Nicholas Gainer

+ Follow
since Jun 11, 2026
Merit badge: bb list bbv list
Biography
North Central West Virginia. Permaculture and Food Forest Enthusiast.
Former Professional Lawn and Landscape Contractor... retired. (Still have to work a regular job)...
I collected tools, plants, knowledge for over 30 years while practicing a Labor of Love... nowadays I am a lonely gardener that grows Melons, Berries, Nuts and Apples and Vegetables as a sustainable lifestyle. My favorite produce provide fruit juices, canned veggies and shelf stable food all year long.
I am a veteran of deer control and plant pest and disease control methods. My favorite "Best Practices" include tall deer fence, Blood Meal solution applications, dishsoap applications and sometimes doing "nothing at all"...
I'm always happy to meet and chat with "Permies" and Homestead folks.
For More
North Central West Virginia
Apples and Likes
Apples
Total received
In last 30 days
1
Forums and Threads

Recent posts by Nicholas Gainer

Trees and Shrubs for a living???     Only do it if you don't need money.   Simply put.   I ate so many ornamental trees and shrubs in my day, financially speaking, that I converted everything to edibles.   Sometimes I still dream of a nice well ordered nursery lot with regular visitors but honestly I don't really want people coming to my home unless I invite them.  

For many years I sold my nursery stock like adding french fries to hamburgers while working as a landscape service provider.   I was at the customers house and had an open door to suggesting flowers, shrubs and trees to be introduced and sold.    

Living 20 miles from town and not really wanting to have people stopping in to buy stuff at all hours and days of the week prompted my venture of nursery stock to end.  

Lots of Agricultural regulations...  State Dept. of Ag. License and annual inspections required in most states to sell perennial shrubs and trees.  USDA regulations and reporting of water usage is Required.   Tax...  Tax.. Tax...   online sales, in person sales, materials, supplies and standing stock for sale all carry a price tag in the tax roles of most county governments.    Your' competitors are keenly aware of those who may try to enter into the industry without standing upright and playing by the rules.  It is a viciously competitive industry.

Appliance service is much more attractive...   I have experience in tech repairs that include appliances and there is wayyyy more money to be made by twisting nut drivers and wrenches and ordering the right parts than in the nursery business.     Wayyy more peace when you want the day to be over as well...  

2 weeks ago
I'm pretty sure that I let them dry out last time they failed in the cellar on heat mats with lights...   Sometimes I am busy and forget because they are in the cellar and not in an area that I can get to easily.  

This year was a better go at it because I used the enclosed porch and started in Mid May when temps don't get too cold in that part of the house.

Peppers are due to plant out in the garden 1st of July...   I have about 18 that are worthy of going into the ground.  That is a whole lot more than zero...  

I am a little extravagant and want to grow a giant patch of peppers...Maybe next year


  Still "playin' in the dirt" at age 62...    
Volvo...  miles and miles and miles and miles...
4 weeks ago
Unexpectedly useful???

Years ago I planted a bunch of Miscanthus Chinensis... ornamental grass.   It was left over from a landscape job and I tucked them into the field.   After 10 years it is an amazing hedgerow that provides little fawns with a safe little hiding place during the day when momma is browsing nearby.  Nothing is more pleasing than to watch the deer frolic while relaxing on the porch in the early mornings and late evenings.

I also discovered that I can cut the stuff and get a clean straw mulch to use throughout the garden.  Massive quantities each and every year.    One of the items on my "To Do" list is to split them and plant rows of it between the permaculture beds for easy access to a steady supply of mulching straw.
4 weeks ago
A 12V-110V inverter that can be wired into the car will run a small air compressor that you can buy at places like harbor freight or tractor supply...    real world air compressor that will work and take up minimal space in the trunk or back of an SUV or Truck.          FYI...    Green Slime is a great product but tire shops absolutely hate that stuff...
1 month ago
Not really...    

  The gardens have been planted for late summer and fall harvest.  That's how I do it here in West Virginia.

  July is coming fast and the garden gets some attention with weeding and fertilizer but most of my attention is drawn to "Things that need to be done"...  other than plant and harvest.

