WATER CHALLENGES ON OUR HOMESTEAD / LAND REGENERATION PROJECT. CAN WE TACKLE THIS (VERY) STEEP HILL?

Our land regeneration project continues! Such a fulfilling project to be taking on but as always we have many challenges throw our way. Can we get water this far up the hill, or will our project be put on hold?
Hi there :) We're Marc & Allys, a couple who left the UK in 2021 to search of somewhere we could build a homestead. This led us to one of Portugal's beautiful natural parks.
Self-sufficiency is important to us, whilst we're not off grid, we're keen to rely less and less on external systems. Follow us as we take on many things for the first time - learning as we go. DIY, Gardening, Growing our own food, Homestead'ing, Studying our land, Learning about permaculture and other farming techniques. We also plan to regenerate our abandoned land and create a thriving ecosystem - which isn't an easy task given we're in Portugal's hottest region (Alentejo!)
Follow us on our journey as we face new challenges, and acquire new skills!
If you enjoy it, hit like and subscribe for future videos :)
Instagram: / rootsdownhomestead
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#homestead #homesteading #portugalfarm #farm #farmlife #offgrid #offgridfarm #portugal #alentejo #portuguesehomestead #countrylife #ruralproperty #agriculture #offthegrid #farming #permaculture #diy #organic #organicfarming

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks so much for landing on this video and our channel! Feel free to say hi in the comments - we read and reply to them all. All the best for 2024 :) x

[@robrichards6219]

Marc and Allys, I think it is absolutely fantastic that you are willing and able to put in the effort and resources to regenerate the land in this way. We need so many more people like you. Cheers Rob

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks so much Rob, really appreciate it! We are trying to do our bit :)

[@davewilliams6172]

Those pipe fitting are designed to work with a push in sleeve on the inside of the pipe, believe me...I have used many hundreds of meters of that pipe on the moors in Derbyshire and never had a leak...and invest in the proper tools for tightening them too, they really do make the difference.

[@marilouw207]

Been watching your steady progress over the last year. You are creating an absolute Eden there. Best of the best for 2024.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks so much :)

[@MisFakapek]

Please consider building a tree nursery on decent soil so you have some strong saplings (some percentage won't survive after planting). You want to have plenty of strong saplings for your regeneration project. Also, consider buying some of them.

[@tooem56]

I agree!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Yeah that's a great idea, i've got an up and coming video which shows some work we're doing to grow our own trees! :)

[@lisa-ul4vi]

What an incredible job you and your brother have done on the swales and berms !

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you very much! :)

[@raykanoon7705]

If you get willow branches, stick them In the ground along your swales, they will eventually root and grow fast. They will slow down your water, create good shade for less evaporation.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Sounds like a grreat idea - would love some willow trees - don't they like a lot of water? Will try and get my hands on some branches :)

[@raykanoon7705]

@@rootsdownhomestead here’s the thing, I have been watching a lot of Peter Andrews. He says willows do take a lot of water, however the amount of water they will save you from evaporation out ways the water they use. The amount of shade they provide is pretty good. But maybe there are other trees that will provide same amount of shade.

[@williamkhatchell620]

Looks like some pretty tough land but your plan and the berms look great. Love the plan for all the trees as well.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Yeah it's not the easiest to work with - to be honest i think i picked the hardest bit of land as the experiment! If this works, on this tough piece of land, i will know my solutions will work well on the rest of it :)

[@kathydoran6176]

Clay is what is used in ponds to retain the water you have loads of clay.

[@Tracyhopkinsontextileartist65]

Hi enjoy watching your channel from a wintery Yorkshire. I cant wait to finally move over to Central Portugal.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks so much :) Hope your move goes well. I'm sure Yorkshire is quite chilly right now! :)

[@Roller-Ball]

To help you measure distance. Measure your stride length. I can stride one yard. Maybe you can learn to do a meter. From heel to toe. Just need to practice. Lay down your tape and practice your stride. Just a thought. Then you can just walk for measurement.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks for the tips, great idea. PS i have small legs, so i have to hop a bit for a meter haha

[@vlaardingerrr]

Do you need constant water on the hill? If not; place the multizone irrigation computer near your polytunnel, with a separate zone for your polytunnel. This way it’s way easier to check if the system still works. And you don’t have to walk up the mountain to check everything is still working. Depending the flow/water pressure on top of the hill and the number of trees you want to plant, you may only can place 1 dripper per tree. But this won’t be a big problem, just let it run for a longer time, or multiple times a day.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks! We did this as our pump is electric and powered by our solar system. Due to the intense heat in the summer, we wanted to pump up when it's sunny (and free energy) then irrigate when it's dark so less water evaporates :)

[@ingbor4768]

Olá Boa Tarde almost there Cheers

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Obrigado! :)

[@insAneTunA]

