Jesse and Chasitys channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/WillowBrookHomestead
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Hey ya’ll, I’m Jess from Roots & Refuge Farm
Welcome to a place that feels like home. A small farm with a big family. We hope you’ll pull up a chair, grab some coffee and visit awhile.
There was a time that all I wanted in the world was a little farm where I could raise my family and grow our food. Now, that is exactly what exists outside my door. In watching it unfold, a new dream was formed in my heart – to share this beautiful life with others and teach them the lessons we’ve learned along the way. Welcome to our journey, friend. I am so glad you’re here.
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WHERE TO FIND US (Some of the links here are affiliate links. If you purchase through our links we’ll receive a small commission but the price remains the same – OR BETTER – for you! Be sure to check for any mentioned discount codes.)
– Our Website: https://rootsandrefuge.com
– Sign up for our newsletter: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-signup
– Abundance+ (Grab a FREE 7-day trial): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-wilder-still
– Shop our Stickers & Shirts: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-shop
– Order my book First Time Gardener: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-ftgbook
– Growing Gardeners Course: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-ggcourse
– Instagram: www.instagram.com/roots_and_refuge
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootsandrefuge/
– Email Us: rootsandrefuge@yahoo.com
– To drop us a line:
PO Box 4239
Leesville SC 29070
– To have a gift sent to our house from our Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/SFA0IZHZRCOZ?ref_=wl_share
– To support us through PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jessicasowards
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PRODUCTS WE LOVE – You’ve probably heard me talk about these things a million times, so here’s where you can order them (and get a discount with my code!):
– Greenstalk Vertical Gardens (Use code “ROOTS10” for $10 off your order): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-greenstalk
– Squizito Tasting Room (Use code “ROOTS” for 10% off your order): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-squizito
– ButcherBox: https://rootsandrefuge.com/butcherbox
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I would enjoy an update on the weeping willow y'all planted.
Your friend's pond is amazing! Thank God for good friends that'll fish swap with you! <3
Re: suggestions for aquatic & wetland planting – there is a great book by Doug Tallamy called “Bringing Nature Home” also Tallamy & Darke “The Living Landscape” Both would be outstanding resources!
Hi Jess! Have you thought about having an electrofishing/electroshock survey done in your pond? I saw one homestead channel get this done to determine what’s in their pond and what they need to do to stock it properly.
Lilies! I have a few in my pond that I caught while bass fishing at a local lake. I know that's probably illegal. But that's how I did it. Fish absolutely love it!
How do you pull fish from a pond?
Love this classroom!
Which video did you post the composting method on Wood pallets with hardware cloth on bottom & a cylinder of hardware cloth on top of pallet , then covered with tarp or plastic ? Thank you in advance for the info
Terrific video and so enlightening! Thank you for sharing
Maybe you could plant your Rhubarb next to the pond?? 🙂
Using local water plants would be very beneficial to your ponds. Things that are not invasive species.
BALANCE…the answer to so many things in life & our world!!!❤
I am loving your channel! I have a question on how do you pay to afford to pay the bank for your property and how do make time for both the money for that and providing food for yourself?
I think your pond might get too hot too. Have you thought about planting some trees around the edge? You will get some leaf fall, but also shade. The fish might stay in the middle to get away from heron fishing. Also floating plants protect fish and provide shade. I added aeration to my pond via a septic pump and weighted hose- it may need oxygen, although you have a large surface area. I might add rocks or concrete debris for hiding places.
Thanks bay pond is amazing, be so nice when it is stocked up nicely! And you have a sustainable fish income!
Nice pond! Beautiful!
Hi Jess, I am from the Netherlands, growing zone 8a or something. Here in NL every pond with healthy and natural clear water and lots of wildlive inside and around the pond, has tons of 'riet' (Phragmites australis (Cav.)Steuder) surrounding it. As you say, it acts as a filter, but also as a living and growing and hiding space for small animals. It's the habitat of frogs, little fish, ducks etc. I see NONE of that around your pond. If you decide you want to have that (please google your information), you should keep at least 3-5 meters from the shoreline landinwards that you never mow there, and for as many meters together along the shoreline as possible so the animals can feel safe and you do not disturb them, for the parts that you want to inhabit with wildlife (preferably not mowing at all in that place and let the wildlife and plants do their thing).
I like how the barn and set up has come along!
We have a half acre pond. We added an aerator after a fish kill. I love it as it looks like a little fountain. We occasionally get too much weed growth. We have a contraption that cuts the weeds and rakes them in. We used the pond weeds to fill the bottom of raised beds or just compost it. We also use straw bales to keep algae growth down. They sell rye straw for people with small ponds, but for big ponds it is cost prohibitive, but straw works the same. When my husband put the straw in all the turtle climb up on it, which is fun to see. You probably are in a warmer climate than we are (6b), but for colder climates you need a deeper pond so the fish can overwinter.
It would be cool to grow some cattails along the edges too. Cattails are very beneficial for medicinal purposes as well
it looks so beautiful there, Michigan has been so cold
OK, so if you don't have a lot of money for pond plants this is what you do. As you travel through the county/less populated area, you live in look for bodies of water close to the road that stay wet: ditches, small ponds, lakes, and swamps. If the edge of that body of water is close enough to the road and you know when that road is less traveled stop with a shove and harvest some plants, don't be to greedy and if a neighbor ask you to toss some in her car or truck do so with a smile. If you can tell that the road crew is just going to cute them down anyway you are not hurting anything. The more neighbors you share with, on the spot, the less likely anyone will call the sheriff's office on you. Lol Please remember that if you go deeper into that water area that is someone else property and then you are trespassing. For that I take a cake and try to bargain a plant swap or trade garden help for plants before I ever touch a plant. My Mom and I have collected Daily Lily's, Water Lily's, Cat Tails, Katniss and a few other great water plants that way and yes there were three or four neighbor ladies that pulls up and asked me to pull up some plants for them as well. Lol I have also thinned garden beds or just stripped them out for half or all of the plants being removed for ladies who wanted the work done but didn't have the time to do it themselves, so I could give those plants a new home at my house. It just cuts me up when I see good plants thrown next to trash cans because someone decided to redo their flower beds!
The thing is that these are natural water plants for the area that you are living in and quite beautiful. In time when these plants start to over populate just harvest what you no longer want. The unwanted plants can be swapped, sold, or composted to help improves your soil.