How I Became Self Sufficient in 3 Years (almost*)

Shop the gear in this video!

00:00 - Intro
00:42 - Space
02:20 - Design
05:00 - Methods/Approach
06:48 - Security
08:18 - Chickens/Animals
10:40 - Composting
12:15 - Watering System
13:38 - Seed Starting
14:47 - Harvests
16:30 - All Seasons Growing

Follow me on instagram @lifebymikeg for behind the scenes action!

Music Credits:

Video Credits
Creator, Host - Mike G
Editor- Christopher Pressler
Assistant Editor - Cooper Makohon
Motion Graphics - Raphael Oliveira

[epicgardening]

Pro Home Cooks x Epic Gardening incoming...

[TheCatFan]

Botanist/aspiring homesteader here. Plant flowers. Plant tons of flowers as long as they're at least naturalized (preferably native). Flowers bring in parasitoid wasps, parasitoid flies, and carnivorous pollinators who actually do a great job of managing invertebrate pests in the garden. Parasitoid wasps sound scary, but the native ones are EXTREMELY helpful and aren't aggressive.

If you have problems with rodents and rabbits eating your garden and live in the country, consider planting closer to trees or install a raptor perch. Raptors like owls, hawks, kestrels, and more all rely on perches to allow them to ambush prey more effectively. As a bonus, kestrels are primarily insectivores, so they're another layer of insect protection in the garden. If you're so inclined, you can easily make owl boxes to help bring in the pest control experts!

Cool video. Thanks for the info!

[TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for the shout-out! Your space looks fantastic. You’ve done a great job. Glad to see you’ve left the rat race for your own slice of paradise.

[ahutton]

I’m 61 yrs old. Growing up my father always had a huge garden. We lived in a house and most of our neighbors had gardens as well. I grew up and bought a house and the first thing I did was plant a huge garden. I had my home for 18 years and sold it when my children left to go to college. In the townhouse I moved to I had a container garden for 4 years. I moved into a studio with a balcony and had a container garden for about 7 years. I then moved into a 2 bedroom apartment and this is the first time in my life I didnt have a garden. 😥😥😥I miss my garden!

[CJBray_historyonaplate]

I’ve been growing my own food for a long time and I used to do all of that work until I had an idea that changed everything! I created 2 fenced in areas. One for my chickens, and one for my vegetable garden. Whenever I have vegetable scraps or any kind of compostable material, I throw it in with the chickens. They scratch through it and break it down and turn that into poop. The next year I put my vegetable garden where the chickens were and I put my chickens where my garden was. No more need to compost :) It has been working great! . PS the chicken coop is right in between the two areas so on year one they go out one side and on year two they go out the other.

[EUSA]

The masculine urge to create a garden like this then surround it with high walls and defend it at all costs.

[Randomness]

This right here is why Mike is a certified Pro Home Cook. The entire point is that it's not anything super ridiculously fancy like, say, Joshua Weissman's many cooking videos, but to show that at home you can have a nice garden and also cook with just about anything you may have laying around and still have quick, delicious, and filling meals. Amazing channel and much love!

[jamesprigioni]

Let's Gooo!!! Such a high value and inspiring video bro!

[tenthousanddaysofgratitude]

OMG. Please do more garden videos. I love finding other people are garden nerds. I only have 200 sq feet community garden allotment, but I grow so much there!!! Companion planting, succession planting and no dig organic gardening is my style.

[natalialopes]

Loved to see this video. I am 70 years young and empty nester. I always had a garden as a single Mom of 3 children. I loved feeding my children food that I grew. I loved having them see how food grows. This past summer I started everything from seed. Had so many tomatoes that I could hardly keep up with the canning. Kale, arugula, green beans, eggplant, Basil, parsley, mint, thyme, sage, chives, so much more. I got such good exercise and fresh air and great food!! Keep up the good work.

[KeithandPamBilyeu]

Pam here….my first garden had a walnut tree on the side…NOTHING grew…found out the trees and nuts poison the soil…and takes forever to build up the soil. Best thing you did was bulid beds and adding compost and mulch. Your no till method also saved you too.

[pixelrancher]

Great to see you following as many Permaculture principles as possible.
Another protein source for the urban farmer that's often overlooked is rabbit. As easy, if not easier, to raise than chickens are. Considered a "high-value" product. Usually harvested at three months old (1.5 - 3.5lbs.) up to eight months old (4lbs.). Their manure is "cold", meaning it can be used immediately unlike chicken manure which will burn plants if it doesn't rest first. (4 - 5 times more N than chicken manure, 4 - 10 times more P, up to double the amount of K). Their urine acts as an organic bio-pesticide.

[rchic]

Love your transition into this garden life. Please make more garden content. Please show garden to table recipes. I watch food videos and gardening videos and I do not see many channels that can marry the two. 😊

[abbie]

Have to say I haven’t watched you much recently. But I just wanted to stop buy and say thank you for teaching me how to cook 7 years ago. You and your brother were/are the best. ❤️ thanks for all the beginners guides!

[debrapaulson]

I have been gardening since 1970's. We live in Pa and have a battle with critters to keep our garden produce. We first had an 8-foot fence, and my husband watched a deer jump it from a stand still. We extended it to 11 feet and the deer broke through the mesh fence. We now have a 12-foot fence and the deer have not entered. It has been made with heavy wire which is partly buried to keep the groundhogs from digging underneath. We put barbed wire at the top to keep the groundhog from climbing in which he did once time. Deer visit to eat fallen apples and any they can reach. Opossums and groundhogs eat apples too. Squirrels get in as they can go everywhere. One year they stole my green tomatoes, they left empty plants. I use beer traps for slugs. The longer the garden is in place, the more animals will discover it. Racoons also take some of their share. Good luck. Your garden looks great.

[Oktopia]

I built my garden space from scratch on top of the lawn this spring. I have grown things in containers only up until now. I look forward to enjoying years of produce and cozy work.

[Lilnate_]

I’m 21 and I’m so inspired for my future as a pro home cook can’t wait to have my own garden like you

[udoheinz]

We started our own vegetable garden this year and the anticipation for the coming years is gigantic.
would love to se some more garten to kitchen videos!

[anndennis]

The very first step to being successful gardening is a paradigm shift in your own mind. And Congratulations for accomplishing such a feat. I've been gardening for 50 years + and spent 3 years as a mastergardener for a cooperative extension. Stopped playing with that when I discovered the program (at the time)did not allow experimentation. I know from my husband that that has changed as he stayed in the program and was able to help make some changes in the program. We keep chickens so we know what they are eating and for the fertilizer and eggs. I personally believe it's worth it for even emotional benefits.

[phibi]

My biggest problem with this tutorial is just... money. Soil and compost is expensive. Pots are expensive. Fruittrees are expensive. Not everyone is able to spend 1500$ or € or whatever on starting a garden that won´t pa it´s own bills until a few years down the road.
I do have a garden and though I love it, up until recently I wasn´t even able to fill 1 raised bed with bought soil as my student job just didn´t provide enough money for that.
So yeah, take your time, one step after the other. Find pots along the road, start seeds from your groceries and have patience. You will get there, even if it takes 5 or ten years.❤