Homestead Rescue Season 13 Episode 1

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Homestead Rescue Season 13 Episode 1 #Cineva USA https://www.dailymotion.com/Cineva

Transcript

00:00:00You see a stampede, those people are awry.

00:00:08Welcome to the Wild West.

00:00:11We really didn't have a lot of experience.

00:00:14Eastern Colorado does come with a lot of winds.

00:00:17Having the bison has really challenged me in a couple ways that I haven't anticipated.

00:00:22It's like I'm seeing dinosaurs.

00:00:25We feel overwhelmed.

00:00:26With 90 mile an hour wind, this thing doesn't stand a chance unless we beef it up.

00:00:31We gotta get to work.

00:00:33Everything just keeps on getting bigger and badder.

00:00:37This is a little bit bigger of a project than we anticipated.

00:00:41Colorado wind. Go slow.

00:00:44Hold, hold.

00:00:46Hold, hold, hold.

00:00:49Hold, hold, hold.

00:00:56Look out there.

00:01:08You know what you're looking at?

00:01:10The Wild West.

00:01:13Namely, Colorado.

00:01:15Look at these turbines.

00:01:19So, do you see a lot growing?

00:01:22No.

00:01:23It's really dry.

00:01:25It's really harsh.

00:01:27It's at elevation and it's really windy.

00:01:31Wind is the invisible predator for every homestead that has it.

00:01:36And on that note, Colorado, bring it on.

00:01:41In the expansive prairie lands of eastern Colorado, the Rainies respond to an SOS from one of their largest homesteads yet.

00:01:51A sprawling 265 acre ranch.

00:01:54With 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.

00:02:06However, when the drought hit in 1890, many fled, leaving only the most dedicated, who adapted farming techniques more suitable for a semi-arid environment.

00:02:17Today, 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.

00:02:33And for the inexperienced, like the Cooper family, big ambition can lead to big problems.

00:02:42I'm Melissa Cooper.

00:02:44I'm Kevin Cooper.

00:02:45And this is our 265-acre homestead in eastern Colorado.

00:02:51We've been here four years now.

00:02:54We have actually talked about homesteading for as long as I can remember in our relationship.

00:03:00We love the lifestyle.

00:03:02We love being able to walk outside, hear birds chirping, see a beautiful sunset, and then see the buffalo walk across, you know, the prairie.

00:03:09Spurred by the pandemic and an unexpected health scare, the Coopers moved to their homestead and were confronted with some harsh realities.

00:03:20We would absolutely love to be able to sustain everything here, have our own food in our garden.

00:03:25But when we first moved out to the homestead, we really didn't have a lot of experience.

00:03:29We are a couple of city kids that came out here who don't have any background in agriculture.

00:03:36We jumped into something with big dreams, and we weren't ready.

00:03:42Eastern Colorado does come with a lot of weather as far as wind.

00:03:48The wind is killing the garden.

00:03:50We have a really hard time starting plants on the homestead.

00:03:54We've tried multiple different methods, but as you can see, we've had very little success with the beds.

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

00:04:07One of our goals is to have livestock.

00:04:10We want pigs, but the barn's not a safe living environment right now.

00:04:15The panels on the roof have been blown off.

00:04:18There's structural beams that are no longer structurally sound.

00:04:23We're new to this whole process.

00:04:25There's so much that we're still learning, and we feel a little overwhelmed.

00:04:28Right now, we have bison and chickens.

00:04:32We do process our bison, but managing them is starting to be a threat to our livelihood.

00:04:39Bison are a very dangerous animal.

00:04:42If bison do not have feed and water, they will go find it.

00:04:45So all of our fencing we have, if they want to go through it, they will.

00:04:51On the south end of the homestead, we have a functioning well,

00:04:54but we don't have water out on the pasture for the bison.

00:04:58Recently, we had a new calf, and we found the baby dead.

00:05:03The cause was the heat and the lack of water.

00:05:07Those are hard moments.

00:05:08Buffalo are number one, and putting ourselves number two.

00:05:11We've already had those situations where you see Kevin and I snap at each other

00:05:17because the stress gets to us.

00:05:19You know, your dreams slowly turn into nightmares,

00:05:22and we're trying to make it work the best that we can.

00:05:25We're just failing.

00:05:26Marty, Misty, Matt, we need your help.

00:05:36Hello.

00:05:37Hello.

00:05:38Hi.

00:05:38Well, who are we meeting?

00:05:42I'm Melissa.

00:05:43Melissa.

00:05:44Kevin.

00:05:44Kevin, are you?

00:05:45Husband and wife.

00:05:46Garrett.

00:05:46Who's this big guy?

00:05:47How does he fit in this row?

00:05:48Brother-in-law.

00:05:49Your brother-in-law.

00:05:50Well, nice to meet you guys.

00:05:52How big is this homestead?

00:05:54It's 265 acres.

00:05:56And what are you doing with 265 acres?

00:05:59We have a small herd of bison.

00:06:01How many?

00:06:0116.

00:06:0216.

00:06:03So you called us here.

00:06:04Let's talk about some of those reasons.

00:06:08We actually met while I was still in high school.

00:06:12We have been together for 20 years.

00:06:14We've been married for 12.

00:06:16And we have two kids together.

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

00:06:22We lived in a suburb of Denver.

00:06:25We just wanted to chase our dream to be more self-sustainable.

00:06:29So we had been researching different types of livestock that we wanted to potentially raise

00:06:34and have decided on bison.

00:06:36Bison are native to this area.

00:06:39They're literally the main animal that roamed our prairies and our lands before they were

00:06:44almost extinct.

00:06:45Being just out on the property, there is rolling hills.

00:06:49It's definitely big sky country.

00:06:51I think it's beautiful.

00:06:52But it was more than nature that drew the Coopers to this way of life.

00:06:58It was Kevin's surprise cancer diagnosis.

00:07:02Anybody who's ever experienced any kind of big health anything can relate to the fact

00:07:10that it just changes your perspective on life.

00:07:13His cancer diagnosis made us start thinking about what the values were most important to

00:07:19us and how the time we had, we wanted to spend it.

00:07:23Having the bison, it's really challenged me in a couple ways that I haven't anticipated.

00:07:29Oh, shoot.

00:07:30Got yours up?

00:07:31Nope.

00:07:32The bison take about eight, nine hours of my day every day.

00:07:35All right, I got the back.

00:07:37The bison are a full-time job.

00:07:39They don't always have that direct time to fix all the needs on the property.

00:07:44I try to repair things and fix things as I can, but we haven't installed and updated

00:07:52vital things for the bison, like getting that new bison chewed in.

00:07:56Right now, we have to transport our animals every time we need to do something to them.

00:08:02So whether that's a sick animal that needs to be vaccinated for something or our yearly

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

00:08:15We've left all of our friends and everything.

00:08:18You know, I may have a big tough facade on the outside, but on the inside, mentally, that's

00:08:23definitely my weak side.

00:08:25The thought crossed my mind, did I make a mistake?

00:08:28It is pretty mentally anguishing.

00:08:30You do feel sometimes like quitting and waving the flag, but it would absolutely destroy my

00:08:38wife if we had to move out of this situation.

00:08:41Looking out my window and seeing the herd come in over the hill is something that I never

00:08:46thought I'd experience, but it's so peaceful.

00:08:50Being here for almost four years, I can't imagine not living here, having to go.

00:08:55Back to the city life just seems.

00:09:04I just don't know how I would do that.

00:09:07Sorry.

00:09:16Let's talk garden.

00:09:18So we started with these six beds.

00:09:21We felt really good our first year gardening.

00:09:24And what did you grow?

00:09:25We grew tomatoes and jalapenos, cucumbers.

00:09:28We had a nice zucchini crop.

00:09:29Did you try to plant anything this year?

00:09:31We did.

00:09:32We tried to plant a few things.

00:09:33Did anything grow?

00:09:34No.

00:09:36Is this wind pretty relentless?

00:09:38Yeah.

00:09:39I mean, this is mild throughout here.

00:09:41And so how windy does it get?

00:09:42I mean, on a bad day, 90 mile an hour winds, it gets bad.

00:09:47What?

00:09:49When you're dealing with gardening and wind, you're dealing with something that is drying out

00:09:53your soil twice as fast.

00:09:54It's devastating to your plants, whether it's the stem or the leaves.

00:09:57And it kills seedlings, so you fail before you even start.

00:10:03You need twice the amount of water when you're trying to garden in the wind.

00:10:07Right.

00:10:08Do you have water?

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

00:10:14We only have one well that produces water, so when something goes wrong with the water,

00:10:20we're out.

00:10:21And it just goes to the bison?

00:10:22Yeah.

00:10:23Okay.

00:10:23We have a well over here, but it's dry.

00:10:26Okay, can you show me?

00:10:27Yes.

00:10:28Okay.

00:10:29Melissa is successfully growing weed.

00:10:32And if that weren't bad enough, there's no water.

00:10:35Growing food here is not going to be an easy thing.

00:10:38Cool.

00:10:47Yeah.

00:10:48So this is our stables, corrals.

00:10:52Is this a huge barn?

00:10:53It's a big, big barn.

00:10:56And they're not using it for anything right now?

00:10:58Not right now, storage.

00:11:00How old is it?

00:11:01About 1950s.

00:11:03We're a good 70, 80 years old.

