I Focus on What I Can Control (Desert Forest Challenge)

[@dustupstexas]

Use code DUSTUPS120 to get $120 off across your first 4 boxes of Good Chop at bit.ly/41FkRNA

[@luisantos1996]

Try to plant Texas lupin great to fertilize soil.

[@carsonrush3352]

Shaun, you need to double check that manure before you use it. If the horses were fed hay that was treated with herbicides, then those plant killers WILL 100% be in your manure. It will kill your farm before it has a chance to start. Please, be careful. Watch the following KZbin videos by David the Good for reference: "WARNING: This COMMON Toxin in Manure Will DESTROY Your Garden!" "How to Test Manure for Grazon"

[@PankajDoharey]

I personally think you shoudl dig a pond, wait for rain and then do industrial farming. Grow Corn, potato or something that can grow in poor soil! Corn gives you mulch, seed and money. Later keep cow and you have more money. Make it profitable and sustainable.

[@akitainu6858]

A plan you can use: 1. Site Assessment and Preparation 1.1. Soil Analysis • Conduct a thorough soil analysis to determine nutrient levels, pH, and composition. • Identify specific deficiencies and toxicities in the soil. 1.2. Land Preparation • Clear the land of any debris and unwanted vegetation. • Implement contour farming techniques to prevent erosion and maximize water retention. 2. Water Management 2.1. Rainwater Harvesting • Design and Construct a Lined Pond: • Calculate the volume of water needed to sustain the farm for a year considering evaporation rates and expected rainfall. • Select an appropriate site near the rain catchment area for the pond. • Excavate and line the pond with a durable, impermeable material to prevent seepage. • Install an overflow system to handle excess water during heavy rains. • Rain Catchment System: • Install gutters and downspouts on all structures to channel rainwater into the pond. • Use first-flush diverters to ensure that the initial, debris-laden runoff does not enter the storage system. 2.2. Irrigation System • Drip Irrigation: • Implement a drip irrigation system to minimize water waste and ensure efficient water delivery to plants. • Solar-Powered Pumps: • Use solar-powered pumps to move water from the pond to the irrigation system, reducing reliance on external energy sources. 3. Soil Improvement 3.1. Organic Matter Addition • Cover Crops: • Plant cover crops like legumes to fix nitrogen and improve soil structure. • Composting: • Establish a composting system using farm waste and other organic materials to create nutrient-rich compost for soil amendment. • Mulching: • Apply a thick layer of organic mulch (such as straw or corn residue) to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and add organic matter. 3.2. Soil Amendments • Lime and Gypsum: • Apply lime to raise the pH if the soil is too acidic and gypsum to improve soil structure and drainage. • Fertilizers: • Use organic fertilizers such as bone meal, blood meal, and manure to add essential nutrients. 4. Crop Selection and Management 4.1. Crop Selection • Corn: • Choose drought-resistant varieties of corn that are well-suited to the local climate. • Potatoes: • Select varieties that can thrive in poor soil conditions with proper amendments. 4.2. Crop Rotation and Polyculture • Crop Rotation: • Rotate crops to prevent soil depletion and reduce pest and disease buildup. • Intercropping: • Implement intercropping strategies to maximize space and improve soil health. For example, plant legumes alongside corn to fix nitrogen in the soil. 4.3. Pest and Weed Management • Integrated Pest Management (IPM): • Use IPM techniques, including biological controls, mechanical controls, and selective use of organic pesticides. • Weed Control: • Utilize mulching, cover crops, and manual weeding to keep weed pressure low. 5. Livestock Integration 5.1. Cattle Management • Breed Selection: • Choose cattle breeds that are well-adapted to the local climate and have high feed-to-meat conversion ratios. • Pasture Management: • Implement rotational grazing to prevent overgrazing and maintain pasture health. 5.2. Manure Management • Composting: • Compost cattle manure to create high-quality organic fertilizer for crops. • Manure Spreading: • Use composted manure to enrich soil and improve its fertility. 6. Profitability and Sustainability 6.1. Diversification • Additional Crops: • Grow additional crops like beans, squash, or sunflowers to diversify income sources. • Value-Added Products: • Explore opportunities for value-added products such as cornmeal, cattle feed, or organic compost for sale. 6.2. Market Analysis • Local Markets: • Identify and establish relationships with local markets, restaurants, and grocery stores. • Direct Sales: • Consider direct-to-consumer sales models such as farmers’ markets, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs, or online sales. 6.3. Sustainability Practices • Renewable Energy: • Incorporate renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, to power farm operations. • Conservation Practices: • Implement water conservation techniques and soil erosion control measures to protect natural resources.

[@natel9019]

You can sub irrigate with drip tape next time. You save massive amounts water. You could need a larger pump and might need pressurized drip tape.

[@sidekickbob7227]

You can drill a row of holes, and use stone splitting wedges. They are cheap, and can be used over and over. You only need a handful, and you split stones with the force from a small hammer. The best of it all, I guarantee you a huge smile on your face when the stone splits up!

[@KeithStevensMoes]

100% !!

[@m.a.6478]

Exactly! Especially granite shouldn't be to difficult.

[@skaworld509]

Feather and wedges

[@TheAndersonster]

Exactly, you buy the tools once, no ongoing expenses or chemical residues. Figuring out how to split stones yourself onsite will also give you an edge on building water retention structures that work.

[@counselrun]

This is the way.

[@scottrhoades]

The chipper you bought was made to shred leaves and tiny twigs. You really need something gas powered to chip up the bigger stuff. They all state their capacity, typically in the diameter of branches they can handle so you can size it to the task. I also suggest taking the chipper to the brush piles instead of the brush to the chipper. You'll be able to get WAY more on each trip with a compact pile of chips instead of fluffy brush wasting space. You'd have to do the math but it seems to me that spending $500 to $800 dollars on a chipper will save you more than that on fuel due to having to take less trips. Keep working on the ranch and I'll keep watching!

[@gillsmoke]

yeah, I bought the same thing and had the same problem. I'm going to rent a chipper shredder this fail for the piles of brush I've been struggling with.

[@westwashere2214]

10 hp and up for headache reducing chipping

[@jessicasturm5099]

I thought the same! Hope he sees your recommendation. Greetings from Austria

[@NickGreyden]

Yeah, this is a the call. A mobile chipper that can be hauled anywhere on the ranch or to a differiet site. Bring a shovel and chainsaw and go to town filling the trailer high. Woodchip will probably be your best choice even though they don't retain water as well because they are less prone to being blown away. Remember part of the reasoning is to sheild from that wind. On top of that, you need a metric butt ton of wood chips to cover even the smallest area if you want to push growth. And the following year you will need about 1/2 to 1/3 of first year deposit to make good thick layer of good soil.

[@patrickday4206]

The fibers in some desert plants are really strong like twine I think he should rent one and see how it goes

[@topkek_]

the arabs build "pigeon towers", a building which shades, so that pidgeons and other birds build nests and spend a lot of time there escaping the heat. they collect a ton of bird droppings and organic material that way. it's aparently worth the effort and used for centuries.

[@dianaanthony2981]

Shaun could use the sandbags for that. Cover sandbags with lime-clay plaster for a breathable and rain resistant structure. Dustups Ranch will get torrential rains.

[@jeremyrainman]

excellent suggestion. I was also thinking Shaun needs some kind of animal feedback to provide soil nutrients and mulch. Birds are not a bad option.

