- 4 hours ago
tele: https://t.me/TopFilmUSA1
#film#shows#usa#usashows#hot#filmhot
#film#shows#usa#usashows#hot#filmhot
Category
đŸ˜¹
FunTranscript
00:00:00This is the highest homestead we've ever rescued and the homesteader is
00:00:06Afraid of heights the rest of the work is up there
00:00:10I hate heights I climb a ladder I
00:00:13Get real shaky
00:00:16That's the most fear I have right now
00:00:21He has the choice to either face that fear or let it destroy his dream
00:00:26Want a hand or you got it?
00:00:31I
00:00:31Look up and the bear starts walking towards me. What kind of food is on the homestead right now?
00:00:37There is next to nothing. Oh my god
00:00:42In a month from now, they'll be in the throes of winter done. Let's go
00:00:49Perfect brace it. We're trying to keep them from
00:00:51Timmy
00:00:52Everybody get out of the way
00:00:56The death throes of winter
00:01:18Colorado we're on a road to a homestead at
00:01:20At
00:01:2110,300 foot elevation
00:01:25That is an extreme height
00:01:28Working's harder breathing's harder
00:01:30Everything you do is kind of taxing on your body and
00:01:34Winter's right around the corner
00:01:37Who was
00:01:38Henry
00:01:39John
00:01:40Deutschendorf
00:01:42Junior
00:01:43No idea
00:01:45He came to Colorado and inspired by the beauty changed his name to
00:01:51John
00:01:53Denver
00:01:54Dude if my last name was Deutschendorf I would change my name to Denver too
00:02:00Here we go
00:02:01Here we go
00:02:03In the southernmost sub-range of the Rocky Mountains
00:02:06The rainies heed an SOS nearly two miles high
00:02:11In the 1820s
00:02:13Settlers overcame the steep terrain and predatory wildlife
00:02:17To turn the region into a fur trading hub that supported the expansion west
00:02:23Today only the most ambitious off-gridders brave the extreme altitude and unpredictable weather
00:02:30And the unprepared quickly find out how unforgiving this environment can be
00:02:38Attempting to realize their homesteading dream high above the clouds
00:02:42Is a novice off-grid family on the edge of survival
00:02:49I'm Joshua Webb
00:02:51And I'm Elizabeth Webb
00:02:52And we live two miles high in the Sangre Crystal Mountain range in South Central Colorado
00:02:56With our two boys
00:02:57The moment my feet hit the ground on this 10-acre plot
00:03:02I knew I was home
00:03:03The view is 100% what sold us
00:03:07It made us feel like we were part of this landscape
00:03:10But it's extremely inclined
00:03:12And so every piece that is flat has come from blood, sweat, or dollars in diesel
00:03:18We fight for every square inch to make it livable
00:03:22After two years of struggling to establish critical essentials like food, water, and reliable access in the thin air at
00:03:30extreme elevation
00:03:31Joshua and Elizabeth
00:03:34Have reached a breaking point
00:03:36We didn't realize how much effect the elevation was really going to have
00:03:43Right at the beginning of October, we get snow and it often doesn't melt
00:03:49And it piles on and on and on and we get snowed in in the winter
00:03:53Our first winter was really hard
00:03:56We were relying on grocery stores
00:03:59And so I started canning because food is at a premium
00:04:02I was concerned with our preparedness
00:04:05But we always needed more
00:04:07And I would tell myself
00:04:09And I would tell myself
00:04:09It's okay
00:04:09It's just my first time
00:04:11I didn't know
00:04:12I'm just going to learn stuff
00:04:13And then the next winter
00:04:14The problems we had were more severe
00:04:17We struggle to have enough food
00:04:20So we got chickens
00:04:21But the lack of oxygen
00:04:23It makes it difficult for us to be able to hatch chicks
00:04:26Because there's not enough oxygen to penetrate their shell as they're developing
00:04:31The nearest well to us on the registry is over a thousand feet down
00:04:36And with the price of drilling per foot
00:04:38That makes it just out of our ability
00:04:41So every drop of water that we have on this homestead
00:04:44I bring up with our truck and trailer
00:04:47Hauling water is expensive, time-consuming, and not reliable
00:04:52When we're up here and our cisterns are full, everything's fine
00:04:55But when the snow hits and I can no longer drag that amount of weight up the mountain
00:04:59The water we have is the water we have
00:05:01I've had to go out with pots, digging up snow, bringing it inside, setting it on top of our fireplace
00:05:08Just to get enough water
00:05:10With winter less than five weeks away
00:05:13The Webb family finds themselves in a do-or-die predicament
00:05:18We are not in a position to go through another winter with the problems we've been having
00:05:25Leaving the property would mean everything we've invested over the last two years would be lost
00:05:32I don't even know what we would do
00:05:35Rainies, we desperately need your help
00:05:41Hello
00:05:42Hello, how you guys doing?
00:05:44I'm Joshua
00:05:44Joshua
00:05:45Elizabeth
00:05:46Elizabeth
00:05:47Josh
00:05:48Josh
00:05:49And?
00:05:49Ronnie
00:05:50Ronnie, nice to meet you all
00:05:51You've picked a tough place to homestead
00:05:54Right
00:05:55How many acres is this property?
00:05:57It's a 10-acre property
00:05:5810 acres, alright
00:05:59So how's it been going?
00:06:02Rough
00:06:02And why?
00:06:03You try to prepare, but it's just been problem after problem
00:06:09We moved out here about two years ago
00:06:11We lived in Houston, Texas
00:06:13I was a community developer
00:06:16Coaching people on how to start businesses
00:06:18I was teaching harp students
00:06:21Playing for weddings and events
00:06:22So I was just constantly in the car
00:06:25In that Houston traffic
00:06:27And I didn't like it at all
00:06:29But I felt trapped
00:06:30We decided to leave Houston
00:06:32When I had just recently lost an entire business that I had formed
00:06:37And when that happened
00:06:38I had a change in me about what life was supposed to be
00:06:44And it became less about quantity and more about quality
00:06:48And that brought me to homesteading
00:06:50Six months ago
00:06:52The young family experienced another big life change
00:06:56With a welcomed, though unexpected addition
00:06:58We met a young boy named Josh
00:07:01He was living with his grandmother here in the valley
00:07:04And we began to grow closer to him
00:07:07And when we found out his life experiences haven't all been
00:07:11What they should have been
00:07:13It became very clear to us that he needed our help
00:07:16And so we asked if he could come stay with us full time
00:07:19This summer we got legal guardianship of him
00:07:22So that we can raise him and have him be part of our family
00:07:26I always wanted to be a mom
00:07:28But after 13 years of marriage
00:07:30Trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully
00:07:33It wasn't in the cards
00:07:35And that was always really hard
00:07:39And so that fills a hole in my heart
00:07:42That I've had for a long time
00:07:44It wasn't too long after Josh came to us
00:07:47That his brother Ronnie visited
00:07:49And found himself really liking being up here
00:07:52And so he stayed with us
00:07:54And now we've become this family of four
00:07:57Since Ronnie came out here
00:07:59It gives us the opportunity to unite
00:08:02Because we're family
00:08:03But we haven't been there for each other
00:08:06And that's all I could ever ask for
00:08:08I want these boys to feel protected
00:08:11And safe and secure and loved
00:08:14And so that makes it even more important for me
00:08:17For my wife
00:08:18To create something that isn't just for us
00:08:21But it's generational
00:08:23Our roots are deep already
00:08:25This is our home
00:08:27But when all of the tries fail
00:08:29It just leaves you feeling desperate
00:08:35What do you call this area?
00:08:36We call it the household
00:08:37This is where we plan to build
00:08:39Our forever home here on the mountainside
00:08:41We've dug it out 75 feet wide by 50 foot deep
00:08:45The whole idea is building a solid wall of tires
00:08:49Around the periphery of this area
00:08:50And then erect a metal structure on the inside
00:08:54We joke that we're on a 15 year build plan
00:08:57I think it's romantic
00:08:59But I'm thinking I could come here 20 years from now
00:09:03And not see that building
00:09:06These homesteaders are living in camp trailers
00:09:09But their dream is to build a house out of tires
00:09:13The bad news is that could take a long time
00:09:16I'm not sure these homesteaders fully appreciate
00:09:19The natural building products that exist on the homestead today
00:09:24When we got here it was all about infrastructure
00:09:27Propane, septic, water
00:09:29Where is the water?
00:09:32The source of the water is our cisterns
00:09:34All the way up the top of this hill
00:09:36Show me please
00:09:37We gravity feed down into the RVs
00:09:39To the animals
00:09:40To pretty much everything we do
00:09:43Oh boy
00:09:46This is always a rough hill
00:09:4810,300 feet
00:09:50Yep
00:09:50Lack of oxygen
00:09:53Here they are
00:09:55We're hauling the water from town
00:09:56And we drive up with the truck and trailer right here
00:09:59On the main road
00:10:00On the main road
00:10:01We have a two inch gas water pump
00:10:03And we pump into this
00:10:04So how many gallons is this tank right here?
00:10:07They're both 1,700 gallons
00:10:093,400 gallons
00:10:11That's good
00:10:11Yeah
00:10:12How much water is in here now?
00:10:14Right now there is next to nothing
00:10:17Maybe a few hundred gallons
00:10:18Why?
