Homestead Rescue S13E03 (2025)

BRITCOM III

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Transcript

00:00:00Oh, yeah.

00:00:19Can you hear that?

00:00:21The prairie winds can play this thing better than I do.

00:00:25They say buffalo like music.

00:00:28It's what everyone I've met has said.

00:00:30You see a stampede, those people are right.

00:00:38Welcome to the Wild West.

00:00:41We really didn't have a lot of experience.

00:00:44Eastern Colorado does come with a lot of wind.

00:00:47Having the bison has really challenged me in a couple ways that I haven't anticipated.

00:00:52It's like I'm seeing dinosaurs.

00:00:55We feel overwhelmed.

00:00:56With 90-mile-an-hour winds, this thing doesn't stand a chance unless we beef it up.

00:01:01We've got to get to work.

00:01:03Everything just keeps on getting bigger and badder.

00:01:07This is a little bit bigger of a project than we anticipated.

00:01:11A lot of wind.

00:01:12Go slow.

00:01:14Hold, hold.

00:01:16Move, move, move.

00:01:17Move, move, move.

00:01:20Look out there.

00:01:38You know what you're looking at?

00:01:39The Wild West.

00:01:43Namely, Colorado.

00:01:45Look at these turbines.

00:01:49So do you see a lot growing?

00:01:52No.

00:01:53It's really dry.

00:01:55It's really harsh.

00:01:57It's at elevation.

00:01:58And it's really windy.

00:02:01Wind is the invisible predator for every homestead that has it.

00:02:06And on that note, Colorado, bring it on.

00:02:11In the expansive prairie lands of eastern Colorado, the Rainies respond to an SOS from one of their largest homesteads yet.

00:02:20A sprawling 265-acre ranch.

00:02:24With the increase of railroad lines in the late 1800s, this region was once teeming with settlers lured by fertile soil and wide-open grazing lands.

00:02:36However, when the drought hit in 1890, many fled, leaving only the most dedicated who adapted farming techniques more suitable for a semi-arid environment.

00:02:47Today, the region experiences extreme shifts in climate conditions, from scorching heat to chilling hurricane-force winds, making life a struggle for even the most seasoned homesteader.

00:03:03And for the inexperienced like the Cooper family, big ambition can lead to big problems.

00:03:12I'm Melissa Cooper.

00:03:14I'm Kevin Cooper.

00:03:15And this is our 265-acre homestead in eastern Colorado.

00:03:21We've been here four years now.

00:03:24We have actually talked about homesteading for as long as I can remember in our relationship.

00:03:30We love the lifestyle.

00:03:32We love being able to walk outside, hear birds chirping, see a beautiful sunset, and then see the buffalo walk across, you know, the prairie.

00:03:39Spurred by the pandemic and an unexpected health scare, the Coopers moved to their homestead and were confronted with some harsh realities.

00:03:50We would absolutely love to be able to sustain everything here, have our own food and our garden.

00:03:55But when we first moved out to the homestead, we really didn't have a lot of experience.

00:03:59We are the couple of city kids that came out here who don't have any background in agriculture.

00:04:06We jumped into something with big dreams, and we weren't ready.

00:04:12Eastern Colorado does come with a lot of weather as far as wind.

00:04:18The wind is killing the garden.

00:04:20We have a really hard time starting plants on the homestead.

00:04:24We've tried multiple different methods, but as you can see, we've had very little success with the beds.

00:04:30We want to be more self-sustainable and grow vegetables, but we don't see it being feasible.

00:04:37One of our goals is to have livestock.

00:04:40We want pigs, but the barn's not a safe living environment right now.

00:04:45The panels on the roof have been blown off.

00:04:48There's structural beams that are no longer structurally sound.

00:04:53We're new to this whole process.

00:04:55There's so much that we're still learning, and we feel a little overwhelmed.

00:04:58Right now, we have bison and chickens.

00:05:02We do process our bison, but managing them is starting to be a threat to our livelihood.

00:05:09Bison are a very dangerous animal.

00:05:12If bison do not have food and water, they will go find it.

00:05:15So all of our fencing we have, if they want to go through it, they will.

00:05:21On the south end of the homestead, we have a functioning well,

00:05:24but we don't have water out on the pasture for the bison.

00:05:28Recently, we had a new calf, and we found the baby dead.

00:05:33The cause was the heat and the lack of water.

00:05:37Those are hard moments.

00:05:38Buffalo are number one, and putting ourselves number two.

00:05:41We've already had those situations where you see Kevin and I snap at each other

00:05:47because the stress gets to us.

00:05:49You know, your dreams slowly turn into nightmares,

00:05:52and we're trying to make it work the best that we can.

00:05:55We're just failing.

00:05:56Marty, Misty, Matt, we need your help.

00:05:58Hello.

00:06:07Hello.

00:06:08Hi.

00:06:10Well, who are we meeting?

00:06:12I'm Melissa.

00:06:13Melissa.

00:06:13Kevin.

00:06:14Kevin, are you?

00:06:15Husband and wife.

00:06:16Garrett.

00:06:16Who's this big guy?

00:06:17How does he fit in this rodeo?

00:06:18Brother-in-law.

00:06:19Your brother-in-law.

00:06:20Well, nice to meet you guys.

00:06:23How big is this homestead?

00:06:24It's 265 acres.

00:06:26And what are you doing with 265 acres?

00:06:29We have a small herd of bison.

00:06:31How many?

00:06:3116.

00:06:33So you called us here.

00:06:34Let's talk about some of those reasons.

00:06:38We actually met while I was still in high school.

00:06:42We have been together for 20 years.

00:06:44We've been married for 12, and we have two kids together,

00:06:48a boy who is 18 and a girl who is 9.

00:06:52We lived in a suburb of Denver.

00:06:54We just wanted to chase our dream to be more self-sustainable.

00:07:00We had been researching different types of livestock

00:07:02that we wanted to potentially raise and have decided on bison.

00:07:06Bison are native to this area.

00:07:09They're literally the main animal that roamed our prairies and our lands

00:07:13before they were almost extinct.

00:07:15Being just out on the property, there is rolling hills.

00:07:19It's definitely big sky country.

00:07:21I think it's beautiful.

00:07:23But it was more than nature that drew the Coopers to this way of life.

00:07:28It was Kevin's surprise cancer diagnosis.

00:07:32Anybody who's ever experienced any kind of big health anything

00:07:38can relate to the fact that it just changes your perspective on life.

00:07:42His cancer diagnosis made us start thinking about what the values were most important to us

00:07:49and how the time we had we wanted to spend it.

00:07:53Having the bison, it's really challenged me in a couple ways that I haven't anticipated.

00:07:57Got yours up?

00:08:01Nope.

00:08:02The bison take about eight, nine hours of my day every day.

00:08:05All right, I got the back.

00:08:07The bison are a full-time job.

00:08:09They don't always have that direct time to fix all the needs on the property.

00:08:16I try to repair things and fix things as I can,

00:08:20but we haven't installed and updated vital things for the bison,

00:08:24like getting that new bison shoot in.

00:08:26Right now, we have to transport our animals every time we need to do something to them.

00:08:32So whether that's a sick animal that needs to be vaccinated for something

00:08:36or our yearly roundup.

00:08:39The stress of feeling like it could fail, we've really invested everything.

00:08:45We've left all of our friends and everything.

00:08:48You know, I may have a big, tough facade on the outside, but on the inside,

00:08:52mentally, that's definitely my weak side.

00:08:54And the thought crossed my mind, did I make a mistake?

00:08:58It is pretty mentally anguishing.

00:09:00You do feel sometimes like quitting and waving the flag.

00:09:06But it would absolutely destroy my wife if we had to move out of this situation.

00:09:11Looking out my window and seeing the herd come in over the hill

00:09:14is something that I never thought I'd experience, but it's so peaceful.

00:09:19Being here for almost four years, I can't imagine not living here,

00:09:24having to go back to city life just seems...

00:09:34I just don't know how I would do that.

00:09:37Sorry.

00:09:37Let's talk garden.

00:09:48So we started with these six beds.

00:09:51We felt really good our first year gardening.

00:09:54And what did you grow?

00:09:55We grew tomatoes and jalapenos, cucumbers.

00:09:58We had a nice zucchini crop.

00:09:59Did you try to plant anything this year?

00:10:01We did.

00:10:02We tried to plant a few things.

00:10:03Did anything grow?

00:10:04No.

00:10:06Is this wind pretty relentless?

00:10:08Yeah.

00:10:09I mean, this is mild for out here.

00:10:11And so how windy does it get?

00:10:12I mean, on a bad day, 90 mile an hour winds, it gets bad.

00:10:17What?

00:10:19When you're dealing with gardening and wind,

00:10:21you're dealing with something that is drying out your soil twice as fast.

00:10:24It's devastating to your plants, whether it's the stem or the leaves.

00:10:28And it kills seedlings so you fail before you even start.

00:10:32You need twice the amount of water when you're trying to garden in the wind.

00:10:37Right.

00:10:38Do you have water?

00:10:40We do have water, but it's also the same water that our house runs on.

00:10:45We only have one well that produces water.

00:10:47So when something goes wrong with the water, we're out.

00:10:51And it just goes to the bison?

00:10:52Yeah.

00:10:53Okay.

00:10:53We have a well over here, but it's dry.

00:10:56Okay.

00:10:57Can you show me?

00:10:57Yes.

00:10:58Okay.

00:10:58Melissa is successfully growing weeds.

00:11:02And if that weren't bad enough, there's no water.

00:11:05Growing food here is not going to be an easy thing.

00:11:16Cool.

00:11:17Yeah.

00:11:17After you.

00:11:17So this is our stables, corrals.

00:11:22Is this a huge barn?

00:11:23It's a big, big barn.

00:11:26And they're not using it for anything right now?

00:11:28Not right now, storage.

00:11:30How old is it?

00:11:31About 1950s.

00:11:33We're a good 70, 80 years old.

00:11:36It definitely looks like the water's leaking, you know, down into the rafters.

00:11:43Yes.

00:11:44When we look at, you know, just the integrity of the building, open wires, birds' nests, feces, just the holes in the ceiling.

00:11:53I mean, we're just trying to make sure that this building is going to be secure enough for housing animals properly.

00:12:02They're talking about bringing pigs in and, you know, pigs, a horse, you know, eventually utilize some of the stables in here.

00:12:09These homesteaders want to expand their livestock so they can have another source of protein and make more money.

00:12:15Correct.

00:12:15Because they probably need it.

00:12:17Correct.

00:12:17Got a lot of potential.

00:12:18Getting that barn whipped into shape and ready for livestock could be the ultimate game changer for this homestead.

00:12:25It'll give a chance outside of those bison to be self-sustainable.

00:12:34So now we're heading out to our windmill for the water.

00:12:38Oh, right there.

00:12:39Yep.

00:12:40That's not functioning.

00:12:42We've never had time to get to it.

00:12:45Right now they're walking all the way in for water to the corral.

00:12:48Earlier this year we had a hot spell come through and one of the calves died about 100 yards from the water tank.

00:12:57No way.

00:12:57From the corral.

00:12:58No.

00:12:59Dehydration is kind of what we assumed happened.

00:13:01How hot did it get?

00:13:02104, 105 was the max.

00:13:04I feel privileged to be able to see buffalo or bison.