[@sergeantklein6026]

I love this theory. Every oasis farm settlement has them in Iraq

[@toycarpgmr]

They also eat the birds

[@shahs3262]

Great suggestion. Hope he sees this

[@AdaOnaPC]

I remember you mentioning that buying a small doser was a bad idea and you learned that you shouldn't skimp on equipment and that a fully sized doser is what you needed... Then I saw you buying the cheapest looking chipper I've ever seen and getting surprised when it didn't work. I hope you find what works best for you for mulch on the ranch. I've learned loads watching you on how I'm doing things in my own homesteading attempt.

[@oferarubas]

Mulch isn't all about holding on to moisture. It's actually more about guarding the lower levels of fertile soil from the UV. Ultraviolet light breaks apart the nutrients that you are working so hard to put into your soil. The mulch is there to provide shelter from the sun. If you want to hold on to moisture you should bury your mulch that way it acts like an underground sponge. But if you're putting your mulch over the ground then it's main function is to lower the temperature of the ground below it and provide shade from ultraviolet radiation.

[@zacksheidler]

I have run chippers for work. the biggest challenge you will run into if you go out and buy a big chipper is blades. Im in washington state we can run big woody fir limbs and small trees thru a chipper all day and into a second day without having to change blades, provided you wait till the end to run the small twisted branchy leafy stuff. as soon as you throw small twisty leafy stuff that gets stuck and has to be pushed in manually with a stick, the blades are done in an hour. our trees are straight and piney softwood mostly. with all your sand covered twisty hardwood I would be surprised if you can get a trailer full of chips on one set of blades. up here blade sharpening is a couple hundred bucks, so definitely draw up a sharpening budget, when deciding.

[@dustupstexas]

That's such great feedback.

[@m.a.6478]

As a viewer from Switzerland I'm not surprised by the idea to blow up a rock. This is quite a normal thing over here, or at least used to be (my grand dad used to have a stash of explosives for this kind of things at hand). As with everything proper training is essential. When blowing up rocks it's important to cover them with a special kind of "blanket" to not turn everything into a warzone. I prefer splitting rocks without explosives. There are special tools you can use to splitting rocks. Granite is not too difficult to split acually. You can drill holes and hammer in special wedges and split the stone along a rather straight line. this way you could maybe even use it for construction purposes.

[@Ieo9017]

US civilians aren’t allowed to play with explosives without significant licensing and oversight……surprisingly. I guess in the cowboy days too many rich guys had their trains robbed and safes exploded with readily available mining dynamite, so now we don’t get to have fun.

[@louisegogel7973]

Spitze Ideen! 🇨🇭🇨🇭🇨🇭🇨🇭

[@DaDunge]

Way to much work, you cna break rocks with just heat and cold. Heat them up and they expand and if they are hot enough they'll break when they contract as they cool down. In a place like texas it might be enough to paint it black.

[@louisegogel7973]

@@DaDunge Also a great plan!

[@m.a.6478]

@@DaDunge With a proper drill you are done in half an hour. But that's the point: you need to know what you are doing.

[@mathiasfriman8927]

Most people overestimate what can be done in 1 year, but underestimate what can be done in 10 years! Good work so far, the manure will work wonders!

[@danhelwig]

I have spent the last two decades doing what you are working on. A plastic barrel filled with food cans, sulfur and water and then aerated for several months will become an oily black liquid that is iron and zinc (the galvanized can), sulfate, SO 4. Spread on the desert soils it adds four vital elements usually in short supply in desert environments. I believe this amendment also reduces the permeability of the granular desert soils, creates a coating on the particles. A side by side of any plant and you will see a greener leaf on the treated area. Also no worries about over application of this compound. Any ash, especially charcoal is how the burn cycle created these thin desert soils and worth adding to the mix. Enjoy your show, good luck!

[@lorettarussell3235]

Interesting information

[@marcusmckenna7842]

Shaun, get yourself a few lightweight 12x12 tarps and rig some awnings for those doghouses. I grew up in El Paso. Shade is your friend.

[@dustupstexas]

As long as you focus on ventilation, they're actually pretty comfortable, even in summer. I'm laying in mine right now at 3:14 p.m. while it's 96F outside. I'm sweating just a bit, but it's really not that bad

[@dustupstexas]

Sometime in the fall we are going to build a secondary roof to increase the catchment area for rainwater harvesting

[@knoll9812]

Used in jumpable parachutes ars excellent for large shade area. Cost very little and have vents sewn in.

[@coffeebuzzz]

@@dustupstexas This is why you burn money, you don't listen to people with experience. As long as you focus on shade, the amount of fuel you burn to air-condition those cubes will plummet. You will also create an environment more suitable for human habitation. You should have shade cloth strung up between and above any structure and object you have in your compound. The more shade, the cooler the area. You mulch the soil to SHADE it to reduce evaporation and yet you completely dismiss this idea for your own environment. I worked 20 years around mine sites in Western Australia, it's a lot bigger, hotter, drier and more remote than little Texas and if there wasn't shade at the camps, no one would ever come back for a second swing. And stop using passenger vehicles to move tiny amounts of low density bulk goods hundreds of kms. Find the nearest source of bulk chipped biomass, preferably free like arborists waste, and hire a transport company to deliver it 50 tons at a time. Spend your time spreading it, not driving around collecting a few sticks at a time. $2k to get 100 yards of free mulch delivered is cheap.

[@jarnevanbec2886]

Also you should start a small "garden" around your shed which you mulch excessively and keep moist artificially. It will give you a quickstart, and in time it could serve as a breeding area for the overall project.

[@tinknal6449]

Have you thought of setting those dog houses up in such a way you could build a canopy over it? You would have a shady spot to set up an outdoor kitchen, lounging are, etc.

[@threeriversforge1997]

I was thinking the same thing. Even small roofs over each one would be orders of magnitude better than having nothing at all. A cost, sure, and possibly impossible since they're a wind sail that might get ruined with the first good storm, but something worth investigating since it'd help so much with the cooling costs as well as providing some "quality of life" improvements. Nothing better than sitting under the shade of your porch, in a rocking chair, and watching the world go by!

[@tinknal6449]

@@threeriversforge1997 It could probably be done quite cheaply with salvaged materials. I'm a scrapper and could build one for free.

[@dianaanthony2981]

I'm in West Texas too, and people with successful canopies have heavy-duty anchors (welded steel appears to be 4-5" diameter). Also, heavy duty poly canvas. It must be taut to prevent wind from moving it, so it doesn't damage the canvas.

[@b4k4survivor]

Anything would be great. I have encouraged him to consider an actual metal roof that he could harvest water from. Materials would be expensive but I think he mentioned wanting to do something like your saying

[@GTIFabric]

Greenhouse shade cloth is potentially a better material than tarps.

[@pwnyboy12]

Make sure you cover your irrigation hoses with mulch as well so the water you’re using doesn’t just evaporate before reaching anywhere it can be used! The mulch over the irrigation hoses will also help spread the water further away from each hose meaning you won’t have to place them so close together as well.

[@lorettarussell3235]

& the mulch covered hose will protect the hose from sun damage & make the water cooler instead of being hot, & prevent evaporation

[@tesha199]

The main advantage of woodchips is that wind won't blow them away

[@nustada]

That and I think wood chips attract more beneficial insects than harmful ones. But I don't know if that is an issue in the dessert.

[@2w122]

I think he needs all the above. And then layers will be best

[@gillsmoke]

in the Middle of nowhere Texas? yeah they will, no cover.

