@@OvertheRiverandThroughtheWoodsThey are such an interesting creature, we were excited to finally see one! They aren't seen very often because they spend most of their lives underground. That picture was taken by our daughter a couple of years ago, before we enclosed the shop space. It casually strolled through and then hung out under the RV for a while. I got some pictures too, but it was farther under the RV by the time we got to see it. 🧡🏜️

😊❤️🌲🏜️

Yes, we love the beauty of the desert and all of the interesting plants and animals that live here! I wish we had more cacti. The cholla cactus does pretty well out here, but we are too cold for most of the other varieties. The javelina dig up any small prickly pear and barrel cactuses that manage to survive the winter. I have transplanted a few closer to the house and put cages around them. There are so many neat varieties of cacti, glad yours are doing well! Merry Christmas! Thanks for watching! 😊🏜️

Thanks and Merry Christmas! 😊🌲

We always have to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes. The garden has to be fenced, and we have to protect small trees and plants until they get to a decent size. Groundhogs will eat the roots of small trees and plants. A rat chewed through one of the water lines in our RV, but so far that is the only rodent damage we have had. A couple of days ago, we saw a coyote in the driveway eating a rodent of some kind, so they probably help keep them in check.

I live in australia . Sounds much the same just different creatures and at the moment fires

@@corynnesaunders1243The fires are so sad! They are a concern here too. We get a lot of new growth during the monsoon season, and then long dry spells.

@@walkingwater893 I wouldn't miss the rattlesnakes too much, but coyotes aren't so bad. They help keep the rodent population in check. A couple of days ago, we saw a coyote in our driveway scarfing down a large rodent. Thanks for watching! 😊🧡🏜️

Glad you got moved out to your property! Merry Christmas! 😊

Glad you enjoyed it! 😊 Merry Christmas! 🌲

We have seen way more snakes this year than previous years! We don't see many coyotes during the day, but they sure make a lot of noise at night! 💛🏜️

Watch out for the javelina, bobcats, and coyotes, if you're running around out here at night! 😂

Appreciate it! 😊🧡🏜️

❤❤❤merry Christmas ❤❤❤❤XOXO

Thanks! 😊🏜️

😊🏜️

There is some great soil around here. Just don't plant directly in the cliche or sand. It sure was a hot summer! Glad we got some rain! If we hadn't got that big 3 inch downpour it would have been really pitiful! 🌞

@@scottblackson5606 Cochise County, AZ. It's called an opt-out permit.

For now, we are enjoying having the winters off, but we may eventually get some chickens. I had some years ago when we lived in NM. I would let them clean out my garden over the winter which was a huge help and great for the soil.

@@rowglider231 I am subscribed, but I hadn't seen anything from them in awhile. I had been asking him why he was using aircrete in his mix. It didn't make sense, since he was packing it in. Looks like they also have a video about why they quit aircrete. Now they just use styrofoam. In our experience a stick frame building is slightly less expensive and much faster and easier. We added exterior styrofoam sheeting to our stick built house and it holds its temperature amazingly well. Our house is heated entirely from the sun in the winter, and it performs really well in the summer too. Styrocrete looks like more trouble than it's worth, especially if you are just using it for insulation. Fiberglass or rock wool are a better option.

@RedandAprilOff-Grid fascinating. Thank you for that insight. I am actually a mechanical engineer. The problem with some of us engineers is that we don't get our hands dirty. The best people to learn from are house builders & skilled trades men who get their hands dirty. Thank you for that

@RedandAprilOff-Grid Sorry to bother you again Redan. If I was to buy a 40-ft container and I wanted to turn it into a home, would you recommend putting plywood all around the exterior and then pouring aircrete in the gap & then removing the plywood? Or do you recommend just gluing polystyrene walls to the exterior and then adding some exterior protection ( like bricks)? If you leave the corrugated metal walls on the container, the house will remain cold due to the steel not being an insulting material. Just curious. Thanks. Also, when is Abundacrete a good idea to use?