00:13:12Seeing this site is how it's supposed to be.

00:13:14This is the way it was meant to be.

00:13:16The people in Alaska that raise bison will tell you that animal can go through any fence if it wants to.

00:13:24Fences are suggestions.

00:13:25Buffalo, also known as bison, are the largest mammal in the United States.

00:13:32Prior to European settlers, millions of bison roamed North America.

00:13:39Nearly hunted to extinction in the late 1800s, ranchers, First Nations communities, and conservationists have worked to rebuild bison populations since the early 20th century.

00:13:51Commercial bison farming and ranching began in the mid-1980s, but the animals can be unpredictable and dangerous.

00:14:01With charging speeds up to 35 miles per hour, they've caused serious injuries and at least one death in recent years.

00:14:10You've been here four years.

00:14:14You've never seen any water come out of here.

00:14:16Nope.

00:14:16Do you know any history on this well?

00:14:18We looked it up through the county to know that this was operational at one point in time.

00:14:24Once upon a time, there were homesteaders here before Kevin and Melissa.

00:14:30Word is they raised cattle.

00:14:32And maybe those cattle relied on the water produced by the windmill, which now doesn't work and produces zero water.

00:14:42It's a matter of life or death on a place like this.

00:14:46We've got to get it fixed.

00:14:51All right, guys.

00:14:52This is what I really appreciate about these homesteaders.

00:14:55They want to step back in time and help replenish the plains with buffalo.

00:15:03So how are we going to help them?

00:15:05Their mission and their dream, it was amazing.

00:15:09But homesteading isn't just a one-faceted thing.

00:15:12How are they bringing in a garden here and keeping it alive?

00:15:15How are they bringing other livestock?

00:15:17What's that bigger picture plan look like?

00:15:19I have ideas, but is there going to be enough time in the day after they've tended to the bison?

00:15:25And what did the three of us combined know about buffalo?

00:15:29Not that much.

00:15:31We're going to have to get real creative because we're a little bit out of our league.

00:15:41All right, folks.

00:15:43Let's just start with what you guys are doing here is cool.

00:15:48That said, there's a lot to do here.

00:15:50When it comes to having a successful garden here, the biggest challenge is the wind.

00:15:57I have a lot of ideas.

00:15:59I'm ready to get to work in the morning.

00:16:00Sounds great.

00:16:01Garrett showed me the barn.

00:16:04And the real money is in the barn itself and putting livestock in there.

00:16:10Whether it's trying to figure out what's happening with the well out there, resurrect and make functional a barn, or try to grow anything, if you will, that's what we do.

00:16:21That's all called homesteading.

00:16:22But we're not buffalo whisperers.

00:16:27Well, I've got a proposition for you.

00:16:29There is a neighbor ranch that we have a good relationship with.

00:16:32I say we go take a look at their place tomorrow and get you guys more familiar with the bison and the buffalo.

00:16:38How's that sound?

00:16:39That sounds like a blast.

00:16:40Crash course.

00:16:41It's crash course.

00:16:42We'll meet you there.

00:16:43Let's do it.

00:16:43See you in the morning.

00:16:44Get some sleep, guys.

00:16:45See you, guys.

00:16:47See you later.

00:16:52Wow, there's a big one over here.

00:16:54Where, where, where?

00:16:55Dad, here comes the big guy.

00:16:56Oh!

00:17:08Here we go.

00:17:09As a new day dawns in eastern Colorado, this is the land where the buffalo roam.

00:17:17The rainies travel for their crash course on one of America's most legendary animals.

00:17:26Hello.

00:17:28How are you guys?

00:17:29Good.

00:17:29How are you?

00:17:30Doing well.

00:17:31This is quite a spread.

00:17:33This is 2,700 right on here.

00:17:352,700 acres.

00:17:37Yeah.

00:17:37Is it all buffalo?

00:17:38All buffalo.

00:17:39I'm Sean Bennett.

00:17:41I run Prairie Ridge Buffalo Ranch.

00:17:44And I met Kevin and Melissa Cooper about five years ago.

00:17:48They had a dream.

00:17:49They wanted to come out and raise bison.

00:17:51And it's like any business.

00:17:53It doesn't happen overnight.

00:17:54It's a very steep learning curve.

00:17:56And we're happy to help them as much as we can.

00:17:59So we're so excited to be here because being from Alaska, we are not bison experts.

00:18:05So we're here to like see your operation, kind of see what's been working for you and

00:18:09what hasn't been working for you.

00:18:11The Coopers are so overwhelmed on their homestead because of the bison.

00:18:15They take up so much time, so much energy.

00:18:18We need to figure out how they can grow their herd so that there's time left for homesteading.

00:18:24So is there anything we should know before we go out?

00:18:27First thing I learned in the buffalo business, sometimes it's best just let buffalo be buffalo.

00:18:31It's kind of like raising kids.

00:18:32Very similar.

00:18:33We're going to jump in my truck.

00:18:34We're going to go out.

00:18:35We're going to go look at some buffalo.

00:18:37Let's load up.

00:18:38When you show up on a buffalo ranch and the owner of the ranch says, jump in the truck,

00:18:43let's go for a drive.

00:18:45You get a little glimpse into history as you stand in awe of a herd of America's national

00:18:55animal.

00:18:58Oh my gosh.

00:19:00You know you're dealing with some dangerous livestock when you can't approach them on foot

00:19:06and have to make sure you're in a truck so you don't get caught in a stampede.

00:19:11Oh yeah, buffalo dust.

00:19:13Wow, look at these guys.

00:19:15Whoa.

00:19:17Buffalo treats.

00:19:19What a beautiful animal.

00:19:23Visiting Sean's ranch is really amazing.

00:19:26It's like I'm seeing dinosaurs.

00:19:29It's like a triceratops.

00:19:30Look at this guy.

00:19:32Wow, there's a big one over here.

00:19:34Where, where, where?

00:19:35Dad, here comes the big guy.

00:19:36Whoa!

00:19:37I'm back.

00:19:46That is the most incredible thing I've ever seen.

00:19:50Sean, what is that buffalo weigh?

00:19:52About 2,300.

00:19:532,300 pounds right there.

00:19:55This is like an incredible amount of water.

00:19:58Like how much water does it take?

00:19:59Typically, typically a bison will drink about 16 gallons a day.

00:20:02With 265 acres, is that enough room to rotational graze?

00:20:07You know, I look at Kevin and Melissa where they're at right now.

00:20:10Where's your water sources?

00:20:12They need that windmill up and operating.

00:20:15For this homestead, having water is really important when it comes to 16 gallons a day

00:20:21per bison, but man, I'll tell you right now, they just don't have that set up at all.

00:20:28We're wanting to mainstream it as much as we can so there's room for other things.

00:20:32So you have to expand what you do on a ranch in order to make the ranch viable, in order

00:20:38to make it functional.

00:20:40So let's talk.

00:20:42What is it that you and your wife want to do?

00:20:44So right now, we're doing meat sales.

00:20:47So we are in that meat market, but that's where we've kind of got to get creative in

00:20:52bringing more money in to the homestead to kind of keep us moving forward and being successful.

00:20:57Copy.

00:20:59All right, well, that was fascinating.

00:21:01Thank you guys very much for coming out.

00:21:03That is the buffalo magic.

00:21:04So cool.

00:21:09All right, see if you can pry that sucker out of there.

00:21:14Later that day, Matt and the Cooper's brother-in-law, Garrett, returned to the faltering barn, hoping

00:21:21to restore it to safely house necessary sources of protein, like pigs.

00:21:30All right, I figured we start on the worst one and put a full-length stud in here.

00:21:37Right now, we are replacing studs.

00:21:39We already got two in.

00:21:40And the reason is, it's because of this.

00:21:43Look at all this.

00:21:45I mean, this wood is not, it's not rotten, you know?

00:21:49This is not termites.

00:21:51This is not water damage.

00:21:53This right here is livestock, rubbage, scratchage, and chewage.

00:21:59To prepare the Cooper's barn for future livestock, Matt and Garrett will fortify the existing

00:22:07structure with new support beams, replace dangerous exposed wiring, and seal the roof

00:22:14by replacing deteriorated fiberglass panels, turning this once vacant barn into a full-bore

00:22:21source of food and, eventually, income.

00:22:24Working with Matt, it's a great experience.

00:22:31We work well together.

00:22:32We have the same mind goal for this barn, and that makes the process so much easier when

00:22:37we're thinking alike.

00:22:39How's it fit?

00:22:39Perfect.

00:22:41One of the really cool parts about Garrett is, he is just as invested into this whole

00:22:47bison ranch as the people that live on this ranch.

00:22:50That's a brother-in-law you want to keep, and he's tall.

00:22:56You got a big scrapping guy that can really put the studs in.

00:22:59You got a stud, working with the stud, putting the studs in.

00:23:15It seems windier today.

00:23:17It is breezier today, definitely.

00:23:18Just outside the barn, Misty and Melissa are ready to defend the garden from Colorado's

00:23:25elements.

00:23:27No plant is going to survive in this.

00:23:30Crazy.

00:23:30Yeah.

00:23:31I don't want to tear down the existing fence.

00:23:34Okay.

00:23:34I just want to add wind protection.

00:23:36So I'm thinking, literally, just like a wood wall, a wood fence, that the wind can't penetrate.

00:23:42Yeah.

00:23:43I think that sounds amazing.

00:23:45Today's the day where we actually get to start homesteading.

00:23:47Clearly, the bison have taken top priority with Melissa and Kevin, but guess what my top

00:23:53priority is?

00:23:54It's feeding this family.

00:23:56We'll tie this guy off.

00:23:57Melissa and Kevin, they're successful ranchers, but moving to a place where they can actually

00:24:03grow food and setting them up for the spring is what I plan on doing.

00:24:07Okay.

00:24:09We know where the posts go.

00:24:10Easy enough, right?

00:24:11Yep.

00:24:11Let's grab the auger, the post, and get them in.

00:24:13Sounds good.

00:24:14To protect the garden from eastern Colorado's intense winds, Misty will drill holes to install

00:24:22a protective wooden fence, complete with 4x4 posts solidified in concrete, so the Coopers

00:24:28can finally grow their own fresh food source on the homestead.

00:24:32We're still overwhelmed with all that we need to get done, so Misty working on the garden

00:24:47is a relief.

00:24:49And with the wind barrier, I think that we're going to hopefully be able to be much more

00:24:54successful in the future.

00:24:55We're going to call that good 4x4 post in.

00:25:01It's set in concrete because with 90-mile-an-hour winds, this thing doesn't stand a chance unless

00:25:06we beef it up.

00:25:07So we get the wind barrier in, we get it nice and sturdy.

00:25:10That way, Melissa can actually guard it.

00:25:13Woo!

00:25:14Woo-woo-woo!

00:25:15Woo!

00:25:17Woo!

00:25:18Woo!

00:25:19Woo!

00:25:20Woo!

00:25:21Woo!

00:25:22Woo!

00:25:23Woo!

00:25:24Woo!

00:25:25Woo!

00:25:26All ready!

00:25:27Over at the windmill, Marty and Kevin meet with a local expert who can hopefully get it

00:25:31in working order, and provide a desperately needed water source to help the bison and the

00:25:38coopers' homesteading dream from dying.

00:25:41Wayne?