[@tesha199]

@@gillsmoke not if thrown into dirt tubs, but wind can absolutely blow dried grass out even from a hole in the ground.

[@steffenwurster352]

But water will. My bet is, after a heavy rain all this work will be vanished. I hope, I am wrong

[@Mynervas]

Thank you for putting the temperature in Celsius as well for us internationals :)

[@westwashere2214]

The best mulch for scenario is free mulch. I do not write to dissuade you from gathering more mulch, but to add to your arsenal. Look into 'Tallus moisture effect' and you will find you have much mulch already. Use the screener, separate gravels and use for mulch, the fist size and larger rocks can be sorted as needed/desired but placed in a pile on a north facing slope they will collect the dew from the air and water plants accordingly without your help, leaving you to spread the gravel where needed as finer mulch. good luck.

[@dustupstexas]

Cool idea. That should probably go on the experiment vidoe

[@kevinh6008]

Not sure if that is going to work when there isn't much water in the air.

[@melaniedeare5427]

Interesting! I was wondering about this very thing because I have rock mulch around the (already established) plants in my planting beds. It's amazing how much dirt those rocks trap, and I consequently have to fight the sprouting weeds!

[@Herculesbiggercousin]

You ARE doing better with every single episode released. I hope people in the comments see this and when constructive feedback is warranted it’s given tactfully. Shaun I think you should speak with the Texas department of agriculture, your county and localities to try and get connected to more farmers and businesses who may decide they’d want to contribute raw materials and organic matter to what’s effectively land conservation. And don’t settle for just phone calls, I work closely with government entities and from experience- if you want to get any sh*t done you have to make it a meeting or generally you can expect they won’t take you very seriously about anything

[@pauljones9150]

Lol governments do love their meetings

[@dustupstexas]

Yup. Just like nothing happened with phone calls. Everything happened after I showed up in person

[@4eyefoxbodyfanclub625]

@@pauljones9150 and reading their emails.

[@stanmccorkle]

I’ve been binge watching your channel for a week or two and this is the first episode I’ve had to wait to watch. I’ve always enjoyed your content, and your storytelling is getting way better. I appreciate you sharing your thought process as you are making decisions based on the information you have available at any given point. I think you do a great job learning from your mistakes and asking for help. I appreciate your humility. I’m grateful for your willingness to capture this experience and share it with the world. Looking forward to teh next episode.

[@thatguychris5654]

That horse manure is absolute gold if it were made into Terra Preta. Sorry to hear about your sandbag building issue. It was a good idea, but time wasnt on your side. Keep at it, you're doing great! Side note: if you aren't worried about PFAS and can provide access to tractor trailers, contact a local municipality that hauls off it's treated human waste in powder form. Massive tonnage of fertility for a fraction of the cost, if perhaps even free.

[@mrhappystore8611]

what is the difference between terra preta and loam? cant find an answer on google..

[@TheFabledSCP7000]

​@@mrhappystore8611loam regards the consistency of the soil while terra peeta is a way to produce a black earth replacement

[@novampires223]

Please don't, any drugs or chemicals flushed down the toilet are in that waste.

[@giso79]

@@mrhappystore8611 search for the wikipedia artikel, i can't explain it better as it is written there. I think the most importanted part in Terra Preta is the charcoal. It holds water and nutrient. would be be intresting too see a test area over 2 years.

[@jeffreyc9183]

What you want is a tub grinder. You can probably mix manure and other things in with the wood chips when you grind them up. If you run them through the grinder more than once, it makes a finer material

[@awesomearizona-dino]

Shaun, i live in the Sonoran Desert area. SHADE is king, consider shade cloth structures or even laying it on the ground.

[@trevorstewart8]

Shaun, your roadside brush mulch in my mind is ideal as it is. It does not need a chipper/shredder. An early episode from Geoff Lawton showed how he started a fruit tree grove in Jordan on bare desert land using large brush from tree pruning's (from neighbours) to shelter his swales in which he planted seedings and also grew non-planted fungi it was so moist, in conditions similar to yours. Think of it as the shaded border under a hedge row growing pasture grasses.

[@tharsam]

I am not shure if it's a crasy idea, but you could try to grind down your dry free mulch and branches with the dozer by running over it a couple of times and using the weight to compress/crack down the material. Probably not as small as from a professional woodchipper but maybe worth a try

[@biker_dan]

Manure is great, any kind is perfect. Also straw. Another option is veg packing factories as they always have so much leaf waste that can also be a good much. Sometimes businesses and farms are happy to give away waste products like this which is all for your benefit. Loving your progress and wish your project could be spread far and wide. What you are doing is much more than any environmentalist ever does. Great work mate.

[@mikeinportland30]

I celebrate the dreamers who spend their time and resources and energy on a quest of their own. It's the Don Quixote's of the world that make the human spirit so wonderful. It will be genuinely amazing if you someday create forest in the desert..... but sometimes the journey is the destination (just as mistakes are learning). Dream on dude! Tilt at those windmills!!

[@westwashere2214]

Fight the WInd! onward HO!!

[@mikeinportland30]

@@westwashere2214 ❤️❤️👍👍

[@lucasbracher]

Thanks for showing data both in imperial and metric! You have a lot of fans around the world, and we appreciate both your effort in ranch and your kindness in sharing in units we understand easily. Thank you a lot again!

[@Treesusb]

Shaun, as a Greenthumb I must remind you. The results you are truly looking for are 20 years down the road but completely possible. 2 years from now you will see some dramatic changes to the areas you’ve worked on so far.

[@HPDrifter2]

This is correct. Persistence and tenacity win the day here - not perfection and efficiency.

[@jimsubtle886]

That mulch was such a score Shaun! I hope you keep finding solutions like this to speed up your progress. Good luck my friend!

[@comfort_in_discomfort]

This is fun to watch. Cant believe the rain missed all of you!

[@msergio0293]

I live near the area in El Paso and I can attest that indeed the rains were really spotty

[@THESPORTINGCAMP]

Your cash burn rate is high from what you mention on your videos. Your perseverance is admirable. Hope it all comes together. 🤝

[@chilledoutinternet4682]

the thing about grass vs straw vs woodchips is woodchips last about 2-3 years while the other two last about 2-3 months so you have to keep applying those

[@dustupstexas]

True. I will factor that into the analysis, but grass decomposes much more slowly out here because we don't have enough moisture

[@treefrog5218]

In the deserts of the southwest a cow pie can last 100 years without breaking down. Ranchers have to import dung beetles so the manure can become part of the ecological cycle.. So, people's experience with mulch doesn't necessarily apply in this case. Even the guy on KZbin comparing mulch and water retention might have different results with the desicating winds at DUSTUPS.

[@louisegogel7973]

@@treefrog5218Yes, each area requires different approaches!