00:10:19It's
00:10:19The big why is because our truck transmission is down
00:10:22And so we can't haul anything
00:10:24So
00:10:25Let's just say it does snow
00:10:28What's the plan to get water?
00:10:30From about December
00:10:32Till mid-May
00:10:34The roads are not possible to take that much weight
00:10:37On a trailer and a truck
00:10:38Up and down the mountain
00:10:40So we pretty much
00:10:42What we can get by November
00:10:43That has to last us till May
00:10:46They're doing their best
00:10:47But I'm seeing a long list of challenges
00:10:51They are in trouble
00:10:55What is this?
00:10:58These are tires that we have been collecting
00:11:01For like retaining walls
00:11:02To build some kind of a home
00:11:04Okay
00:11:05What kind of food is on the homestead?
00:11:07We've got eggs and a little bit of meat that we're raising
00:11:10But we really haven't done anything with plants yet
00:11:13Okay
00:11:13Just because of the weather
00:11:15Because of the soil
00:11:16And honestly, I grew up in the Arizona desert
00:11:19I've never been around anyone who had a garden
00:11:22I don't really know very much about it
00:11:24Okay
00:11:24And egg production slows down in the wintertime, right?
00:11:27Yeah
00:11:27So you're coming into a time where you're getting really close to having zero food
00:11:34Yeah
00:11:35How much snow do you get here?
00:11:37I mean, it piles up several feet
00:11:39One time we had snow for like 48 hours straight
00:11:42And we had like four or five feet of snow
00:11:45Oh wow
00:11:45Oh like a blizzard
00:11:47Yeah
00:11:47Snowed in, trapped
00:11:49Yeah
00:11:49Have you been trapped here?
00:11:51Multiple times
00:11:51For how long?
00:11:52One time it was a week
00:11:54What do you do about food?
00:11:57We started canning for winter
00:11:59But keeping those from freezing has been hard
00:12:02I'd love to be able to get to a place where we tackle your food situation as a whole
00:12:08Especially when you're getting stranded for weeks at a time
00:12:11Yeah
00:12:12Everything at this elevation when it comes to weather is intensified
00:12:16Higher winds, colder temperatures, earlier freezes and frosts
00:12:21Trying to put in a garden and have plants survive in these types of temperature swings
00:12:27It's next to impossible
00:12:33What do you got here?
00:12:35We have our chickens and rabbits
00:12:38This is the chicken coop where they go in, do all their nesting and everything, laying the eggs
00:12:43That is our meat supply
00:12:46Just in case if we get snowed in, we'll have a source of food
00:12:49This is great
00:12:50Looks like the chickens are happy
00:12:52Are you breeding the rabbits?
00:12:53Yes, we got the mama rabbit right there actually
00:12:56These are all her babies
00:12:58As far as this structure being predator proof, I actually like this
00:13:02Because it doesn't seem like anything is going to be able to get inside
00:13:05No sir
00:13:09These are our two pigs
00:13:11Do you have any plans for the winter for these pigs?
00:13:14They have that for their winter
00:13:17That little dog health?
00:13:18Yeah
00:13:19Oh man
00:13:19We tried putting hay and stuff in there, bedding
00:13:22They just ripped it out
00:13:23Pigs are pretty hardy but the weather is going to get pretty cold
00:13:27At the very least, these pigs are going to need something to keep them out of the wind
00:13:31And this is definitely not predator proof
00:13:34This is definitely not
00:13:36Right away, when I saw those two little pigs
00:13:39I knew they were not predator proofed
00:13:42And they were not winter proof
00:13:45Have you had encounters with predators?
00:13:47Yes
00:13:47Anytime we go outside during the night, you always bring a gun with you
00:13:51Yeah
00:13:51I came outside and all I hear is grunting
00:13:54I look up and the bear starts walking towards me
00:13:57Oh my god
00:13:59I was actually about maybe 10 foot from the bear
00:14:02He starts creeping towards me
00:14:04Head down, doing the sway, you could hear the grunting
00:14:07Really?
00:14:08So he was about to be aggressive
00:14:10I grabbed the 12 gauge, keeps coming, fired off the shot
00:14:14He ran, shot him again, he rolled down the mountain
00:14:18I took the action that I felt needed
00:14:20How big was the bear?
00:14:21He was massive
00:14:22He was at least 500 pounds
00:14:25What?
00:14:25He was round
00:14:27Man, that's wild
00:14:28Very scary
00:14:30Winter is about to hit
00:14:32And this is when bears are about to go hibernate
00:14:36So I'm worried about these little pigs
00:14:37And I'm worried about these homesteaders losing an important food source
00:14:41So we need to protect the animals from predators and the elements
00:14:51Is it just me or can you feel the altitude?
00:14:55It's not just you
00:14:56What are we going to do about heading into full blown winter time with homesteaders that have been trapped and
00:15:03stranded for days at a time?
00:15:06Because when it comes to food, water and shelter, it's not here
00:15:09And when you try to garden at 10,300 feet, it's never going to happen
00:15:13They have livestock that is actually doing pretty good
00:15:18But the pigs, they're just in a little pen with a fence this high
00:15:23And anything can get in there and get these pigs
00:15:27And so they need a place to survive through the winter
00:15:30Yeah
00:15:31They don't have a house
00:15:33They don't have any means of hauling water
00:15:36The trucks broke down
00:15:37We've got one week to prepare them for six months of winter
00:15:42But right now, the deck, the weather, the elements, all of it is stacked against us
00:15:57All right guys, what happened?
00:16:00Yeah, the weather here changes rapidly
00:16:03Let's just cut right to the chase
00:16:05The fact that we're looking at two strapping not boys but young men is really good
00:16:10Because the amount of work that's got to get done here in a week is going to be a significant
00:16:16workload
00:16:17Yeah
00:16:17That said, we know only one family that succeeded at the tire home house
00:16:23Yeah
00:16:23You've never seen anything like this before, ever
00:16:26It's thermal mass, this is our insulation
00:16:30Do you know how many tires they use to build an earth house?
00:16:33I don't
00:16:33No
00:16:3430,000
00:16:35You guys are about 29,000 tires shot
00:16:42So we might have a further discussion about what we could do to help you on this earth house
00:16:48See you in the morning
00:16:49Okay
00:16:49I'm bringing a coat tomorrow
00:16:50Yes
00:17:01Come on over, please
00:17:04It's late fall at the Webb family's 10,300 foot high Colorado homestead
00:17:10Let's talk about permanent structures
00:17:13And as the first full day of the rescue begins, the family's earthship plans get a major blow
00:17:20I take no joy in sharing bad news with anyone
00:17:25But we just found out that it's illegal to build an earthship style home out of tires on this mountain
00:17:39and in this county
00:17:41Ever heard that expression, where the rubber meets the road?
00:17:45I just learned you cannot build a home out of tires in these beautiful mountains
00:17:52The dream of Elizabeth and Joshua is deflating
00:17:57Pretty insane
00:17:59That dream is over as of this second
00:18:02So it ain't happening
00:18:04So this morning, Marty had to deliver some news to us that wasn't fantastic
00:18:10Probably added a little bit to my anxiety today
00:18:12And, you know, it got me a little freaked out
00:18:15Having to do something else
00:18:17That's kind of a big thing
00:18:20Concrete is legal
00:18:23Building out of wood is legal
00:18:26Okay
00:18:26And that's what we're gonna do
00:18:28Okay
00:18:28How do you feel about some type of post and beam structure
00:18:33Built out of logs
00:18:35So big that you could park vehicles and tools right in it
00:18:42It'd be protected by the elements
00:18:43With a roof system that could collect water
00:18:46A carport
00:18:49But a carport so skookum
00:18:51That it could be converted into a home
00:18:54Right
00:18:55So what do you think?
00:18:58A homesteader's life is adapt
00:19:02So it's time to adapt
00:19:06On the footprint cleared for the family's cabin
00:19:08Marty and Joshua will erect a 20 by 50 foot all-purpose carport
00:19:14Complete with a metal roof catchment system to protect their vehicles and tools from the elements
00:19:20And provide a supplemental water source
00:19:22The structure will be the framework of a cozy cabin that will stand the test of time once the webs
00:19:29close it in
00:19:31I'm excited about it
00:19:32Just the thought of the movement forward
00:19:35I just want stability
00:19:37Honestly, that's all I'm looking for
00:19:39Good answer
00:19:40I got a little sad because we had to switch gears
00:19:43But Marty had a solution
00:19:45So there was an upswing
00:19:46Building with the trees that we have on property
00:19:49It's not only bringing hope but it's offering direction
00:19:52It will help us get ready for winter
00:19:55We're losing time right now
00:19:56Right
00:19:56Not kidding
00:19:57Let's go
00:20:01Okay, it's getting cold, man
00:20:03It's only supposed to get colder tonight
00:20:05Really?
00:20:06Yeah
00:20:06Well, what's the plan for these pigs?
00:20:08Is there anywhere that you can put the pigs just temporarily?
00:20:11We have a back area we can put them in for now
00:20:15As we speak, the weather is shutting down
00:20:17It's gonna hail
00:20:18It might snow
00:20:19I'm worried about these little pigs
00:20:20And I want to see what Ronnie would do
00:20:23To keep the pigs alive
00:20:25Before we actually build something permanent they can survive through the winter
00:20:28So this is the tool shed?
00:20:30Yes, sir
00:20:31And you just throw them?
00:20:32Just throw them in the area?