00:25:42Wayne, Marty Rainey, Kevin!

00:25:45We moved here about three, four years ago, and never seen this thing up and running.

00:25:50So I'm wondering if you wouldn't have a little bit of knowledge on this.

00:25:53Won't know until we get it out.

00:25:55Oh, okay, I'm holding you up.

00:25:59I like this guy.

00:26:00He's a man of action.

00:26:02These homesteaders have a house on the other side of the property with a well.

00:26:07But out here on this back pasture, it's dry.

00:26:11So we have to fix the windmill to produce all the water that 16 buffalo can drain.

00:26:19Relying on the expertise of Wayne, Marty and Kevin will first take the windmill well apart from the ground up,

00:26:26then establish at what depth the water is resting and rebuild the well accordingly.

00:26:33They'll also remove any obstructions and fix any broken parts, including the powering fan at the top.

00:26:40This will allow the coopers to not only water their herd of 16,

00:26:44but to add enough bison to make the ranch sustainable.

00:26:52I just met Wayne, and guess what?

00:26:56I've heard he's smart, he's talented, and he's a jack of all trades.

00:27:02We might just fix this windmill.

00:27:04Like your style.

00:27:05Woo!

00:27:06It's day three on the Cooper family's 265-acre Colorado bison stead.

00:27:30Fire in the hole!

00:27:31And with the windmill well disassembled and cleaned,

00:27:36Marty and Wayne make final preparations to provide a life-saving water source for the grazing bison.

00:27:45So, 1336.

00:27:48Well, and it's 1227.

00:27:50109 feet, so how deep of this is?

00:27:52To the bottom of the well, yes.

00:27:53Okay, we're going to pull this out until we hit water on the rope.

00:27:57The reason that they go with a lot of windmills instead of electric pumps,

00:28:03because this can't pump that fast.

00:28:05This will only pump about two, three gallons a minute.

00:28:08That's perfect.

00:28:09A lot of times you get in with an electric pump.

00:28:11Pump it dry.

00:28:12Yep.

00:28:14The first recorded evidence of windmills being used for pumping water and grinding grain

00:28:20was in Persia between 500 and 900 A.D.

00:28:24In the 14th century, the Dutch took windmills to a whole new level with their taller and more efficient tower mills.

00:28:32By the late 1800s and early 1900s, windmills were sprinkled all over the American landscape,

00:28:40becoming very useful in the Great Plains.

00:28:43When a windmill's fan spins on a shaft, it drives a geared mechanism in an up-and-down motion.

00:28:51That motion pushes a long pump rod inside of a pipe in the well,

00:28:56while a sealed plunger at the end of the rod forces the water up the pipe.

00:29:01With sufficient wind, an average windmill will produce up to 1,500 gallons of water a day.

00:29:08Right there's static water level.

00:29:1323 feet.

00:29:14It sounds like we're going to put this thing back together,

00:29:16and we're going to see what this well can do in real life.

00:29:19Yeah.

00:29:22Wrenches.

00:29:23Don't cross-thread it, Marty.

00:29:28Moment of truth.

00:29:31Well, you just rebuilt it.

00:29:33Now what?

00:29:34Now we'll see if it works.

00:29:38I think I can fit through that hole.

00:29:44Let's go.

00:29:45Oh, once you get the shoulders through, now the real test is the love handles.

00:29:50Let's see.

00:29:52While Matt begins the barn roof repair...

00:29:55Okay, so here's the deal.

00:29:57...Misty enlists Garrett for his expertise...

00:30:01I've heard that you have a little bit of a plumbing background.

00:30:03That's correct.

00:30:04...to revitalize a long, dormant water source.

00:30:07Let's take a look.

00:30:10What is this?

00:30:11That's a drywall.

00:30:13That used to be an old pump inside of there.

00:30:17Old breaker box.

00:30:20Black Widows.

00:30:21Do you think it's a power issue or a water issue because the shutoff valve's off?

00:30:26Well, we can jump in and...

00:30:27And just see if the shutoff...

00:30:28Just to see if the shutoff is active and see if we get any kind of fluid.

00:30:32I'm a little scared.

00:30:33Then somebody said Black Widow.

00:30:35I can see some.

00:30:37I'm going down in.

00:30:39So, unfortunately, I have to jump down into a well full of Black Widows.

00:30:44But we could have a secondary water supply that's huge.

00:30:49Oh, my God.

00:30:50It's going to get on me.

00:30:52It's going to get on me.

00:30:57And we've got water.

00:30:58We've got water!

00:30:59We've got water.

00:31:00Okay, coming up because it's too scary.

00:31:02There's water coming out of a pipe that's 70 years old.

00:31:06This is super exciting.

00:31:08Can you check my back?

00:31:10Oh, yeah.

00:31:10No, you're good.

00:31:10You're quick.

00:31:11Like, can you just brush my whole body?

00:31:12Oh, yeah.

00:31:12We're good.

00:31:13Just get in there.

00:31:13Yep.

00:31:14You're good.

00:31:15I did not expect water to come out of that pipe at all.

00:31:19There's a secondary water source on the homestead.

00:31:22Like, this...

00:31:23What?

00:31:24The fact that we have water in here.

00:31:26The fact that we have water is huge.

00:31:28Is huge.

00:31:29Huge.

00:31:30Yes.

00:31:30Let's deal with the Black Widows.

00:31:32Let's get to a place where we can be down there safe and working.

00:31:34And we know what our materials list is, so let's just go get it.

00:31:38Let's do it.

00:31:49Family, come on over here.

00:31:50Come on, kids.

00:31:51With Misty finding a possible water source for the garden,

00:31:55150 acres away,

00:31:58Marty gathers everyone out on the pasture

00:32:00to see if they can strike life-changing water

00:32:04for both the bison and the homestead.

00:32:08We may have water.

00:32:09If it's dry, we've got to go back to the drawing board.

00:32:12Wayne, what's the next thing that has to happen?

00:32:14We've got to put oil in the tranny?

00:32:16We can check it and see if there is any in there,

00:32:18if you can reach it.

00:32:19But I don't know if you're going to reach that from the platform.

00:32:21Clint can.

00:32:22Clint can do anything.

00:32:23Clint, get up here, please.

00:32:24Have you seen how long Clint's arms are?

00:32:26It would mean the world to have water on the homestead,

00:32:35not only just for us,

00:32:37but what it means for the bison is huge.

00:32:40There's times out here on the homestead

00:32:42where you feel in a bit over your head.

00:32:44Having the capability of having water out on pasture

00:32:47for our bison is a crucial step for us to get this going.

00:32:50We've got Wayne hooked the brake back up.

00:32:53We've got Clint ready to cut the chain and the wire.

00:32:57I think we're ready.

00:32:58Okay, so as soon as you let it go, Clint,

00:32:59it's going to want to start spinning when you let go.

00:33:02It's going to spin.

00:33:03Careful, Clint.

00:33:04It's going to spin and knock you.

00:33:06Clint, that's a lot of wind.

00:33:07There she goes.

00:33:17It's spinning.

00:33:18It's going up.

00:33:21Look how fast it's going.

00:33:24Look how fast it's pumping.

00:33:28Look at that thing.

00:33:29Come on, water.

00:33:29What is there, water?

00:33:31Come on, water.

00:33:32Come on, baby.

00:33:33Okay, I still don't see water.

00:33:34Okay, hold on.

00:33:35I mean, she's moving.

00:33:37Come on, come on.

00:33:42We're here.

00:33:44Okay, now I'm getting nervous.

00:33:46You guys, we have to talk.

00:33:48No BS.

00:33:50What if water doesn't come out?

00:33:54I'm thinking you guys are screwed

00:33:56if this thing doesn't work.

00:34:07On the Cooper family's 265-acre bison stag.

00:34:11I'm thinking you guys are screwed

00:34:13if this thing doesn't work.

00:34:15The pivotal windmill has failed to strike water.

00:34:19Wayne, what do you think?

00:34:20We're going to have to pull it out

00:34:22and see what's wrong with it.

00:34:23Okay, so we're going to pull it all back apart

00:34:25and see what's going on.

00:34:28You want to stay and work on it?

00:34:29Yep.

00:34:30Okay, the rest of you guys go back to work.

00:34:31I'm really sorry.

00:34:32Let's go.

00:34:33We're going to start all over.

00:34:35I'm sorry, everyone.

00:34:37Kind of a bummer.

00:34:39You know, we were excited.

00:34:41We were, you know, all of us,

00:34:42the Rainies, ourselves,

00:34:43we got excited for the water

00:34:44and, well, it never came.

00:34:47All right, let's get an X-Vader.

00:34:49I'll take you down there.

00:34:50Let's grab the X-Vader.

00:34:52Never hear someone say,

00:34:53failure is not an option.

00:34:56What a ridiculous statement.

00:34:58We did a lot of work.

00:35:00We were 100% confident

00:35:02and no water came out.

00:35:05So now we'll learn from those mistakes

00:35:07and make a better, stronger.

00:35:10Well, just hold it right there.

00:35:12Oh, yeah.

00:35:13We're trying to get this windmill

00:35:15back up and running.

00:35:16So we've got the X-Vader up there,

00:35:18stopped the blade from spinning.

00:35:19We're chaining up the blade right now.

00:35:21As soon as he gets done

00:35:22chaining up that blade,

00:35:23we're going to drop back down

00:35:25and pull the pipe back out

00:35:26and see if we get water out of this.

00:35:34Yep, see, this right here is broke off.

00:35:37Oh, so the brake broke.

00:35:38Yep.

00:35:39That arm up there

00:35:40is supposed to hook into there.

00:35:42It sits right there.

00:35:43It usually sits right there

00:35:44when it's on.

00:35:45Are we going to be able

00:35:46to get a new one?

00:35:47Yep.

00:35:48Well, usually.

00:35:49Use one.

00:35:50Okay.

00:35:51Okay.

00:35:52New to me.

00:35:52So the first issue is

00:35:54there's no brake system

00:35:56on this windmill.

00:35:57The next step,

00:35:58we've got to figure out

00:35:59what's going on down below.

00:36:02All right, get in here,

00:36:02grab a pipe wrench.

00:36:03We're going back in.

00:36:06Can't hurt me.

00:36:07I think there's our problem.

00:36:21What?

00:36:22And it's full of mud.

00:36:24Badly full of mud.

00:36:26So we dropped it down too far.

00:36:27Yep.

00:36:29This is our filter, right?

00:36:30Look underneath here.

00:36:31We stabbed it that far,

00:36:37this far into the mud.

00:36:40The five or six inches of screen

00:36:42that draws the water in,

00:36:44we sealed off any chance

00:36:45of getting water out.

00:36:47We're convinced now

00:36:49that this thing's going to generate

00:36:50and pump water.

00:36:51However,

00:36:52we do need some critical parts

00:36:53so that this thing

00:36:54can operate safely

00:36:55with a brake system.

00:36:57So until we can fix the brake,

00:36:59we're sitting high and dry.

00:37:11The next morning,

00:37:13while the windmill team

00:37:14sources parts for the brake,

00:37:16Let's start with the worst one first.

00:37:19Matt and Garrett begin in the barn,

00:37:22reinforcing the post beams

00:37:24that support the roof.

00:37:26Okay, I think we're through.