[@PsychicIsaacs]

I have my own horse. She takes about 2 to 3 hours a day to train and care for and about $250 a month to feed, but her manure is pure gold for my little "ranchero". I dig pits and fill them or fill old tractor tyres etc, then wait for it to rot before planting a tree there. If I can channel water into this pit (in a "half moon terrace" or similar) that's all the better, but even a berm all the way around it, planted up in aloes, opuntias, agave and with an understorey/ground cover of pigface (a native vining succulent) makes quite a nice catchment, because all of the above attract condensation and channel it to their roots, which means that it ends up in the pit anyway. She is an American Curly (a breed of Mustang) x Waler (Australian Wild Horse Breed) x Thoroughbred and the fact that she is about 3/4 wild horse makes her ideally suited to living where she does! The plan, long term, is to feed her on nopal and other cacti and succulents and this is definitely do-able, I just need to get the plant populations up to the level where I could take the amount she needs each day, without crashing everything! Her poop, and the fact that I love her, love riding her and love being around her, justifies her existence and the expense that it takes to keep her, but if you can get horse manure from a neighbouring ranch (without the time and money costs that owning a horse entails) I'd definitely do it! I personally can't understand why anyone would just give away such a golden resource, but if he's willing to do so, I'd take it, as much of it as I could get!

[@dustupstexas]

Love the story. Very cool

[@Kalumaneveah]

Not sure what the straw and hay prices are over there, but it's relatively light so it might be worth sourcing batches that have rot in them and can no longer be used as feed or bedding. It's what we do a lot here in the Netherlands with straw. Not hay, because of the seeds in it, but I'm sure that won't be a problem at Dustup Ranch.

[@misstweetypie1]

I think they have to bring in hay/straw from other states, so I don’t believe this is a great option.

[@patrickday4206]

All of the cost of straw is in shipping here imagine shipping in straw from spain

[@ksdragona_5583]

I'm not sure about bulk prices, but Timothy hay goes for like $7 a pound. I see farmers with bales of alphalfa and whatnot all the time in the fall, but that's in a much wetter (relatively speaking) part of Texas than where he's at

[@misstweetypie1]

@@patrickday4206 I'm sure you're right, but I'm not sure why this is pertinent here...

[@patrickday4206]

@@misstweetypie1 letting the guy from the Netherlands understand pricing

[@andytrommald5327]

Another great part about wood chip mulch besides water retention is uv protection for the micro biome in the top layers of soil

[@TalRohan]

you could split that rock with feathers and wedges pretty cost effectively..drill the holes put the feather and wedges in then simply hammer away on them one hit each at a time and they'll push the rock apart, That little shredder was truly appalling but you're right you going to have to spend a chunk of change to get a large probably diesel powered chipper, and they have different uses and sizes of feed material to consider too. The manure looks excellent and reasonably well rotted too

[@dustupstexas]

I'd rather spend the money on Dexpan and not hammer all day. Got too many tasks to get through

[@TalRohan]

@@dustupstexas dexpan sounds like expanding demolistion stuff yes.... makes sense and yes a bit less work than splitting it by hand. I'm a bit of an arm and leg power fanatic lol (sometimes even when its to my detriment)

[@natel9019]

The wood chips don't need to soak in the water super efficiently for them to help. They reduce sun and wind evaporation. Reduces temperature.Adding fungal colonies to help the soil.

[@jotv7224]

wood chips moisture retention improves over the years if you continue to add more. it also lasts the longest. in my experience at least. for building up a forest because they really get the fungal aspect going not the bacterial they are best. thats why i choose over grass and hay which i save for the vegetable garden

[@bloodragefromnorway]

i LOVE this series! i live in northern norway and its fun to see the big difference in fauna and dirt!

[@AnvilDragon]

What you want to do is ask about bidding the DOT for it's removal. You should try to cover labor, chipper rental, and fuel minimum. That brush is tough and takes more 3x the regular power to chip and it will dull the blades. However, DOT may have it in piles to reduce erosion. I doubt that, thinking more likely they hope to burn it in place.

[@dustupstexas]

They burn it

[@joman104]

A big thing a bout chipping up the trees it is not just mulch but organic mater that will end up in the soil over time. Forests hold so much water because they have lots of shade, high organic mater in the soil, and a thick layer of mulch. I definitly am going to get a wood chipper one day.

[@windirono5409]

You can use those sand bags on your dams. Especially on the edges and to help prevent toe erosion. It’s only a waste if you don’t put them to some good use.

[@lesliebrannon2191]

Was thinking the same. Not every where will have enough rocks to build a rock dam. but using the sand bags and the larger gravel to cover and protect the bags could help . Plus if he gets the right bags next time, they will last longer.

[@windirono5409]

@@lesliebrannon2191 doesn’t really have to last that long. The wash will back fill the dam soon enough, depending on the amount of rain. Unpacked sand/rock is going to saturate quickly and give. It’s a ton of work to build a sandbag dam. But a ton of zig/zag to slow things and collect sediment to build up on it might over time slow things down enough.

[@lesliebrannon2191]

@@windirono5409 HE needs to hold the water as long as he can, Using the machine I think it does 30 sand bags at a time, Plus with the gravel sieve it also give him larger gravel to put in front of the sand bags . That will catch the sediment. Maybe 1 or 2 trip in the pick up would be enough each time. The zig-zags also involves lots of work, but does not hold the water it only slows it down. Which is fine if you have lots of water. It might work in some places.

[@rockssssssss]

I would say the one thing about wood mulch being “a less good mulch” is its benefit compared to grass and straw is that it doesn’t deteriorate near as fast.

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

This is the best sight to nourish my sxhadenfreude. No amount of money, effort or time can make up for previously earned practical experience. Keep doing what you are doing. Life is good.

[@ericramos3483]

Dustups, you've tackled the most complex, comprehensive, challenging project so ambitious that the United States government has avoided it. Your passion project is to ambitious for the most powerful country in the world! Think about that. Don't apply time lines to yourself! And do not complain about the time you are investing! Btw, I love your views!

[@norelapze]

I hope this dude reads his comments, lots of good advice.

[@dustupstexas]

I do

[@b4k4survivor]

Others have warned before, but be careful of potential contaminants in manure and other materials that might inhibit the microorganisms you are trying to cultivate. Also, perfectly fine to use what you can and uncontaminated straw is great, but wood is wonderful for supporting mycorrhizae, which improves moisture and nutrient uptake over the long term. A mix of both is great, the wood chips on top of the straw can help hold the straw in place. Also, it is a general rule, but plants tend to like mulch that matches them... So woody shrubs and trees benefit most from woodchips while leafy greens do better with straw. Anything is better than nothing, however. Also, please please please check your vehicle's towing capacity and max tongue weight (and bear in mind, most recommendations are to tow under these limits whenever possible). The dump trailer itself is probably already taking up a huge portion of those limits, and if it's loaded even with what doesn't seem like much... That's enormous wear on your transmission, suspension components, brakes, etc A cubic ft of horse manure weighs around 63 pounds according to an extension office. Please bear that in mind when adding up the weight of your trailer, tongue weight, etc. I've seen recommendations on Tacoma forums for a max tow weight of 4,000-4,500 pounds and a max tongue weight around 500-600 pounds. That trailer alone looks like it probably takes up a large portion of those suggested maximums. Just because you *can* do something doesn't mean you *should*, especially when it comes to a light duty truck.

[@dustupstexas]

I bought a 6.6L 2003 Silverado 3500 with a newish engine (10k miles) and have been fixing it up at home here and there. It will be on the ranch in August. You're right about the Tacoma and the trailer. It's a bandaid until I can run the dually. The dually will be a farm truck. It will rarely leave my ranch road

[@b4k4survivor]

@@dustupstexas Sweet. Glad to hear it and sorry if I missed it on other videos that you had that other truck. Hope you can get it fixed up soon. I like the mentality of Daniel (?), looking for solutions in unexpected places. Turning a waste that TXdot has to pay to haul off or burn into a resource is 100% good permaculture thinking. Permaculture is about the mentality that "the problem is the solution."