00:11:06It definitely looks like the water's leaking, you know, down into the rafters.

00:11:13Yes.

00:11:14When we look at, you know, just the integrity of the building, open wires, birds' nests,

00:11:21feces, just the holes in the ceiling.

00:11:24I mean, we're just trying to make sure that this building is going to be secure enough

00:11:28for housing animals properly.

00:11:31They're talking about bringing pigs in and, you know, pigs, a horse, you know, eventually

00:11:36and utilize some of the stables in here.

00:11:39These homesteaders want to expand their livestock so they can have another source of protein

00:11:44and make more money.

00:11:45Correct.

00:11:45Because they probably need it.

00:11:47Correct.

00:11:47Got a lot of potential.

00:11:48Getting that barn whipped into shape and ready for livestock could be the ultimate game

00:11:53changer for this homestead.

00:11:55It'll give a chance outside of those bison to be self-sustainable.

00:11:59So now we're heading out to our windmill for the water.

00:12:08Oh, right there.

00:12:09Yep.

00:12:10That's not functioning.

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

00:12:15Right now they're walking all the way in for water to the corral.

00:12:20Earlier this year we had a hot spell come through and one of the calves died about 100 yards

00:12:26from the water tank.

00:12:27No way.

00:12:27From the corral.

00:12:28No.

00:12:29Dehydration is kind of what we assumed happened.

00:12:31How hot did it get?

00:12:32104, 105 was the max.

00:12:38I feel privileged to be able to see buffalo or bison.

00:12:42Seeing this side is how it's supposed to be.

00:12:44This is the way it was meant to be.

00:12:46The people in Alaska that raise bison will tell you that animal can go through any fence

00:12:53if it wants to.

00:12:54Fence is our suggestions.

00:12:55Buffalo, also known as bison, are the largest mammal in the United States.

00:13:03Prior to European settlers, millions of bison roamed North America.

00:13:07Nearly hunted to extinction in the late 1800s, ranchers, First Nations communities, and conservationists have worked to rebuild bison populations since the early 20th century.

00:13:22Commercial bison farming and ranching began in the mid-1980s.

00:13:27But the animals can be unpredictable and dangerous.

00:13:31With charging speeds up to 35 miles per hour, they have caused serious injuries and at least one death in recent years.

00:13:40You've been here four years.

00:13:44You've never seen any water come out of here?

00:13:46Nope.

00:13:46Do you know any history on this?

00:13:48Well, we looked it up through the county to know that this was operational at one point in time.

00:13:54Once upon a time, there were homesteaders here before Kevin and Melissa.

00:13:59Word is, they raised cattle.

00:14:02And maybe those cattle relied on the water produced by the windmill, which now doesn't work and produces zero water.

00:14:12It's a matter of life or death on a place like this.

00:14:16We've got to get it fixed.

00:14:17All right, guys.

00:14:23This is what I really appreciate about these homesteaders.

00:14:25They want to step back in time and help replenish the plains with buffalo.

00:14:33So how are we going to help them?

00:14:35Their mission and their dream, it was amazing.

00:14:39But homesteading isn't just a one-faceted thing.

00:14:42How are they bringing in a garden here and keeping it alive?

00:14:45How are they bringing other livestock?

00:14:47What's that bigger picture plan look like?

00:14:50I have ideas, but is there going to be enough time in the day after they've tended to the bison?

00:14:55And what did the three of us combined know about buffalo?

00:14:59Not that much.

00:15:01We're going to have to get real creative because we're a little bit out of our league.

00:15:11All right, folks.

00:15:13Let's just start with what you guys are doing here.

00:15:15It's cool.

00:15:17That said, there's a lot to do here.

00:15:21When it comes to having a successful garden here, the biggest challenge is the wind.

00:15:27I have a lot of ideas.

00:15:29I'm ready to get to work in the morning.

00:15:30Sounds great.

00:15:31Garrett showed me the barn, and the real money is in the barn itself and putting livestock in there.

00:15:39Whether 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.

00:15:51That's all called homesteading.

00:15:52But we're not buffalo whisperers.

00:15:57Well, I've got a proposition for you.

00:15:59There is a neighbor ranch that we have a good relationship with.

00:16:02I say we go take a look at their place tomorrow and get you guys more familiar with the bison and the buffalo.

00:16:08How's that sound?

00:16:09That sounds like a blast.

00:16:10Crash course.

00:16:11It's a crash course.

00:16:12We'll meet you there.

00:16:13Let's do it.

00:16:13See you in the morning.

00:16:14Get some sleep, guys.

00:16:15See you guys.

00:16:17See you later.

00:16:22Wow, there's a big one over here.

00:16:24Where, where, where?

00:16:25Dad, here comes the big guy.

00:16:26Oh!

00:16:38Here we go.

00:16:39As a new day dawns in eastern Colorado, this is the land where the buffalo roam.

00:16:47You!

00:16:48The Rainies travel for their crash course on one of America's most legendary animals.

00:16:56Hello.

00:16:58How are you guys?

00:16:59Good.

00:16:59How are you?

00:17:00Doing well.

00:17:01This is quite a spread.

00:17:03This is 2,700 right on here.

00:17:052,700 acres.

00:17:07Yeah.

00:17:07Is it all buffalo?

00:17:08All buffalo.

00:17:10I'm Sean Bennett.

00:17:11I run Prairie Ridge Buffalo Ranch.

00:17:14And I met Kevin and Melissa Cooper about five years ago.

00:17:18They had a dream.

00:17:19They wanted to come out and raise bison.

00:17:21And it's like any business.

00:17:23It doesn't happen overnight.

00:17:24It's a very steep learning curve.

00:17:26And we're happy to help them as much as we can.

00:17:29So we're so excited to be here because being from Alaska, we are not bison experts.

00:17:35So we're here to, like, see your operation, kind of see what's been working for you and what hasn't been working for you.

00:17:40The coopers are so overwhelmed on their homestead because of the bison.

00:17:45They take up so much time, so much energy.

00:17:47We need to figure out how they can grow their herd so that there's time left for homesteading.

00:17:55Is there anything we should know before we go out?

00:17:57First thing I learned in the buffalo business, sometimes it's best just let buffalo be buffalo.

00:18:01It's kind of like raising kids.

00:18:02Very similar.

00:18:03We're going to jump in my truck.

00:18:04We're going to go out.

00:18:05We're going to go look at some buffalo.

00:18:07Let's load up.

00:18:07When you show up on a buffalo ranch and the owner of the ranch says, jump in the truck, let's go for a drive, you get a little glimpse into history as you stand in awe of a herd of America's national animal.

00:18:28Oh, my gosh.

00:18:28You know you're dealing with some dangerous livestock when you can't approach them on foot and have to make sure you're in a truck so you don't get caught in a stampede.

00:18:42Oh, yeah.

00:18:42Buffalo dust.

00:18:43Wow, look at these guys.

00:18:45Whoa.

00:18:47Buffalo trees.

00:18:49What a beautiful animal.

00:18:53Visiting Sean's ranch is really amazing.

00:18:56It's like I'm seeing dinosaurs.

00:18:58It's like a triceratops.

00:19:00Look at this guy.

00:19:02Wow, there's a big one over here.

00:19:04Where, where, what?

00:19:05Dad, here comes the big guy.

00:19:11I'm back.

00:19:17That is the most incredible thing I've ever seen.

00:19:20Sean, what does that buffalo weigh?

00:19:22About 2,300.

00:19:232,300 pounds right there.

00:19:26This is like an incredible amount of water.

00:19:28Like, how much water does it take?

00:19:29Typically, a bison will drink about 16 gallons a day.

00:19:33With 265 acres, is that enough room to rotational graze?

00:19:37You know, I look at Kevin and Melissa where they're at right now.

00:19:40Where's your water sources?

00:19:42They need that windmill up and operating.

00:19:44For this homestead, having water is really important when it comes to 16 gallons a day per bison.

00:19:53But man, I'll tell you right now, they just don't have that setup at all.

00:19:57We're wanting to mainstream it as much as we can, so there's room for other things.

00:20:02So you have to expand what you do on a ranch in order to make the ranch viable, in order to make it functional.

00:20:09So let's talk.

00:20:12What is it that you and your wife want to do?

00:20:14So right now, we're doing meat sales.

00:20:17So we are in that meat market, but that's where we've kind of got to get creative in bringing more money in to the homestead

00:20:24to kind of keep us moving forward and being successful.

00:20:27Copy.

00:20:29All right, well, that was fascinating.

00:20:31Thank you guys very much for coming out.

00:20:33That is the Buffalo Magic.

00:20:34So cool.

00:20:42All right, see if you can pry that sucker out of there.

00:20:44Later that day, Matt and the Cooper's brother-in-law, Garrett, returned to the faltering barn,

00:20:51hoping to restore it to safely house necessary sources of protein, like pigs.

00:21:00All right.

00:21:01I figured we started on the worst one and put a full-length stud in here.

00:21:07Right now, we are replacing studs.

00:21:09We already got two in.

00:21:11And the reason is, it's because of this.

00:21:13Look at all this.

00:21:15I mean, this wood is not, it's not rotten, you know?

00:21:19This is not termites.

00:21:21This is not water damage.

00:21:23This right here is livestock, rubbage, scratchage, and chewage.