00:37:27It's the first project

00:37:28on a daunting list

00:37:30of important repairs

00:37:31to make the barn safe for livestock.

00:37:34The biggest reason why

00:37:36these posts failed

00:37:37was because they were just

00:37:39sitting on the dirt.

00:37:41There's no way we're going

00:37:42to fix this post

00:37:43by putting a post back on dirt.

00:37:45We've got to put that post

00:37:46on concrete.

00:37:48I say we fill the hole

00:37:49set of posts on here,

00:37:51and then we'll just move

00:37:51on to the next one.

00:37:52Let's do it, man.

00:37:53But before that,

00:37:55I have kind of a surprise.

00:37:57Got a hold of some people.

00:37:59They're locals,

00:38:00and they're going to help us

00:38:01with electrical.

00:38:01Steve, Dryland Electric.

00:38:03Garrett.

00:38:03Thank you so much for coming.

00:38:05Yeah, we plan to light it up

00:38:06in here.

00:38:06Awesome.

00:38:07That's awesome.

00:38:07I don't want to get in your way.

00:38:08Let's just work around each other

00:38:09because we just got to keep going.

00:38:11We got a lot of stuff to do,

00:38:12and I'm sure you're busy as heck.

00:38:14All right, let's get to work.

00:38:15Let's do it, guys.

00:38:15Pull this out.

00:38:23Okay, that worked really well.

00:38:26Matt and I are working in the barn.

00:38:27We're getting posts secured.

00:38:28We're pouring concrete in the ground

00:38:30to give integrity to the building.

00:38:32The electric guys are here.

00:38:33They're working fast.

00:38:34They're doing the updates

00:38:35and upgrades that this barn needs

00:38:36to make it safe and sound.

00:38:40You know about yet?

00:38:41This thing's going to be bomb-proof, man.

00:38:45That's what we want.

00:38:50We've got plenty of wind,

00:38:52but no windmill.

00:38:53I mean, look at this.

00:38:54This is pathetic.

00:38:55With work on the windmill

00:38:56still stalled

00:38:57until Wayne acquires

00:38:59a new brake part,

00:39:00Marty brings up something else

00:39:02that has been troubling him

00:39:03about the bison setup

00:39:04on the homestead.

00:39:06I've learned more about buffalo

00:39:09in the last couple days

00:39:10than I've learned my entire life.

00:39:12After that tour,

00:39:13something was said

00:39:14that I picked up on.

00:39:16We can rotate through,

00:39:17so I can push a pasture

00:39:18during the summertime

00:39:20while it's growing

00:39:21and then pull animals off of it

00:39:22and allow it to grow,

00:39:23so, like, their winter pasture

00:39:24hasn't seen a buffalo

00:39:25in six months.

00:39:27The herd is on one side feeding

00:39:30while the other half of that pasture

00:39:33is allowed to grow,

00:39:36to replenish, to get healthy.

00:39:38I sense that a fence

00:39:42straight across here

00:39:43would give you at least a start

00:39:45on rotational grazing.

00:39:46Yep, yep.

00:39:47That would be a good start.

00:39:48I brought some string.

00:39:49I've got about 75 T-posts,

00:39:51so we just get started.

00:39:52Let's just start putting posts

00:39:53in the ground.

00:39:55Identifying a lack

00:39:56of sufficient grass for bison

00:39:58due to overgrazing

00:40:00Marty proposes a reinforced fence

00:40:03that covers one square mile

00:40:05to create rotational grazing.

00:40:07This will allow the bison

00:40:09to feed on one side of the fence

00:40:11while the other side regrows

00:40:13and then rotate every few months.

00:40:23In this crash course

00:40:25of how to raise a buffalo herd

00:40:27successfully,

00:40:28I've learned this.

00:40:31It would behoove us

00:40:32to put in a fence

00:40:33straight across the property,

00:40:35dividing that 265 acres

00:40:37into two parcels.

00:40:39The cool thing is

00:40:41the windmill's right about

00:40:42in the center.

00:40:44If we could get it fixed,

00:40:46they'll have access to

00:40:47life-sustaining water.

00:40:51Thank you so much.

00:40:52Push.

00:40:55Push.

00:40:57Okay.

00:40:58Me and Marty started doing

00:40:59fencing today

00:41:00for our rotational grazing.

00:41:02We're essentially building

00:41:03a box around

00:41:04the water tank itself

00:41:06with an entry and exit point

00:41:07to the new pastures.

00:41:08So this is going to give them

00:41:10lots of room

00:41:10and it's just going to really

00:41:12help with our soil

00:41:13and our grass

00:41:13so that way we can get

00:41:14more livestock

00:41:15that produce more income.

00:41:17off to a good start.

00:41:25Across the homestead...

00:41:27All right, Garrett.

00:41:28Garrett arrives with news

00:41:29that could set back

00:41:31the garden well project.

00:41:32So this well is labeled

00:41:38as a canceled well

00:41:39with the state.

00:41:41Oh.

00:41:41We are not able

00:41:43to get this well

00:41:45activated again

00:41:46unless we get

00:41:47the state involved.

00:41:49Why would they cancel

00:41:51a well?

00:41:52The reservoir underground

00:41:53is empty.

00:41:54We're going to be

00:41:55pulling dirt.

00:41:55So that water

00:41:57was coming from

00:41:58the pre-existing well

00:41:59from the house?

00:42:00Pre-existing well,

00:42:01existing lines

00:42:02in the property.

00:42:03Well, you're a real

00:42:05buzzkill.

00:42:06No, I'm just kidding.

00:42:07I'm sorry.

00:42:09Super bad news

00:42:10from Garrett.

00:42:11Yesterday there was

00:42:12the old windmill.

00:42:13That's a total bust.

00:42:14We have the canceled

00:42:15dry hole in the ground

00:42:17with my well.

00:42:18Thanks for all

00:42:18the information.

00:42:19Anytime.

00:42:19I appreciate it.

00:42:20Absolutely.

00:42:21As far as

00:42:22the big home-setting dream,

00:42:25there's not enough

00:42:26water here to sustain it.

00:42:32We're getting close here.

00:42:43With two days remaining

00:42:45on the Cooper's Colorado

00:42:46homestead, critical projects

00:42:48hang in the balance.

00:42:51Okay, that's pretty good.

00:42:53As Matt begins work

00:42:54on a door for potential

00:42:56livestock at the barn,

00:42:57You got cracked egg shells

00:42:59to make an omelet.

00:43:01Misty goes back

00:43:02to square one

00:43:03after the failed

00:43:05garden well plan.

00:43:06Do me a favor,

00:43:07pick this one out

00:43:08right here, please.

00:43:09And while the windmill

00:43:11is still in need of parts,

00:43:14Marty and Clint

00:43:15repurpose building materials

00:43:17for the rotational

00:43:18grazing build.

00:43:20Anytime you see

00:43:21a bunch of telephone poles

00:43:23on a property

00:43:24and you're about to put

00:43:25in some fencing

00:43:26for buffalo,

00:43:28it's kind of cool

00:43:29to use them

00:43:29as the main races,

00:43:31if you will,

00:43:31because we've got to

00:43:32build not one

00:43:33but two gates

00:43:34in this rotational

00:43:36grazing program.

00:43:38Let's go.

00:43:47All right, Melissa.

00:43:49Here we go.

00:43:51Later that morning,

00:43:52Misty and Melissa

00:43:53pivot to the fence build

00:43:55that will protect

00:43:56the garden

00:43:56from Colorado's

00:43:58vicious windstorms.

00:44:00So I was trying

00:44:01to find one by

00:44:02of any kind.

00:44:03I found this.

00:44:04These are beautiful.

00:44:04I love them.

00:44:05Okay.

00:44:05They're great.

00:44:05So we'll use these

00:44:06as pickets.

00:44:07Okay.

00:44:07On the front side.

00:44:08It's going to look good.

00:44:09Right.

00:44:09But we care about

00:44:10blocking the wind

00:44:11so you're able to guard it.

00:44:13Yes.

00:44:13And you'll be able

00:44:14to do that

00:44:14when we get these on.

00:44:15So let's cut the straps.

00:44:16Okay.

00:44:17Today's the wittiest

00:44:18day on the homestead

00:44:19by far.

00:44:21It's time we put in

00:44:22the wind barrier.

00:44:25Okay.

00:44:26Timber.

00:44:27First things first,

00:44:29we've got a 4x4

00:44:30post in concrete

00:44:31so that this thing

00:44:32doesn't blow down.

00:44:35Ooh, I like it.

00:44:36I love it.

00:44:37I think it's fantastic.

00:44:38Are you excited

00:44:39that you're actually

00:44:39going to be able to garden?

00:44:41Yes, I'm very excited.

00:44:42I think that the wood

00:44:44with the exposed bark

00:44:45looks amazing.

00:44:46I think it's going

00:44:47to function really well

00:44:48and I was excited

00:44:50about the project

00:44:51even the first time

00:44:52she explained it to me

00:44:53but now

00:44:54with the new planks

00:44:55that she has found

00:44:56I'm even more excited

00:44:57about it.

00:44:57I think it's going

00:44:58to work really well.

00:45:00Perfect.

00:45:01How far apart

00:45:02are your kiddos?

00:45:03About nine years.

00:45:04So I had Conrad

00:45:04when I was 19

00:45:05so we were pretty young

00:45:06and then Kevin

00:45:08was diagnosed

00:45:10with vesticular cancer.

00:45:12Shoot.

00:45:13How long ago?

00:45:14It's about 11 years

00:45:14now since his diagnosis.

00:45:17Kevin was barely

00:45:18into his 30s.

00:45:20At that young age

00:45:21you don't expect

00:45:22to hear the C word

00:45:24and so it's just

00:45:26a shock to the system.

00:45:28He was pretty fortunate

00:45:29in the fact

00:45:30that he had

00:45:31the less aggressive types

00:45:32and went and did the surgery

00:45:34and he was about a week

00:45:36out of recovery

00:45:36and I had been feeling

00:45:38kind of sick

00:45:40for a week or so

00:45:41and of course

00:45:42because we had just

00:45:42got a cancer diagnosis

00:45:43he was like

00:45:44oh my god you're dying

00:45:45and so he made me

00:45:47go to the doctor

00:45:48and I went to the doctor

00:45:49and I found out

00:45:50I was pregnant with Lily.

00:45:51Oh my goodness.

00:45:52So she's sort of

00:45:53our miracle baby.

00:45:56We both have lost

00:45:57people to cancer.

00:46:02It's so

00:46:03it just has

00:46:06a big eye impact.

00:46:08It changes

00:46:08your perspective

00:46:09on everything.

00:46:13Oh yeah.

00:46:14Yeah.

00:46:14Oh that's so cool.

00:46:16Oh it looks so good.

00:46:17I love it.

00:46:17I think it's great.

00:46:19I'm so happy

00:46:20that Melissa opened up

00:46:21to me about Kevin

00:46:22and his battle with cancer.

00:46:23I think for me

00:46:24it's just motivating me.

00:46:25Right?

00:46:26This is their

00:46:26make it or break it moment.

00:46:28They know how fragile life is.

00:46:29This is their dream

00:46:30and no matter what

00:46:32we have to make it work.

00:46:34I love the fact that

00:46:35there's a wind barricade.

00:46:36I love the fact

00:46:37that there's ventilation.