00:20:33Yeah, that's one
00:20:38Oh, man
00:20:44So this is a perfect place for now
00:20:49But you can't raise a pig in the winter in your tool shed
00:20:52We gotta figure out something that's gonna be long-term
00:20:54Not just for two little pigs
00:20:56But if you want to get bigger livestock
00:20:59More pigs
00:21:00And you want to keep them through the wintertime
00:21:02You're gonna need a lot bigger space
00:21:04And this isn't gonna cut it
00:21:08Now that we have those two pigs in a nice warm temporary space
00:21:12We need to scout around the property
00:21:15Find a place where the pigs can run around
00:21:17Be fenced in
00:21:18But also have a proper barn that can keep them warm throughout the winter
00:21:22Okay, what I like about this space is
00:21:25You already kind of have this walled-in area
00:21:27And I like to source materials right from the homestead
00:21:31You have plenty of trees here
00:21:33That'll be easy to cut into boards
00:21:35I think we have the perfect spot to put the bigger barn for these pigs
00:21:39It'll be a permanent thing that'll keep the pigs warm year-round
00:21:42What do you think?
00:21:43Yeah, yes, sir, I think it'll work
00:21:44Okay, let's go
00:21:47Matt and Ronnie will construct an 8-by-16-foot barn
00:21:51200 feet from the campers
00:21:52That will protect the pigs from predators and the elements
00:21:56While keeping the livestock centrally located for easier care
00:22:01Okay, let's boost some stuff and start getting to work
00:22:05Came up here for a fresh start
00:22:07My goal for this homestead is to learn about myself
00:22:11And have a close relationship with Josh
00:22:14I'm getting that and all I want to do now is just work
00:22:16That's it. Just work, work, work
00:22:2440 miles away from the Webb homestead
00:22:27Okay, here we go
00:22:29Misty, Elizabeth, and Josh begin their day on a field trip
00:22:33To gain some extreme weather gardening knowledge
00:22:37From a familiar Colorado homestead
00:22:41See you!
00:22:42Yay!
00:22:44Hey!
00:22:44How's it going, Drew?
00:22:44Can't wait, how's it going?
00:22:46Good to see you, Drew
00:22:48I want to introduce you to some new homesteaders we're trying to rescue
00:22:51This is Elizabeth
00:22:52Nice to meet you
00:22:53And this is Josh
00:22:54Nice to meet you
00:22:55The Bankies is one of my all-time favorite builds
00:22:58Because we took something that was such a problem
00:23:00The tumbleweeds
00:23:01And turned it into an underground greenhouse
00:23:04Look at this space!
00:23:05We put the tumbleweeds to use
00:23:07We created these tumbleweed bales
00:23:09And this garden bed isn't only out of the wind
00:23:12But it's warm
00:23:12You can close the lids and just call it a day
00:23:15So it works in both seasons
00:23:18We would love to, like, see how your garden's doing
00:23:21And just any advice you can give to your neighbor
00:23:24When it comes to gardening in this climate
00:23:26Yeah, let's go
00:23:27Okay, let's go
00:23:28I think it's important to bring Elizabeth to the Bankies
00:23:32And show her what happened there
00:23:33Because what happened there is exactly what their own homestead needs
00:23:38How's the little greenhouse?
00:23:40This plant right here in the window is one big tall tomato plant
00:23:44That's over a year old and it's still producing
00:23:46Yeah, true
00:23:46I think it's one of the first plants that you planted
00:23:52Dude
00:23:53Yeah, look at this
00:23:54I love this
00:23:55So you ended up putting just a better roof system on these tumbleweed bales
00:24:00Yeah, if you want to garden in the desert, you have to have some type of greenhouse
00:24:05I would definitely, you know, look for a wallapini to get the best results out here
00:24:10Because it's going to extend your growing period, you know, a month on each end
00:24:13Yeah
00:24:14Which you need out here because it doesn't have much
00:24:16Elizabeth, look at the difference of the plants outside versus inside underground
00:24:22It's so epic being here because you go to the underground greenhouse, the wallapini
00:24:27And plants are ten times bigger than anything above ground
00:24:31So clearly these things work
00:24:35This is totally amazing, I can't believe how well you're doing
00:24:39This is really, really cool
00:24:41Today's been a really big day
00:24:44I feel like I'm finally starting to get an understanding of what Misty's planning for us
00:24:56Watch out everybody, I'm coming right here
00:24:58Back at the Webb homestead
00:25:00We'll just stand back
00:25:01Matt and Marty begin felling hazardous dead trees that loom over the property
00:25:08What I don't want it to do is bust off the bottom and come back this way
00:25:12I got a lot of pressure on that thing
00:25:15Okay
00:25:23Keep the pressure on it
00:25:28Doesn't look like it's leaning back
00:25:31No
00:25:33My dad's cut through as far as you would possibly want to cut
00:25:37And it should be falling down right now
00:25:40But something is holding it up
00:25:43My dad is kind of scratching his head
00:25:45Trying to figure out why it's not going down
00:25:48And I'm kind of thinking this tree could come down in any direction at any moment
00:25:53Is it gonna go?
00:25:54Let me work on it a little bit
00:25:59When you're logging anything can happen at any second
00:26:04My dad's developed such a skill to fell trees
00:26:08So it never seems like it's dangerous
00:26:11But when you're chopping big trees down
00:26:13It can get very unpredictable
00:26:20Timber!
00:26:22Everybody get out of the way!
00:26:39Timber!
00:26:42Everybody get out of the way!
00:26:43Everybody get out of the way!
00:26:54You okay?
00:26:59Are you okay?
00:27:02Good job!
00:27:04No, good job to you!
00:27:06Oh my gosh
00:27:07I mean, look at that thing
00:27:10I think this is a good sign
00:27:13There's very valuable building materials
00:27:16Right here on the property
00:27:17Yep
00:27:19Where's that kid?
00:27:21Next one you're doing, get over here
00:27:24We've got trees to cut down
00:27:25I can risk my life and cut them all down
00:27:28But they're strapping young men on this property
00:27:31Can they cut them down?
00:27:33We're gonna find out
00:27:34Fire it up!
00:27:40These young men are the future of this homestead
00:27:44And sourcing materials is essential for success
00:27:47Before I leave Colorado
00:27:50I'm gonna make sure they have the skills to thrive
00:27:54I think you're on the right track
00:27:57I'm not sure you need me
00:28:00But where are you gonna stand when you cut it down?
00:28:02Show me where you're gonna stand
00:28:04Well, I was just gonna
00:28:05Show me where the saw's gonna be
00:28:06The saw's going right here
00:28:07Okay, and what's the tree gonna do?
00:28:10The tree's gonna lean that way
00:28:11So we would cut that side first
00:28:13And then we'll work our way around
00:28:14If it starts to go
00:28:15We'll let it go
00:28:16This wood will hold it
00:28:18And it'll actually swing it
00:28:19Okay
00:28:20Away, so let's try that method
00:28:29Coming!
00:28:30Hey, hey, hey!
00:28:30Back in!
00:28:36Money!
00:28:37Next!
00:28:40You know the saying
00:28:42You can give a man a fish
00:28:43Feed him for a day
00:28:45I'm not even gonna say the rest
00:28:46We need materials
00:28:47And this is how you get them
00:28:49That's good
00:28:50Whoa!
00:28:51Look out!
00:28:53Man!
00:28:53I'm confident
00:28:54This young man is smart
00:28:56Hard-working
00:28:57I'm completely impressed
00:29:10Impressed
00:29:11Back from their field trip
00:29:12Alright guys, let's talk about some plans
00:29:15Misty uses the spark of inspiration
00:29:17From the Banky homestead
00:29:19To ignite a plan of her own
00:29:21I brought you to Drew and Ella's house for a reason
00:29:24I think when it comes to this elevation
00:29:2610,300 feet
00:29:28The only way you're gardening this time of year
00:29:30Is if you go underground
00:29:31Yeah
00:29:32At the Banky homestead
00:29:33It is flat as a pancake
00:29:35Digging down
00:29:36Putting in the underground greenhouse
00:29:38Square
00:29:39Retaining those walls was very standard
00:29:41But the Webb homestead
00:29:43Super steep terrain
00:29:45On the side of a mountain
00:29:46So we need a different technique
00:29:49The first thing we're gonna do
00:29:50Is stack these tires
00:29:51So that we have this tire foundation underground
00:29:55And that'll be the base of our structure
00:29:57And then we'll go from there
00:29:59So let's figure out where this is gonna go
00:30:01Here we go
00:30:03It is illegal in this county
00:30:04To build your home out of tires
00:30:07But it's encouraged to use them
00:30:09For any outbuildings
00:30:10So now that we know
00:30:11All of these tires are up for grabs
00:30:12We're gonna use them to retain all of this dirt
00:30:15The whole mountain side
00:30:16And we're building a tire greenhouse
00:30:19What is this?
00:30:20So this is one of our frostless water hydrants
00:30:23It is plumbed into our cisterns
00:30:26Way up on the top of the hill
00:30:27Okay, does it work?
00:30:28Yeah, gravity fed
00:30:29Yeah, turn it on
00:30:30And there it goes
00:30:31This is usable space
00:30:33Yes
00:30:33Yeah, and the fact that there's water here
00:30:35Is pretty amazing
00:30:37So let's pull a tape
00:30:39So what is that?