00:21:29To prepare the Cooper's barn for future livestock, Matt and Garrett will fortify the existing

00:21:37structure with new support beams, replace dangerous exposed wiring, and seal the roof

00:21:44by replacing deteriorated fiberglass panels, turning this once vacant barn into a full-bore

00:21:51source of food and, eventually, income.

00:21:55Working with Matt, it's a great experience.

00:22:01We work well together.

00:22:02We have the same mind goal for this barn, and that makes the process so much easier when

00:22:07we're thinking alike.

00:22:09How's it fit?

00:22:10Perfect.

00:22:10One of the really cool parts about Garrett is, he is just as invested into this whole

00:22:17bison ranch as the people that live on this ranch.

00:22:21That's a brother-in-law you want to keep, and he's tall.

00:22:26You got a big scrapping guy that can really put the studs in.

00:22:30You got a stud working with the stud, putting the studs in.

00:22:40It seems windier today.

00:22:47It is windier today, definitely.

00:22:49Just outside the barn, Misty and Melissa are ready to defend the garden from Colorado's

00:22:55elements.

00:22:57No plant is going to survive in this.

00:23:00Crazy.

00:23:00Yeah.

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

00:23:04Okay.

00:23:04I just want to add wind protection.

00:23:06So, I'm thinking, literally, just like a wood wall, a wood fence, that the wind can't

00:23:12penetrate.

00:23:12Yeah.

00:23:13I think that sounds amazing.

00:23:15Today's the day where we actually get to start homesteading.

00:23:18Clearly, the bison have taken top priority with Melissa and Kevin, but guess what my top

00:23:23priority is?

00:23:24It's feeding this family.

00:23:26We'll try this guy, huh?

00:23:27Melissa and Kevin, they're successful ranchers, but moving to a place where they can actually

00:23:33grow food and setting them up for the spring is what I plan on doing.

00:23:37Okay.

00:23:39We know where the posts go.

00:23:40Easy enough, right?

00:23:41Yep.

00:23:41Let's grab the auger, the posts, and get them in.

00:23:43Sounds good.

00:23:45To protect the garden from eastern Colorado's intense winds, Misty will drill holes to install

00:23:52a protective wooden fence, complete with 4x4 posts solidified in concrete, so the Coopers

00:23:58can finally grow their own fresh food source on the homestead.

00:24:02We're still overwhelmed with all that we need to get done, so Misty working on the garden

00:24:17is a relief.

00:24:19And with the wind barrier, I think that we're going to hopefully be able to be much more

00:24:24successful in the future.

00:24:25We're going to call that good 4x4 post in.

00:24:31It's set in concrete because with 90 mile an hour winds, this thing doesn't stand a chance

00:24:36unless we beef it up.

00:24:37So we get the wind barrier in, we get it nice and sturdy, that way Melissa can actually guard

00:24:42it.

00:24:43Woo!

00:24:44Woo!

00:24:45Woo!

00:24:47Woo!

00:24:48Woo!

00:24:49Woo!

00:24:50Woo!

00:24:51Woo!

00:24:52Woo!

00:24:53Woo!

00:24:54Woo!

00:24:55Woo!

00:24:56Woo!

00:24:57Woo!

00:24:57Hey, Betty!

00:24:58You ready?

00:24:59We're ready!

00:24:59Over at the windmill Marty and Kevin meet with a local expert who can hopefully get it

00:25:04in working order and provide a desperately needed water source to help the bicycling and

00:25:09the Coopers homesteading dream from dying.

00:25:11Wayne.

00:25:12Wayne.

00:25:13Marty.

00:25:13Randy.

00:25:14Kevin.

00:25:14We moved here about three or four years ago and never seen this thing up and running.

00:25:19So, wondering if you wouldn't have a little bit of knowledge on this.

00:25:24Won't know until we get it out of the course!

00:25:25Okay, I'm holding you up.

00:25:29I like this guy. He's a man of action.

00:25:32These homesteaders have a house on the other side of the property with a well.

00:25:37But out here on this back pasture, it's dry.

00:25:41So we have to fix the windmill to produce all the water that 16 buffalo can drink.

00:25:49Relying on the expertise of Wayne, Marty and Kevin will first take the windmill well apart from the ground up.

00:25:57Then establish at what depth the water is resting and rebuild the well accordingly.

00:26:02They'll also remove any obstructions and fix any broken parts, including the powering fan at the top.

00:26:10This will allow the Coopers to not only water their herd of 16, but to add enough bison to make the ranch sustainable.

00:26:22I just met Wayne.

00:26:25And guess what?

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

00:26:32We might just fix his windmill.

00:26:34Like your style.

00:26:36Woo!

00:26:40It's day three on the Cooper family's 265-acre Colorado bison stead.

00:27:00Fire in the hole!

00:27:01And with the windmill well disassembled and cleaned, Marty and Wayne make final preparations to provide a life-saving water source for the grazing bison.

00:27:16So, 1336?

00:27:18Minus 1227.

00:27:20109 feet, so how deep of this is?

00:27:22To the bottom of the well, yes.

00:27:25Okay, we're going to pull this out until we hit water on the rope.

00:27:27The reason that they go off a lot of windmills instead of electric pumps, because this can't pump that fast.

00:27:35This will only pump about two, three gallons a minute.

00:27:38That's perfect.

00:27:39A lot of times you get in with an electric pump.

00:27:42Pump a drive.

00:27:42Yep.

00:27:43The first recorded evidence of windmills being used for pumping water and grinding grain was in Persia between 500 and 900 A.D.

00:27:54In the 14th century, the Dutch took windmills to a whole new level with their taller and more efficient tower mills.

00:28:02By the late 1800s and early 1900s, windmills were sprinkled all over the American landscape, becoming very useful in the Great Plains.

00:28:13When a windmill's fan spins on the shaft, it drives a geared mechanism in an up-and-down motion.

00:28:21That motion pushes a long pump rod inside of a pipe in the well, while a sealed plunger at the end of the rod forces the water up the pipe.

00:28:31With sufficient wind, an average windmill will produce up to 1,500 gallons of water a day.

00:28:38Right there, static water level.

00:28:4323 feet.

00:28:44It sounds like we're going to put this thing back together, and we're going to see what this well can do in real life.

00:28:49Yeah.

00:28:52Wrenches?

00:28:53A little cross-threaded, Marty.

00:28:58Moment of truth!

00:29:02Well, you just rebuilt it.

00:29:03Now what?

00:29:04Now see if it works.

00:29:08I think I can fit through that hole.

00:29:14Let's go.

00:29:15Oh, once you get the shoulders through, now the real test is the love handles.

00:29:20Let's see.

00:29:22While Matt begins the barn roof repair.

00:29:26Okay, so here's the deal.

00:29:27Misty enlists Garrett for his expertise.

00:29:31I've heard that you have a little bit of a plumbing background.

00:29:33That is correct.

00:29:34To revitalize a long, dormant water source.

00:29:37Let's take a look.

00:29:40What is this?

00:29:41That's a drywall.

00:29:43That used to be an old pump inside of there.

00:29:47An old breaker box.

00:29:50Black Widows.

00:29:51Do you think it's a power issue or a water issue?

00:29:53Because the shutoff valve is off.

00:29:56Well, we can jump in.

00:29:57And just see if the shutoff?

00:29:58Just to see if the shutoff is active and see if we get any kind of fluid.

00:30:02I'm a little scared.

00:30:03Then somebody said Black Widow.

00:30:05I can see some.

00:30:06I'm going down in.

00:30:08So, unfortunately, I have to jump down into a well full of Black Widows.

00:30:15But we could have a secondary water supply that's huge.

00:30:19Oh, my God.

00:30:20It's going to get on me.

00:30:22It's going to get on me.

00:30:27And we've got water.

00:30:28We've got water!

00:30:29We've got water.

00:30:30Okay, coming out because it's too scary.

00:30:32There's water coming out of a pipe that's 70 years old.

00:30:36This is super exciting.

00:30:38Can you check my back?

00:30:40Oh, yeah.

00:30:40No, you're good.

00:30:40You're clear.

00:30:41Like, can you just brush my whole body?

00:30:42We're good.

00:30:43Just get in there.

00:30:43Yeah, you're good.

00:30:44I did not expect water to come out of that pipe at all.

00:30:49There's a secondary water source on the homestead.

00:30:52Like, this...

00:30:53What?

00:30:54The fact that we have water in here.

00:30:56The fact that we have water is huge.

00:30:58Is huge.

00:30:59Huge.

00:31:00Yes.

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

00:31:02Let's get to a place where we can be down there safe and working.

00:31:05And we know what our material list is, so let's just go get it.

00:31:08Let's do it.

00:31:09Family, come on over here.

00:31:20Come on, kids.

00:31:21With Misty finding a possible water source for the garden, 150 acres away, Marty gathers everyone

00:31:29out on the pasture to see if they can strike life-changing water for both the bison and the

00:31:37homestead.

00:31:37We may have water if it's dry.

00:31:40We've got to go back to the drawing board.

00:31:42Wayne, what's the next thing that has to happen?

00:31:44We've got to put oil in the tranny?

00:31:46We can check it and see if there is any in there, if you can reach it.

00:31:49But I don't know if you're going to reach that from the platform.

00:31:51Clint can.

00:31:52Clint can do anything.

00:31:53Clint, get up here, please.

00:31:54Have you seen that one?