You've made a lot of progress. Those pipes require teflon tape. And if all else fails you can get EPDM pond kit or sealer, and that is not toxic for aquatic life, and that will stick and seal all plastics and all other materials, and it will cure on wet surfaces. It is also UV and weather proof, and it is very very strong and durable. It is far superior to regular silicone kit or sealer. It is the only type of sealer that I am willing to use for my pond related projects. There is nothing better. I also used it to seal IBC tanks and all sorts of other stuff. I had to make several true holes in my tanks to install the connectors, and I sealed all those holes with the EPDM kit, and I also used the kit as a sealer for the threads from the connector, or as a glue to seal gaskets. Of course this makes the connection permanent, because you will never be able to take it apart again without cutting it. But I consider that to be a good thing.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks a lot for the tips :) I will check out the EPDM pond sealer for sure! It could be very handy to have around, especially with so much irrigation and pipes around :)

[@insAneTunA]

@@rootsdownhomestead Happy new year, and you're welcome ! It is for sure handy to have around, but once it is opened it will cure, unless you seal it very good again. It comes in similar type of cartridges as regular kit or sealer. It is also a little more expensive, but you get the quality that you pay for. There is also an EPDM sealer version that you can paint on leaking roofs, or to seal concrete or brick ponds, or to rubberize tools, or to seal the bottom from fence posts to protect them against rot before you put them in the ground. And it is also very strong and durable. But that version is more suitable and practical for sealing larger surfaces. 👍

[@jerrielindsey5939]

Terraces look great. Will you be able to wean the plantings away from irrigation once they get established? Planting species that will perform well in the conditions. Seems like that should be the goal, yes? Forgive me but it almost makes me wish for flooding rain to see how it works!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks :) we hope so! Once established, it should be somewhat self sustaining, it’s how long it takes to be fully established that’s the question. We are trying to plant as much stuff that does well here as possible and experimenting also. Yeah we kind of do too, we want to see how much rain it can handle 😂

[@pauloviegas5299]

Keep up the good work, guys. I like the approach you guys are taking with your land. Great job ⚡️

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks a lot Paulo :)

[@Maddychrisbee]

Christine here, Happy New Year! Hoping 2024 will be a great ‘growing’ year. Hugs from South Africa 🇿🇦 xx

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks so much Christine! Same to you!

[@suefeatherstone5329]

HNY 🎉🥳🥂 you guys...along with everyone else of course 💚💯 Fabulous watch...so dizzy watching the truck😂! I know I say it all the time but I mean it and will say it again... you're doing a fantastic job and you're clearly happy doing it... amazing 🤩 keep going x

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks so much Sue and HNU to you too :) Yeah it was a bit of weaving around but got there! Thank you :D

[@neutonrenda2303]

You must be excited about planting, it's going to be so different in a year's time. I can already tell who's who on the videos without having to squint, 😂 the first videos I had to pay very close attention, obviously it's easier in person.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

I am indeed, we've already started so i'll update you soon! Hhaha, that's brilliant!

[@polgarauk5606]

HNY wow you and your brother have been hella busy 😮 Looking very good and fingers crossed with a change of pipe size all is working well for you. You are both doing amazing changing and developing your land congratulations 😊

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks and you too :) Yeah it's working out well - will update in a video soon! Thanks a lot and have a great weekend :)

[@user-ii5oo1im3c]

Really like what you're doing with land regeneration. Very interesting, makes so much sense. Good j9b!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks so much :)

[@deborahmapps1430]

Hi, I love watching your land grow with regeneration projects it is great to see results whether it's good or problematic there is always a way to sort it. Great job 👍

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks so much :) We always get there in the end somehow!

[@dawnkupczyk4247]

Hello, love the swells. Was wondering if you will bury the hose once it's in place? Another KZbinr who also lives in Portugal and has had a wildfire on his property. Found that the line, once buried, remained in tack . But the areas where it laid on the ground were melted. I just wonder if this was something you considered? Maybe your digger friend can dig a line in so it can be buried easier? Either way continued success in the new year. Cheers to you all.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks Dawn, good point. We didn't really have the time or resources to dig down hundreds of meters of pipe and a lot of where we put the pipe is not accessable for the tractor. This irrigation is temporary 3-4 years until the food forest is well established :)

[@irili100]

@rootsdownhomestead Hi Marc, the large irrigation fittings have to be tight and the pipe cuts have to be straight and smooth so they don't leak. They are resistant to high water pressure, so if there is a leak, it is because of incorrect installation, they are very good. I also suggest buying faucets for each water tank so you can control the water in case of a malfunction.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you - yeah i know but i still seem to have problems. Perhaps I should have worded it differently in that it's probably my abilities when working with this pipe rather than the fittings ;) The IBCs all have taps but 3 of them were jammed (didn't realise until after i connected it all)

[@simonparkinson5454]

Great content Tea trefoil in a hand wash and in a cheap hand cream it's very healing

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank yuo, will check it out :)

[@simonparkinson5454]

@@rootsdownhomestead that's teetree oil good for cuts anti septic

[@Reet64]

All that hard work will pay off eventually!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

We hope so :)

[@886jules1]

Great job - I love your ideas. If you add some freeze dried mycelium powder to the tree holes before planting, these soil microbes will help bring water and nutrients to the tree roots.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you - yeah we use mycorrizhal fungi (hopefully i spelt it right), seems to help a lot! But it seems to be expensive!