00:46:38I love the fact

00:46:39that we didn't create

00:46:40a wind catch.

00:46:41Right?

00:46:41We don't want a solid wall.

00:46:42Yeah.

00:46:42It's going to protect the plants

00:46:44but allow air to go through.

00:46:45Yeah.

00:46:45Done.

00:46:46Okay.

00:46:46So that's one, two, three, four, five.

00:46:48We just literally

00:46:50have a million more.

00:46:50A hundred to go.

00:46:51Should we keep moving?

00:46:52Yep.

00:46:52Let's do it.

00:46:58Alright, pit it.

00:47:02Okay.

00:47:03That ain't going anywhere, man.

00:47:04Not staying there.

00:47:06Later that day

00:47:07with the barn repair

00:47:08well at hand

00:47:09I'll follow you.

00:47:10Alright.

00:47:11Right over here.

00:47:12Melissa peels off

00:47:13the fence project

00:47:14to task Matt and Garrett

00:47:15with another homestead need.

00:47:17So I wanted to bring you

00:47:19over here

00:47:19because I was going to see

00:47:21if you guys could help us

00:47:22with our bison shoot.

00:47:23Okay.

00:47:23This is a cattle shoot.

00:47:25It was here

00:47:25when we moved

00:47:26onto the property.

00:47:27It's too small

00:47:28for bison.

00:47:29Yeah, right?

00:47:30So we got a bison shoot

00:47:31that we just need

00:47:33to swap the two shoots

00:47:34so that we can start

00:47:35working bison on our property

00:47:36instead of having

00:47:37to load them all up

00:47:38and take them over

00:47:40to Sean's property

00:47:41to vaccinate them

00:47:43or check them for pregnancy

00:47:44or any of those

00:47:45kind of things.

00:47:45Okay.

00:47:46Well, heck.

00:47:47Let's take a look

00:47:47at the bison shoot.

00:47:48Alright, come this way.

00:47:50Once upon a time

00:47:51on this homestead

00:47:52there was cattle here.

00:47:54The Coopers have

00:47:54an old cattle shoot

00:47:55which is perfect

00:47:57if you want to put

00:47:58a cow in there

00:48:00but the bison

00:48:01are substantially bigger

00:48:04they're a lot more agile

00:48:05and they need

00:48:07a bison sized alley

00:48:09and shoot.

00:48:11So this is a bison shoot.

00:48:13So this is a bison shoot.

00:48:14Wow, this thing is massive.

00:48:17Heavy duty

00:48:17for a heavy duty animal.

00:48:19Oh my gosh.

00:48:20I mean, it's just

00:48:20a solid steel contraption.

00:48:22So basically

00:48:23with this one

00:48:23it works the same way

00:48:24as the other one does

00:48:25the bison come

00:48:27running through the shoot

00:48:28and they hit their heads

00:48:29on the crash gate

00:48:30on that black wall.

00:48:31That'll cause them

00:48:32to back up

00:48:33and then we can

00:48:34squeeze them into the shoot.

00:48:36You've done this before?

00:48:37Yes.

00:48:38Once a year?

00:48:38Yeah.

00:48:39All 15 females

00:48:40get on a trailer

00:48:40and spend the night

00:48:41at Sean's ranch

00:48:42so that we can work them.

00:48:44That does sound stressful.

00:48:45Well, and we've lost

00:48:45a cow before

00:48:46during the process.

00:48:47Really?

00:48:48They get really stressed out

00:48:49in the pen

00:48:49and we woke up

00:48:50the next morning

00:48:50and she was deceased.

00:48:52That's really unfortunate.

00:48:54Yeah.

00:48:54So this is a necessity.

00:48:55Yeah.

00:48:55This is a necessity.

00:48:56Absolutely.

00:48:57Not only is it stressing

00:48:58out the buffalo

00:48:58but it seems like

00:48:59it's stressed out

00:49:00the homestead quite a bit.

00:49:01Yes.

00:49:01Okay, well out with the old

00:49:03in with the new.

00:49:03Love it.

00:49:05To safely allow bison

00:49:07to move to and from

00:49:09the property

00:49:09and receive

00:49:11life-saving medications

00:49:12Matt will install

00:49:14a bison shoot.

00:49:16First, he and Garrett

00:49:17will lay a thick cement slab

00:49:19where they will anchor

00:49:20the three-ton bison squeeze chute.

00:49:23Then, they will make

00:49:24the alley bison-ready

00:49:26by raising the walls.

00:49:28Finally, they will build

00:49:29a runway along the side

00:49:31of the alley

00:49:31from which the handlers

00:49:33can coax the bison

00:49:34once inside.

00:49:37Bring in the tractor!

00:49:40Come on in!

00:49:42This is a bison ranch.

00:49:43Obviously, the cattle chute

00:49:44is not going to work

00:49:45for us here.

00:49:46So, we have made

00:49:47a game plan

00:49:47and we went and grabbed

00:49:49Kevin so he could

00:49:50give us a little assistance

00:49:50getting that old cattle chute

00:49:52out of there.

00:49:53I think that's going to work.

00:49:55All right.

00:49:56Stay clear.

00:49:58Oh, it's going!

00:49:59Oh, it's going.

00:50:00That's perfect.

00:50:01Easy!

00:50:02Easier than I thought.

00:50:03That's perfect.

00:50:05All right, should we unhook it?

00:50:07Yeah.

00:50:09Awesome, man.

00:50:10Well, hey,

00:50:11thanks a lot, Kevin.

00:50:12Glad I could help, boy.

00:50:13Thank you, boy.

00:50:14Cool.

00:50:15Well, that came out awesome.

00:50:17Yeah, it really did.

00:50:18So, let's measure

00:50:20the new chute,

00:50:21figure out how big

00:50:22of a footprint

00:50:23we need to put here

00:50:24and then once we know that,

00:50:26we'll start forming up

00:50:27our forms

00:50:27for the concrete slab.

00:50:29Let's do it.

00:50:43Okay, kids.

00:50:46First of all,

00:50:47good morning.

00:50:48Just 48 hours remain

00:50:50until the Rainies

00:50:51leave the Cooper's

00:50:52265-acre homestead.

00:50:55Let's talk a little bit.

00:50:57As they push to finish

00:50:58their multitasking

00:50:59masterclass,

00:51:01the Rainies meet

00:51:02to enact a plan

00:51:03to juggle

00:51:03their many projects.

00:51:05The rain falls mainly

00:51:08on the plains.

00:51:10It's definitely false.

00:51:11I've not seen

00:51:12one drop of rain

00:51:13since we've been out here.

00:51:14It's been hot,

00:51:15it's been dry,

00:51:16and everything we're doing

00:51:18needs water.

00:51:20We've completely rebuilt

00:51:22the windmill

00:51:23from the top

00:51:23to the bottom,

00:51:24and we still

00:51:25have no water.

00:51:28In the meantime,

00:51:29we've moved on

00:51:29to the next aspect,

00:51:31which is

00:51:31rotational grazing.

00:51:33So right now,

00:51:34if we can pull this off,

00:51:35we've hopefully

00:51:36got water,

00:51:37rotational grazing,

00:51:38and we're well on our way

00:51:39to helping these guys

00:51:41be buffalo ranchers.

00:51:43I have a backup plan,

00:51:45I hope,

00:51:46for the canceled well.

00:51:48But slowly but surely,

00:51:49we're getting there

00:51:50when it comes to

00:51:51wind protection

00:51:52for the garden,

00:51:53and I want to spend

00:51:54these next couple days

00:51:55shifting my focus

00:51:56to the bison.

00:51:58I'd love to be able

00:51:59to take a little section

00:52:01of that barn

00:52:02to be able to create

00:52:03a shop and a space

00:52:04where people can come,

00:52:06support the ranch,

00:52:07and create this

00:52:08learning facility.

00:52:09I want to focus on kids.

00:52:11That's a really good idea.

00:52:13So, Garrett and I

00:52:14have talked to Melissa

00:52:15and Kevin,

00:52:16and there is

00:52:17a surprise project

00:52:18that I think

00:52:19is going to help

00:52:20the buffalo immensely.

00:52:23And it has to do

00:52:24with being able

00:52:26to work the buffalo

00:52:27in the proper chute

00:52:29with the proper alley

00:52:31going in,

00:52:32but it's no small project.

00:52:34My biggest contribution

00:52:35for the bison

00:52:36is this alleyway

00:52:38and the chute,

00:52:39and we will literally

00:52:40save lives.

00:52:42All right,

00:52:42let's hit it.

00:52:48Kevin,

00:52:49thanks for joining us.

00:52:50Yeah, what have we got?

00:52:51I wanted to show you

00:52:52this awesome slab.

00:52:53Near the barn,

00:52:55Matt and Garrett

00:52:57bring in Kevin

00:52:58for some advice

00:52:59on their ambitious

00:53:00bison chute project.

00:53:02What do you think of this?

00:53:03That's a slab.

00:53:05You think this is going

00:53:05to hold the big

00:53:07old buffalo chute?

00:53:08I think so.

00:53:10I'm jacked about it, man.

00:53:12This is a huge value to us.

00:53:14The new bison chute

00:53:15is going to be critical

00:53:16for us to work

00:53:16our animals here

00:53:17on our property

00:53:18and give them vaccinations

00:53:19and take care of them.

00:53:21One for the time

00:53:21that we're not going

00:53:22to waste hauling

00:53:23our animals

00:53:23to get them work

00:53:24somewhere else

00:53:24and number two,

00:53:26it's going to keep

00:53:26the stress low on them

00:53:27working them here.

00:53:28We got to talk about

00:53:29this little runway here.

00:53:31Yeah.

00:53:31So just like the old chute

00:53:33was made for cows,

00:53:34I think this area

00:53:35was also made for cows.

00:53:37Yeah.

00:53:37Not bison approved.

00:53:39Yeah.

00:53:39Bison are pretty big.

00:53:40Do you think

00:53:41that this is too small?

00:53:42Yeah.

00:53:43They'll jump over these.

00:53:44So it's too short.

00:53:46Yeah, for sure.

00:53:47And then the other thing

00:53:47is a lot of the

00:53:49working facilities,

00:53:50they actually have

00:53:50a walkway

00:53:51about three feet

00:53:53off the ground.

00:53:53You just need to have

00:53:54access in to see them

00:53:56and to get them

00:53:57to move forward.

00:53:58It's got to remember

00:53:59this is a stressful

00:53:59process for them.

00:54:01So you want to make it

00:54:02quick and painless

00:54:02as possible.

00:54:03Get them in,

00:54:04get them out.

00:54:05This is all great info.

00:54:06We got a lot of work

00:54:07to do over here.

00:54:08This is a little bit

00:54:09bigger of a project

00:54:10than we anticipated.

00:54:11There was a little more

00:54:12bit off than Matt

00:54:13and I thought

00:54:13we were chewing.

00:54:15I mean, these are

00:54:15big animals.

00:54:16We need to make sure

00:54:17that this chute

00:54:18is going to work

00:54:18properly for these animals.

00:54:30Okay.

00:54:44Matt and I are putting up

00:54:45the side panels.

00:54:46We got to make it

00:54:46the right height,

00:54:47about seven feet.

00:54:51Okie doke.