00:31:55Clint's arms are?

00:31:56It would mean the world to have water on the homestead, not only just for us, but what

00:32:07it means for the bison is huge.

00:32:09There's times out here on the homestead where you feel in a bit over your head.

00:32:14Having the capability of having water out on pasture for our bison is a crucial step

00:32:19for us to get this going.

00:32:21We've got Wayne hooked the brake back up.

00:32:23We've got Clint ready to cut the chain and the wire.

00:32:27I think we're ready.

00:32:27Okay, so as soon as you let it go, Clint, it's going to want to start spinning when you

00:32:31let go.

00:32:32It's going to spin.

00:32:33Careful, Clint.

00:32:34It's going to spin and knock you.

00:32:36Clint, that's a lot of wind.

00:32:45Woo!

00:32:46There she goes.

00:32:47It's spinning!

00:32:48It's going up.

00:32:51Look how fast it's going.

00:32:53Woo!

00:32:55Look how fast it's pumping.

00:32:56Woo!

00:32:58Look at that dude!

00:32:59Come on, water.

00:33:00What is for water?

00:33:01Come on, water.

00:33:02Come on, baby.

00:33:03Okay, I still don't see water.

00:33:04Okay, hold on.

00:33:05I mean, she's moving.

00:33:10Come on!

00:33:11Come on!

00:33:12Where is it?

00:33:14Okay, now I'm getting nervous.

00:33:16You guys, we have to talk.

00:33:19No BS.

00:33:20What if water doesn't come out?

00:33:24I'm thinking you guys are screwed.

00:33:26If this thing doesn't work.

00:33:37On the Cooper family's 265-acre bison stack.

00:33:42I'm thinking you guys are screwed if this thing doesn't work.

00:33:45The pivotal windmill has failed to strike water.

00:33:49Wayne, what do you think?

00:33:50We're going to have to pull it out and see what's wrong with it.

00:33:53Okay, so we're going to pull it all back apart and see what's going on.

00:33:58You want to stay and work on it?

00:33:59Yep.

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

00:34:01I'm really sorry.

00:34:02Let's go.

00:34:03We're going to start all over.

00:34:05I'm sorry, everyone.

00:34:07Kind of a bummer.

00:34:09You know, we were excited.

00:34:11We were, you know, all of us, the Rainies, ourselves, we got excited for the water and,

00:34:15well, it never came.

00:34:16All right, let's get an X-Vader.

00:34:19I'll take you down there.

00:34:20Let's grab the X-Vader.

00:34:22Ever hear someone say failure is not an option?

00:34:26What a ridiculous statement.

00:34:28We did a lot of work.

00:34:30We were 100% confident and no water came out.

00:34:35So now we'll learn from those mistakes and make a better, stronger.

00:34:40Well, cool.

00:34:41Just hold it right there.

00:34:42Oh, yeah.

00:34:43We're trying to get this windmill back up and run it.

00:34:46So we've got the X-Vader up there, stopped the plate from spinning.

00:34:49We're chaining up the blade right now.

00:34:51As soon as he gets done chaining up that blade, we're going to drop back down and pull the pipe

00:34:56back out and see if we get water out of this.

00:35:05Yep, see, this right here has broke off.

00:35:07Oh, so the brake broke.

00:35:08Yep.

00:35:08That arm up there is supposed to hook into there.

00:35:12It sits right there.

00:35:13It usually sits right there when it's on.

00:35:15Are we going to be able to get a new one?

00:35:17Yep.

00:35:18Well, a used one.

00:35:19Used one.

00:35:20Okay.

00:35:21Okay.

00:35:22New to me.

00:35:22So the first issue is there's no brake system on this windmill.

00:35:27The next step, we've got to figure out what's going on down below.

00:35:32Hunt, get in here and grab a pipe, Prince.

00:35:33We're going back in.

00:35:36Can't hurt me.

00:35:37That car's our problem.

00:35:51What?

00:35:52And it's full of mud.

00:35:54Badly full of mud.

00:35:56So we dropped it down too far.

00:35:57Yep.

00:35:59This is our filter, right?

00:36:00Look underneath there.

00:36:02We stabbed it.

00:36:04That far.

00:36:06This far into the mud.

00:36:10The five or six inches of screen that draws the water in, we sealed off any chance of getting

00:36:16water out.

00:36:17We're convinced now that this thing's going to generate and pump water.

00:36:21However, we do need some critical parts so that this thing can operate safely with a brake system.

00:36:27So until we can fix the brake, we're sitting high and dry.

00:36:32The next morning, while the windmill team sources parts for the brake, let's start with the worst

00:36:48one first.

00:36:50Matt and Garrett begin in the barn, reinforcing the post beams that support the roof.

00:36:55Okay, I think we're through.

00:36:57It's the first project on a daunting list of important repairs to make the barn safe for

00:37:03livestock.

00:37:04The biggest reason why these posts failed was because they were just sitting on the dirt.

00:37:11There's no way we're going to fix this post by putting a post back on dirt.

00:37:15We've got to put that post on concrete.

00:37:18I'd say we fill the hole, set of posts on here, and then we'll just move on to the next

00:37:22one.

00:37:22Let's do it, man.

00:37:23But before that, I have kind of a surprise.

00:37:27Got a hold of some people.

00:37:29They're locals.

00:37:30And they're going to help us with electrical.

00:37:32Steve, Dryland Electric.

00:37:33Garrett.

00:37:33Thank you so much for coming.

00:37:35Yeah, we plan to light it up in here.

00:37:36Awesome.

00:37:37That's awesome.

00:37:37I want to get in your way.

00:37:38Let's just work around each other because we just got to keep going.

00:37:41We got a lot of stuff to do, and I'm sure you're busy as heck.

00:37:44All right, let's get to work.

00:37:45Let's do it, guys.

00:37:50Hold this back.

00:37:53Okay, that worked really well.

00:37:56Matt and I are working in the barn.

00:37:57We're getting posts secured.

00:37:58We're pouring concrete in the ground to give integrity to the building.

00:38:02The electric guys are here.

00:38:03They're working fast.

00:38:04They're doing the updates and upgrades that this barn needs to make it safe and sound.

00:38:08You know, about yet?

00:38:12This thing's going to be bomb-proof, man.

00:38:15That's what we want.

00:38:20We got plenty of wind, but no windmill.

00:38:23I mean, look at this.

00:38:24This is pathetic.

00:38:25With work on the windmill still stalled until Wayne acquires a new brake part,

00:38:30Marty brings up something else that has been troubling him about the bison setup on the homestead.

00:38:36I've learned more about buffalo in the last couple days than I've learned my entire life.

00:38:42After that tour, something was said that I picked up on.

00:38:46We can rotate through.

00:38:47So I can push a pasture during the summertime while it's growing,

00:38:51and then pull animals off of it and allow it to grow.

00:38:53So, like, their winter pasture hasn't seen a buffalo in six months.

00:38:58The herd is on one side feeding, while the other half of that pasture is allowed to grow,

00:39:06to replenish, to get healthy.

00:39:07I sense that a fence straight across here would give you at least a start on rotational grazing.

00:39:16Yep, yep, that would be a good start.

00:39:18I brought some string.

00:39:19I've got about 75 T-posts.

00:39:21Should we just get started?

00:39:22Let's just start putting posts in the ground.

00:39:24Identifying a lack of sufficient grass for bison due to overgrazing,

00:39:30Marty proposes a reinforced fence that covers one square mile to create rotational grazing.

00:39:37This will allow the bison to feed on one side of the fence while the other side regrows,

00:39:43and then rotate every few months.

00:39:46In this crash course of how to raise a buffalo herd successfully,

00:39:59I've learned this.

00:40:00It would behoove us to put in a fence straight across the property,

00:40:05dividing that 265 acres into two parcels.

00:40:09The cool thing is, the windmill's right about in the center.

00:40:14If we could get it fixed,

00:40:15they'll have access to life-sustaining water.

00:40:21Thank you so much.

00:40:25Push.

00:40:27Okay.

00:40:28Me and Marty started doing fencing today for our rotational grazing.

00:40:32We're essentially building a box around the water tank itself

00:40:36with an entry and exit point to the new pastures.

00:40:39So this is going to give them lots of room,

00:40:41and it's just going to really help with our soil and our grass,

00:40:43so that way we can get more livestock that produce more income.

00:40:49Off to a good start.

00:40:55Across the homestead...

00:40:57All right, Garrett.

00:40:58Garrett arrives with news that could set back the garden well project.

00:41:02So this well is labeled as a canceled well with the state.

00:41:11Oh.

00:41:11We are not able to get this well activated again unless we get the state involved.

00:41:19Why would they cancel a well?

00:41:22The reservoir underground is empty.

00:41:24We're going to be plundered.

00:41:25So that water was coming from the pre-existing well from the house?

00:41:30Pre-existing well, existing lines in the property.

00:41:33Well, you're a real buzzkill.

00:41:35No, I'm just kidding.

00:41:37I'm sorry.

00:41:39Super bad news from Garrett.

00:41:41Yesterday there was the old windmill.

00:41:43That's a total bust.

00:41:44We have the canceled dry hole in the ground with my well.

00:41:48Thanks for all the information.

00:41:49Anytime.

00:41:49I appreciate it.

00:41:50Absolutely.