00:30:40Because already it looks kind of small
00:30:42When you're high-altitude gardening
00:30:44The average greenhouse isn't gonna cut it
00:30:46And winter is almost here
00:30:48Are you to the puppy?
00:30:49The only way this family's gonna have a fighting chance
00:30:52At being successful gardeners
00:30:54Is if you carve out a greenhouse
00:30:56In the side of this bank
00:30:57Retaining sun and heat all day
00:30:59And releasing it at night
00:31:00It will extend that season in the fall
00:31:03Give them a jump start come spring
00:31:05And that way they can actually be successful
00:31:10Misty and Elizabeth
00:31:11Will dig into the side of the mountain
00:31:13And build a 27 by 12 foot underground greenhouse
00:31:18Complete with an irrigation system
00:31:20To protect crops
00:31:22From the volatile high-altitude weather swings
00:31:24And provide the family with a year-round food source
00:31:30So we're not gonna dig by hand
00:31:32We're gonna dig with this bad boy
00:31:35We're keeping the earth close, right?
00:31:37All the ground and all the fill
00:31:38Yeah
00:31:39Cause guess what's going inside the tires?
00:31:42That
00:31:43Are you excited?
00:31:44Oh yes, so much
00:31:46We don't have tumbleweed bales
00:31:49We don't have any large boulders
00:31:51The material just isn't here
00:31:52But we have this massive stack of tires
00:31:55We've got more tires, whoo!
00:31:58And if you set them in place
00:31:59And you stack them correctly
00:32:00And fill them all up with dirt
00:32:02And compact them
00:32:03They're perfect for retaining walls
00:32:05Sweet!
00:32:07This is what 10,300 feet looks like
00:32:10I can barely talk
00:32:19Let's go
00:32:21Here it comes
00:32:25With the surrounding area cleared of dangerous trees
00:32:28Get in here!
00:32:30We're working!
00:32:31Marty begins foundational work on an all-purpose carport
00:32:35To provide the Webb family with dry storage, water catchment, and a head start on a future cabin
00:32:42We want to fill all six of these up
00:32:44So we're pouring six concrete footers
00:32:47That each hold up 3,000 pounds per square inch
00:32:52These are over four feet down into the ground on virgin ground
00:32:55You can see this bank
00:32:56This is what they're sitting on
00:32:58But it's not as strong as you think until you put in rebar
00:33:02I need rebar to all of them, Clint
00:33:06Steel reinforcement that holds it together
00:33:09I want a four inch from the top so Russ can't get to it
00:33:12This is our first step in building a carport that can catch water
00:33:18And that they can convert to a home
00:33:21Quick, quick, quick!
00:33:22And another bucket, Clint
00:33:25We've got work to do
00:33:29At the future site of the new pig barn
00:33:33Okay, clap that up here
00:33:35Matt shares a homestead hack with Ronnie
00:33:38To utilize the property's trees as building materials
00:33:42I saw you working with my dad with a chainsaw
00:33:45Do you have a lot of chainsaw experience?
00:33:48Yes
00:33:48Tree felling?
00:33:49Yes, sir
00:33:50A lumberman back in Texas
00:33:51It was a neighbor, family, friend
00:33:54So
00:33:54How long did you work at that sawmill for?
00:33:56Six months
00:33:57How old were you?
00:33:59About 14
00:33:59You were working at a sawmill when you were 14?
00:34:02That's crazy
00:34:03Have you ever used a chainsaw to mill lumber?
00:34:07I have not
00:34:07Okay
00:34:08What I want to do
00:34:09Is I want to make a very simple chainsaw mill
00:34:12Okay
00:34:13Chainsaw mills are extremely versatile
00:34:15You can cut logs
00:34:17But then you can also just use it as a saw
00:34:21Yeah
00:34:22Alright
00:34:22So let's get to work
00:34:25The thing I love about Ronnie is
00:34:27Is he's got a lot of drive
00:34:28He loves to work
00:34:30But I'm showing him stuff that he's never seen before
00:34:33First thing we got to do
00:34:34We got to drill holes through this bar
00:34:36These are like skills that I took for granted as a kid
00:34:40But now that I'm showing him to Ronnie
00:34:42I think that he's learning skills that aren't just going to benefit the homestead
00:34:46But benefit him for the rest of his life
00:34:49A person like you, a young man out in these woods
00:34:52Learning how to make your own chainsaw mill
00:34:55It's kind of a necessity
00:34:56Okie dokie
00:34:57You familiar with all thread?
00:34:59Yes sir
00:34:59Put it through on this side first
00:35:02Working with Matt's been an honor
00:35:04And he's a really cool guy
00:35:05For him to be able to give me insight on his experience
00:35:08It's really cool
00:35:10I know this might look a little bit crazy
00:35:13But it's all going to make sense very soon
00:35:17Not a lot of people attach things to their chainsaws
00:35:20But we're building a jig that allows us to cut lumber
00:35:24So you don't have to keep measuring the width of a board
00:35:26You don't have to keep measuring the length
00:35:28If you set up a jig with your saw
00:35:31You can cut the same thing over and over again
00:35:34You'll save yourself a ton of time
00:35:36And you're going to make that tool scream fast
00:35:43That's pretty good
00:35:44That's cutting really good
00:35:45I'm actually blown away
00:35:47We're going the full length of this board
00:35:50I'm impressed with the lumber mill
00:35:52It's awesome
00:35:53I didn't think you could make a portable chainsaw mill
00:35:55And Matt proved me wrong
00:35:58Take off this top board
00:35:59See how the cut looks
00:36:03Okie dokie
00:36:04It's a little bit rough sawing
00:36:06But that's part of the charm man
00:36:07What do you think?
00:36:08It's awesome
00:36:09It did the job
00:36:11We're going to be making lumber for days
00:36:13And then we're going to help those pigs
00:36:15But we've got a lot of milling ahead of us
00:36:17Let's keep going
00:36:17Yes sir
00:36:35The next morning, while the concrete sets at the carport
00:36:41All right
00:36:41All right, so correct me if I'm wrong
00:36:43But you're pretty much out of water
00:36:45Yeah
00:36:46Marty shifts his focus to the family's problematic water situation
00:36:51So when it runs out, what do you do?
00:36:54We would hook up to our trailer with three totes in it
00:36:57And move about 1,100 gallons at a time from Fort Garland
00:37:00All the way up to the cisterns
00:37:02And if we have enough time, make a round trip second time
00:37:05Oh wow
00:37:05What's it cost?
00:37:0710 cents a gallon
00:37:08So, 100 bucks?
00:37:09Yeah
00:37:10Sounds high
00:37:11It is high
00:37:12Where's the trailer?
00:37:13It's down below at the lower pad
00:37:16Let's take my truck and we'll get water that way, is that ok?
00:37:20That's fine
00:37:23Winter's right around the corner
00:37:25Done, let's go
00:37:26We got about one month to get the water to this homestead
00:37:30And then after that, the road's impassable
00:37:32When it comes to hauling water on a trailer
00:37:36Is it like this every time you get water at the last minute?
00:37:39Pretty much
00:37:39Do you normally just do it by yourself?
00:37:41Uh, no, I normally have one of the boys or Elizabeth will help me get everything set
00:37:46This is really taking a lot of time
00:37:48Yeah
00:37:49Where am I going?
00:37:50You're still going straight
00:37:52Miles and miles of nothing
00:38:01How you doing?
00:38:02How you doing?
00:38:05Alright, show me how you do it
00:38:13So here's what I've learned in the first couple of hours of this process
00:38:17We hook up the trailer
00:38:19We head to town
00:38:20We fill up with water
00:38:22It does cost money
00:38:24Then you gotta haul thousands of pounds of water to the very top of this mountain
00:38:30And then make multiple trips till everything is full
00:38:35So how I would run it is I'd go two trips today
00:38:38And then one or two trips on Thursday depending
00:38:42I saw firsthand how long it takes on one trip to town
00:38:47That said, we're still not done
00:38:52We made it
00:38:53Yep
00:38:54That was steep
00:38:56Alright, what's the next step?
00:38:58Well, once we get this pump out, I'm gonna roll this red hose down the hill
00:39:02And you're gonna have to slide down there and hold it on the cistern
00:39:05Fair enough
00:39:06I can do the red hose right now
00:39:11That reaches
00:39:12Alright
00:39:15Okay, here we go
00:39:25Come on, baby
00:39:27Now the water pump's not gonna start
00:39:29Come on
00:39:30I hear him up there cranking on it
00:39:35Alright, I've seen enough
00:39:37So after experiencing the hours that it's taken just to keep looking at a dry hose
00:39:45This isn't gonna work
00:39:47It does kind of compel me to take a look at the property
00:39:52Because there might be a chance of finding water
00:39:55I'm not sure we'll find it
00:39:57But we're gonna have to look for it before we leave
00:40:03Come on
00:40:10This whole thing's coming off
00:40:13At the future pig barn site
00:40:15Matt and Ronnie
00:40:17Mill the last of the lumber sourced directly from the property
00:40:21It's taken us a little extra time to mill this lumber with a chainsaw
00:40:26Because every thousand feet that you go up in elevation
00:40:30You lose about 1.5% of a chainsaw's power
00:40:34Since the air is a lot thinner
00:40:36So up at 10,000 feet
00:40:38Our chainsaws are literally cut 15% in power
00:40:43Over here
00:40:44Okay
00:40:45And at the new underground greenhouse
00:40:48Do you think you really know what you got into when you started gathering this many tires?