00:54:53I think we've definitely

00:54:54raised the fencing

00:54:56high enough,

00:54:57but I think we need

00:54:58to make it so that

00:54:59these animals can't

00:55:00see through it.

00:55:01Yeah, we do need

00:55:02to block this up.

00:55:02They get scared of us

00:55:03just as much as we

00:55:04can be scared of them.

00:55:06Okay, so next step

00:55:07is let's wall off

00:55:08our fencing.

00:55:09Let's make it happen.

00:55:13We're going to get

00:55:13the blinders put up.

00:55:15It's really exciting

00:55:16stuff because we're

00:55:16going to be able to

00:55:17work these animals

00:55:18properly.

00:55:18Less stress on the

00:55:19animals, less stress

00:55:20on the ranchers.

00:55:21We're good to go.

00:55:22One, two, three.

00:55:23Ah, perfect.

00:55:30Perfect height, dude.

00:55:32Yeah.

00:55:37Just kick it down.

00:55:41Yeah, there you go.

00:55:46All right.

00:55:47Is it sturdy?

00:55:48Oh, yeah.

00:55:49Jump around up here.

00:55:51I can get in here.

00:55:53Yeah?

00:55:53I can work animals,

00:55:54keep them moving forward,

00:55:56and I'll be safe.

00:55:57Everything just keeps

00:55:58on getting bigger

00:55:59and badder,

00:56:00like those bison.

00:56:01It looks so good.

00:56:09With the new garden

00:56:10taking shape,

00:56:11Misty asks Melissa

00:56:13to show her the business

00:56:14end of the homestead.

00:56:18What is this space?

00:56:20So this space,

00:56:21currently,

00:56:21we use it as our

00:56:23makeshift shop

00:56:24for the ranch.

00:56:25So when we have

00:56:26visitors,

00:56:27they come in here first,

00:56:28and this is also where

00:56:29we store all the meat

00:56:30to sell to customers.

00:56:32Is it this?

00:56:33Yes.

00:56:33So show me.

00:56:34You have your different cuts.

00:56:36So we have our cuts

00:56:37and our price sheet,

00:56:38and then right now,

00:56:39this is our meat selection.

00:56:42Certified.

00:56:43Yeah.

00:56:43Like ready to go.

00:56:44Ready to go.

00:56:44You're in business right now.

00:56:45Yep.

00:56:46Man, this is amazing.

00:56:48So you're already

00:56:49a small-scale operation.

00:56:51Yes.

00:56:51Would you like

00:56:52to do something

00:56:53pretty official

00:56:54when it comes

00:56:55to what you're doing already?

00:56:57Yes.

00:56:57I'd love to have a place

00:56:58that customers can come in

00:57:00and they feel like

00:57:00it's an actual store.

00:57:02Okay.

00:57:03I would love

00:57:04to be able to do that.

00:57:06Now that we have

00:57:08sort of got the garden

00:57:09almost finished,

00:57:10Misty called me over

00:57:11to talk about

00:57:12our storefront

00:57:13for the ranch.

00:57:14Misty wants us

00:57:15to work together

00:57:16on giving that shop

00:57:17a facelift

00:57:18so it's a little bit

00:57:18more presentable

00:57:19when we have customers

00:57:20come and visit the ranch.

00:57:21So I feel like

00:57:22we take this country store,

00:57:24we add to it,

00:57:25and possibly turn it

00:57:26into something else as well

00:57:27if there's time,

00:57:28and we just make it happen.

00:57:29Let's go.

00:57:30Let's do it.

00:57:36Over at the windmill,

00:57:38the project

00:57:39to make it functional

00:57:40is at a standstill.

00:57:42The moment of truth.

00:57:44With the clock ticking

00:57:45to bring vital water

00:57:46to the herd,

00:57:48Marty and Kevin

00:57:49need Wayne

00:57:50to come through

00:57:51with the break part.

00:57:52Good news or bad news?

00:57:58Good news.

00:57:59For real?

00:58:00I have the parts.

00:58:01You have the parts.

00:58:03I gotta be honest,

00:58:04I wasn't the least bit

00:58:05surprised.

00:58:05Were you?

00:58:06No, I knew Wayne

00:58:07would pull through.

00:58:11Tell us what to do,

00:58:12please, please.

00:58:16We're ready

00:58:16to go up with it.

00:58:18It's gonna get western.

00:58:19Get a little crazy out here.

00:58:27The wind's howling.

00:58:29The fans are designed

00:58:30to move in the wind.

00:58:31Bring it on over.

00:58:33Trust me,

00:58:34those galvanized fins

00:58:37are sharp.

00:58:39And yet,

00:58:40Wayne, Clint,

00:58:40and I,

00:58:41we're trying

00:58:42to keep it stable

00:58:43so we can remount it

00:58:45and go for our second test

00:58:47to produce water.

00:58:49It coming loose.

00:58:51Regardless of that wind,

00:58:53we don't have time

00:58:53to spare.

00:58:54We're gonna go for it.

00:58:55If you can just hold it

00:58:57right there,

00:58:57away from the tower,

00:58:58right there.

00:59:00Okay, you got it.

00:59:01Going up.

00:59:02A lot of wind.

00:59:04A lot of wind,

00:59:05Wayne.

00:59:10Go slow.

00:59:11Hold, hold.

00:59:13Whoa, whoa, whoa.

00:59:20A lot of wind.

00:59:21A lot of wind,

00:59:21Wayne.

00:59:25Whoa, whoa, whoa.

00:59:26Go slow.

00:59:30We're trying

00:59:30to keep it stable.

00:59:33That's heavy, dude.

00:59:35While Wayne,

00:59:36at the top,

00:59:36is hanging on

00:59:37to the tower

00:59:37with one hand

00:59:38and with the other hand,

00:59:39he's trying to guide

00:59:41the mass of the windmill

00:59:42and motor

00:59:43onto a little shallow.

00:59:45And those galvanized

00:59:47fins are sharp.

00:59:52Careful there.

00:59:55Okay.

01:00:02There you go.

01:00:07She's set.

01:00:08You're amazing.

01:00:18We're good.

01:00:19Okay.

01:00:20Should work.

01:00:23I hope it works.

01:00:25Well, you got plenty of wind

01:00:26for it today.

01:00:29We're about 10 seconds

01:00:31from having water.

01:00:31Everybody get up here.

01:00:32Okay.

01:00:44Come on over here.

01:00:45This morning,

01:00:47we kind of woke up.

01:00:48We were a little bummed

01:00:48because of the water situation.

01:00:50There was a lot of anticipation

01:00:51and buildup

01:00:52for there to be no water.

01:00:55So today,

01:00:55we were kind of

01:00:56waiting with bated breath.

01:00:59I'm hoping that

01:01:00this is the one.

01:01:03It was deja vu

01:01:05all over again.

01:01:06Same people,

01:01:07same place,

01:01:08no water.

01:01:09And I'm telling them

01:01:10it's coming this time.

01:01:12It's coming.

01:01:13I hope that's true.

01:01:17What do you think, Wayne?

01:01:19Give us an update.

01:01:20Well, I hope it works this time.

01:01:29I hope it works this time.

01:01:30Yeah!

01:01:30Oh!

01:01:31Yay!

01:01:33Yeah!

01:01:34Come on, baby!

01:01:35Keep it coming!

01:01:37It's coming!

01:01:39Woo!

01:01:40Woo!

01:01:41Woo!

01:01:42Woo!

01:01:43Having that water up

01:01:44and running out

01:01:45on the windmill,

01:01:45out on pasture

01:01:46is a major, major

01:01:48game changer for us.

01:01:49Woo!

01:01:50We can start doing

01:01:51rotational grazing,

01:01:52and that's just going

01:01:53to help the buffalo

01:01:54and the grass

01:01:55and the soil

01:01:56all be healthy.

01:01:57Oh!

01:01:58Ho!

01:01:59Muddy?

01:02:01Just a little dirty.

01:02:02Just a little dirty.

01:02:04Give it a chance

01:02:05to clear up.

01:02:06It's going to be

01:02:06crystal clear

01:02:07in 15 minutes.

01:02:09You think after

01:02:10seeing water come

01:02:11out of the ground,

01:02:12out of a pipe,

01:02:13that it would

01:02:14become mundane.

01:02:15But every time

01:02:16you see water

01:02:17coming from

01:02:18where it wasn't before,

01:02:21you know

01:02:21that you've just

01:02:23changed the lives

01:02:24of the homesteaders.

01:02:27Woo!

01:02:27Yeah, baby!

01:02:29Okay, so

01:02:3010,000 gallons a week

01:02:32is coming out of there.

01:02:3310,000 gallons a week.

01:02:36We need it.

01:02:37So thank you, Wayne.

01:02:38Thank you, Wayne.

01:02:40Having Wayne come out

01:02:41and help us like that

01:02:43and having a neighbor

01:02:44so close

01:02:44just kind of confirms

01:02:45what we've learned

01:02:46so far with rural living

01:02:48and how great

01:02:48our community is

01:02:49about circling around

01:02:51their neighbors

01:02:51and helping where they can.

01:02:53We've got work you do.

01:02:54We're going to leave you

01:02:55with your new well.

01:02:57Thanks a lot, Wayne.

01:02:58Appreciate it.

01:03:00Don't blow away, sir.

01:03:01Yeah.

01:03:02Yeah.

01:03:03Yeah.

01:03:04Yeah.

01:03:05Yeah.

01:03:06Yeah.

01:03:07Yeah.

01:03:08Yeah.

01:03:09I think we got the muscle

01:03:25to pick it up,

01:03:26but let's see.

01:03:27Later that day,

01:03:29Matt and Garrett

01:03:30enact the final step

01:03:31in completing

01:03:32the bison shoot project.

01:03:34The alleyway

01:03:35is beefed up

01:03:36for bison.

01:03:37Now we've got

01:03:38the excavator in here

01:03:39and see if we can lift up

01:03:40that new bison shoot

01:03:41and put it into place.

01:03:44You're good.

01:03:44Just come straight down.

01:03:47Let's go.

01:03:48And over at the windmill,

01:03:50Right there.

01:03:52Marty and Clint

01:03:53launch back

01:03:54into the fencing

01:03:55for the rotational

01:03:56grazing project.

01:03:57Let go.

01:03:59Today,

01:03:59we're bouncing

01:04:00around projects.

01:04:01So back to business here.

01:04:03We're going to put a fence

01:04:04right down the center

01:04:05of this property

01:04:06right where the windmill is.

01:04:08There's going to be

01:04:08a gate here

01:04:09and then a gate

01:04:10on the opposite

01:04:10to create rotational

01:04:12grazing for these buffalo.

01:04:14Pond it in there.

01:04:20Woo-hoo!

01:04:23While concrete

01:04:24is laid in the shop...

01:04:26Can you help me

01:04:28with something?

01:04:29Yeah.

01:04:30Misty and Melissa

01:04:31borrow Clint

01:04:32with an idea

01:04:33for a simple

01:04:34yet potentially

01:04:35game-changing solution

01:04:37to the canceled well.

01:04:39We have the dry canceled well,

01:04:41right?

01:04:41Mm-hmm.

01:04:42But we have water

01:04:43from the main water supply

01:04:44at the house,

01:04:45which has gone dry.

01:04:46My dream come true

01:04:48would be

01:04:49to have a self-contained

01:04:50watering system

01:04:51for this garden.