00:41:51As far as the big homesteading dream,

00:41:55there's not enough water here to sustain it.

00:41:57We're getting closer.

00:42:13With two days remaining on the Coopers' Colorado homestead,

00:42:17critical projects hang in the balance.

00:42:21Okay.

00:42:22That's pretty good.

00:42:23As Matt begins work on a door for potential livestock at the barn,

00:42:28You got cracked egg shells to make an omelet.

00:42:31Misty goes back to square one after the failed garden well plan.

00:42:36Do me a favor.

00:42:37Pick this one out right here, please.

00:42:39And while the windmill is still in need of parts,

00:42:44Marty and Clint repurpose building materials for the rotational grazing build.

00:42:49Anytime you see a bunch of telephone poles on a property

00:42:54and you're about to put in some fencing for buffalo,

00:42:58it's kind of cool to use them as the main races, if you will,

00:43:01because we've got to build not one but two gates

00:43:04in this rotational grazing program.

00:43:08Let's go.

00:43:09All right, Melissa.

00:43:19Here we go.

00:43:21Later that morning,

00:43:22Misty and Melissa pivot to the fence build

00:43:25that will protect the garden from Colorado's vicious windstorms.

00:43:30So I was trying to find one by of any kind.

00:43:33I found this.

00:43:34These are beautiful.

00:43:34I love them.

00:43:35Okay.

00:43:35They're great.

00:43:35So we'll use these as pickets.

00:43:37Okay.

00:43:37On the front side.

00:43:38It's going to look good.

00:43:39Right.

00:43:39But we care about blocking the wind so you're able to guard it.

00:43:43Yes.

00:43:43And you'll be able to do that when we get these on.

00:43:45So let's cut the straps.

00:43:46Okay.

00:43:48Today's the wittiest day on the homestead by far.

00:43:51It's time we put in the wind barrier.

00:43:55Okay.

00:43:56Timber.

00:43:57First things first,

00:43:58we've got a four by four post in concrete

00:44:01so that this thing doesn't blow down.

00:44:05Ooh, I like it.

00:44:06I love it.

00:44:07I think it's fantastic.

00:44:08Are you excited that you're actually going to be able to garden?

00:44:11Yes.

00:44:11I'm very excited.

00:44:12I think that the wood with the exposed bark looks amazing.

00:44:17I think it's going to function really well.

00:44:19And I was excited about the project even the first time she explained it to me.

00:44:23But now with the new planks that she has found, I'm even more excited about it.

00:44:27I think it's going to work really well.

00:44:30Perfect.

00:44:31How far apart are your kiddos?

00:44:33Oh, about nine years.

00:44:34So I had Conrad when I was 19, so we were pretty young.

00:44:37And then Kevin was diagnosed with a particular cancer.

00:44:42Shoot.

00:44:43How long ago?

00:44:44About 11 years now since his diagnosis.

00:44:47Kevin was barely into his 30s.

00:44:50At that young age, you don't expect to hear the C word.

00:44:54And so it's just a shock to the system.

00:44:58He was pretty fortunate in the fact that he had the less aggressive types and went and

00:45:03did the surgery.

00:45:04And he was about a week out of recovery.

00:45:07And I had been feeling kind of sick for a week or so.

00:45:11And of course, because we had just got a cancer diagnosis, he was like, oh my God, you're dying.

00:45:15And so he made me go to the doctor and I went to the doctor and I got out of his pregnant

00:45:20with Lily.

00:45:21Oh my goodness.

00:45:22So she's sort of our miracle baby.

00:45:26We both have lost people to cancer.

00:45:32It's so...

00:45:35It just has a big impact.

00:45:38It changes your perspective on everything.

00:45:40Oh, yeah.

00:45:44Yeah.

00:45:44Oh, that's so cool.

00:45:46Oh, it looks so good.

00:45:47I love it.

00:45:47I think it's great.

00:45:49I'm so happy that Melissa opened up to me about Kevin and his battle of cancer.

00:45:53I think for me, it's just motivating me, right?

00:45:56This is their make it or break it moment.

00:45:58They know how fragile life is.

00:45:59This is their dream.

00:46:00And no matter what, we have to make it work.

00:46:04I love the fact that there's a wind barricade.

00:46:06I love the fact that there's ventilation.

00:46:08I love the fact that we didn't create a wind catch, right?

00:46:11We don't want a solid wall.

00:46:12Yeah.

00:46:12We're going to protect the plants but allow air to go through.

00:46:15Yeah.

00:46:15Done.

00:46:16Okay.

00:46:16So that's one, two, three, four, five.

00:46:19We just literally have a million more.

00:46:20A hundred to go.

00:46:21Should we keep moving?

00:46:22Yep.

00:46:22Let's do it.

00:46:28All right.

00:46:29Pin it.

00:46:32Okay.

00:46:33That ain't going anywhere, man.

00:46:34Not staying there.

00:46:35Later that day, with the barn repair well at hand...

00:46:39I'll follow you.

00:46:40All right.

00:46:41Right over here.

00:46:42Melissa peels off the fence project to task Matt and Garrett with another homestead need.

00:46:48So I wanted to bring you over here because I was going to see if you guys could help us

00:46:52with our bison shoot.

00:46:53Okay.

00:46:54This is the cattle shoot.

00:46:55It was here when we moved onto the property.

00:46:57It's too small for bison.

00:46:59Yeah, right?

00:46:59So we got a bison shoot that we just need to swap the two shoots so that we can start

00:47:05working bison on our property instead of having to load them all up and take them over

00:47:10to Sean's property to vaccinate them or check them for pregnancy or any of those kind of

00:47:15things.

00:47:15Okay.

00:47:16Well, heck.

00:47:17Let's take a look at the bison shoot.

00:47:18All right.

00:47:18Come this way.

00:47:19Once upon a time on this homestead, there was cattle here.

00:47:24The coopers have an old cattle shoot, which is perfect if you want to put a cow in there.

00:47:30But the bison are substantially bigger.

00:47:34They're a lot more agile and they need a bison sized alley and shoot.

00:47:41So this is a bison shoot.

00:47:43So this is a bison shoot.

00:47:44Wow.

00:47:45This thing is massive.

00:47:47Heavy duty for a heavy duty animal.

00:47:49Oh my gosh.

00:47:50I mean, it's just a solid steel contraption.

00:47:52So basically with this one, it works the same way as the other one does.

00:47:56The bison come running through the shoot and they hit their heads on the crash gate on that

00:48:00black wall.

00:48:01That'll cause them to back up and then we can squeeze them into the shoot.

00:48:06You've done this before?

00:48:07Yes.

00:48:08Once a year?

00:48:08Yeah.

00:48:09All 15 females get on a trailer and we spend the night at Sean's ranch so that we can work

00:48:13them.

00:48:14That does sound stressful.

00:48:15Well, and we've lost a cow before during the process.

00:48:17Really?

00:48:18They get really stressed out in the pen and we woke up the next morning and she was deceased.

00:48:22That's really unfortunate.

00:48:24Yeah.

00:48:24So this is a necessity.

00:48:25Yeah.

00:48:25This is a necessity.

00:48:26Absolutely.

00:48:27Not only is it stressing out the buffalo, but it seems like it's stressed out the homestead

00:48:30quite a bit.

00:48:31Yes.

00:48:31Okay, well, out with the old, in with the new.

00:48:33Love it.

00:48:35To safely allow bison to move to and from the property and receive life-saving medications,

00:48:43Matt will install a bison shoot.

00:48:45First, he and Garrett will lay a thick cement slab where they will anchor the three-ton bison

00:48:52squeeze chute.

00:48:53Then, they will make the alley bison-ready by raising the walls.

00:48:58Finally, they will build a runway along the side of the alley from which the handlers can

00:49:03coax the bison once inside.

00:49:05This is a bison ranch.

00:49:13Obviously, the cattle shoot's not going to work for us here, so we have made a game plan

00:49:17and we went and grabbed Kevin so he could give us a little assistance getting that old

00:49:21cattle shoot out of there.

00:49:24I think that's going to work.

00:49:25All right.

00:49:26Stand clear.

00:49:28Oh, let's go!

00:49:29Let's go.

00:49:30That's perfect.

00:49:31Easy.

00:49:32Easier than I thought.

00:49:33That's perfect.

00:49:35All right.

00:49:36Should we unhook it?

00:49:37Yeah.

00:49:39Awesome, man.

00:49:40Well, hey.

00:49:41Thanks a lot, Kevin.

00:49:42Glad I can help, boy.

00:49:44Cool.

00:49:45That came out awesome.

00:49:47Yeah.

00:49:47It really did.

00:49:49So, let's measure the new shoot, figure out how big of a footprint we need to put here,

00:49:54and then, once we know that, we'll start forming up our forms for the concrete slab.

00:49:59Let's do it.

00:50:05Okay, kids.

00:50:16First of all, good morning.

00:50:19Just 48 hours remain until the Rainies leave the Cooper's 265-acre homestead.

00:50:25Let's talk a little bit.

00:50:26As they push to finish their multitasking master class, the Rainies meet to enact a plan to juggle

00:50:33their many projects.

00:50:36The rain falls mainly on the plains.

00:50:40It's definitely false.

00:50:41I've not seen one drop of rain since we've been out here.

00:50:44It's been hot.

00:50:45It's been dry.

00:50:46And everything we're doing needs water.