00:40:53No, we just knew that they were free and that they would be useful at some point
00:40:57Okay
00:40:58Misty sets to use another abundant resource to build a retaining wall
00:41:03It is the most labor-intensive material you can build with
00:41:08Absolutely, hands down
00:41:10One by one, you're filling them full of dirt and you're compacting them, right?
00:41:14And you're gonna be shoveling and compacting with a sledgehammer
00:41:16Are you ready?
00:41:17I love the idea of repurposing tires
00:41:20They're gonna last forever
00:41:21The problem is, is it's really labor-intensive
00:41:25Especially at this high elevation
00:41:28Any retaining wall has to set back, right?
00:41:31So whether it's like block or rock
00:41:33You want it to have a lean into the bank
00:41:36Okay
00:41:36So it doesn't tip or push out
00:41:38Yeah
00:41:39So each course is gonna be set back like an inch, inch and a half
00:41:44Let's block the bottom
00:41:46The little cardboard
00:41:47It's helping kind of hold the dirt in
00:41:49So it doesn't spill out
00:41:50Because there are a little bit of cracks
00:41:52All right
00:41:55Who's out of breath?
00:41:56Only me
00:41:58First of all, this for compaction, like it's damp
00:42:01It's sandy, it's rocky
00:42:02This is like the perfect
00:42:05Awesome
00:42:06Ground
00:42:08Each layer that you fill with dirt has to be compacted
00:42:12And you have to get inside the tire as well
00:42:13And then the test is when you're walking on and see the squish
00:42:16Yep
00:42:17Squish is bad
00:42:19You've created kind of like a brick, if you will
00:42:23Like a mold for compacted earth
00:42:25So getting them set and in place
00:42:28Compacted can be a little bit challenging
00:42:29But hopefully in the next couple days
00:42:31We have the retaining wall in and we can start on the greenhouse
00:42:35That's the outer edge, right?
00:42:37Okay
00:42:37And then this is kind of where the tire sits
00:42:41So inch, inch and a half step back each time
00:42:45Just a little bit
00:42:46Now it's time to fill, ready?
00:42:47All right
00:42:48And it's a whole thing folks
00:42:50You know, we didn't choose homesteading because we wanted an easy life
00:42:53So I'm not afraid of hard work
00:42:55We're either going to be best friends after this week or sworn enemies
00:42:58All right
00:42:59This is the day I've been looking forward to
00:43:01When we actually get to start doing work and get our hands literally into the dirt
00:43:06I've had my hands in the dirt all day
00:43:08And that's been really rewarding
00:43:10I feel like every layer of tires I'm learning more
00:43:14I'm understanding
00:43:15She's showing me how to pack it in
00:43:17Just so many little tricks that I never would have known
00:43:20If we were trying to do it on our own
00:43:22How are you feeling?
00:43:23You liking this build?
00:43:24I love it
00:43:25I love it
00:43:26I'm so happy
00:43:27You happy to finally start a greenhouse?
00:43:31Yes
00:43:32I think homesteading is all about innovation
00:43:35Trying something and then tweaking it until you figure out what's going to work
00:43:39Because you can't just run to the store and buy it
00:43:41You have to figure it out
00:43:50It's late afternoon on day three in the Southern Rockies
00:43:54Link, get over here and scratch my back quickly, I got a bug
00:43:58Racing the sun, Marty
00:44:00Thank you
00:44:01Joshua
00:44:02And neighborly help begin construction of the homestead's new 20 by 50 foot carport
00:44:09We're about to build a post and beam structure
00:44:12Out of the best building material in North America
00:44:15The Douglas fir tree
00:44:18Stronger than pine, stronger than spruce
00:44:21And this property is covered with it
00:44:25Douglas fir trees, an abundant resource in Colorado
00:44:29Grow in elevation and can live for up to 500 years
00:44:33The strong and durable lumber it produces is ideal for construction
00:44:38While its lighter weight and malleability make it a popular choice for woodworking projects like furniture making
00:44:49So you see that? That's a three quarter inch rebar
00:44:53It's coming out of the concrete
00:44:55We're going to drill the undersized hole in the bottom of all of these Douglas fir trees
00:45:01Get that drill in his hand
00:45:03Get a pencil mark on the center
00:45:05If you're not paying attention, the drill will take you out, guaranteed
00:45:09Alright, you know what to do?
00:45:10Here we go
00:45:15Good job
00:45:17Clint, you know what to do
00:45:19The plan is to take those big trees, set them down on the hole
00:45:24And the gravity, the weight of those heavy trees
00:45:27Will drive that spruce tree down until it's solid on the concrete
00:45:32But we still were bracing
00:45:34Because these are big logs and if something goes wrong, they'll kill somebody
00:45:39Don't be shy
00:45:41It's perfect, brace it
00:45:44When we lived in Houston, I was working in a business partnership until one day they decided that they didn't
00:45:52need me anymore
00:45:53It was difficult for me
00:45:56We're going to unhook the chain and head for the other one
00:46:03It took a few years before we understood why
00:46:06It was kind of a good thing
00:46:09Because maybe I would still be there living a life that I hated
00:46:13But now I'm living the life that I want here
00:46:17Building our legacy on the side of this mountain
00:46:20Come down Clint, come on, come on bud
00:46:24Alright, that's the last one
00:46:25So that would be six logs
00:46:28Who had the logs?
00:46:30We did
00:46:31Tired in the frogs rear
00:46:33In a bucket of water
00:46:48As day four begins
00:46:50Woo! I see people! I see people!
00:46:54More friendly hands arrive to help with the heavy lifting
00:46:58Good morning Joshua, how are you?
00:47:00I'm doing well, how are you doing Misty?
00:47:01You doing good? Who's all this?
00:47:03Well, we've got a ton of help
00:47:05Are you guys here to work?
00:47:06Yeah, let's do it!
00:47:08Okay, so follow me
00:47:09Just hop up and grab a tire
00:47:11Yeah guys, woohoo!
00:47:14I'm so blessed that so many of our friends and our neighbors here in the community have chosen to show
00:47:19up and help us
00:47:20It's not easy work packing these tires
00:47:22Ooh, pretty good, pretty good
00:47:24A little bit more
00:47:26The fact that they're giving up their free time to come and do this very hard manual labor is just
00:47:32amazing
00:47:32And I'm so, so grateful for their help
00:47:35It's gonna really speed things up
00:47:37What do you think Joshua? Are you like, we're all crazy?
00:47:40No, I mean
00:47:41You into it?
00:47:42I can't say that you're all crazy
00:47:44This was like the idea behind the tires, so I have to stand ground with you
00:47:50Keep shoveling, keep packing
00:47:52When it comes to this tire earth greenhouse, the idea is to fill up these tires full of dirt
00:47:57Slowly but surely, you're compacting that earth
00:48:00The tire is anywhere from 300 to 500 pounds
00:48:03Each tire, you stagger your seams, stack them in place, and you have a solid retaining wall that will last
00:48:10forever
00:48:13Alright, final course is the tires that my dad gifted us with the concrete in them
00:48:19God, no, it's heavier than, it's, I've never felt a tire this heavy
00:48:22Three, two, one
00:48:25Okay, next one, we'll get them level as we go
00:48:27I wanted something that we could fasten a roof system into, so last row, we're almost there
00:48:34Woo, up, straight up
00:48:37Nobody pull off the wall, yeah
00:48:40Done
00:48:43Done
00:48:44Done
00:48:46Woohoo
00:48:48Perfection
00:48:52Across the homestead
00:48:54We'll go eight feet out
00:48:56Eight feet's right here
00:48:58Matt and Ronnie begin the framework of the new pig barn
00:49:02We'll get it just about six feet high from the dirt floor
00:49:07Our pig barn is going to be an eight by sixteen, small barn, perfect for two pigs
00:49:14And we're going to start out with a post and beam construction that we milled with our chainsaw mill
00:49:19Store lumber that you get from the big box store
00:49:23All those measurements of a two by four
00:49:26Four by four, two by six, all that stuff
00:49:28It's not actually two inches thick
00:49:31It's not four inches wide
00:49:33You plane it down
00:49:34So these four by fours are better than the four by fours you get from the store
00:49:40Because they're bigger, more structurally stout, and I can't wait to put them up
00:49:49That's a flop, screw it in
00:49:53Have you ever done anything like this before?
00:49:55I have not
00:49:56Ronnie's really going to see the true value of building a building from scratch
00:50:01From the materials right from your home
00:50:03Now let's slap in this last beam and we'll start rolling the rafters
00:50:07I think the pigs are going to be happy
00:50:09I think they're going to like it
00:50:15Ready? Let's lay them out
00:50:17With the structures, posts, and beams in place
00:50:20Marty and Joshua begin construction on a 1,000 square foot roof
00:50:25Capable of catching more than 10,000 gallons of water per year
00:50:29While also protecting the family's vehicles and tools until they can build their cabin
00:50:37Good job, keep them coming
00:50:39We started out with ground trees
00:50:41And now we're connecting them to precise dimensional lumber
00:50:46In the way of rafters
00:50:48And then sheeting
00:50:50In the way of plywood
00:50:53This is the first layer of protection on our roof system
00:50:58Done!
