Howdy!🖐️ I'm turning 320 acres of Texas desert wasteland into a desert forest in the MOST isolated spot in Texas!
My name is Shaun! I live in Texas and I run my own business integrating software systems. And now I'm buying 320 acres of West Texas wasteland?!?
You might ask, “Why buy this land?” I want a challenge.
One of the first properties that came up matched absolutely everything I was looking for.
-,The land is almost completely barren.
-,Monsoon rains bring water at the height of summer, when it’s most needed.
- It’s under $250 an acre
- A wash in the middle looks like it has potential to capture massive amounts of water
I don't know if this project will work out for me or not, but one thing is for sure: it will be interesting.
Do you want to mail me something? Please use the address below. But, please let me know to expect some mail.
Dustups Eagle Mountains, LLC
PO Box 532
Sierra Blanca, TX 79851-0532
Пікірлер
You need a big hole for either a pond or a sistern before the Monson to catch rainwater. There are plenty of rocks and clay. It's almost there.
You will be successful, although ultimately, it may not look like you expect. Much of Northern California is owned by Old Money (old California money...) families, which these days means trust funds. In the not-so-recent past, this land was care-taken by grandpa, great grandpa, and great great grandfather. They were students of the land, and knew how much to graze, how much to harvest, how much to burn, and how much (and where) to leave fallow. Also where to build dams, guzzlers, fence off streams, put in clarifying ponds, etc. They didn't manage the land, they cared for it. This was one of the reasons we didn't have massive wildfires on their land. They're gone now, and the trust fund can't caretake like grandfather could. This = oceans of brush, which then = fire.
Mistakes are how we learn. I think you will find that laying things out by eyeball is the most aesthetically pleasing. Many times I've had site features that looked great on the sight plan, the elevation drawing, the isometric, and the perspective...only for them to look out of place once complete.
I'm thinking of doing something similar in New Mexico. Have you thought about posting a thorough guide on everything you've learned and your steps? Also, how much capital would/did you need to get to where you are today?
My neighbor keeps killing the beavers that try and live in the stream that runs through our properties. He kills them just because he doesn't like them.
All you need to do is trap water… focus on trapping as much water as you can and saturate the ground. It will raise the water table and within a few years the ground willBe so saturated things will grow. Eventually you’ll have natural springs that have water flowing out of them, and then your water problem will be solved, but you’ve got to trap the water.
You will be successful. The BLM uses these principles on a less-focused scale, and I've seen the results. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.
"Water is the limiting factor.". That's why they call it a desert...
Frank Lloyd Wright knew this in the 30's. Studying how he utilized it (building into a hillside, pipe between floors, etc) is fascinating. Nice work, Shaun.
You commented that you have a lot of rocks in the property, that should be your first items moved. Make rock dams in the washes to slow down the movement of water. If you can get the water to leave the washes, you can promote grass growth, once you have grass you can move up to small bushes and trees. Your goal could be to set up an environment for beavers to eventually start building dams. Plant fruit trees so that birds and bats can help spread seeds. You have lots of deer in the area… make sure you can use them for spreading seeds. First protect trees from them.
From what I have seen, your biggest problem is looking at the entirety instead of starting small. Try starting with a small patch, say 40 square meters, buying already established trees and plenty of high quality soil, a raised water tank and drip feed system, plenty of mulch and import worms, set up a vibrant mini eco system and expand from there. Edit to add and fence it off as you go.
What about prairie dogs do they live out there?
what Joao's talking about
love the levies to hold as much water up in the hills, but if that's one tributary of the creek, maybe you want that flow in the creek and settle and farm down there? solar collectors up the hills.
People DO want to see the nitty gritty parts because that makes it realistic.
I sent you an email on a potential funding for tamerisk removal and watershed restoration. USDA provides states with funding, often through Soil and Water Conservation departments.
What about using oyster shells to clean up river , I would experiment separately first.. also maybe digging up “smiles” randomly all over would help hold rain water all over
Get some Muck boots, moccasin style or slip ons. Take care of your feet. You can empty sand easily out of slip ons.
Place large rocks on bottom and block broad expanse. Then use smaller and smaller rocks. Reinforce the sides further out to sides than you expect water to flow. In fill with sand and gravel up hill. This will also help gather organic matter. You could throw cow pies on up hill side of flow.
You need to go through a year or five of seasons. Do not be discouraged, watch the land.
I love the ocotillo
Restore this property first, do not just harvest from it.
