive. A little compost, a broadfork, an intentional harvest, and a plan for winter can turn “jungle weeds” back into a healthy garden system. #FallGarden #GardenCleanup #RaisedBedGarden #NoTillGarden #Broadfork #CompostGarden #CoverCrop #TomatoHarvest #HomemadeSalsa #WinterSquash #FoodPreservation #Homestea
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The One Thing I Never Skip When Closing the Garden

Justin Rhodes August 26, 2026 4:00 pm

Our new pig has a problem, the pig pen is turning wet and messy, the pumpkin patch is getting overtaken by weeds, and we have 66 days until frost. So we’re tackling it all—one homestead problem at a time. In this family homestead vlog, we check on our new gilt Madre, repair and re-bed the pig area with wood chips, clear a neglected pumpkin patch before weeds go to seed, harvest our first successful watermelon crop, check on Honeycomb after banding, and turn a mountain of pumpkins into homemade puree and pumpkin pie. Real homestead life is rarely one neat project at a time. It’s animal care, garden cleanup, infrastructure repairs, food preservation, family help, and making the most of a busy fall season. In this episode, you’ll see: • How we addressed a widening gap in the pig fence and improved a wet, muddy pig pen • Why we use wood chips as a “carbon diaper” to help keep pig housing drier, cleaner, and easier to manage • How we rearranged the pig shelter, feeder, water, and fence to better fit the herd • Why we keep our pig area compact enough to maintain with deep bedding and wood chips • How we’re watching our new gilt, Madre, as she settles into the existing pig herd • A check-in on Honeycomb after banding: looking for normal behavior, hydration, mobility, and that the band remains in place • Why we cleared weeds now instead of waiting until November—before they seed and create more problems for years to come • How covering a cleared bed with silage tarp can help reset the garden before planting a cover crop • Harvesting watermelons from our first truly successful watermelon season • Pulling up spent pumpkin vines, saving edible pumpkins, and preparing the beds for what comes next • How we roast pumpkins, save seeds and scraps for livestock, make pumpkin puree, and bake homemade pumpkin pie • The reason behind the enormous pumpkin harvest: two years without the porch full of pumpkins We don’t always finish everything we plan to do, but a few focused hours can transform a weedy garden bed, a muddy animal pen, and a pile of pumpkins into progress for the whole homestead. Farmhouse Teas: https://www.farmhouseteas.com/collections/tea?utm_campaign=gs-2021-05-04&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19861510501&gbraid=0AAAAABqLsHDwSdUGJ9oi-W_Tf-SF0H6C6&gclid=CjwKCAjw-rTUBhAiEiwADv8gBDH1ZKKuKraCatpyY5W9QzRMp-xIqQ8JmbvcD6sjevsY5tUCTL4NkhoChUgQAvD_BwE #HomesteadVlog #RaisingPigs #PigPen #DeepBedding #WoodChips #PumpkinHarvest #PumpkinPuree #PumpkinPie #FallHomestead #GardenCleanup #PreparingForFrost #FoodPreservation
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I Can’t Get Down My Own Steps

Justin Rhodes August 25, 2026 4:00 pm

We’re preparing for the first frost, harvesting the last of the garden bounty, caring for livestock we accidentally put off too long, and welcoming a new breeding pig to the homestead. In this family homestead vlog, we harvest pumpkins and edible squash before weeds take over, band a young bull calf, name him Honeycomb, introduce a new gilt named Madre to the pig herd, and turn a truckload of pumpkins into fall porch décor and future pumpkin puree. If you enjoy real homestead life—the productive, messy, funny, and sometimes overdue parts—come spend the day with us. In this episode, you’ll see: • Harvesting pumpkins, winter squash, and edible gourds before frost and weeds take over • Sorting decorative pumpkins from squash we can puree and preserve for food • What we learned from letting weeds get too far ahead in the garden • Banding a young bull calf later than planned and giving him a new name: Honeycomb • Welcoming a new female breeding pig, Madre, to the farm • Why we added a second breeding sow: redundancy, genetic diversity, future litters, and a backup as our existing sow gets older • Introducing a new pig to the herd and watching how the animals respond • Moving a huge pumpkin harvest for a fall front-porch display and cabin décor • A realistic family farm day filled with harvest work, animal chores, projects, laughter, and a little chaos Fall on the homestead is about preparing for what’s ahead: harvesting what the garden has given, caring for animals, building resilience into the herd, preserving food, and enjoying the beauty of the season while it lasts. #HomesteadVlog #FallHomestead #PumpkinHarvest #RaisingPigs #PigFarming #FamilyFarm #HomesteadAnimals #WinterSquash #FallGarden #PreparingForFrost #Homesteading
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He Doesn't Know What Today Is

