An Oregon Cottage Podcast: Simple Real Foods, Gardening & DIY

Learn why soaker hoses in your garden not only save water but also promote healthier growth. It's because they drip or finely spray water at the base of your garden plants, allowing it to soak down to the roots. But what do you do if you have three 6 foot beds and a 50 foot soaker? You cut it up and put it back together again. Jami and Brian also share about their faux marble countertop and metal table top projects.

We share what we've learned about harvesting and reusing old wood from our 1920s farmhouse. Reclaimed wood has a few drawbacks, but these are more than made up for by how cool it looks, the reduction in waste, and how much money you can save. Jami talks about what she did for the beds outside the garden and Brian shares his inspiration for the Garden Gate Arbor he made for less than $100.

Jami tells how she discovered cattle panels (metal fencing) for trellising tomatoes, and explains why they help the plants grow better and make harvesting easier. Then she describes how you use bungee cords to hold the plants up as they grow. Brian gives some tips on which kinds of posts to get to hold up the panels and how to attach them using zip ties. Plus tomato preserving ideas and more.

With the kitchen completely gutted, we talk about how we're planning for countertops, flooring, lights, and appliances. For example, we're doing an island and we want to make sure people can get past it. Brian also tells the story of installing the beam, which he can laugh about now.

Plus, updates on some other parts of the house. See the video version of this on An Oregon Cottage YouTube channel.

In this new series (available also as a video on YouTube) we focus on a single challenge or task that needs to be done and discuss its solution. For "Simple Homemade Life Episode 1" we're out in the garden, talking about what you need to do in the middle of spring to get your vegetable garden ready for a great growing season.