[@joelbellJB]

I’m not talking shit, but it really is interesting seeing someone who’s never had to work with equipment or rural living/agriculture learning about the basics. It just seems like yeah, of course first things first, you got to have a good road to get in and out, and when it does rain don’t get stuck in the mud.

[@westwashere2214]

I'm betting that road like so many others can never be good enough.

[@joelbellJB]

@@westwashere2214 lol

[@dustupstexas]

The county only fixes the road once per year. It will likely create a hauling season. Hauling is a bad idea during monsoon season

[@guerillagardener2237]

Wish I was able to come with work effort, ideas and resources to help you with this, bringing the natural world back to life has been a dream of mine since I was a child.

[@Bunterpartybuss2000]

Hey Shaun, Love your videos and I'm always happy when you make a new one! Not sure if you checked, but what did the horses eat?Not sure if you thought of that but i want to tell you that just in cse. I saw a few videos and read articles about horse manure as fertilizer but the straw that the horses ate was preserved with anti-fungi so that it does not mold. If that was the case or any other pesticides were used, they could now be in the manure and stop your plan of growing plants/fungi/bacteria in the ground for a good soil ecosystem. Might be worth testing for in a lab.

[@4eyefoxbodyfanclub625]

Bunterpartybus you brought up an interesting point.

[@JohnDoe-id9hi]

What about creating fodder mats? Buy wheat seeds or oat seed from a feed store, cover a pan with seed and cover seed with enough dirt to cover seeds. Add water and wait until you have a grass mat and lay it like bricks.

[@Cardamen2289]

Future rock splitting, Feather wedges work for my rock splitting works the best for me. I tried drilling and expansion cement, took forever. 6PCS Rock Splitting Wedges and 1PCS Rotary Hammer Drill Bit

[@dustupstexas]

I already bought the dexpan, but I'll probably try wedges if I get grumpy with how long it takes

[@HPDrifter2]

I find that in my own Desert Restoration project, nature works on a three year schedule. I work, and work, and work, all to no avail. Then, three years later, whatever I was trying to grow magically shows up. Non-intuitive for us humans... rapid progress for the desert.

[@bvb8769]

A couple of things. First, an idea for the shade canopy. What about using of army camo tarps? They'll provide shade, but won't be as severely affected as a solid tarp in heavy winds. Second, there is wheat straw available to you in Presidio,TX for $95/bale. Finally, there was a project carried out in Sierra Blanca by a New York company that saw them dumping up to 45 train cars full of treated sewer 'sludge' per day. Its current technical name is 'biosolids' now. The point I'm making is this, you potentially have access to some of the best soil amending material right next door. My city has been using sludge as a land application for farm land for over five decades. The farmers that lease the land grow alfalfa which has a very high nitrogen demand. This allows us to apply a thicker layer of sludge which in turn gives us more capacity in our sludge pond. Check out the Sierra Blanca Sludge Ranch. The sludge was spread out on the ground at a rate of three tons per acre per year, covering about 18,000 acres of the ranch. You till in a heap of that into your terraces and life will spring forth in abundance, I guarantee!

[@nekoDan]

Thanks for sharing another honest video of your wins and losses. I’ve seen some flail/chipper attachments for front end loaders. Maybe swap the sand bag filler for one of those. Then pile up your brush and hit it with the flail.

[@HydroMaester]

This is a really cool project! It will be interesting to see the ranch after a rain, It looks like you are on the right track with the terraces and mulch!

[@leahd4016]

Excited to see what progress comes from the grass turf experiment. My best educated guess is that those could have some incredibly pleasing results once they get started.

[@MeetingCPP]

For stone splitting look into "feather and wedges".

[@REVSMOG]

With all that material from TEXDOT, may I suggest that you use your DOZER at a pre-stage to fine mulching. The weight and the tracks will do a LOT of breaking down of that material. Then add the horse manure on top of it, run back and forth and you've got good mulch

[@angelofamillionyears4599]

Shawn - you can do research and find out which trucking firms normally come through your area. Identify trucks that are hauling any biodegradable material and food waste products, etc. Then offer to have them dump it for free to build top soil, etc. Also consider buying used water well drilling equipment and start a water well drilling business. You are smart and you can make a good business ! Then use your expertise and equipment to drill both fresh and salt water wells on your land for free !! good luck

[@viewerman99]

Keep going, it will get there

[@MusicNinjas]

I see the problem with the rain, you forgot to do the rain dance when the clouds were in to let the clouds know where to drop off at. But in all realness, hope you get your rain soon.

[@scottbillups4576]

Part of why whoodchips and branch / debris is a good solution is because of wind. Woodchips stay in place, where as grass and straw tend to be blown around. 'whatever I can find' is always your best bet. Add a 'woodchip or branch top" is a good solution, if you can arrange that.

[@IngoDingo]

I'd definitely invest time in improving the roads that are frequented the most. Spending a few days pays in the long run, if you save 5 minutes everytime you use it. It's also less wear and tear on the equipment

[@rivimey]

Especially as once you do get rain the roads will probably be impassable due to washouts, mud and flooding! Lots of small slow-down dams across valleys so the water doesn't flow away as fast as it can: it will start filling up the local water table, and also evaporate so making the area more humid (which is good for local ecosystems). Such dams can be just a foot or two high and very simple -- rocks, even compacted dirt is better than nothing. All they need to do is to slow the rainwater down, not stop it.

[@RogerKeulen]

You do not need roads to grow plants.

[@westwashere2214]

@@rivimey good roads attract good volunteers.

[@lorettarussell3235]

​@@RogerKeulengood roads make it easier to access areas & to move supplies & equipment

[@lesliebrannon2191]

@@RogerKeulen You need roads to get to areas that you want to plant stuff. Without the roads he has already built . At least half of what he has done so far would be impossible. Just getting to the ranch in the first episode was a mission.

[@lorettarussell3235]

Since seeing your video of the other property with the river , maybe consider fixing a large area to use as a dump site for materials to prepare for the DU Ranch. You have access to water to make compost, moisten wood for huguleculture to put in botton of swales, trenches, bath tubs. Get a heavy duty chipper that can handle the type of material you can get. Happy to see you have that dump trailer, but is your truck heavy duty enough to pull it with a load. A lot of people have questioned that. Consider investing in a heavy duty truck that can be of long term use, get quality equipment that can work together to do multiple tasks. If you are planning to stick with this it is a slow methodical long term project. Take time to research what others have done & how effective it is & adapt what can be used for your situation. You have consulted with some who have proven success & are nationaly & internationaly known. Continue learning from many who are proven regenerative farmers, those with proven leaders in conserving water & restoring watersheds. Consider doing more of what you started with the check dams at the high elevations to increase water retention.

[@i-craftsdesign3175]

Man keep doing what you do. Remember: the best results always come from dedication and sacrifice. I'll see you when you're having lunch under the canopies of your forest.

[@NickCombs]

NightHawkInLight found a way to make a cooling paint from cheap ingredients. At >100°F, you might consider whipping up a batch and testing it on those little cabins to save on power for the a/c.

[@typhoon320i]

You must have bought the smallest wood chipper made. My cheap Harbor Freight is 3 times the size of that. You need a BIG wood chipper.

[@RogerKeulen]

The woodchipper is just as _professional_ as the cheap hoses he is using. This guy is just a amateur that keeps buying things he doesn't need.