01:04:52A holding tank

01:04:53sitting right here,

01:04:54separate from everything else.

01:04:55And I think literally

01:04:56it's just a liner

01:04:57in the dry canceled well.

01:04:58Perfect.

01:04:59We should plumb up,

01:05:00move everything

01:05:01outside this dry well,

01:05:03and put the shutoff valve

01:05:04in a place

01:05:04where you can reach it.

01:05:05Oh, great.

01:05:07Let's start digging.

01:05:08Okay, here we go.

01:05:10Right now,

01:05:10I'm working on

01:05:12the well with Misty.

01:05:13Obviously, more water

01:05:15in the garden

01:05:15is going to be

01:05:16super beneficial

01:05:17so that our crops

01:05:19have water all the time,

01:05:20regardless of what happens

01:05:22to our other water source.

01:05:24What do you think?

01:05:25Should I dig with a shovel?

01:05:26I didn't want you

01:05:27to hit the pipe.

01:05:29We'll dig the rest out

01:05:30by hand,

01:05:31run some new plumbing,

01:05:32get the shutoff valve

01:05:33and the spigot out here.

01:05:34Done.

01:05:35Okay, water's off.

01:05:37Water's off.

01:05:39Turning this decommissioned well

01:05:41into a reliable water source

01:05:43for the garden

01:05:43is a necessity.

01:05:46Cut those flush.

01:05:48Once this is a complete system

01:05:50and the bison are complete system,

01:05:52doesn't matter what's happening,

01:05:54the homesteaders

01:05:54are completely set up

01:05:56for success.

01:05:57Okay, go ahead

01:05:58and attach that.

01:06:00I want you to do the honors.

01:06:01Okay.

01:06:02First time,

01:06:03hopefully,

01:06:04that water's in the garden.

01:06:07Yeah!

01:06:08Woo-hoo!

01:06:11Yeah, I'm so hot!

01:06:13It's going to be so helpful.

01:06:15We have water

01:06:16for the first time,

01:06:17which to me,

01:06:18I'm looking at guaranteed food,

01:06:19right?

01:06:20Yeah.

01:06:20No matter what happens,

01:06:21you're gold.

01:06:22We'll just get a lid

01:06:23on this thing,

01:06:24done.

01:06:24Yep!

01:06:27Water in the garden.

01:06:28Woo!

01:06:29Woo!

01:06:29It's the final day

01:06:44at the Cooper family's

01:06:45265-acre bison stead.

01:06:49Here we go.

01:06:50Over by the garden,

01:06:52crucial deliveries arrive

01:06:54for Misty.

01:06:55First,

01:06:56a truckload of topsoil

01:06:57for the garden beds.

01:06:59All of these beds,

01:07:01Melissa's finally

01:07:02going to be

01:07:03a successful gardener.

01:07:07And later,

01:07:08new pine trees

01:07:10to reinforce

01:07:10a wind barrier.

01:07:13Somebody over some trees?

01:07:14Hi!

01:07:15The plan is

01:07:17to kind of create

01:07:18this wind barricade

01:07:19across the front

01:07:19of the house.

01:07:20Okay.

01:07:20Right here.

01:07:30Thank you so much

01:07:31for coming and helping.

01:07:32We'll get these trees

01:07:33in thanks to you,

01:07:34and we really appreciate it.

01:07:36Like,

01:07:36what a generous thing.

01:07:43Okay,

01:07:43here we go.

01:07:44At the barn,

01:07:46Matt and Garrett

01:07:47survey the newly

01:07:48restored facility

01:07:49before livestock

01:07:51finally arrives.

01:07:53You can see

01:07:53every improvement

01:07:54we made

01:07:55to this entire barn

01:07:56just in this one corner

01:07:58that we made

01:07:58for the pigs.

01:07:59We beefed up

01:08:00some fencing

01:08:01just by using

01:08:02some 2x6s,

01:08:03upcycled old gates.

01:08:05We have new posts.

01:08:08Actually safe wiring,

01:08:09not just for outlets,

01:08:11but for lights.

01:08:12Absolutely.

01:08:13It's incredible in here.

01:08:15The barn is spectacular.

01:08:16It is not just

01:08:17a leaky building

01:08:19for storage.

01:08:20We can put animals

01:08:21in this building now,

01:08:22and that was

01:08:23what Kevin and Melissa

01:08:24needed for this homestead.

01:08:25We didn't beat

01:08:26this barn up for nothing.

01:08:27Yeah.

01:08:28Wait till you get

01:08:28a load of this.

01:08:29I got a pig

01:08:30surprise for you.

01:08:33All right.

01:08:34How you doing, sir?

01:08:35How are you?

01:08:36What's your name?

01:08:36Brad.

01:08:37Brad.

01:08:38You're the man

01:08:38with the pigs.

01:08:39I am.

01:08:40Pigs are probably ready

01:08:40to get out of here, right?

01:08:43All right.

01:08:44Move them in.

01:08:45Starting with the barn

01:08:47and getting it ready

01:08:48for livestock

01:08:49was important

01:08:50to the homestead

01:08:51because you can't

01:08:52just really run

01:08:53a bison ranch

01:08:54on the bison alone.

01:08:56You have to diversify,

01:08:57and that is really

01:08:59where the barn

01:08:59is going to come

01:09:00into play big time.

01:09:02I want to see the pigs.

01:09:04Hey, Melissa,

01:09:05we beefed up the barn

01:09:07for bacon.

01:09:11Oh, they're so cute.

01:09:13I love them.

01:09:14The ultimate goal

01:09:15is to diversify

01:09:16the homestead.

01:09:17Right.

01:09:17This is definitely

01:09:18a big step

01:09:19in that direction.

01:09:21These four little pigs,

01:09:22they're just the beginning.

01:09:23You could raise anything

01:09:24in here.

01:09:26Hey, look.

01:09:26They look so happy.

01:09:27They look so happy.

01:09:28Tails wagon.

01:09:29Thank you so much.

01:09:30This is amazing.

01:09:31I'm so excited.

01:09:32That's music to my ears.

01:09:34See you later.

01:09:34All right.

01:09:36Let's go check out

01:09:37that buffalo squeeze.

01:09:38Let's do it.

01:09:39So the bison

01:09:41are going to walk

01:09:42down through here,

01:09:43and then you corral them.

01:09:45That is correct.

01:09:46They'll be coming

01:09:46down the alley now.

01:09:48Yeah.

01:09:48Into the squeeze.

01:09:51Passing through here,

01:09:52and then go bam.

01:09:54Now squeeze them in there.

01:09:58Okay.

01:09:59Now let me out.

01:10:00We'll come right out here.

01:10:05And then go back

01:10:06to being a buffalo.

01:10:08These animals stay

01:10:09on the property

01:10:10and working them right here,

01:10:11and that's going to make it

01:10:13as stress-free as possible.

01:10:15I agree.

01:10:16I agree.

01:10:16We want stress-free animals.

01:10:18It's going to keep

01:10:19stress-free homesteaders,

01:10:20and that's key.

01:10:21Words can't explain

01:10:23the transformation.

01:10:24For the Rainies

01:10:24and the locals

01:10:25and the community

01:10:26just coming together,

01:10:27it's a blessing.

01:10:28Everything revolves

01:10:30around the bison

01:10:31on this homestead,

01:10:32and I think that we have

01:10:33helped the bison

01:10:34the best way that we could.

01:10:35I agree.

01:10:36This is great.

01:10:39Seven days ago,

01:10:40the Cooper family

01:10:41had a leaky,

01:10:42unstable barn

01:10:44that was unsafe

01:10:45for additional livestock,

01:10:47and they had no way

01:10:48to contain their bison

01:10:49for vital care

01:10:51and handling.

01:10:52Today,

01:10:53they have a completely

01:10:54renovated barn

01:10:55with new roofing,

01:10:57support beams,

01:10:58and electrical wiring,

01:11:00now ready to house

01:11:01sources of protein

01:11:02and profit.

01:11:04They also have

01:11:05a new bison shoot

01:11:06where they can work

01:11:07animals safely

01:11:08on the homestead,

01:11:09allowing for a

01:11:10stress-free environment

01:11:11and helping to make this

01:11:13a viable ranching operation.

01:11:16I feel really good

01:11:17leaving this homestead

01:11:18because I know

01:11:19that this is going

01:11:20to come in real handy

01:11:21and it's going to save

01:11:22buffalo lives.

01:11:23Absolutely.

01:11:24I think our work here

01:11:25is done.

01:11:25Let's go.

01:11:26Here we go.

01:11:35In the pasture,

01:11:37Marty, Kevin, Sean,

01:11:38and the rest of the team

01:11:40race to finish the fence line

01:11:42that will allow

01:11:43rotational grazing

01:11:44for the bison.

01:11:46These last couple of hours

01:11:47have gotten a little hectic.

01:11:48It has literally come down

01:11:50to the wire.

01:11:52I can sense the buffalo

01:11:53are kind of tired

01:11:54of me being here.

01:11:55They're getting closer

01:11:56and closer every day.

01:11:58So we've got to get

01:11:59this done quickly.

01:12:08We've got a crew down there

01:12:09with some barbed wire.

01:12:10But from that corner

01:12:12to that far corner,

01:12:14it's about 1,000 feet.

01:12:19So if we do five strands,

01:12:21we've got a mile

01:12:22of barbed wire

01:12:23to stretch now.

01:12:32They're here.

01:12:33Now, these guys have decided,

01:12:37wait a second,

01:12:37there's a whole group

01:12:38of people up there.

01:12:39They're going to move up

01:12:39a little closer

01:12:40to protect these buffalo

01:12:41that they basically sent up

01:12:42here to investigate us.

01:12:43There's water over here.

01:12:44So at some point,

01:12:46we might have to wrestle

01:12:47them if they want water.

01:12:49Either that

01:12:49or we've got to move.

01:12:50We want to drift through

01:12:51nice and slow,

01:12:52nice and calm,

01:12:54no pressure.

01:12:55All you're doing

01:12:56is activating

01:12:57these new fence lines

01:12:57we've put up.

01:12:58What you don't want them

01:12:59is running.

01:13:00If they run,

01:13:00they don't see that fence.

01:13:01They run right into it.

01:13:02They tear it all down.

01:13:03They're like,

01:13:03oh, that's how easy

01:13:04it is to tear it down.

01:13:04I'll do that next time, too.

01:13:07She's going to go

01:13:07check all this out,

01:13:09decide if she likes it

01:13:10or not.

01:13:11Whenever they start

01:13:11shaking their head,

01:13:12you start paying attention.

01:13:13Now, if they shake their head,

01:13:14they're basically getting

01:13:15themselves just like you

01:13:16would in a bar fight.

01:13:18She is shaking her head.

01:13:19She doesn't like it.

01:13:20We're just going to back up

01:13:21and give them space.

01:13:24Oh, my gosh.

01:13:26What you're really watching

01:13:27is they go from the head

01:13:28shake to their tails.

01:13:29If a tail goes up,

01:13:31we need to get in the truck.

01:13:42Congratulations on picking

01:13:44the windiest day of the year

01:13:45to fall trees that are

01:13:46leaning towards your house.

01:13:48Melissa wanted us to take

01:13:49out a few trees

01:13:50and then pull the stumps.

01:13:52Sure, we did it.