  I find my attention being drawn to things like the overgrown trees on a hillside that need to be cut... I could be a full time sawyer if it paid a nickel.  One benefit of living in the Appalachian Rain Forest is the endless supply of firewood...  

  The old Low Tunnels that I used to use for propagation of nursery stock are looking like storage sheds and I am having visions of a large High Tunnel for growing food under cover during the colder months of the year.  I have all the stuff needed I just need to do it!  

  I have nut trees and fruit trees that were "socked" into the earth with good intentions but now I find they are suffering and have cultural issues that can be addressed by moving to a different location in the garden/food forest.   It's all work,  fun and invigorating but it's all work.   Thank God I have a little tractor...

  Speaking of Tractors...   Machines need worked on.   Tractors,  Spreaders, Loaders, Snow blowers, Mowers, Trailers, Saws and Brush Cutters the list goes on ad-infinitum.   So, I prioritize...   Daily driver car is #1.   July is my go to time to put the primary transportation unit together well enough to last another 30k  miles...  #2 The Farm Truck.   Frame and steering, brakes and fuel, lights and tires and maybe even a 20ft. paint job.   ( a 20ft. paint job is one that looks great from 20 ft. away) hahahaha...

  There is no way in Heckyville that I am buying a new truck and I often think that the old scythe and axes I have tucked away would be easier in the long run because they are always at the ready.

  New Fence and Old Fence...  I like to use the Deer Buster Fence hanging like a curtain with 3ft. wire stretched across the bottom...  the deer are respectful and the 'hogs are minimal...    I have been using 10ft sticks of Poly electrical conduit over T-posts for years and I am ready to upgrade to Locust posts and hinged gates.    

  Summer is when I tighten up the house and outbuildings too...   replacing a few boards, roofing, paint, driveways, walkways.  

  People often post about building communities and villages...   it's because it takes an enormous amount of labor to create the often "lofty and idealistic"  Homestead that  many of us see on social media.   I find that being methodical, persistent, thrifty and clever are my best practices...   "CAN BE DONE"  but there is nothing Easy about it.  Good Luck finding people that are willing to put in the time and effort needed.   Squatters seem to team around sites that Homesteading Community use to network and communicate on.

  Keep in mind...  unless you are a dedicated full time Social Media Guru or sitting on Grandpa's money... Most of us need to keep a full time job in order to keep the taxes paid and a roof over our heads.   Kudo's to You if you can find another way.     Market Gardening is an entirely different endeavor than simply "Homesteading" and though many appear to be successful at it I find that anything in the Agri-Forestry industry requires amazing marketing and sales skills in order to pay the bills.

  Hope your' summer is filled with fun and adventure, success and lots of happy smiles...   Mine is... it just comes from living just a little bit differently than most of the other people that I know.

Peace...  
1 month ago
"No Longer Looking"  is where I would like to be too...     I'm not that good at networking and my level of maturity has me grounded peacefully within the community I share at my employment.   Not a good place to reach out for romantic intentions.    

Maybe you know someone that might like a guy like me?   I love people and conversation, culture and appreciate the differences that we all find when meeting new people.

My gardens keep getting larger and my home keeps getting cozier...   I have been at it for a long time and Permaculture Homesteading is my natural way of life not a new adventure.

Some might consider me a "Frog" some might consider me a "Lucky Duck"...   Sometimes I think that maybe I am just the big Fish sitting comfortably at the bottom of the secret fishing hole sitting and waiting for the line to drop that is "Just Right" and willing to take for good.

PEACE.
1 month ago
I enjoy the response.   It's a wonderful forum and I appreciate the opportunity to reach out to the "Like Minded" community.          

PEACE...
Every year I have an awful time starting peppers from seed and getting them to the garden.

Sometimes I think it is the seed.  Sometimes I get germination indoors early with lights and heat pads then they fail.  (Mostly because I get too busy with other things and "I" fail)...

I would love to hear about others' experience starting peppers and growing them on to maturity in the garden.

I would love to be good at growing peppers...    Hungarian Wax,  Cubanela,  Sweet Bell would be my favorites.   I have no trouble growing Jalapeno...  but there is so much more to cook with.  

Hope to hear from the Permies and Gardeners here!     Thanks.