[@timonix2]

@@RogerKeulen I mean.. Yea he is an amateur. But that's why we are watching him on youtube. No challenge in bringing in a 1000 man strong construction crew with the budget of a small town. This is not really something done. There just isn't any money to be made

[@excitedbox5705]

If you want a mulcher go to an equipment auction at the end or start of the landscaping season, or look at the surplus auctions for the county/state/txdot you can find CRAZY deals when you are in no hurry to get it right now. Also putting out messages on social media, sometimes people will just give that stuff away. Pig manure is high in nitrogen and ammonia. Because of the smell is hard to get rid of. If you find an industrial pig farm near you, they may pay you to take it off their hands. If you can find a few industrial farms it might even be worth improving the road and having them deliver it using semi trucks.

[@rivimey]

Be aware that ammonia in particular is essentially a poison -- it only becomes "good" when broken down by the relatively few microbes that can eat it. They excrete nitrogen compounds, which are good for plant (woody) growth. Phosphates are good/better for leafy/flowery growth.

[@threeriversforge1997]

A great example of how important networking is. We've wrongly gotten into this notion of 'rugged individualism' and forgot that no man is an island. Building relationships pays dividends. As for the mulch.... grass clippings will always be at the top of the heap, imo, because it stacks just a little tighter and is softer/easier for the microbes to break down. That said, wood chips are of an equal value in my estimation since they last longer on the ground and don't blow away as easily, especially once the sun's been working them over. We can't forget that a huge part of the equation isn't holding moisture, but actually shading the soil so that what moisture you have can stick around longer, and the microbes in the ground can actually work and grow. One of the biggest benefits of mulch is protecting the top layer of ground from UV Radiation. If the sun gives us a burn, imagine what it does to the tiny little creatures that live at the dirt level! As Edge of Nowhere Farms demonstrated, a heavy mulching with wood chips can reduce desert soil temperatures but up to 30º, and makes the 'micro herd' smile!

[@dustupstexas]

The wind is a huge concern with grass. I've had several dust devils blow through the terrace. Aside from witnessing it, I know the incidents that I missed because you can see a gap in the grass mulch where it blew through

[@threeriversforge1997]

@@dustupstexas When I put down light mulch like clippings and leaves, I always have to put twigs on top of it to keep them from blowing away in the wind. I can't imagine what the situation is in your area with baby tornados wanting to raise a fuss! With all that woody material piled on the side of the road, it'd be worth investing in a heavy duty wood chipper. I just rented a diesel-fired tow-behind chipper for a weekend to break down some crepe myrtle and it cost me about $350. Did a fantastic job on the crepe myrtle up to 6" in diameter, so now I'm spreading out a ton of mulch! Just make sure to rent it on Friday so you don't have to return it till monday since the rental store is closed for the weekend!

[@threeriversforge1997]

@@dustupstexas Edge of Nowhere Farms just put out another vid and demonstrated how their area handles the winds and rains of the monsoon storm. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnS2pnt5jNWJjrs They're putting the wood chips on very thick, but you can see just how it pays off for them. The chips might take longer to break down and become soil, but just look at how beautiful that soil is! 😀

[@JB-eg1tb]

Great reflections on lessons learned Shaun! Looking forward to each video seeing which path you take towards your vision.

[@EricLavigne-y3v]

Very interesting to watch. Big fan and wish you all the best!!

[@daemianbox]

There is an attachment for skid steer that will process more than 5 cu/yd an hour. I think is called stump grinder. Is a bunch of vertical blades side by side that chew through wood like butter

[@dustupstexas]

But then you have to pick all that material up off of the ground

[@Kushiel13]

Even if grass and hay retain more water than wood chips, it’s also less dense. Since this is more than a gardening project, you probably want to consider the value of the additional organic matter.

[@rivimey]

It's not a case of either grass or woodchip but both. They are both good in their own way.

[@dustupstexas]

Correct. It's not all or nothing

[@elipson1]

Your air conditioners on site probably produce a lot of water condensate when they are running. You can collect it in jugs and use it for your plants. They can easily produce 2-3 gallons of water a day.

[@dustupstexas]

I have never seen any condensation coming off of them.

[@b4k4survivor]

​@@dustupstexasthere is normally a drain tube, but some just have a pan where the condensate collects before it evaporates. Definitely worth looking at because they will produce something, especially now in monsoon season (even when not rainy, if the dewpoint is higher than 55F, you surely can harvest some condensate) It might seem like a tiny amount, but bear in mind, it adds up over time and it's distilled water, which is wonderful for what you're doing. Even if it's just a few quarts at a time, try to drain a tube into a small jug that you can keep the bees out of and then use that to water the nearby circles you planted with Joao

[@zevar9819]

Most of the commenters that are saying use the condensation or trap the dew don't understand just how dry it is there.

[@Tron2pointOh]

Solar golf carts with a trailer to move all the organic material around our there.

[@melaniedeare5427]

Excellent idea! Also a good way to get around the ranch; either a golf cart or a side-by-side.

[@Ophelialoki]

Algae mats would be perfect here. Filamentatious to hold water and act as a mulch and can provide nitrogen to the soil. If it has phosphorus and potassium already, it’s a gold mine if worked properly. It has some cleared spots for my dogs too they make 12 pounds of fertilizer a day... too many dogs but I can’t stop haha. Absolute dream just wake up and focus on biomass harvest and collecting data. I love it. I’m Buying land down there as soon as I can haha

[@zinnsand21]

As remote as you are solar and electric equipment in the long run will be your cheapest source of power. 5-10 years from now it will be a lot cheaper but can you wait? Your now options are to find solar/electric equipment sponsors willing to trade equipment etc. for add time. Donations are your other option. The only other option would be to find someone with organic material where your location is closer than where they dump it and get them to dump it to your spot or a location close by where you can get pemission to dump the material then grab it yourself.

[@westwashere2214]

very interesting post. Small equipment tends to shift to gas at about 3-5 hp becasue the North American power standards aren't wired for 3 phase aside from commercial and government and some farm, the 220 v just doesn't supply the needed power to run larger tools (due to the pre installed wire gauges), say a 10 hp chipper and then there is portability, so manufacturers don't supply these items here, so they may be hard to find, IMHO. That being said attracting solar power and implementing is brilliant and a very good idea!

[@kevinh6008]

I like the idea of solar electric, but how much of a load can electric devices take? It seems that electric machines tend to crap out when gas powered machines don't.

[@lesliebrannon2191]

@@kevinh6008 I seen on another site a portable power pack that can power a small house . It's about the size of a very large suit case. It is power by 2 solar panels and he has been using it on all sorts of power tools for over a year with out a problem. Am sure you be able to get bigger one's depending on what power you need . There also mini wind turbines which can be used.

[@joshbenoit2859]

I still think dog hair from dog salons would be a great addition to your mulch project. It's light, take forever to break down, free, and helps hold in moisture. We use it a lot, just make sure to wash it first.

[@melaniedeare5427]

Birds love it for nest-building too, but I guess there aren't many birds there yet?

[@Moonplant432]

I'm so glad you showed the video of the highway going into El Paso and the crappy West Texas infrastructure - poor country services. Hopefully commenters will understand the environment better. Hot as hell, dry as a bone, and higher altitude. Maples won't great, bamboo won't grow, there a no lawns for grass clippings, there are no trees to trim to collect cuttings from. Collecting brush from TxDOT is brilliant. Finally!