00:50:49We've completely rebuilt the windmill from the top to the bottom, and we still have no

00:50:57water.

00:50:58In the meantime, we've moved on to the next aspect, which is rotational grazing.

00:51:03So, right now, if we can pull this off, we've hopefully got water, rotational grazing, and

00:51:08we're well on our way to helping these guys be buffalo ranchers.

00:51:13I have a backup plan, I hope, for the canceled well.

00:51:18But slowly but surely, we're getting there when it comes to wind protection for the garden.

00:51:23And I want to spend these next couple days shifting my focus to the bison.

00:51:28I'd love to be able to take a little section of that barn to be able to create a shop and

00:51:34a space where people can come, support the ranch, and create this learning facility.

00:51:40I want to focus on kids.

00:51:41That's a really good idea.

00:51:42So, Garrett and I have talked to Melissa and Kevin, and there is a surprise project that

00:51:49I think is going to help the buffalo immensely.

00:51:53And it has to do with being able to work the buffalo in the proper chute, with the proper

00:52:01alley going in.

00:52:02But it's no small project.

00:52:04My biggest contribution for the bison is this alleyway and the chute.

00:52:09And we will literally save lives.

00:52:11All right, let's hit it.

00:52:18Kevin, thanks for joining us.

00:52:20Yeah, what have we got?

00:52:21I wanted to show you this awesome slab.

00:52:23Near the barn.

00:52:25There!

00:52:26Matt and Garrett bring in Kevin for some advice on their ambitious bison chute project.

00:52:32What do you think of this?

00:52:33That's a slab.

00:52:34You think this is going to hold the big old buffalo chute?

00:52:38I think so.

00:52:40I'm jacked about it, man.

00:52:42This is a huge value to us.

00:52:44The new bison chute is going to be critical for us to work our animals here on our property

00:52:48and give them vaccinations and take care of them.

00:52:51One, for the time that we're not going to waste hauling our animals to get them work somewhere

00:52:54else, and number two, it's going to keep the stress low on them working them here.

00:52:58We've got to talk about this little runway here.

00:53:01Yeah.

00:53:01So just like the old chute was made for cows, I think this area was also made for cows.

00:53:07Yeah.

00:53:07Not bison approved.

00:53:09Yeah.

00:53:09Bison are pretty big.

00:53:10Do you think that this is too small?

00:53:12Yeah.

00:53:13They'll jump over these.

00:53:14So it's too short.

00:53:16Yeah, for sure.

00:53:16And then the other thing is a lot of the working facilities, they actually have a walkway about

00:53:22three feet off the ground.

00:53:23You just need to have access in to see them and to get them to move forward.

00:53:28It's got to remember this is a stressful process for them.

00:53:31So you want to make it as quick and painless as possible.

00:53:33Get them in, get them out.

00:53:35This is all great info.

00:53:36We got a lot of work to do over here.

00:53:38This is a little bit bigger of a project than we anticipated.

00:53:41There was a little more bit off than Matt and I thought we were chewing.

00:53:45I mean, these are big animals.

00:53:46We need to make sure that this shoot was going to work properly for these animals.

00:54:01Okay.

00:54:01Matt and I are putting up the side panels.

00:54:16We got to make it the right height.

00:54:17It's about seven feet.

00:54:21Okie doke.

00:54:22I think we've definitely raised the fencing high enough, but I think we need to make it

00:54:28so that these animals can't see through it.

00:54:31Yeah, we do need to block this up.

00:54:32They get scared of us just as much as we can be scared of them.

00:54:36Okay.

00:54:36So next step is let's wall off our fencing.

00:54:39Let's make it happen.

00:54:43We're going to get the blinders put up.

00:54:45It's really exciting stuff because we're going to be able to work these animals properly.

00:54:48Less stress on the animals, less stress on the ranchers.

00:54:51We're good to go.

00:54:52One, two, three.

00:54:53Ah, perfect.

00:55:00Perfect height, dude.

00:55:02Yeah.

00:55:10Just kick it down.

00:55:11Yeah, there you go.

00:55:12I can get in here.

00:55:23Yeah.

00:55:23I can work animals, keep them moving forward, and I'll be safe.

00:55:27Everything just keeps on getting bigger and badder.

00:55:30Like those bison.

00:55:31It looks so good.

00:55:39With the new garden taking shape, Misty asks Melissa to show her the business end of the homestead.

00:55:48What is this space?

00:55:50So this space, currently, we use it as our makeshift shop for the ranch.

00:55:55So when we have visitors, they come in here first,

00:55:58and this is also where we store all the meat to sell.

00:56:00Okay, nice.

00:56:02Is it this?

00:56:03Yes.

00:56:03So show me.

00:56:04You have your different cuts.

00:56:06We have our cuts and our price sheet.

00:56:08And then right now, this is our meat selection.

00:56:12Certified.

00:56:13Yeah.

00:56:13Like ready to go.

00:56:14Ready to go.

00:56:14We're in business right now.

00:56:15Yep.

00:56:16Man, this is amazing.

00:56:18So you're already a small-scale operation.

00:56:21Yes.

00:56:21Would you like to do something pretty official when it comes to what you're doing already?

00:56:26Yes, I'd love to have a place that customers can come in and they feel like it's an actual store.

00:56:32Okay.

00:56:33I would love to be able to do that.

00:56:36Now that we have sort of got the garden almost finished,

00:56:40Misty called me over to talk about our storefront for the ranch.

00:56:44Misty wants us to work together on giving that shop a facelift so it's a little bit more presentable when we have customers come and visit the ranch.

00:56:51So I feel like we take this country store, we add to it, and possibly turn it into something else as well, if there's time, and we just make it happen.

00:56:59Let's go.

00:57:00Let's do it.

00:57:01Let's do it.

00:57:31You have the parts.

00:57:33I got to be honest, I wasn't the least bit surprised, were you?

00:57:36No, I knew a way it would fall through.

00:57:41Tell us what to do, please, please.

00:57:46We're ready to go up with it.

00:57:48It's going to get western.

00:57:55Getting a little crazy out here.

00:57:57The wind's howling.

00:57:58The fans are designed to move in the wind.

00:58:01Bring it on over.

00:58:03Trust me.

00:58:05Those galvanized fins are sharp.

00:58:08And yet, Wayne, Clint, and I, we're trying to keep it stable so we can remount it and go for our second test to produce water.

00:58:19It ain't coming loose.

00:58:20Regardless of that wind, we don't have time to spare it.

00:58:24We're going to go for it.

00:58:26If you can just hold it right there away from the tower.

00:58:28Right there.

00:58:30Okay, you got it.

00:58:31Going up.

00:58:33A lot of wind.

00:58:34A lot of wind, Wayne.

00:58:35Go slow.

00:58:41Hold.

00:58:42Hold.

00:58:43Hold.

00:58:44Hold.

00:58:50A lot of wind.

00:58:51A lot of wind, Wayne.

00:58:55Hold.

00:58:56Go slow.

00:59:00We're trying to keep it stable.

00:59:03That's heavy, dude.

00:59:04While Wayne, at the top, is hanging on to the tower with one hand, and with the other hand, he's trying to guide the mass of the windmill and motor onto a little shaft.

00:59:15And those galvanized fins are sharp.

00:59:23Careful there.

00:59:25Okay.

00:59:33There you go.

00:59:34She's set.

00:59:38You're amazing.

00:59:48We're good.

00:59:50Okay.

00:59:51Should work.

00:59:53I hope it works.

00:59:55Well, you got plenty of wind for it today.

00:59:57We're about ten seconds from having water.

01:00:01Everybody get up here.

01:00:13Okay.

01:00:14Come on over here.

01:00:15This morning, we kind of woke up.

01:00:18We were a little bummed because of the water situation.

01:00:20There was a lot of anticipation and buildup for there to be no water.

01:00:25So today, we were kind of waiting with bated breath.

01:00:29I'm hoping that this is the one.

01:00:33It was deja vu all over again.

01:00:36Same people, same place, no water.

01:00:39And I'm telling them, it's coming this time.

01:00:42It's coming.

01:00:43I hope that's true.

01:00:47What do you think, Wayne?

01:00:49Give us an update.

01:00:50Well, I hope it works this time.

01:00:51Come on, baby.

01:01:05Keep it coming.

01:01:07Keep it coming.

01:01:13Having that water up and running out on the windmill, out on pasture, is a major, major game

01:01:18changer for us.

01:01:19We can start doing rotational grazing, and that's just going to help the buffalo and the

01:01:25grass and the soil all be healthy.

01:01:27Oh, honey.

01:01:31Just a little dirty.

01:01:32Just a little dirty.

01:01:34Give it a chance to clear up.

01:01:36It's going to be crystal clear in 15 minutes.

01:01:39You'd think after seeing water come out of the ground, out of a pipe, that it would become

01:01:44mundane.

01:01:45But every time you see water coming from where it wasn't before, you know that you've just

01:01:53changed the lives of the homesteaders.

01:01:55Okay, so 10,000 gallons a week is coming out of there.

01:02:0310,000 gallons a week.

01:02:06We need it.

01:02:07So thank you, Wayne.

01:02:08Thank you, Wayne.

01:02:09Having Wayne come out and help us like that and having a neighbor so close just kind of

01:02:15confirms what we've learned so far with rural living and how great our community is about

01:02:20circling around their neighbors and helping where they can.