01:13:54But when we pulled

01:13:55the stumps out,

01:13:56I thought, man,

01:13:56that stump looks like

01:13:58we could carve it

01:13:58into something.

01:13:59Maybe that could be

01:14:00a buffalo.

01:14:03This horn starts out

01:14:05as a tree branch

01:14:06and then we set it

01:14:09at the store.

01:14:16The buffalo's talking.

01:14:18But I'll guarantee you

01:14:23this, out of all the people

01:14:25with a buffalo store

01:14:26in Colorado,

01:14:27there's only one

01:14:28that is a buffalo head

01:14:31carved out of a stump

01:14:32this big around.

01:14:35You'll be the first photo

01:14:36of Minnie.

01:14:37Woo-hoo-hoo!

01:14:45So we've got work to do,

01:14:46but the problem you run into

01:14:49is sometimes you just

01:14:49got to let buffalo

01:14:50be buffalo.

01:14:52Find out how good

01:14:52you put those

01:14:53in the ground now,

01:14:53won't you?

01:14:57Oh, my Lord.

01:15:00He just bent the post.

01:15:01Oh, yeah.

01:15:02Look!

01:15:03No, he bent it.

01:15:04What do we,

01:15:04I mean, what?

01:15:05We have to fix it.

01:15:07Hold on, stop, stop, stop.

01:15:08Clint's in the skid steer.

01:15:09Yeah.

01:15:10That okay?

01:15:10Yeah.

01:15:11She's not wanting Clint.

01:15:15She just wants

01:15:16to drink water.

01:15:18I've got to tell you,

01:15:18this makes me really happy.

01:15:20We spent a better part

01:15:22or two, two and a half days

01:15:23trying to get that thing

01:15:24to produce water,

01:15:26and there you go.

01:15:27See how calm this is?

01:15:29I have no more head shaking.

01:15:30Everybody now is looking at,

01:15:32oh, we've got a hole,

01:15:33I've got water,

01:15:33when's it my turn?

01:15:35Oh, this is amazing.

01:15:37This is it.

01:15:38Done.

01:15:38This is why you do

01:15:39what you do.

01:15:40And you know,

01:15:41you don't think about it,

01:15:42but they didn't really need

01:15:43to do this at this time of day.

01:15:44This is almost them

01:15:45coming over

01:15:46and telling you thank you.

01:15:48So what we just witnessed,

01:15:49correct me if I'm wrong,

01:15:50was the herd

01:15:51getting familiar

01:15:52with all these changes.

01:15:53Absolutely.

01:15:54Coming out here

01:15:54and checking out the changes,

01:15:55seeing what the changes do,

01:15:56what they affect.

01:15:58I tell you,

01:15:59that's one of the coolest things

01:16:00I've ever witnessed.

01:16:01Oh, it's amazing.

01:16:07Now that the buffalo are gone,

01:16:09we've got to get to work.

01:16:11Time is way too precious

01:16:13on this homestead

01:16:13to stand around.

01:16:32I love this thing so much.

01:16:34It's so beautiful.

01:16:35And it's protecting

01:16:36one of the most important things

01:16:37on the homestead.

01:16:39The garden.

01:16:40Woo-hoo.

01:16:41I love it.

01:16:42It's amazing.

01:16:44We're missing one thing,

01:16:45plants.

01:16:46Yes.

01:16:46I think that letting the soil sit

01:16:49and getting it ready

01:16:50in the spring is perfect.

01:16:51Yeah.

01:16:51Obviously, doing more

01:16:52than just bison ranching

01:16:54was the point.

01:16:55Yeah, I think it's going to be

01:16:56way more successful

01:16:57because of your help.

01:16:59We called the Rainies out here

01:17:00because we needed help

01:17:02on the property.

01:17:03And in the last week,

01:17:05they've really been able

01:17:06to transform it.

01:17:08All of the changes

01:17:09are going to make

01:17:09such a difference

01:17:10as far as being

01:17:12more self-sustainable.

01:17:13Having water storage

01:17:14is so important.

01:17:16It's huge.

01:17:17The idea was to take

01:17:18that cancel dry well

01:17:20and turn it into

01:17:22a reliable water source

01:17:23for the garden.

01:17:24You are going to be

01:17:25a successful gardener.

01:17:26I hope I don't disappoint.

01:17:27No, you won't.

01:17:28You won't.

01:17:28Should we go check out

01:17:30the shop?

01:17:30Yeah, let's do that.

01:17:31Come on in,

01:17:36your new shop.

01:17:38Oh, my gosh.

01:17:40This is amazing.

01:17:41I absolutely love it.

01:17:42It's so cool.

01:17:43I wanted to do

01:17:45something different,

01:17:46and I was thinking,

01:17:48why not be geared for kids?

01:17:49Let's have them learn

01:17:50about bison,

01:17:52maybe become bison ranchers

01:17:54themselves.

01:17:55That's what this space is.

01:17:56I think that's so cool.

01:17:57We just couldn't say

01:17:59how thankful we are

01:18:00for them coming out

01:18:03and helping us.

01:18:03Would you be willing

01:18:04to be the first person

01:18:06to sign the guest book?

01:18:07I would love that.

01:18:08It's just overall

01:18:09been a mind-blowing experience.

01:18:11It's been great.

01:18:13Seven days ago,

01:18:15the Cooper family

01:18:16had a garden wasted away

01:18:17by heavy windstorms

01:18:19and a lack of water

01:18:20from a dry well.

01:18:22Today, they have

01:18:24brand-new garden beds

01:18:25with fresh topsoil,

01:18:27a wooden fence barrier

01:18:29with extra trees

01:18:30for wind resistance,

01:18:31and a nearby water storage

01:18:33cistern for the garden.

01:18:36To ensure their homestead

01:18:38business will thrive,

01:18:39they also have

01:18:40a restored bison shop

01:18:42complete with

01:18:43an educational area

01:18:44to make it accessible

01:18:45to kids and adults alike.

01:18:51That makes me so happy

01:18:53to see this reaction.

01:18:54You guys have worked

01:18:55really hard to get

01:18:56to this place.

01:18:57Yeah, definitely.

01:18:58And when you look around,

01:18:59are you like,

01:19:00oh my gosh,

01:19:00we're going to be able

01:19:01to pull it off?

01:19:01Yeah, we're actually

01:19:02going to be able

01:19:03to do things

01:19:04that we've talked about

01:19:05and dreamed about,

01:19:06and it's amazing.

01:19:08So thank you.

01:19:08You're welcome.

01:19:09Windmill's blowing.

01:19:18What's that sound?

01:19:20That is the sound of H2O.

01:19:23That's the sound of success.

01:19:25That's the sound of hope.

01:19:27That's the sound of the future,

01:19:29and it can come true

01:19:30if you've got enough water

01:19:32to keep it alive.

01:19:33Yes, sir.

01:19:36This whole water, fence,

01:19:39rotational grazing,

01:19:40I just can't even put into words

01:19:42how this is going to help us

01:19:44and the buffalo.

01:19:46In the short amount of time

01:19:47that we've had that water

01:19:48up and running,

01:19:50the bison actually have

01:19:51been going out there

01:19:52more than they've been

01:19:53coming into the corral,

01:19:54which is just a good indicator

01:19:55to me that the work

01:19:56that the rainies have done here

01:19:58is really going to help us,

01:19:59and not just today,

01:20:00tomorrow, for years to come.

01:20:02One week ago,

01:20:04the Cooper family

01:20:05had a dry windmill well

01:20:06on a sparse pasture,

01:20:09causing bison mortality

01:20:10and preventing the expansion

01:20:12of the herd.

01:20:14Today, they have

01:20:15a working windmill well

01:20:17capable of producing

01:20:18300 to 400 gallons of water.

01:20:22It's the central piece

01:20:23in a rotational grazing fence system

01:20:25that will allow the bison

01:20:27to feed on a portion

01:20:28of the pasture

01:20:29while the other side recovers,

01:20:31making for a healthy,

01:20:33productive herd.

01:20:35It actually gives us

01:20:37hope for the future

01:20:37that we can continue

01:20:39taking care of these

01:20:39great animals out here.

01:20:41It's a good moment.

01:20:43It's a fantastic moment.

01:20:44You know, it's a good day

01:20:53on a homestead

01:20:54when you've done your best

01:20:55and you've worked

01:20:57till the sun's set.

01:20:58Yeah, we totally whipped

01:21:00that barn into such good shape.

01:21:02There's pigs in there now.

01:21:04The rainies are examples

01:21:05of what homesteading is

01:21:06and doing the unheard of

01:21:08for the coopers.

01:21:10It's official.

01:21:10You guys went from ranchers

01:21:12to homesteaders.

01:21:13We showed up.

01:21:14You were very focused

01:21:16on the bison

01:21:17and we've shifted gears

01:21:18and now there's so much going on.

01:21:21Well, thank you guys so much.

01:21:23We want to give you this.

01:21:24It's a photo I took

01:21:26as a thank you for you guys.

01:21:28That's so sweet.

01:21:29That's so awesome.

01:21:32From the bottom of my heart,

01:21:33her heart, and Garrett's heart,

01:21:35we absolutely appreciate

01:21:36what you guys have come out

01:21:37and done for us.

01:21:38You've accelerated us.

01:21:40You've given us hope.

01:21:41So, thank you.

01:21:43I don't know what else to say,

01:21:44but thank you.

01:21:45A lot of the things

01:21:46that I took away from Marty

01:21:48is how to stay mentally tough.

01:21:50I know how to do a lot of things,

01:21:53but there's something

01:21:54with experience

01:21:54and mental toughness

01:21:56that comes through

01:21:57this style of life

01:21:58of homesteading, rural living.

01:22:00I'm extremely joyful

01:22:01for the things

01:22:02that the Rainies have done for us.

01:22:05It means a lot to me personally.

01:22:07Coming to their homestead

01:22:09was like a dream come true for me.

01:22:13To actually see wild buffalo

01:22:16roaming across the plains of Colorado,

01:22:20thank you again,

01:22:22is an experience I'll never forget.

01:22:24Go help somebody else.

01:22:30Since the Rainies left,

01:22:35things have been going great.

01:22:37We did have a big snowstorm,

01:22:40and so having the barn

01:22:42complete with a new roof and stuff

01:22:43was super helpful.

01:22:44Here's the pig pigs.

01:22:46They're doing great.

01:22:48Love coming out there.

01:22:49Little outdoor area as well.

01:22:53The water tank,

01:22:53that's working awesome.

01:22:54It's still got water flowing.

01:22:56The buffalo are drinking out of it.

01:22:57It's a big stress reliever.

01:22:59And one thing I'm really happy with

01:23:01on the garden

01:23:02is the windbreak.

01:23:03When the wind's kicking up,

01:23:05it really works.

01:23:06I'm just very excited for spring.

01:23:09The shop is absolutely amazing.

01:23:12The great thing with Garrett

01:23:13is he actually fell in love with the bison,

01:23:16and him and my sister and their kids

01:23:18are actually planning on moving out here.

01:23:20We're going to try to get them

01:23:21on the property with us.

01:23:22More the merrier.

01:23:23Thank you so much, Rainies.

01:23:25You're always welcome back

01:23:26anytime for a burger or a steak.

01:23:28Appreciate everything you guys did.

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