[@neutonrenda2303]

Happy New Year!❤

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks and you too :)

[@yvonneculley5626]

Have you watch the Dutch farmer… He’s in Portugal and he’s done swells and you should see his garden… he has a dam at the bottom… He’s so interesting and clever

[@sarab3960]

He doesn’t seem to know a lot about Portugal climate though. He planted eucalyptus on a land he wants to farm and that has water problems 🙄 🤦🏻‍♀️ We locals want to remove these. It’s a never ending fight between this and the paper industry.

[@DaanVerhaar]

@sarab3960 He indeed plants eucalyptus, but only a very small number to provide shade for the native trees and fruit trees he plants in the proximity of that eucalyptus, ones these have grown he will remove the eucalyptus 'umbrella'. Moreno (@TheDutchFarmer) is very aware of the fire hazard. It appears some of the locals are still not, neglecting their property or even turning forests or fertile land into new eucalyptus plantations.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Yeah his channel is great, i really like the way he worked his plans!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

I get the feeling he does know his stuff. I used to also be very very very against eucalyptus but after studing agroforestry, they can be very beneficial in building food forests and regenerating land IF managed correctly and not given the room. The problem with eucalyptus is too much in small concentrations - these commercial forests are dangerous places and we are glad to be in a natural park where there are very little areas like this.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Great point there, he is using them strategically, he's done his research on it!

[@annalinekennedy1027]

I think you must try to use plumbers tape to seal the connections properly. Hard work always pay off. Good job

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you :)

[@Erock691]

Nice work! I am curious what trees you will plant. Land Regeneration to me usually means regenerating the natural order of a farmed out or otherwise damaged eco system with native plants for the benefit of the native animal and plant life so I am curious if you are actually going for a permaculture/food forest design instead? I may have missed that in previous videos. Both are good in their own way, but I hope you do continue spreading native plants around the property too and give them ample space to regenerate the natural order of the land.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you :) We will be explaining more about our plans in an up and coming video :) but in short we plan of developing a food forest - i've kind of mixed approaches within permaculture, regenerative agriculture and agro forestry. This little area is my experiment, if it works, i'll roll out something similar for other larger areas on the land! We are factoring in native trees like oaks, giving the young ones space to grow, whilst replicating a forest style environment so they have the partial shade to be able to grow steadily

[@Erock691]

Very nice! I look forward to seeing your plans and am enjoying seeing your progress. Keep up the great work.

[@kyranmacwood1278]

Happy new year 🎆

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks and you too :)

[@rolandtb3]

Keep ironing out those kinks. Get 3/16" or 1/4" rolled rod wire. Cut 12" long and bend into a U shape. Lay over the ground pipe and hammer into the ground. Can you rent, borrow a post auger to drill tree planting holes? May be on its own or a tractor attachment. Shortly water on the top with an irrigation system. Anything solar powered?

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks for the tips Roland! Well, you'll have to wait and see in the next video! :) Our energy is solar already, which does power the pump. Pump to the IBC's in the day when sunlight is abundant, gravity fed watering at night where less chance of evaporation!

[@didielenanzih6883]

Happy new year to a beautiful ,hard working couple.❤

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks and you too :) Very kind of you to say :)

[@coby6417]

🌟👏👍🍀💐

[@rootsdownhomestead]

🙌

[@AndreeWasTaken]

teflon tape on the pipes

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks :) I believe it's the joins or my ability to connect them properly, the washer in the joins should be the seal, which seems to work on any other size piping i use haha

[@edwinafox979]

You've got lovely sheep.! Happy new year!!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Happy new year :)

[@marybarnett9645]

So much progress well done both 👌hope you had a fantastic Christmas 🎄

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you! You too! :)

[@solamano7239]

Tremendous progress! Congrats!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks a lot :)

[@DaanVerhaar]

Making good progress on mitigating your water challenges! Looking forward to see how the new to be planted trees will blend in. How are the new berms and swales holding up with the recent rain? Did I miss the episode in which you explained what is wrong with your tractor?