01:02:23We've got work to do.

01:02:24We're going to leave you with your new well.

01:02:27Thanks a lot, Wayne.

01:02:28Appreciate it.

01:02:29Don't blow away, sir.

01:02:53I think we got the muscle to pick it up, but let's see.

01:02:57Later that day, Matt and Garrett enact the final step in completing the bison chute project.

01:03:04The alleyway is beefed up for bison.

01:03:07Now we've got an excavator in here and see if we can lift up that new bison chute and

01:03:12put it into place.

01:03:14You're good.

01:03:14Just come straight down.

01:03:17Let's go.

01:03:18And over at the windmill, Marty and Clint launch back into the fencing for the rotational

01:03:26grazing project.

01:03:27Is that good?

01:03:29Today, we're bouncing around projects.

01:03:31So back to business here.

01:03:33We're going to put a fence right down the center of this property, right where the windmill is.

01:03:38There's going to be a gate here and then a gate on the opposite to create rotational grazing

01:03:42for these buffaloes.

01:03:44Time to be in there.

01:03:45While concrete is laid in the shop.

01:03:57Can you help me with something?

01:03:59Yeah.

01:04:00Misty and Melissa borrow Clint with an idea for a simple yet potentially game-changing solution

01:04:07to the canceled well.

01:04:08We have the dry canceled well, right?

01:04:12But we have water from the main water supply at the house, which has gone dry.

01:04:16My dream come true would be to have a self-contained watering system for this garden.

01:04:22A holding tank sitting right here, separate from everything else.

01:04:25And I think literally it's just a liner in the dry canceled well.

01:04:28Perfect.

01:04:29We should plumb up, move everything outside this dry well, and put the shutoff valve in

01:04:34a place where you can reach it.

01:04:35Oh, great.

01:04:37Let's start digging.

01:04:38Okay, here we go.

01:04:40Right now, I'm working on the well with Misty.

01:04:43Obviously, more water in the garden is going to be super beneficial so that our crops have

01:04:49water all the time, regardless of what happens to our other water source.

01:04:53What do you think?

01:04:55Should I dig with a shovel?

01:04:56I didn't want you to hit the pipe.

01:04:59We'll dig the rest out by hand, run some new plumbing, get the shutoff valve, and let's

01:05:04pick it out here.

01:05:04Done.

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

01:05:07Water's off.

01:05:10Turning this decommissioned well into a reliable water source for the garden is a necessity.

01:05:16Cut those flush.

01:05:17Once this is a complete system and the bison are a complete system, it doesn't matter what's

01:05:23happening, the homesteaders are completely set up for success.

01:05:27Okay, go ahead and attach that.

01:05:30I want you to do the honors, okay?

01:05:32First time, hopefully, that water's in the garden.

01:05:37Yeah, I'm so pumped.

01:05:43It's going to be so helpful.

01:05:45We have water for the first time, which to me, I'm looking at guaranteed food, right?

01:05:50No matter what happens, you're gold.

01:05:52We'll just get a lid on this thing, done.

01:05:54Yep.

01:05:57Water in the garden.

01:05:58Woo!

01:05:59It's the final day at the Cooper family's 265-acre bison stead.

01:06:19Here we go.

01:06:21Over by the garden, crucial deliveries arrive for Misty.

01:06:24First, a truckload of topsoil through the garden beds.

01:06:29All of these beds.

01:06:31Melissa's finally going to be a successful gardener.

01:06:34And later, new pine trees to reinforce a wind barrier.

01:06:43Somebody wear some trees?

01:06:44Hi!

01:06:45The plan is to kind of create this wind barricade across the front of the house.

01:06:50Okay.

01:06:50Right here.

01:07:00Thank you so much for coming and helping.

01:07:02We'll get these trees in thanks to you, and we'd really appreciate it.

01:07:06Like, what a generous thing.

01:07:07Okay, here we go.

01:07:15At the barn, Matt and Garrett survey the newly restored facility before livestock finally arrives.

01:07:22You can see every improvement we made to this entire barn.

01:07:27Just in this one corner that we made for the pigs.

01:07:29We beefed up some fencing just by using some 2x6s, upcycled old gates.

01:07:35We have new posts.

01:07:38Actually safe wiring, not just for outlets, but for lights.

01:07:42Absolutely.

01:07:43It's incredible in here.

01:07:45The barn is spectacular.

01:07:46It is not just a leaky building for storage.

01:07:50We can put animals in this building now, and that was what Kevin and Melissa needed for this homestead.

01:07:55We didn't beat this barn up for nothing.

01:07:57Yeah.

01:07:57Wait till you get a load of this.

01:07:59I got a pig surprise for you.

01:08:03All right.

01:08:04How you doing, sir?

01:08:05How are you?

01:08:06What's your name?

01:08:06Brad.

01:08:07Brad.

01:08:08You're the man with the pigs.

01:08:09I am.

01:08:10Pigs are probably ready to get out of here, right?

01:08:13All right.

01:08:14Move them in.

01:08:16Starting with the barn and getting it ready for livestock was important to the homestead

01:08:21because you can't just really run a bison ranch on the bison alone.

01:08:25You have to diversify.

01:08:27And that is really where the barn is going to come into play big time.

01:08:32I want to see the pigs.

01:08:34Hey, Melissa.

01:08:35We beefed up the barn.

01:08:38Yes?

01:08:38For bacon.

01:08:39Oh, they're so cute.

01:08:43I love them.

01:08:45The ultimate goal is to diversify the homestead.

01:08:47Right.

01:08:47This is definitely a big step in that direction.

01:08:51These four little pigs, they're just the beginning.

01:08:53You could raise anything in here.

01:08:56Hey, look.

01:08:56They look so happy.

01:08:57They look so happy.

01:08:58Yeah.

01:08:58Volkswagen.

01:08:59Thank you so much.

01:09:00This is amazing.

01:09:01I'm so excited.

01:09:02That's music to my ears.

01:09:04See you later.

01:09:04All right.

01:09:06Let's go check out that buffalo squeeze.

01:09:08Let's do it.

01:09:09So the bison are going to walk down through here, and then you corral them.

01:09:15That is correct.

01:09:16They'll be coming down the alley now.

01:09:18Yeah.

01:09:18Into the squeeze.

01:09:21Passing through here, and then go bam.

01:09:24Now squeeze them in there.

01:09:25Okay.

01:09:29Now let me out.

01:09:33We come right out here.

01:09:35And then go back to being a buffalo.

01:09:38These animals stay on the property, and work in them right here, and that's going to make

01:09:43it as stress-free as possible.

01:09:45I agree.

01:09:46I agree.

01:09:46We want stress-free animals.

01:09:48It's going to keep stress-free homesteaders, and that's key.

01:09:51Words can't explain the transformation.

01:09:53For the Rainies and the locals and the community just coming together, it's a blessing.

01:09:58Everything revolves around the bison on this homestead, and I think that we have helped

01:10:03the bison the best way that we could.

01:10:05I agree.

01:10:06This is great.

01:10:09Seven days ago, the Cooper family had a leaky, unstable barn that was unsafe for additional

01:10:16livestock, and they had no way to contain their bison for vital care and handling.

01:10:21Today, they have a completely renovated barn with new roofing, support beams, and electrical

01:10:29wiring, now ready to house sources of protein and profit.

01:10:34They also have a new bison shoot where they can work animals safely on the homestead, allowing

01:10:40for a stress-free environment and helping to make this a viable ranching operation.

01:10:45I feel really good leaving this homestead because I know that this is going to come in real handy,

01:10:51and it's going to save buffalo lives.

01:10:53Absolutely.

01:10:54I think our work here is done.

01:10:55Let's go.

01:11:03Here we go.

01:11:04In the pasture, Marty, Kevin, Sean, and the rest of the team race to finish the fence line

01:11:12that will allow rotational grazing for the bison.

01:11:16These last couple of hours have gotten a little hectic.

01:11:18It has literally come down to the wire.

01:11:22I can sense the buffalo are kind of tired of me being here.

01:11:25They're getting closer and closer every day, so we've got to get this done quickly.

01:11:30We've got a crew down there with some barbed wire.

01:11:41But from that corner to that far corner, it's about 1,000 feet.

01:11:49So if we do five strands, we've got a mile of barbed wire to stretch now.

01:12:00They're here.

01:12:05Now, these guys have decided, wait a second, there's a whole group of people up there.

01:12:09They're going to move up a little closer to protect these buffalo

01:12:11that they basically sent up here to investigate us.

01:12:13There's water over here, so at some point, we might have to wrestle them if they want water.

01:12:19Either that or we've got to move.

01:12:20We want them to drift through nice and slow, nice and calm, no pressure.

01:12:25All you're doing is acclimating these new fence lines we've put up.

01:12:28What you don't want them is running.

01:12:30If they run, they don't see that fence.

01:12:31They run right into it.

01:12:32They tear it all down.

01:12:33They're like, oh, that's how easy it is to tear it down.

01:12:34I'll do that next time, too.

01:12:37She's going to go check all this out, decide if she likes it or not.

01:12:41Whenever they start shaking their head, you start paying attention.

01:12:43Now, if they shake their head, they're basically getting themselves just like you would in a bar fight.

01:12:46She is shaking a hook.

01:12:49She doesn't like it.