That weed looks like it's a thistle
Great man! Love your work! Use an hij to help the sediment behind the bank into the rocks🫶✨
Regardless of their opinions regarding illegal immigration, I do not know of anyone that just abandons people if they see an illegal immigrant on their property. But these people are not turning themselves in to border patrol. That doesn’t mean they are murderers or criminals, but it also means they know they do not have a chance of living legally in the US, but they do believe they have a way to earn a living in an illegal manner. That might just be by paying a homeless person for their ss number and then using it to get a fake license so they can get work. Or they are willing to sell drugs, etc.
Grow rabbits 🐇 they help with organic matter.
Fascinating project. Looking forward to watching your progress.
Skipping around, and thankfully you abandoned L shaped swales. anytime you get 'overflow' you risk erosion, by concentrating it all in one place, as the GC said, SURE to erode everything away. As happened to you 'gabion', each side cut right down to stream bed. If you look at reclaiming land with swales to hold water it is VITAL VITAL VITAL to get top of swale EVEN LEVEL so overflow will sheet over top w least possible volume, weight, speed and thus min. erosion. You bathtubs are a great response to your issues, learning, slopes, minimizing 'risk' ie erosion, wasted effort, and of course helps that they work brilliantly. Again though, if the run off concentrates at one corner you risk erosion move than if it sheets over whole face of bathtub, but, from an episode, so far, not enough rain to do that. Your loose rock check dams work as they will slowly fill with eroded soil and water 'leaking through' will so more evenly along the whole face, though when the basin is all full you'll end up with a waterfall or rapid that will erode stream bed at base of check dam. The solution to that is another now empty check dam a few feet away, and let that silt up, then another, then another layer atop the first check dams. Look up 'sand dam'. Probably not useful to you but the theory will still apply in small scale to the check dams. Sand dams need... sand, you have gravel with some fine particles? Still, if you think long term, and layers upon layer of low check dams, you will eventually fill in the gully creating a deep mass of wet material if you dig down a few feet, albeit, it will also over the course of time migrate down slope to feed into the stream down there. Drug smugglers want unoccupied land to walk on, to the extent it's easy enough to go around you, they will. Maybe figure out their paths, and locate OFF their paths. Then add some yes stealable solar power and batteries - not so stealable, use lead acid, they weigh a ton. Do not get lithium, they can overheat in sun and heat. So, add game cams mounted atop your storage units. Have entrances to units facing each other. Put another game cam over ea door pointed across to other and down towards ground, with a flash. If they see some animal or leaf set that off they will probably stear clear. Finally, a 'warning light' so they have a landmark they know to steer clear of, a blinking night light, or maybe just a red LED on all night. Might even stick a note on a unit door with a light over 'Dear .... I don't mind people walking around and as long as nothjing is touched, don't care, If you are out of water there is a strean xxxx miles a xxxx walk this a way, and draw an arrow. Hanging on the door are water bottles with pills in them to make the water safe to drink, you can take ONE, fill with stream water, shake until pill dissoves...... etc. If you need emergency help there is a raod 2000 feet this a way, turn right there's a town 20 miles away. In English, Spanish, Homduran, Guatamalean, whatever. Maybe the gesture will keep people from looting. You're a fascinating story. As it goes on think about doing a 30 min talk with pics etc and see if any schools might be interested in you for sciences classes, etc..
Fascinating project, look forward to following your progress. Maybe some of the texas billionaires can fund a much bigger version of your project later and turn tens of thousands of acres into desert forest?
Great Video Very accessible learning experience I've seen some later ones when I think you bought a small dozer? I've a lousy memory. You spend a lot of time fixing it, but, from all sorts of videos, at least on the 'bottom end' used equip DIY'rs can get, that's exactly what you have to do. On the plus side, 3 hrs fixing a fitting beats 8 hrs digging in the sun. Remember, it's not just the work of digging but the wear and tear on the body. You're going to live 2 or 3 x as long as the ancients who tackled the land, even this land, with hand tools. You don't want 1/2 of that as a cripple. The ONE TOOL YOU NEED - Easy to fold up and move tent to shade you while working on equipment, or doing detailed work that takes a few hours anywhere. You are correct that your time is your greatest resource and while i would have had to go with the mini excavator, due to physical limiations on what I could fix even, the dozer will work best in the end. and your neighbor that helped you out for $700 Box of steaks. You'll still have gotten off for nothing.
Great idea, I've only done swales, damns and check dams thus far. These bathtubs will force the water to soak in. I've got more digging to do in our heat. lol
Just my 2 cents worth here. You have a source of water , and an obvious water flow during the rainy season. You might want to think about putting in some swales on the property to capture the water and retain it on your land or at least slow the flow to the river. A catchment pond will also help retain water. Planting some drought tolerant grasses would help stabilize the land as well as add biomass. Sorghum Sudan grass and Egyptian wheat both fall into that category. Any of the millets also fall into that as well. Common sunflower seeds available at wall mart as bird foo also do well in low water conditions. All can be seeded with a broadcast seeder.