00:51:03It's a span of about 20 feet
00:51:05And we also have it on a rake
00:51:07So we've done everything we can to build this roof system strong enough to take snow
00:51:13But steep enough so once it gets a lot of snow
00:51:17The weight of that snow will shed off the back like an avalanche
00:51:21Okay, let's talk about a couple things
00:51:23Okay
00:51:24We're at a stage where you go from planet Earth into outer space
00:51:30Outer space
00:51:30You afraid of heights?
00:51:31A little bit, yes
00:51:32A lot of bit, yes
00:51:35The roof is going on tomorrow
00:51:37And I am not a heights person
00:51:39I climb a ladder, I get a little shaky
00:51:42That's the most fear I have right now
00:51:45Listen
00:51:47Many a person has told me
00:51:49They, you know, have a little fear of heights
00:51:52But pretty much from now on
00:51:54As far as this building goes
00:51:56It's going to be if you can get past your fear of heights
00:51:58Because the rest of the work is up there
00:52:02You decide
00:52:15The roof is going on and I hate heights
00:52:18I hate being high for really any reason
00:52:21I climb a ladder, I get real shaky
00:52:24That's the most fear I have right now
00:52:27But I have to try
00:52:30All right, so
00:52:31You told me you were afraid of heights?
00:52:33Yep
00:52:33The rest of the work on this project is all high work
00:52:36You ever been this high before?
00:52:38No
00:52:38All right, so I'm not going to force anyone to do something they
00:52:41Don't want to do
00:52:44Want to try it?
00:52:46Yeah
00:52:46You do?
00:52:47Okay, JC, fire it up please
00:52:59Are we all right?
00:53:00Yeah
00:53:00Okay
00:53:02Here's some irony
00:53:04Joshua chose to live 10,300 feet above sea level
00:53:10A long ways up there
00:53:12And he's afraid of heights
00:53:14But if he's able to overcome his fear
00:53:18He might realize that he can do anything
00:53:20That works
00:53:22Hold that place
00:53:23Hold that place
00:53:24Okay
00:53:25So
00:53:26We've stapled this product down
00:53:28Yep
00:53:28It's very stable
00:53:30It's very stable
00:53:32You want a hand or you got it?
00:53:34I got it
00:53:38You sure?
00:53:38Yeah
00:53:38All right, come on up here
00:53:43All right
00:53:44How close that edge do you want to get?
00:53:48All right, it's about as close as I want to get
00:53:52I want to see the toe of your cowboy boot over the edge
00:53:58You can do it, try it
00:54:04Done
00:54:05Good job, I like that
00:54:08You're going to be fine
00:54:08A little scary
00:54:10That's fine
00:54:11That's fine
00:54:11For you to have a fear of heights
00:54:13Come up here and do that
00:54:14I'm really impressed
00:54:16I truly am
00:54:18Good job
00:54:18Now
00:54:19Whether you have a fear of heights or not
00:54:22The mission is we're going to start putting the metal roofing on
00:54:24Understood
00:54:25All right
00:54:25Well take a sheet please
00:54:31Come on, we're going for it
00:54:34Marty has taught me that even though I still think and know I'm afraid of heights
00:54:39That when the need sets in, I can surpass that
00:54:44It's the big step forward
00:54:48Okay, let's get another one please
00:54:52Good
00:54:53Good job
00:54:59Tell me what we just did please
00:55:01We squared the roofing material with the building
00:55:04Yes, right now we have a really good start to have a really straight overhang on each side
00:55:10Grab a screw gun and let's put a screw in this top all the way please
00:55:15In one in each panel
00:55:16Okay
00:55:19This is your roof, right?
00:55:21Yep
00:55:21You want it to leak?
00:55:22Nope
00:55:22Good answer
00:55:25Excellent
00:55:25I like the way that sounded
00:55:27Now, we'll just pull them up, pin them
00:55:29Pull them up and pin them and go
00:55:31Okay
00:55:31Tell these guys what you need
00:55:32You're in charge
00:55:33Tell them
00:55:33What do we need?
00:55:35More metal
00:55:35Go get them, go get them
00:55:36Quick, quick, quick
00:55:37Thank you, thank you
00:55:38Tell them, tell them
00:55:39Can I get a sheet?
00:55:43Joshua actually had his hands on every step
00:55:46Of the process
00:55:47What that means to me is this
00:55:50I'm this close to leaving this homestead
00:55:53And leaving Joshua
00:55:55To take it from where we leave off
00:55:58To whatever future he can envision
00:56:00Not just for himself
00:56:01But for the family
00:56:03You're doing excellent
00:56:09Perfection
00:56:15Okay, ready everybody?
00:56:17On the other side of the homestead
00:56:19Oh, I'm so glad you're back
00:56:22I'm back
00:56:22Come on in
00:56:23Here you go
00:56:25Oh, good
00:56:27Drew Bankey arrives to help Misty and Elizabeth frame the underground greenhouse
00:56:33I know we're up against it
00:56:35Like all of us are behind
00:56:37And so having someone like Drew here
00:56:40Having someone with that kind of experience
00:56:42And that kind of out-of-the-box thinking
00:56:44Is exactly what we need in this moment
00:56:46Looking pretty good
00:56:49Alright, we're setting the concrete tires in place
00:56:51We're getting them nice and level
00:56:52Because we're ready to start our structure
00:56:54And it starts with a massive log
00:56:58Spanning the tire retaining wall
00:57:02That looks really good
00:57:07Woo! That's in
00:57:09We're gonna put these massive beams overhead
00:57:11Making that span from retaining wall to retaining wall
00:57:15Well, it's long enough, that's good
00:57:19Once it's in place
00:57:20We can roll some rafters
00:57:21Frame a wall
00:57:22Figure out the design and layout
00:57:24Move some dirt in
00:57:25Build a door
00:57:26Done
00:57:26Hopefully we can do that in the next couple days
00:57:29Because we need a little time at the end
00:57:31To figure out water
00:57:34Woo! It's long enough
00:57:36Now is it level enough?
00:57:39It looks good
00:57:41It's perfect
00:57:43When you work with unconventional materials
00:57:46Like dirt-filled tires and logs
00:57:48It is so hard
00:57:49To get level or plumb
00:57:52Miraculously, the level is level
00:57:55And we're ready to roll some rafters
00:57:57And to start framing our front wall
00:58:02I'm really excited with the progress we have
00:58:04I love the fact that I'm getting to be part of this
00:58:08I'm not just watching it happen
00:58:09Alright, let's call that good, Elizabeth
00:58:11Alright, awesome
00:58:14I'm a mom
00:58:15So, my highest priority
00:58:17To keep these boys safe
00:58:18Loved
00:58:19Well-fed
00:58:20With all their needs met
00:58:21Because
00:58:21They haven't always had that in their life
00:58:23And they deserve that
00:58:25There's not a lot of room for dirt work, folks
00:58:28It's a whole other level of responsibility
00:58:32And I'm finally starting to feel the security of knowing
00:58:35That my family is gonna be in a safe place
00:58:38And we're gonna make it
00:58:40Special delivery
00:58:44Each one of these logs is gonna be the garden bed inside the greenhouse
00:58:47We're actually starting from the inside out
00:58:50We're gonna construct all these garden beds
00:58:52Fill them up with soil
00:58:53That way we're not shoveling a bunch of topsoil
00:58:57Into a small space
00:58:58Okay, time to roll rafters and build a wall
00:59:01Okay
00:59:01This will go fast
00:59:02Because once you have your template
00:59:03It's easy to get the rest of them
00:59:05Ready?
00:59:06Alright
00:59:06Okay, let's do it
00:59:09This is gonna be amazing
00:59:20As day five winds down on the Webb homestead
00:59:24Let's put it up there
00:59:25The shell of the pig barn is nearly finished
00:59:30I say we put some hay in here
00:59:32Yeah
00:59:32And then we move those pigs in
00:59:35Sounds like a plan
00:59:36Let's do it
00:59:37And Matt has a plan to repurpose the homestead's smelliest byproduct
00:59:43I've always been amazed by the insulation that is produced by compost
00:59:50I propose that we try to start a compost pile inside the pig barn
00:59:58And make an area for those pigs with your straw
01:00:01That would actually be warmer on those really, really cold nights
01:00:06Alright, baby
01:00:11Okay
01:00:13Our next move is I wanna bring in the big guns
01:00:16To see if we can scratch out this stuff
01:00:22We have the world's largest excavator
01:00:25Trying to go into a very small space
01:00:30Is this extreme for you?
01:00:33Am I going in?
01:00:35Yeah
01:00:38I gotta be able to get it out
01:00:48Am I smashing?
01:00:51It's a rotten bar, I'm not worried about it
01:00:54The good thing about using the compost is during the winter
01:00:57It'll generate some heat for the pigs
01:00:59Therefore keeping them warm
01:01:01So that's gonna play a big factor during the winter days
01:01:06That waste from the barn is the magic ingredient
01:01:11But you have to get it out in the open air
01:01:14You gotta cover it for a long time
01:01:15Make sure it stays damp
01:01:17And that's when it'll actually start turning into compost
01:01:22We did it, man
01:01:23Good job
01:01:24Sometimes the dirty jobs are the ones that pay off the most
01:01:40Grab a shovel
01:01:41The next morning
01:01:43Come on in, Clint
01:01:46Misty and Elizabeth's all-weather underground greenhouse begins to take shape
01:01:51Can you see this tire?