01:12:50We're just going to back up and give them space.

01:12:54Oh, my gosh.

01:12:56What you're really watching is they go from the head shake to their tails.

01:13:00If a tail goes up, we need to get in a truck.

01:13:02Congratulations on picking the windiest day of the year.

01:13:15Took fall trees that are leaning towards your house.

01:13:18Melissa wanted us to take out a few trees and then pull the stumps.

01:13:22Sure, we did it.

01:13:24But when we pulled the stumps out, I thought, man, that stump looks like we could carve it into something.

01:13:29Maybe that could be a buffalo.

01:13:32This horn starts off as a tree branch.

01:13:37And then we set it at the store.

01:13:46The buffalo's talking.

01:13:51But I'll guarantee you this.

01:13:54Out of all the people with a buffalo store in Colorado, there's only one.

01:13:59There's a buffalo head carved out of a stump.

01:14:02This big around.

01:14:05You'll be the first photo of Vinny.

01:14:07Woo-hoo-hoo!

01:14:08So we've got work to do, but the problem you run into is sometimes you just got to let buffalo be buffalo.

01:14:22Find out how good you put those in the ground now, won't you?

01:14:24Oh, my Lord.

01:14:30He just bent the post.

01:14:31Oh, yeah.

01:14:32Look.

01:14:33No, he bent it.

01:14:34What do we, well, I mean, what?

01:14:35We have to fix it.

01:14:37Hold on, stop, stop, stop.

01:14:38Clint's on the skid steer.

01:14:39Yeah.

01:14:40Is that okay?

01:14:40Yeah.

01:14:41She's not wanting Clint.

01:14:45She just wants a drink of water.

01:14:48Right?

01:14:48I've got to tell you, this makes me really happy.

01:14:50We spent about a part or two, two and a half days trying to get that thing to produce water.

01:14:56And there you go.

01:14:57See how calm this is?

01:14:59I have no more head shaking.

01:15:00Everybody now is looking at, oh, we've got a hole, I've got water, when's it my turn?

01:15:05Oh, this is amazing.

01:15:07This is it.

01:15:08Done.

01:15:08This is why you do what you do.

01:15:11And you know, you don't think about it, but they didn't really need to do this at this time of day.

01:15:14This is almost them coming over and telling you thank you.

01:15:16So what we just witnessed, correct me if I'm wrong, was the herd getting familiar with all these changes.

01:15:23Absolutely.

01:15:24Coming out here and checking out the changes, seeing what the changes do, what they affect.

01:15:28I tell you, that's one of the coolest things I've ever witnessed.

01:15:31Oh, it's amazing.

01:15:37Now that the buffalo are gone, we've got to get to work.

01:15:41Time is way too precious on this homestead to stand around.

01:15:46I love this thing so much.

01:16:04It's so beautiful.

01:16:05And it's protecting one of the most important things on the homestead.

01:16:09The garden.

01:16:10Woo-hoo.

01:16:11I love it.

01:16:12It's amazing.

01:16:14We're missing one thing, plants.

01:16:16Yes.

01:16:16I think that letting the soil sit and getting it ready in the spring is perfect.

01:16:21Yeah.

01:16:21Obviously, doing more than just bison ranching was the point.

01:16:25Yeah, I think it's going to be way more successful because of your help.

01:16:29We called the Rainies out here because we needed help on the property.

01:16:33And in the last week, they've really been able to transform it.

01:16:37All of the changes are going to make such a difference as far as being more self-sustainable.

01:16:43Having water storage is so important.

01:16:46It's huge.

01:16:47The idea was to take that cancel-dry well and turn it into a reliable water source for

01:16:54the garden.

01:16:54You are going to be a successful gardener.

01:16:56I hope I don't disappoint.

01:16:57No, you won't.

01:16:58You won't.

01:16:59Should we go check out the shop?

01:17:00Yes.

01:17:01Okay.

01:17:01Let's do that.

01:17:05Come on in, your new shop.

01:17:09Oh my gosh.

01:17:10This is amazing.

01:17:11I absolutely love it.

01:17:12It's so cool.

01:17:13I wanted to do something different and I was thinking, why not be geared for kids?

01:17:19Let's have them learn about bison, maybe become bison ranchers themselves.

01:17:25That's what this space is.

01:17:26I think that's so cool.

01:17:27We just couldn't say how thankful we are for them coming out and helping us.

01:17:33Would you be willing to be the first person to sign the guest book?

01:17:37I would love that.

01:17:38It's just overall been a mind-blowing experience.

01:17:41It's been great.

01:17:43Seven days ago, the Cooper family had a garden wasted away by heavy wind storms and a lack

01:17:50of water from a dry well.

01:17:52Today, they have brand new garden beds with fresh topsoil, a wooden fence barrier with extra

01:17:59trees for wind resistance, and a nearby water storage cistern for the garden.

01:18:05To ensure their homestead business will thrive, they also have a restored bison shop, complete

01:18:13with an educational area to make it accessible to kids and adults alike.

01:18:22That makes me so happy to see this reaction.

01:18:25You guys have worked really hard to get to this place.

01:18:27Yes, definitely.

01:18:28And when you look around, are you like, oh my gosh, we're going to be able to pull it off.

01:18:31Yeah, we're actually going to be able to do things that we've talked about and dreamed

01:18:36about, and it's amazing.

01:18:38So thank you.

01:18:38You're welcome.

01:18:46Windmill's blowing.

01:18:48What's that sound?

01:18:50That is the sound of H2O.

01:18:53That's the sound of success.

01:18:55That's the sound of hope.

01:18:57That's the sound of the future.

01:18:59And it can come true if you've got enough water to keep it alive.

01:19:04Yes, sir.

01:19:06This whole water, fence, rotational grazing, I just can't even put into words how this is

01:19:13going to help us and the buffalo.

01:19:15In the short amount of time that we've had that water up and running, the bison actually

01:19:21have been going out there more than they've been coming into the corral, which is just

01:19:24a good indicator to me that the work that the rainies have done here is really going to

01:19:29help us, and not just today, tomorrow, for years to come.

01:19:32One week ago, the Cooper family had a dry windmill well on a sparse pasture, causing bison

01:19:39mortality and preventing the expansion of the herd.

01:19:43Today, they have a working windmill well, capable of producing 300 to 400 gallons of

01:19:51water.

01:19:52It's the central piece in a rotational grazing fence system that will allow the bison to

01:19:57feed on a portion of the pasture, while the other side recovers, making for a healthy,

01:20:03productive herd.

01:20:05It actually gives us hope for the future, that we can continue taking care of these great

01:20:10animals out here.

01:20:11It's a good moment.

01:20:13It's a fantastic moment.

01:20:21You know, it's a good day on a homestead when you've done your best, and you've worked

01:20:27till the sun's set.

01:20:28Yeah, we totally whipped that barn into such good shape.

01:20:32There's pigs in there now.

01:20:33The rainies are examples of what homesteading is, and doing the unheard of for the coopers.

01:20:40It's official.

01:20:41You guys went from ranchers to homesteaders.

01:20:44We showed up.

01:20:44You were very focused on the bison, and we've shifted gears, and now there's so much going

01:20:50on.

01:20:51Well, thank you guys so much.

01:20:53We want to give you this.

01:20:55It's a photo I took.

01:20:56Oh, wow.

01:20:57As a thank you for you guys.

01:20:58That's so sweet.

01:20:59That's so awesome.

01:21:02From the bottom of my heart, her heart, and Garrett's heart, we absolutely appreciate

01:21:06what you guys have come out and done for us.

01:21:08You've accelerated us.

01:21:10You've given us hope.

01:21:11So, thank you.

01:21:13I don't know what else to say, but thank you.

01:21:15A lot of the things that I took away from Marty is how to stay mentally tough.

01:21:21I know how to do a lot of things, but there's something with experience and mental toughness

01:21:26that comes through this style of life, of homesteading and rural living.

01:21:30I'm extremely joyful for the things that the Rainies have done for us.

01:21:35It means a lot to me, personally.

01:21:37Coming to their homestead was like a dream come true for me.

01:21:43To actually see wild buffalo roaming across the plains of Colorado, thank you again, is

01:21:52an experience I'll never forget.

01:21:54Go help somebody else.

01:22:04Since the Rainies left, things have been going great.

01:22:07We did have a big snowstorm.

01:22:10And so, having the barn complete with a new roof and stuff was super helpful.

01:22:15Here's the pig pigs.

01:22:17They're doing great.

01:22:18Love coming out there.

01:22:19A little outdoor area as well.

01:22:22The water tank.

01:22:23That's working awesome.

01:22:25It's still got water flowing.

01:22:26The buffalo are drinking out of it.

01:22:27It's a big stress reliever.

01:22:29And one thing I'm really happy with on the garden is the windbreak.

01:22:33When the wind's kicking up, it really works.

01:22:36I'm just very excited for spring.

01:22:39The shop is absolutely amazing.

01:22:42The great thing with Garrett is he actually fell in love with the bison.

01:22:46And him and my sister and their kids are actually planning on moving out here.

01:22:50We're going to try to get them on the property with us.

01:22:52More the merrier.

01:22:53Thank you so much, Rainies.

01:22:55You're always welcome back anytime for a burger or a steak.

01:22:58Appreciate everything you guys did.

01:22:59We're going to try to get them on the property with us.

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