Justin Rhodes August 24, 2026 4:00 pm

Given that we are made of soil, it leads to the fact that we can be no better than the soil from which our food comes.
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We Can Be No Better Than Soil

Justin Rhodes August 23, 2026 6:19 pm

We built a brand-new walk-in cooler… and immediately discovered moisture, mold, leaks, exposed steel, a damaged roof, and a major deadline: 20 turkeys were coming, and this cold room had to be ready. In this video, we troubleshoot what went wrong with our DIY walk-in cooler and race to finish it before harvest day. From condensation and mold concerns to sealing gaps, repairing the roof, installing washable wall panels, and getting the cooler food-safe, this is the real behind-the-scenes process of building farm infrastructure. If you’re building a walk-in cooler, a DIY cold room, a butcher space, or any humidity-controlled farm structure, learn from our mistakes before you build yours. In this episode, you’ll see: • Why moisture and condensation became a major problem in our new walk-in cooler • How incomplete seals, gaps around doors, exposed wood, cold surfaces, and rain damage can create conditions for mold and mildew • Why we cleaned and treated the affected areas before finishing the interior • How we sealed cracks, corners, and problem areas to help prevent moisture from getting back into the wood • Why washable plastic wall panels are a better fit for a cleanable food-processing space • How we used primer, mildew-resistant paint, caulk, adhesive, and plastic panels to improve the cooler interior • Why we had to rethink our roof after hail damage and rain exposure • What we learned about protecting the floor, including why a rubber mat may make cleaning easier • A realistic look at the supply run, the unexpected costs, the time pressure, and the mistakes that happen during a DIY build • How the boys joined the project by cleaning, painting, measuring, cutting, gluing, and hanging panels • The final push to get the cold room ready before turkey harvest day This project was messier, more expensive, and more complicated than expected—but we learned a lot. Sometimes the best way to build a farm system is to start, make mistakes, solve the next problem, and keep working until it’s right. #WalkInCooler #DIYWalkInCooler #ColdRoom #HomesteadBuild #FarmBuild #TurkeyHarvest #ButcheringSetup #FoodProcessing #Homesteading #DIYProject
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Everything That Went Wrong With Our Walk-In Cooler

Justin Rhodes August 21, 2026 7:45 pm

It may be the end of July, but it’s time to start planting for fall and winter harvests. In this video, we’re starting fall garden seeds in the greenhouse, clearing tired summer beds, planting cool-season crops, adding compost and grass-clipping mulch, and protecting brassicas with bug netting—all so we can keep harvesting fresh food long after summer is over. If you’re tired after a long gardening season, this is your encouragement to push through and plant a little more. You may not regret the garden you plant now, but you may regret the one you don’t. In this episode, we’re growing and planting: • Collards • Broccoli • Cabbage • Lettuce • Walla Walla onions • Bush peas • Blue Lake green beans • Fall and winter greens You’ll also see: • Why we start fall garden seeds in the greenhouse before space opens up in the raised beds • How planting Walla Walla onions in late summer may help provide an earlier onion harvest next spring • How to choose varieties suited to your region, weather, and fall-growing window • Why bush peas and bush beans can be a simple option when you don’t want to trellis • How we use compost instead of tilling or adding synthetic amendments • Why grass clippings are one of our favorite garden mulches for moisture retention, weed suppression, quick breakdown, and nitrogen • How bug netting protects brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, and collards without using sprays • How chickens turn garden scraps, wood chips, manure, and spilled whole grain into compost—and sometimes even volunteer corn • How to clear out fading summer crops and make room for a productive fall garden • What vegetables can be planted for fall harvests versus overwintering: greens, Swiss chard, kale, collards, lettuce, peas, cabbage, broccoli, beets, and more Growing more food means more freedom, more resilience, and fewer trips to the grocery store. Start where you are, plant what your family loves to eat, protect it well, and give your future self the gift of a fall and winter harvest. #FallGarden #WinterGarden #FallPlanting #GardenPlanning #GrowingFood #RaisedBedGarden #Homesteading #OrganicGardening #NoSprayGarden #FoodFreedom #GardenToTable
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Rebekah’s Fall Garden (And the Chicken Trick That Plants Corn for You)

Justin Rhodes August 20, 2026 4:00 pm

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