01:01:53Yeah, a little bit
01:01:54When you stand back and look at this greenhouse
01:01:57It's so beautiful
01:01:58It's so awesome
01:01:59It's so functional
01:02:00Okay, up
01:02:01Okay, try to get dirt under there
01:02:04But we have a ton of work to do in two days
01:02:07So hopefully we can pull it together and things get done
01:02:11That looks pretty good
01:02:12Okay, let's see
01:02:13Are we in the bubble?
01:02:15Aw, it's perfect
01:02:16Okay, so
01:02:17The reason why we have the concrete filled tires
01:02:20Is because we needed to anchor into something that wasn't dirt
01:02:25Yeah
01:02:25So we're going to take the 2x6 and redhead right into the concrete tires
01:02:30That will be the bottom plate that will roll the rafters on
01:02:32Perfect
01:02:36As it starts to come together and I can really start to see what this greenhouse and this wallapini is
01:02:42going to look like
01:02:42I'm so excited
01:02:43The winter could be here any day
01:02:45But I feel so much more hopeful that we're going to have a good winter and feel stable and successful
01:02:51and safe
01:02:53Pry up on this thing, it's not going anywhere, it's nice and fastened
01:02:56We're going to call that good
01:02:57Hey you!
01:03:02So here we are
01:03:03With their all purpose carport nearly complete and time running out
01:03:09Marty shifts his focus toward an urgent permanent solution to the Webb family's water woes
01:03:16We're going into winter and we've built them some protection from the elements
01:03:21But this homestead is still without sufficient water
01:03:27If we're going to look for water, we've got to look for it in the confines of your property line
01:03:32Correct
01:03:33Do you have a map of it?
01:03:34I do
01:03:35You can see right there, that line that goes all the way across
01:03:39And then that bottom hole section is us
01:03:42Oh goodness, that's a lot of land
01:03:45Bet the fact that this swale is on your property
01:03:48Right
01:03:48Is a ray of hope
01:03:50Okay
01:03:51Natural swales are shallow, marshy channels
01:03:55Filled with vegetation that collects and moves water
01:03:59While a swale's presence does not guarantee an underground water table
01:04:03It can be a sign that groundwater might be nearby
01:04:08I'm going to walk from here to the top and I'll come out on your property
01:04:11Yes you will
01:04:12Up there?
01:04:12Yes
01:04:12Okay
01:04:13If you don't mind, I'll meet you there and you can drive the truck
01:04:16Okay
01:04:17And I'll do the walking
01:04:18Sounds good
01:04:22Joshua is hauling water from town
01:04:24But it takes time and it's not enough to get him prepared for winter
01:04:29So I'm going to look around and if we see anything that looks promising
01:04:34We're going to start digging
01:04:40I'm not an expert on the flora and fauna of Colorado
01:04:47Normally I'd be looking for some ferns
01:04:54Usually I would be in the lowest spot of the gully, which is right here
01:05:06Oh, look at this
01:05:09This area right here is obviously very, very green
01:05:14This plant probably needs more water to survive out here
01:05:18And it's finding that water in this low spot
01:05:21But is it just run off from the snow that melted and went to the low spot?
01:05:27Most likely
01:05:28Let's keep looking
01:05:35We've got some old tracks here, probably elk
01:05:37They have to drink every single day, right?
01:05:42Where's the water?
01:05:47We've walked from the bottom to the top of an ever so slight gully
01:05:54There's some vegetation that's certainly green
01:05:58Is it green enough to make me bring an excavator down here and look for water?
01:06:03No
01:06:05Winter's coming
01:06:07And these guys need water
01:06:08They're desperate
01:06:24Alright, we're almost there
01:06:27With a day and a half remaining in the rescue
01:06:30Keeping water off of the structure
01:06:32It's the most important thing as far as I'm concerned
01:06:35Misty devises a creative system to collect water and protect the greenhouse from erosion
01:06:43Let's make a French drain
01:06:45So go ahead that way
01:06:46It doesn't rain much in this part of Colorado
01:06:50But when it does, it pours
01:06:51And there's signs of erosion all over this homestead across the mountainside
01:06:56For me, it's concerning when it comes to protecting this greenhouse and these earth-filled tires
01:07:02Not one drop of water can touch the structure
01:07:06Alright, so we're going to create this French drain, right?
01:07:10So the worst thing we want to do is have water falling off the roof and collecting on the backside
01:07:18of the structure
01:07:19Yeah
01:07:19You also live on the mountainside
01:07:21Where all the runoff from the whole mountainside is running right to this structure
01:07:27So we're going to collect both
01:07:29Every drop that comes off the roof and every drop that comes off the mountainside is going to collect in
01:07:34our French drain
01:07:34And then every time it rains, I want it to rain inside the greenhouse
01:07:39Alright
01:07:43Okay
01:07:45I love Misty's idea for the French drain
01:07:48It actually was pretty simple and straightforward
01:07:50I love it
01:07:54Alright, so we're running off of the French drain to the bucket drain to the PVC pipe
01:07:59I love another elbow
01:08:00And literally just putting a hose fitting so that you can attach a hose, a drip line, whatever, inside the
01:08:07garden
01:08:07We just got to keep working
01:08:11Really feeling the pressure now because we are almost out of time
01:08:14And I feel like there's still quite a few things left to do on this wallapini
01:08:18We've still got to put the sheeting on the top
01:08:22And we haven't quite figured out what we're doing on the front yet
01:08:25So there's still just a lot of things that have to happen in a really short amount of time
01:08:29So I'm just hoping that we can pull it off
01:08:31Push and turn, yep
01:08:34Straighten it out
01:08:35You can
01:08:37Yeah!
01:08:38So good
01:08:50This is always the fun part
01:08:56We built a predator proof barn for the pigs
01:08:59Which will keep them secure from predators
01:09:02And when they insulate this building
01:09:05They'll be warm during the winter
01:09:07And they can get as big as they want
01:09:09Because this barn has more than enough space for the two of them
01:09:13Hey piggies!
01:09:15These pigs look really happy
01:09:17And more importantly, they're going to be safe
01:09:20Oh yeah
01:09:20And they have a predator proof barn
01:09:23Yep
01:09:24And they're going to be warm
01:09:25You can fill this whole thing up a foot deep with straw
01:09:29And just change that out
01:09:30Or turn it around
01:09:32And this can be turned into compost as well
01:09:35That compost pile is going to get bigger and bigger
01:09:37Especially after this winter
01:09:38Because the more straw you put in here
01:09:41The more you keep these shutters closed at night
01:09:43The warmer the pigs will be
01:09:44I feel good about leaving these pigs now
01:09:47Because I know they're in the best hands
01:09:48And they're in the best place they can be
01:09:50They already look happy
01:09:52They really do
01:09:54One week ago
01:09:56The homestead's pigs were housed in a shoddy shelter
01:09:59That exposed them to the elements
01:10:01And made them an easy meal for predators
01:10:05Now they have a secure barn
01:10:08That will keep them warm and safe throughout the high altitude winter
01:10:12Building this barn is really important for the pigs
01:10:16But I think it's more important for you
01:10:18Because now you can see what you can do
01:10:21Yeah
01:10:21With a chainsaw mill
01:10:22Oh I am going to go forth and create some more stuff
01:10:26Old McRonnie built a barn with a chainsaw
01:10:32The fact that I was able to pass on my knowledge of milling with a chainsaw
01:10:35To Ronnie
01:10:36I think is really the most amazing thing that might have happened on this homestead
01:10:41Because if you can mill your own trees
01:10:44There is nothing you can't build for the homestead
01:10:47Okay, so
01:10:48I'm leaving you a big pile of logs
01:10:51And this chainsaw
01:10:53Oh nice
01:10:55A guy like you, you're crafty, you're smart
01:10:58Just start dreaming up a crazy idea
01:11:00Use this chainsaw to mill this lumber a lot quicker
01:11:04I know you can do it
01:11:05Yes sir
01:11:06So, this is my gift to you
01:11:08It's really cool
01:11:09Really glad the Rainies came
01:11:11They've given me a lot of experience
01:11:13And a lot of stuff that they've learned over the years
01:11:16They've passed on to me
01:11:17And I will take that and go forth with it
01:11:20Hopefully this comes in handy in the future man
01:11:23And honestly, it's been a pleasure
01:11:25Yes sir, thank you
01:11:34You're probably wondering why I drug you to the top of the hill one more time
01:11:38Yeah
01:11:39After coming up dry in the search for a local water source
01:11:43She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes, buddy
01:11:46Marty calls in an 11th hour Hail Mary
01:11:51Holy crap
01:11:53It looks like water
01:11:59Thank you guys, Trinidad
01:12:01That's a bit of a haul to bring this water up here
01:12:03I really appreciate that
01:12:04It makes a difference for us
01:12:05This will get us through the winter
01:12:07The 800 gallons that's in there was
01:12:08Almost a day's worth of work for Marty and I
01:12:11So this means a lot
01:12:13Glad to be here
01:12:14Glad to be part of it
01:12:17We traveled all the way from Alaska to help this family
01:12:20And I hadn't had an answer for the lack of water yet
01:12:24It was a generous gift from a complete stranger
01:12:28That not only helped Joshua, Elizabeth and the boys
01:12:31But that person helped me
01:12:32They didn't even know it
01:12:34You ready?