@RedandAprilOff-Grid fascinating. Thank you for that insight. I am actually a mechanical engineer. The problem with some of us engineers is that we don't get our hands dirty. The best people to learn from are house builders & skilled trades men who get their hands dirty. Thank you for that

@RedandAprilOff-Grid Sorry to bother you again Redan. If I was to buy a 40-ft container and I wanted to turn it into a home, would you recommend putting plywood all around the exterior and then pouring aircrete in the gap & then removing the plywood? Or do you recommend just gluing polystyrene walls to the exterior and then adding some exterior protection ( like bricks)? If you leave the corrugated metal walls on the container, the house will remain cold due to the steel not being an insulting material. Just curious. Thanks. Also, when is Abundacrete a good idea to use?

[email protected] I don't check it real regularly, but I'll try to keep a lookout for your email. 🙂

Welcome, glad you enjoyed it! 😊

@@scottgm321 Yes, we love all of the different plants and animals that live here.😊 The flour smells like gingerbread. I made a biscuit type bread. The flour isn't very sweet, but it tastes a bit like a whole wheat molasses gingerbread. We sampled it with our grown kids and everyone liked it.

Thanks for watching! 😊

@@NWtoSW Appreciate it, thanks for watching! 😊

I haven't looked into it yet. I cut them back after the freeze.This was a 4 pack I found in the discount section. I haven't ever had any luck with asparagus. I'm surprised they have done so well. We tried a couple, they were delicious! 😊

⁠@@RedandAprilOff-Gridlet them go yellow and after the bush dies off then cut it down. They survive frost fine (least have done so for us). & thanks for the update :)

Thanks! 😊

I was so sad when the eggs all suddenly disappeared! A couple of days later, I saw the rattlesnake squeeze through the chicken wire on it's way into the garden. It was surprising because he was quite a bit fatter than the holes. Glad I didn't meet him under one of the plants. 😬 Thanks so much! Merry Christmas to you too! 😊🏜️

@RedandAprilOff-Grid I wondered how you could have that bushy garden and not be afraid of rattlesnakes. We live around rattlers also.

@@joannadrawe6654 Yes, I try not to plant things too close together. I trimmed the tomato plant and the pink zinnias a lot so I could see better. I always try to be aware. This is the first rattlesnake we have seen in the garden so far.

Good to hear from you again. 😄

Thanks! I had been thinking about posting a video all summer, but I didn't really like any of them. 😅 It took me awhile to get the motivation to sort through all of the footage and edit it all together.

Thanks! Yes, after the 3 inch rainstorm, we dug the trenches deeper to better direct the water around the garden and shipping containers. We also put sand bags in front of the containers. It's shown more in the previous video.

Awesome! Yes, it's so nice! We got down to 13° last night and our house was 65° this morning. Once you finish and insulate your floor, your house will probably do even better. Our floor has the majority of the thermal mass so insulating it was well worth it. The days have been so warm we have been keeping most of our curtains closed during the day, and opening a window. Thanks! Happy Holidays to y'all too! 🦃🌲❤️😊

@ 13!! Wow. That’s cold!🥶

@@bondpaz It is crazy how much colder we are than in town! We can watch the temperature drop as we drive down the road to our house. 🥶 Passive heat is amazing! 🌞

It looks great with the backsplash and knobs, but I understand if it's not to everyone's liking.

Yes, the days have been quite warm, but the nights have been well below freezing. We have been keeping most of the curtains closed during the day, and opening a couple of windows, so it doesn't get too hot. We try to keep it below 74° during the day (by adjusting the curtains and opening windows) and it's usually 68° or 69° by morning. Last year we kept all of the curtains opened during the day this time of year, it's been a strangely warm winter so far. 🌞

It didn't help much because the aircrete can't grab the fibers very well. Aircrete is too weak and porous.

@@LucidDreamer54321 We are in Cochise County, AZ.

It's much... more brittle than concrete.

Thanks! Sorry, I don't know the model number. Best wishes on your outdoor kitchen!