35 Comments
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Mike Sammons's avatar

I want to know more about beetle farming please 🙂

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Huw Richards's avatar

Absolutely!

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Katie Lee / KJ Lyttleton's avatar

Me too!! I’ve been trying to get more beetles in my garden to eat the slug eggs and I’d love to know more about it

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Kris McKeown's avatar

I'm looking forward to all of them! I am really interested in the beetle farming to control slugs, as other have said - a local organic growers collective had an open day recently and one of the veg growers was talking about having 'beetle belts' on the edges of his beds and I was intrigued! He didn't go into much detail and I'm looking forward to learning more.

I really appreciate how hard you're working to make these approaches financially accessible to people, and sharing the journey you're on as you earn new things and integrate them into your own soaces. Your enthusiasm and curiosity is inspiring.

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Huw Richards's avatar

Ahh thank you Kris! Oh interesting, what is the name of that collective? You are most welcome - I really enjoy being able to capture and share thoughts and ideas!

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Mark Diacono's avatar

What a trip Huw! So many interesting places. I first visited Martin 22 years ago (where does it go?!) when I heard about ‘this odd bloke growing mostly perennials’ from a local organic grower and that day everything turned on its head for me. Still inspiring. Must visit Birch Farm…sounds fascinating. Thanks for the great read

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Huw Richards's avatar

I was 3 then, so feels like a lifetime ago haha ;) But yeah it is amazing how one simple visit can completely change an outlook! You must, and also do eat at the Woolsery too!

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Mark Diacono's avatar

You bastard…!

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JP Clark's avatar

🤣

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Jo Harold's avatar

Intriguing write up Huw.

Looking forward to reading, seeing, hearing more.

Such inspiring innovation going on all around us.

Martin is pioneering in the Agroforestry sector, I am located 6 miles from his mature forest garden and nut plantation and have been a frequent visitor. These visits were part of what inspired me to create Trianon Forest Garden where I live, now 13 years old.

Guy and Geetie are inspirational in their field (pardon the pun!), what great role models they are!!

I would like to learn more about “Joshua Sparkes on natural farming and adapting syntropic agriculture to a temperate climate” Beetles, yes more 🪲

Your recent trip has given you lots of material to work with Huw and I look forward to seeing what you create from it. 🌸💫🙏🏻

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Huw Richards's avatar

Thank you so much Jo! Oh wow is your food forest a place I should visit when I am next in your neck of the woods? They indeed are! Thank you again Jo and I really hope you enjoy all the videos! Best wishes, Huw

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Alyssa's avatar

Urban-scale projects for next year sounds intriguing!!

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Huw Richards's avatar

Absolutely!

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Rebekah Rosas's avatar

PODCAST?!? I've been Waiting to hear that word!!! I don't know how you have the time to do it all but I'd love to subscribe to it!

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Huw Richards's avatar

You shouldn't have to wait much longer Rebekah!! In the process of getting some episodes lined up and ready to release! Best wishes, Huw

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Mike Sammons's avatar

I did a little research. I guess it's fairly obvious, but the best environments for beetles are also the best for slugs. The trick would seem to be a balance of some kind

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Huw Richards's avatar

Exactly! I will work on creating more woody type habitats specifically for the beetles and see what happens!

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Mike Sammons's avatar

A little more research brought me to leopard/tiger slugs which apparently combat the other kind. I'm aiming to collect some from my garden and take them down to the allootment

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james's avatar

Absolutely cannot wait for these videos. Your enthusiasm for Birch farm makes that the one I can't wait for. I am a huge Martin Crawford fan, anything he's on I absolutely eat up

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Huw Richards's avatar

I hope you enjoy them James! Yeah, Martin is an absolute fountain of knowledge.

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Antonietta Marsala's avatar

Can't wait for all that and to listen to those podcasts.. I need a lot of inspiration this year to get planning.. Thanks so much for everything.

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Huw Richards's avatar

Ahh you are most welcome Antonietta! Stay tuned :)

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JP Clark's avatar

What an amazing trip! The dye garden is quite astonishing. Can’t wait to read/see more.

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Huw Richards's avatar

Really is cool! Thanks so much JP!

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Teresa's avatar

This got me excited about many ideas.

Perennial vegetables make me very curious. I would like to hear how others integrate them in their landscapes. I went to look for plants and seeds and felt fairly discouraged with the how's and what's of getting them going. (I am in the middle of the US, Nebraska) So I will continue to listen and learn.

The Joshua Sparks podcast just held the bar up again on why's and purpose of contributing to live in harmony with nature.

Thanks Huw for you sharing all your knowledge. Your heart shines through your passion. I loved the video to you whipping the willow in the wind and loving that sound. Joyful.

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Janet's avatar

Above discovered about tree spinach /seeds/grain.

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Janet's avatar

Edible Uses:

Leaves - cooked[46, 61, 105, 177]. Of excellent quality, they are a spinach substitute[74]. The raw leaves should only be eaten in small quantities, see the notes above on toxicity. Seed - cooked. Ground into a powder and used with wheat or other cereals in making bread etc. The seed is small and fiddly, about 1.5mm in diameter[266], it should be soaked in water overnight and thoroughly rinsed before it is used in order to remove any saponins.

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Leah Johnstone's avatar

Huw, I am electrifed having just watched your conversation with Joshua Sparks, sooo much information, inspirations, things to think about and try. Is there any chance you can do a short recap video and/or note on all the perennial vegetable Joshua mentioned, including eddible tree shoots (!?), maybe with Sam?

One thing that really needs improving, though (proof reading) are the subtitles. There are lots of mistakes, particularly important plant names or special technology the ai doesn't know, infuriating!

That said, it's hard to believe how much abosolutly stunning, stuff you produce, with such joy!

Thank you 💚

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Leah Johnstone's avatar

Sorry, Huw! I had missed that there is a podcast with Mandy coming up on perennials, can't wait!

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Mike Sammons's avatar

A propos your recent YouTube piece on mixed planting, I came across a clip of an American who does chaos planting. I gather it means finding an empty space in the garden and raking in old and surplus seeds,(including from the kitchen) , then seeing what comes up. Perhaps it could be a form of green manure? Maybe worth a try in a neglected spot

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Shirley Fyfe's avatar

Goodness Huw . . . it’s hard not to be excited about all you have planned to share - like everyone else, I can’t wait to see & hear more 🙂

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