01:12:35Yes sir
01:12:35I was concerned
01:12:37We don't have enough water here
01:12:39And hauling it is becoming difficult or impossible
01:12:43Not only for the winter, but going forward
01:12:46They came all the way here to bring us water to fill up our cisterns
01:12:50That is huge for us
01:12:53That is a weight off of our shoulders when we know that there's water in there
01:12:56And we're good to go for months
01:12:58We can use it for our animals and for ourselves
01:13:01So they really came through for us
01:13:04This is similar to what Josh and I wanted to do on a homestead level
01:13:09We didn't have this big beautiful 2,000 gallon tank
01:13:12We had a few 250 gallon tanks
01:13:15And we had a pump
01:13:17This is the same principle
01:13:19This is the system
01:13:20Bring it up in whatever container
01:13:22Pump it out into your cistern
01:13:24And that is the way this homestead survives
01:13:40Somebody got me the word up above you needed a sledge
01:13:42Wait till you see this
01:13:45Wow
01:13:45This guy's brother is a blacksmith
01:13:47I just met a builder
01:13:49He's this tall
01:13:51He's that wide
01:13:52He's big
01:13:53And he's got a hammer
01:13:54These things are going for $150 a piece
01:13:57Amazing
01:13:58All right, if you can beat my daughter in an arm wrestle
01:14:01We'll give you the $150
01:14:02Wait a minute
01:14:03What the heck?
01:14:05That goes over here
01:14:07Hey, that's incentive
01:14:09You can't lose
01:14:10That was terrifying
01:14:13Set, go
01:14:15I saw my whole life flash before my eyes
01:14:18Take me down
01:14:20I don't want to go either way though
01:14:24Okay, here you go
01:14:26I'll cough up the $150
01:14:27It's worth it
01:14:29Yeah, thanks!
01:14:31That was my all
01:14:40With less than a day remaining on the web's two-mile-high Colorado homestead
01:14:45All right, super pumped
01:14:47Misty puts the finishing touches on the underground greenhouse
01:14:51We were able to fasten our whole roof system into place
01:14:55We got to get cracking
01:14:56Let's go
01:14:57While Marty reinforces the family's carport to withstand heavy winter snow loads
01:15:04The structure we built might look pretty rough
01:15:07But here's the cool thing
01:15:08They could convert this into a home in the future
01:15:18Oh man, guys, you tired?
01:15:21Yes, it's been a long week
01:15:23That's how I feel
01:15:24But come on, this thing is 27 feet long
01:15:28Like it's massive
01:15:31I think we've come a long ways from filling tires full of dirt
01:15:35So let's go inside
01:15:39Feel how warm it is in here?
01:15:40Oh yeah
01:15:41Right?
01:15:42It's awesome
01:15:43Come on, come on, Diego
01:15:46Do you think plants will be able to survive in here?
01:15:48I feel like if we have a shot, this is how
01:15:52It's amazing just walking in that greenhouse, feeling the warmth, the temperature difference
01:15:56And just seeing that come to life is just a dream come true
01:16:01So there's one thing that is really exciting that we haven't seen in action yet
01:16:06Yeah?
01:16:06And it's this soaker hose
01:16:07You can literally just weave it in and out of the plants
01:16:11And every time it rains, water is being diverted away from the structure and watering the greenhouse
01:16:17Oh, that's amazing
01:16:19Seven days ago, the Webb family had no gardening knowledge
01:16:23And lacked a place to grow crucial year-round crops
01:16:28Now, they have a greenhouse carved into a mountainside
01:16:32And Elizabeth has the ability to grow crops for any season
01:16:37Can we start planting now, being that it is September?
01:16:41I would do things that can reach maturity in short little windows
01:16:45All types of lettuces, garlic, kale, root veggies, and things that like cold temperatures
01:16:50Get some plants and go for it
01:16:52I promise, with this structure and the water, you're gonna be set
01:16:57To watch that greenhouse grow from just a normal side of a mountain to a greenhouse in a week
01:17:06I mean, that's like two years for us
01:17:08I mean, it's incredible
01:17:10It's been a lot of work
01:17:12I feel like I've learned so much
01:17:14Thank you so, so much
01:17:15And I'm gonna think about you every time we come down here to this greenhouse
01:17:20And all the vegetables we pull out
01:17:23Before the rainies came, I was feeling really uncertain
01:17:26I wasn't sure how we were gonna get things ready for winter
01:17:30And I didn't wanna go into another winter like the last one
01:17:34But I feel, for the first time in our two years here, that we are ready for winter
01:17:48Okay, what do you think?
01:17:50I love it
01:17:50It's out of trees from our land
01:17:53Awesome, it exists
01:17:54It's not an idea, it's not a concept, it's not a someday when we have money and time
01:17:59It's right there
01:18:00Does it look like it's strong enough?
01:18:02Oh, yeah
01:18:03Yeah
01:18:03And whether it's in the cisterns or catching all the water you want off that roof
01:18:09You're in a much better place when it comes to water
01:18:14You're not gonna carry me over the doorstep?
01:18:16No
01:18:17How's it feel?
01:18:18It's beautiful
01:18:19Is it big enough?
01:18:20Yeah
01:18:20I mean, we've been living in an RV, so anything is bigger than that
01:18:28We've built this homestead, one of the biggest, baddest carports that could be turned into a home
01:18:35And I've seen Joshua overcome his fear of heights
01:18:40So, if they wanna catch water off that thing, Joshua can put his own gutters on
01:18:45There's work to be done
01:18:46Now it's up to them
01:18:48The next step is close it in, finish it, and make it a home
01:18:53Yeah, this definitely is headed towards being a home, for us
01:18:58One week ago, Joshua and Elizabeth's homestead was out of water
01:19:03And they were set to spend the winter with minimal defense against Mother Nature
01:19:09Now, their water storage system is filled to the brim
01:19:13And their all-purpose carport will offer increased protection from the elements
01:19:17As they work to transform it into their permanent home
01:19:21The Rainies have set us up, not only for this winter, but also for all of our steps going forward
01:19:27What kind of a layout would you have in here?
01:19:29We think Elizabeth's Harp Studio will be over on that side
01:19:32Do you have a harp out here?
01:19:34I do
01:19:34Would you mind getting it?
01:19:36Sure
01:19:36I no longer feel on the brink of disaster as I felt before the Rainies arrived
01:19:42This is the only chairs I have, does this work?
01:19:45Yeah
01:19:46We're energetic, and even though winter's right around the corner
01:19:49To say we're excited for it sounds weird, but we are
01:19:54Have you composed, written music?
01:19:56I have, yeah
01:19:57That's what I would like to hear, if you don't mind
01:19:59Sure, I will play something that I wrote that was inspired by the view that we have here
01:20:20I'm so impressed with Joshua and Elizabeth, because homesteading is not for everyone
01:20:25But I can see that it inspires them
01:20:31Now they have all the resources to enjoy and reap the benefits of living their dream
01:20:42Oh man
01:20:43That is a beautiful piece of music
01:20:47Thank you
01:20:48You're a very talented young lady
01:20:50Thank you
01:20:51Inspired by these mountains
01:20:53That's beautiful
01:21:01Well, that was some pretty crazy days
01:21:06The amount of things that were accomplished, we wouldn't have even probably tried and succeeded to finish one
01:21:12Let alone three
01:21:14Okay, so
01:21:15Before we leave here
01:21:17There's a statistic I heard a couple days ago
01:21:20That concerned me
01:21:22The people that come to this elevation
01:21:25And not just, you know, barely make it
01:21:28But actually thrive
01:21:30Is one percent
01:21:32Oh
01:21:33You've been here two winners
01:21:36Are you guys the one percenters?
01:21:39Yes
01:21:39Yes
01:21:40A year from now
01:21:42You guys will still be here
01:21:44Yes, sir
01:21:45Yes, we will
01:21:46Ten years from now, we'll still be here
01:21:48That's all I had to hear
01:21:50Thanks for having us
01:21:51Thank you
01:21:51Thank you young lady
01:21:52We came up this mountain
01:21:55Nearly two miles above sea level
01:21:58Only to find homesteaders that could not check one homesteading box
01:22:02A week or so later
01:22:04These homesteaders can check at least three boxes
01:22:09Food, shelter, and water
01:22:11The important ones
01:22:13Will the webs be one percenters?
01:22:16I venture to say right now
01:22:19That anyone that can live in those mountains at that elevation
01:22:22Are indeed the true one percenters
01:22:27And perhaps the richest people in the world
01:22:38Since the rainies left, things have been night and day different
01:22:41We haven't turned the carport into a house yet
01:22:44But we've been using it to park our vehicles
01:22:47We definitely are looking forward to those thawing temperatures coming soon
01:22:51So that we can start collecting water
01:22:53We purchased some seed starter kits and kind of planned out what we're going to put in our greenhouse
01:22:58When I come in here, I can feel the heat and so I know it's going to do exactly what
01:23:02we need
01:23:02The pigs love their new home
01:23:05It's made a huge difference on keeping them warm and happy
01:23:09Having all the things that the rainies built for us has really helped Josh and Ronnie
01:23:13They're able to go do things together like taking care of the animals using the sawmill
01:23:18And it's given them a place and a way to bond as brothers, which I'm really happy to see
01:23:22I know that we're better off and we're more prepared to withstand both this winter and future winters
01:23:29Thank you Rainies
Comments