I'm curious as to why you planted prickly pear. What is the ultimate use or benefit for it?
Mulch and it's a living cistern
@@dustupstexas Makes sense. Thanks.
Adding beavers to a desert just adds dead beavers.
20yr old equipment should function well. Very bad care and maintenance on previous owners.
❤❤❤Samuel rocks!!@❤❤❤
Beaver dams? Here's a pitch. Pick up a shovel and start digging, because so far you haven't paid attention to how the UN is helping green Africa, without beavers.
The competence of those biologists is really questionable. If their goal is not preparing the landscape to reintroduce the beavers they have a flawed way of thinking - you definitely want them back and you definitely want them to completely change the landscape. When they are present, a lot more water trickles down to the shed and the maintenance is a lot more efficient and cheaper than when only analogs are in place
The Rocks can be used to create more shade on the land. If they are stacked to walls along the high ridges they will give shade, living space, and catch the wind and dew.
Cacti are insane lmao. Dig a shallow hole and cover half of it with dust and rock "yeah she's good to go" 😂
😁
Maybe a sign in the place where u have the camera? This way to beacon and border control, that way Sierra Bianca
I had a coworker do similar in Heber, AZ. I built his pump station and plumbed the septic system to the trailer. His plan was to line a low area with clay and create a man-made lake for irrigation before buying 1,000 seedlings. The locals stole all his equipment during the week when he went back home. The Sheriff told him it was probably the very neighbor he asked to keep an eye on his stuff. But without any evidence, he couldn't ask the neighbor to search the property. He eventually gave up after they stole his excavation machine (bobcat). So I wish you luck.
Could someone explain why the prickly pear were panted so close together? That stuff grows pretty fast and thick. How will they even collect the fruit when the cacti will form a wall of thick cacti many feet wide, with no space to walk around? I’ve lived in the desert my entire life, in the countryside, and most of these projects seem like an exercise in futility. This trend of city slickers moving to the countryside seems like fodder for subscribers though. Just wish they wouldn’t plant things that’ll mess up miles of native landscape.
How to get beavers: Start your own mini burning man.
seriously though, research KEYLINING. I think it would help.
Coming back periodically to see that - unsurprisingly - the desert is still a desert, and to hear sentences like „it was immensely helpful to go through the process but these are solutions to the wrong problems“. Brother, if there was enough water, your piece of desert would be green. You didn’t buy a piece of land that has the necessary precipitation but was turned into a lunar landscape by modern industrial farming. That may be fixable with a lot of love and effort. But in this region, there isn‘t enough water, that’s why as far as the eye can see, there is desert. You can maybe identify a few pockets on your land that hold water a bit better if and when it rains, and carefully try to expand on those with an outsized investment into water catchment and irrigation systems that will cover a large part of the land (hint: there will be some hardy shrub fighting for its life there already…). But without artificially adding water from the outside, this is a lost cause. We thank you for the entertainment value though, please keep it up.
plot twist: i came here to watch ideas on how to turn desert into a forest. I'm watching illegal immigrants die. hmm... its sad to see borders were put up and countries named ... for 1000's of years from the beginning of human civilizations, birds, animals there have been migrations in search of better life style or survival .. there were no borders people travel offer their trade or skill or culture and return back or travel to a new destination. when borders are enforced it restricts the wealth from redistribution... life cycle is paused.
I'm from Maine and have been relocating nuisance beaver my whole live and would love to see this work as I also would reconstruct some beaver dams in order to preserve my favorite fishing spots.
18:31 lol looks like the black dude woke up in year 1800 he didnt know there was 1864 civil war to abolish slavery and a Black man became a president of USA, plenty of black people have become Billionaires and fast forward now some are almost woke and trans with each step.
If you're not covered in diesel by the end of the day, you're doing it wrong. The ladies just love a man who smells like diesel. Note: whenever driving trucks , you gotta live in your mirrors. Those objects getting smaller in your rear view may adversley affect your mental health. Yes, I'm an idiot.
What brand is you blue hoodie?
I would like to suggest two actions on the new property. First, remove the fences to allow the flow of wildlife. This may allow TOO much movement of cattle, but I think the coyotes will thank you, and hopefully you have more mid-size residents than you realize. Second, it would be interesting to dam that river (R.I.P. Layne Staley) akin to your episode on Beavers. That should increase the the available groundwater and improve the mycorrhyzome. Mossy Earth does some great videos on this. Of course, I don't know your property, but I thought I'd add my thoughts.