[@dustupstexas]

Persistence is my strength. I think I've heard nearly every possible criticism, but I haven't seen a single comment accusing me of not being persistent 😁

[@lesliebrannon2191]

@@dustupstexas Shaun if you where not persistent and determent you would not have started this great adventure.

[@OnkyoGrady]

Ok im subbing. Been seeing you off and on for a while now, and your practicality has now reached interesting levels. The first few vids i was just watching you do things that wouldn't work long term, inefficiently. Now you're cooking with gas. Bringing in turds, selling useless equipment, roads to your work sites, that's going to lead to rapid progress, and I'm here for it.

[@SamEoff-u5k]

Some years ago, NYC, I believe was bringing sewer cake waste to places in West Texas that wanted it spread on their land as a soil enhancement. Truckloads for free. They needed places to dispose of it.

[@shaneomax2296]

I have a major warning for that. PFAS contamination has been found in some sewer cake waste and it is about the last thing you ever want in your soil. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZO7ZaaqmNGWick&pp=ygUWdGV4YXMgZm9yZXZlciBjaGVtaWNhbA%3D%3D

[@rivimey]

I would be wary about bringing pollutants into the area and then spreading them around. There's enough polluted land around already and there are alternatives.

[@patrickday4206]

Yeah you read about all the farms shut down because of that pfoas and heavy metals terrible idea

[@dustupstexas]

I spoke to his a hydrologist that did his PhD research in this area. He told me about walking through the fields where that material was deposited and still finding pubic hairs 10 years later. No thanks

[@Ieo9017]

Props to you buddy......I would have given up and just built a couple aquaponic hoop houses. We have somewhat comparable terrain here in the Great Basin and it would never have dreamed I could bring in enough biomass to do what you're doing....great work

[@viewpoint365]

Watch the YT ads people. Don't want all the good content going behind a pay wall

[@stephen33]

just in idea. It may be more benifical to put that brush in where water flows. It will hold on to more biomass. Eventually it will expand the water out pass the banks. create habitat for other plant speices.

[@Zuluknob]

Drill a series of holes across the rock, then sledge hammer in metal wedges. You can split massive rocks this way. No explosives, just elbow grease. look for "How to split large boulders! Using ‘Wedge and Feathers’ "

[@patrickday4206]

Or wood dowels and soak in water

[@timonix2]

We did that in the yard here. Surprisingly fast too. Had a pretty big drill being done with holes in maybe 20 seconds. Splitting was done with $10 worth of chinesium wedges and it worked great. Even 1 ton plus rocks

[@pravachan4355]

Hey Shaun, just drive down to Houston area and you can pick up an 18 wheeler full of wood chips from all the trees, Beyrl knocked down a week ago. If only there was a way to collect all the grass clippings from the whole city and shift it down there every week, we would not have the desert for long! We really appreciate all the hard work you are putting in to green up the land.

[@martinhuhn7813]

Well, you started some higher intensity work on the terraces and that seems to work well. But it is limited by the mulch and water you can bring in without extensive costs and work. I guess, you will find more sources of cheap and easy to get mulch, but there will be a point, when it does not make sense to expand that approach. The terraces will produce some more biomass, but that is also limited and very local. Therefore, I would ask myself, which other low hanging fruits there might be. You can built a few more dams with the dozer and thereby retain more water on the land, which should help on all the low points. But that also means to create more driveways and it would destroy valualble vegetation. And building dams is most effective, if it is combined with building more terraces in the same process - but that is not great, as long as you cannot suppyly those terraces and it would destroy even more existing vegetation. So, those high intensity works can only be expanded very gradually. However, I see a useful, sustainable and procrastination-friendly project which should make sense. There are plenty of high points (including such, which are close to your habitat and to the terraces), which are not suitable for high intensity works, neither now or later. They will never be used for roads, terraces or anything that resembles real agriculture (because they will always be dryer than the other areas). And they will allways keep a lot of their desert character. But they don´t need to be useless. There are "islands" of bushes, cactus and grasses within the "desert concrete" there. If you put a rudimentary ring of rocks a foot away from such an island, chop and drop some of the dead plant material available there, cover it up with some dirt and additional rocks that it can´t blow away. If you feel generous, add a small bucket of biomass with some seeds. Then forget about the spot and go to the next. (unlike the more manicured rings which you built before). The effects will be an expansion of the plants which are in those spots anyways, a little more biomass every year, and last but not least, inceased perculation (and increased protection from wind and sun), which will benefit all the future and present projects on the elevations below. It will not be much, but it does not require external materials and practically no planning. It will not negatively interfere with other parts of the project and it will last a very long time, because on top of the hills, strong rains can´t cause floods which wash it away. And most importantly: What you built there , will represent the end state of the desert-forest project for those spots. It won´t be another intermediate solution, but it would be something, that is finished. There would be places, where nature just does all the future work for you.

[@dustupstexas]

I thought about lining my roads with prickly pear for the reason that you mentioned. It's kind of a dead zone for growing. Because time is limited resource, I want to direct the efforts to where it has the most impact, which is why I didn't pursue it

[@martinhuhn7813]

@@dustupstexas I had similar thoughts, like the one about the roads, but like the bathtubs, that relies on establishing new plants in difficult spots. It would also be destroyed, if you have to expand a road a little. Also, many places along the roads are rather vulnerable when it rains, and those places which are good and not damaged by further road building, will likely become greener anyways, whenever the roads interrupt slopes. In contrast, what I was proposing, is meant to maximize impact for minimal effort. The plant islands on top of the hills are allready home to successful and resilient plants, which would expand their area of coverage without further help, if the local conditions were fixed on a very small scale. There problem isn´t that they don´t have a lot of soil, water and organic materials around. Those existing spots are limited by the fact, that the area with loose dirt, organic matter, shade and water in the ground completely ends there. The existing and established vegetation will take advantage of every little help, which it gets there. Other than some additional prickly pears along the roads, those works would specifically improve the highground above current and future terraces, which should also benefit your new tree plantations there - especially, once you put the irrigation to the next spot and it must become self sustaining. Also, the workload should be much less than planting prickly pears. Everything works with what is already available. Sufficient amounts of suitable rocks are everywhere around those spots and you only rely on the dead plant material which is already there and some loose dirt, which can be scooped up with a broom or shovel. Plants on top of hills cast the maximum amount of shadow and reduce the winds which dry out the lands the most. The water they retain and the nutrients they produce benefit the area the most. Unfortunately, you can hardly sow or plant new plants there, because they would not survive. But investing in benefiting the existing vegetation by some low intensity measures is a completely different thing.

[@fatdad64able]

Hello from Germany. I would kindly like to ask you not to give up on buying a shredder. I recommend you ignore the stuff that is soft and full of fibres as it is in a relatively good quality to break down already. What you need is the type of shredder that has a slow turning sprocket as a blade. it cuts, squeezes and shreds quite big pieces of wood and you‘ll end up with woodchips. It is way more powerful, far more silent and not dusty at all. you should be able to shred branches somewhere around two inches thick. Also,… Mr Overton,…you don’t buy this kind of equipment in a supermarket. Pay attention to where the local farmers, et cetera are going. They usually have a reliable dealer, who can repair/service, get parts for this equipment in a relative short time (ask, how long it would take, tell them that if their support is good , then there’s a good chance you’ ll buy m ore than just a shredder) Also, if you can tell them what you want type of work you want to get done, they can tell you what you want to buy to get the job done. Supermarket personnel hardly ever ask and never make recommendations that make sense.They’ll sell you anything. And please buy brand name stuff. In the long run you will save money, because you can get parts for a long time and not constantly having to buy new. It is also more sustainable. Brand name equipment usually lasts longer and doesn’t break down all the time and you wan‘t have to drive back and forth all the time. To see you fight with that cheesy a.. shredder was painful to watch, t.b.h.