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you :) We've already started on the trees so excited to share with you soon :) The berms are great - swales feel a bit big for the amount of rainfall we've had (as it's uphill it doesn't catch as much of course). In hindsight i should have made the upper swale smaller (less deep) and left the larger one big enought to fit in the tractor down. But they are doing the job which is the main thing of course :) Yeah i did a video a while back "bad news" i think is the thumbnail title. The transmission is toast and a hole in the gearbox :( Not really repairable for me, it would cost more than the tractor is worth

[@katiadp2145]

Happy new year to you all !!!🇬🇷 🇬🇷

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks and you too :)

[@user-vy3vk2sb8p]

Making good progress!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you :)

[@inabates8919]

Happy New Year to you both ❣️

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thanks and you too :)

[@lindagage7315]

Great job!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you :)

[@fernandoclaudino6293]

Olá, bom trabalho. Parabéns!

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Muito obrigado!

[@rodneysaunders1]

I have seen many an irrigation pipe burnt in fires because they were not burried.

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Yeah it's a risk but we don't have the time to bury many hundreds of meters of pipe. This irrigation is for 3-4 years until our food forest is established and we have ponds on other points of the land

[@Nij2011]

Should have your shoes in proper sport mode :)

[@rootsdownhomestead]

😂 haha good spot!

[@Shana.Browngedge]

Great work, interested to know where Ur tank covers are from? Did U make them

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you :) Just from Amazon!

[@johnlander1610]

Battery and solar pump, or panels to power your irrigation system

[@rootsdownhomestead]

As we have a rather large solar system we were opting for electric pump to top of land, gravity fed during the nights (it's the only time to water in the summer without it all evaporating!)

[@user-it2jo8bx4n]

How long is your brother staying you do seem to work really well together happy 2024

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Unfortunately he's gone now but we still have more videos to be released with him in! :)

[@floydgraves3997]

Can you drive your little tractor down the middle of the swales?

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Yes :) that’s exactly why they’re as wide as they are. Just need to get a new tractor now 😂

[@neutonrenda2303]

I was wondering if you plan to plant in the furrowed part of the swales? Are there anything that can grow in the parts that flood.?

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Yeah we plan on planting cover crops / green manures / nitrogen fixers! :)

[@karipreston1204]

A gal has got to ask……are you and your brother twins? Thanks for your videos

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Thank you - we aren't twins, although we get asked a lot :)

[@miriammuskal5402]

Many jobs😅

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Always!😂

[@lisa-ul4vi]

Will you put water points where you may need water along the way ?

[@rootsdownhomestead]

We will indeed! Will update in a video soon :)

[@TheRealBigfeet]

It could be tempting to plant non native species like eucalyptus please don’t i follow several you tubers who have removed them from there lands in Portugal. As one put it there basically kerosene sticks when a wild fire happens. I don’t know whether there are any rules regarding what trees your allowed to plant but it strikes me that in bureaucratically minded place like Portugal someone will have legislated against planting trees that can make fires far far worse. It’s just a thought

[@rootsdownhomestead]

I think it requires context as to whether non native species should be considered. In this specific part of the land, a consideration would be part greater as it requires fast growing species to build the soil. In other areas it wouldn’t even cross my mind. Eucalyptus has a bad name here because of the intense plantations which are a huge fire hazard! If planted strategically and managed they can be beneficial

[@colinhead284]

Just wondering about how long the water will be retained in the tanks ? The black covers , won't they retain a lot of heat and transfer that heat into the tanks and the water ?

[@rootsdownhomestead]

We aim to fill them up and for them to irrigate over night. Yeah that's a great point, the tank covers are reversible so on the other side they have silvery reflectivey side. I usually change them around before the summer but i have put them close together. I might opt for planting some trees around the tanks to give them shade. What do you think?

[@colinhead284]

Depending on which long side gets more sun , how about a simple slatted screen ? @@rootsdownhomestead

[@mariasalvador2458]

Olá, Bom Ano 2024. Vocês tiveram uma boa ideia para irrigar o terreno, mas já calcularam a quantidade de calor que esses tanques vão apanhar no verão? Eu sou portuguesa, sei o calor que costuma fazer no verão e acho que a água dentro desses tanques vai aquecer demasiado para a poderem utilizar para regar as plantas. 🪴🌳🌿☘️

[@rootsdownhomestead]

Feliz Ano Novo para você também! Obrigado por assistir. Sim, esse é um ótimo ponto, as tampas do tanque são reversíveis, então do outro lado elas têm reflexo UV. Eu costumo trocá-los antes do verão, mas coloquei-os juntos. Posso optar por plantar algumas árvores ao redor dos tanques para lhes dar sombra. O que você acha? ​

[@mariasalvador2458]

@@rootsdownhomestead é uma ótima ideia, espero que dê resultado, felicidades 🌳🌲🪴🌗

[@matsvineyard7564]

Man bun overload

[@rootsdownhomestead]

👍

[@bblowe4196]

Are you and your brother twins?

[@rootsdownhomestead]

We are not 😊 but get asked that a lot!