[@diceportz7107]

Shaun, that was not a chipper. lol I have an old one from Tractor Supply that is a beast and it isn't up to what you need. You need an commercial pull behind model like a Vermeer brush chipper.

[@b4k4survivor]

Even one of the bigger kind from harbor freight like what you have would have been better than what he tried. I get him not wanting to spend a ton for a pull behind, but i think he can get a decent sized one like what you have on Facebook marketplace or even estate sales for like $200-$300

[@westwashere2214]

why do you say that? Aside from the mesquite everything there should do brilliant in a 10 hp chipper. The mesquite can be cut in to short lengths and used for nurse logs.

[@diceportz7107]

@@westwashere2214 The throat size. I just didn't think the throat on the chute would be big enough. And mesquite is a pretty dense wood isn't it? I have no experience with it. Everything I have heard says it would be tough to chip in a 10 hp chipper. I would look into how much it would cost to rent a big chipper.

[@tajammar1046]

hi Shaun I suggest 2 things for you to make research about it if you don't hear about it maybe it will help you some way 1_Miyawaki forest : Miyawaki is a technique pioneered by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki, that helps build dense, native forests in a short time. Miyawaki method: It works like this: the soil of a future forest site is analyzed and then improved, using locally available sustainable amendments Advantages: 1_fast grow 10 years old forest grow in 1_2 years(theoretical) , 2_with grow fast you will get mulch (leaves dropped from grown trees) 3_save the water from evaporation by making shade above(especially that hole you made in the ground to collect water) Disadvantages: required more water and fertilizing in the first months/years till grow Chang Li Truck : its cheapest electric truck to date about 2000$/4000$(Because of tariffs) (without any modification ) or 4000$/8000$ (with modification from the manufacture company ) Advantages: 1_no need for fuil , 2_you can use it in your land to carry rocks extra Disadvantages: 1_not made in USA(if you are the patriot MERICAN kind who want to support only local industry) , 2_small so its maybe weak and can't carry a lot I don't now if : 1_you can charge (Chang Li EV truck)1_ in your house (your land) or not , 2_i read that " Unfortunately, these ChangLi cars and trucks are not street legal, nor are pretty much any Chinese-made neighborhood electric vehicles "although I watched a video of someone driving it freely so make your own research and ask about it and pardon me for my (long_boring report) have good day :)

[@melaniedeare5427]

You've given this a lot of thought, haven't you? I think Shaun's videos have started all of our wheels turning! 🤔

[@tajammar1046]

@@melaniedeare5427 I agree with you 100%

[@jayrowberry1530]

It would be interesting to weigh the pros and cons and cost of having an EV for a ranch truck. With enough solar, you could charge the vehicle and bring down the fuel cost.

[@rivimey]

Especially as you seem to have a lot of wind... a 3m dia wind turbine should produce quite a bit of power, and you can use power in many ways!

[@steffenwurster352]

​@@rivimeyI always have the impression, that Shaun likes to play with big toys texan style - trucks, bulldozers, hats, ... to turn the desert into a parking lot. Ecology and green energy is for sure not his priority

[@dustupstexas]

Electric trucks don't have very much towing capacity. If I'm going to spend a lot of money on a new vehicle, I need something that can haul 30,000 lbs

[@kevinh6008]

Are there any EV that can carry the load? Cyber truck? 😁

[@kevinh6008]

@@dustupstexas Makes sense.

[@miclowgunman1987]

I'm curious if you could start aq grass farm in a targ greenhouse near the water pumps. get some fast growing grass growing in there that might be water heavy and just harvest it for biomass. Set it up so it is easy to get water to it from the pumps. It wont cover the whole ranch, but it might be a good easy side substitute vs hauling that you can keep running year round.

[@gardentours]

That horse 🐴 manure will make a difference. It's pure gold 🌝👍

[@RogerKeulen]

Yes, every real gardener starts with a big pile of shit. But he is not a gardner. This is a mix between commedy and a soap. The only thing he needed was a one truck load of actual compost (garden waste) with manure mixed in to it. With that he could start a small circle (OASIS) at the deepest point protected from the wind, that will give him mulch for free every year. You only need to protect it with some small shock wire (on a solar panel), otherwise a single cow will destroy it within a hour.

[@kieranb7047]

​@@RogerKeulenthis is what I have been saying. Dig a big hole and line the bottom and half way up the sides with pond liner and fill the entire thing with mulch, compost and manure. Then plant several species of grass. The pond liner will hold water in the bottom of the hole for the grass roots to drink. Then the grass will grow and provide more mulch when cut. Basically building a pond that has the water protected from evaporation by mulch.

[@4eyefoxbodyfanclub625]

Not going to happen, this guy aint got the money to spend and is looking for investors " your donations" to get this fairy tale going.

[@snowpaw360]

If you can get food scraps in bulk, vermicomposting might be great. I do it here in Florida and now I have super rich black soil that holds water great, it feels like clay in the hand now instead of sand with a tiny bit of silt. Or maybe you do it when you have plenty of cactus growing, the worms will eat it. Not sure if heat will be a problem, mine are in a black bucket but under a tree and they live and reproduce with no issues, it's probably the fastest way to compost. They will gladly eat manure too to break it down further. Might want to see if any restaurants or coffee shops (for coffee grounds that are high nitrogen) might be willing to give you their food scraps.

[@JohnGratian]

Thanks!

[@dustupstexas]

Thank you!

[@chinesischesser]

Maybe you can try to get some hay or straw roundbales for mulching the next terrace. It's way more costly but you'll save a lot of labor cost. They can be rolled off easily by poking a rod trough and connecting a chain to both ands that you tow with your Tacoma.

[@MohdAradi]

oh, the horse manure is really gonna kick things up a notch by my experience, a well aged horse manure is better than even cow manure

[@rivimey]

Whenever you use animal manure (whether horse or otherwise) it **must** be well aged. Some people call it aged at ~4 to 6 months but I disagree. Well aged manure is friable (easily crumbles), has no significant smell (or just smells earthy), and has no large straw/etc in it. This sort of material is wonderful soil and can be used freely. Conversely, insufficiently aged manure has a strong smell, has obvious straw or even liquid residues, and can be fatal to plants and small animals (dep on species). It has too much ammonia and nitrites to be good for plants, and if you spread it out it won't age in the ground very well because very likely the bacteria that like to eat it aren't present in sufficient density in the soil (if they were, you wouldn't need to add manure!). If you spread "cakes" they tend to harden rather than break down further. Consequently, If I buy bags of supposedly well rotted manure I then store them for anything up to another year before use, at which time it is indeed well rotted! I would argue manure needs about 10-14 months in good rotting conditions to be useful on the land. 6 months is just too short.

[@RogerKeulen]

@@rivimey And for Dessert plants, you can store it even a year more. This will burn the roots. But i love people that work against nature. I like to see him struggle there. Most things he does wrong could be learned on Wikipedia.

[@seelk.6189]

Keep up the good work Sean! I love your videos.

[@theunlearnedmind7374]

MERICA! 🤣🤣🤣

[@cadigoodnow4308]

Pepper!