I'm so glad you post updates relatively often compared to other channels. It's not as easy as you think to find content like this. Thank you, good work.
The amount of sediment that the check dams are building up in a relatively short time is really impressive. Can't wait to see what this area looks like a year or two from now.
please use this as an opportunity to plant native grasses. they have long enough roots to hold the soil you're building and survive the dry period. Awesome work!
@@ScottWessels I would normally agree but its clear from the level of patchiness, especially during the rainy season, that the seed bank available in the soil is low. So helping that along to maximize the results he wants is important.
great to see the 'fruits' of your hard work. cool to see the pine trees close to your place doing well. they wil give a lot of shade once they grow a bit bigger!
Great job!! You are a very hard working man and your plans are coming to fruition!! Good timing with that storm from last night. You should be proud of yourself. Hip hip hooray!,
Love the updates. Always jealous when I see all the rainfall. I live in the NW Phoenix area and have had hardly near the rain you have this monsoon season.
Have you tried sandbags covered with rock? Less work And a better seal. Stands up. against heavy. water Flows. If you have small spaces opened up. you can spray The bags. black. You won't even know they're there. It worked well for me. James
Yeah, I hope to get some good footage when the storms return this weekend. I'd like to be down there in the lower meadow with the water really coming through, I think that would be great to show everyone how things work in action.
We live in Cottonwood AZ, and I"m a little jealous how much more rain you're getting there! Glad the check dams and swales are working so well, I only have 1acre here but I'm trying to do more remedial work to hold the water in and not have it flood through to the road and city drains when we do have big rains.
Hey Brian, Steven here. We met I couple weeks ago in town, (Desert Honey). Your property is beautiful. I’m doing the same on mine with the pine trees, clearing around them to give better growth opportunity.
Hey Steven! How's your week going? I love the rain storms we had last weekend, did you get hit with moisture at your place? Looks like more is on the way starting Saturday. I'll be ready!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures all’s well on my end! You’re definitely getting more moisture than me, but I am getting rain. I definitely would like more. I’m lovin the clouds, and the cooler temps that come along.
If that were my project, I would consider getting a Ford 9n tractor, something basic and reliable. Fill the creek bed with rock. Nice work! I love it.❤
on the check dams that you intend to build up very high, perhaps you could put in a lot of woody materials in front. so the woody material will get covered over by the eroded soils that deposit on them.
Have you access to a machine buddy? Get them 5 feet high, and stretch them 200 yards across,,,, then float the overflow passivly across a field somewhere.
Yeah, I really like the pine trees and want to start harvesting pinon nuts from them. I've decided to remove the invasive juniper species while still keeping the old grown juniper which isn't an invasive species. It's really interesting in the areas where I've cut down the thirsty junipers, all the native tallgrass species are coming back and pine trees are really starting to take off. It's so cool to actually see the results unfolding before my eyes, gives me motivation to get more accomplished. I love seeing the land transform back into it's original state and look forward to seeing what my place looks like a decade from now.
Beautiful morning! Did you buy the property with the Trailer already on it? May I know what county you are in? Meadow is Stoked! That's cool you used to surf. I had a feeling you were a surfer...
Good Morning, I have 14 acres in Yavapai County. Love it up here! I found this vintage camper in Eagle, CO for sale and love living in it here at my place.
Instead of concave miniature dams do convex mini dams with outstretched wings. Where you want a pond do a very long swale to catch everything that gets past the smaller dams. You’ll retain more water and get increased soil saturation.
your property is really starting to look very green funny how i always think of Arizona as desert have a good week hope you get your pc sorted ive had same problem i still dont think ive 100% fixed it
Hey Dean! Yeah, I used to think AZ was nothing but desert too. Sure am glad to find this slice of heaven away from the distractions of a big city. I sure do love living in rural America! It's so peaceful out here.
how quickly did the water in the half moon take to soak in? given how full it looked form the live stream its amazing it gone already. i think you need to build some contoured swales to catch the water overspill from your check dams, you'd soak in a lot more if you catch the water like your half moon rather than just slow it.
Some of your check dams which receive more water will become sand dams holding and slowly releasing water. Which is perfect for your situation caring for the pine trees. Good job.
Are you down near Kingman? I was talking to a buddy of mine who lives there and he said the storms have been circling the area but nothing is really hitting locally. I hope that changes for you all, this weekend looks like another round of moisture. I need to get some more rock check dams built in the next two days...time to get crackin'!
Yeah, I've thought about it but I don't like the look of metal cages in the lower meadow. I'd rather it look more natural, yet I realize it's more effective to use metal cages. I just have a bit more maintenance to do since I'm stacking these the old school method.
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures The main advantage to using gabions would be if you wanted to build a sand dam water reservoir, which would be more useful if you had a seasonal streambed to take advantage of. Not sure if you have something like that on the property.
Nice set up,why you just want a pine forest??? isn't better to have a more diverse forest that support wild animal and biodiversity?? Just a question like that.Cheers
Yes, that's essentially what I'm going for. The grass will really help to slow down the water while it percolates into the ground. Love the fact these projects show results so quickly! Thanks for tuning in...
then you could put some vegie plants around the mini ponds and not have to worry about them, a self watering chain of mini gardening and farm ponds,,,, pc
Im curious to learn why youve chosen not to include putting in swales to quickly assist your efforts? Well done on your efforts thus far, is really making a positive difference to the land
Thank you, I'm really pleased with the work I've done so far! I have future plans for swales but being a one man show and doing this all by hand (I think it looks better that way), things can progress a bit slow. I hope to get there by this Fall. Enjoy your Thursday!
Good question! I prefer to just use the natural materials laying around. Since i have a ton of gravel and other natural resources, it's not a problem finding material to build these check dams. Sure am happy with the results so far!
Not an expert on AZ natives, but $45 for your grass mix is nuts. Blue grama should be ~$30, and texoka buffalograss ~$25. Bamert is my favorite -- order over phone for lower price, and they charge no sales $. *I"m central texas hill country... ~1400 ft. Similar terrain to yours. To reinforce your dams, look up bookstacking (Zeedyk I think had the original concept) as US forestry service in NM and AZ.
Plant natives, think about fire load with pine. Here in Canterbury New Zealand natives are the best. I guess you know your area and will plant what you need. Food forest ?
Yeah, I'm going to start planting fruit tress this fall when they are dormant. Starting with cherry trees and then adding more variety as I make more swales and half moons. Have a great day in New Zealand!
Good morning, hope all is well over in England! Things are good here in the mountains of Northern Arizona, I sure do love living here. Thanks for the coffee and enjoy the rest of your day! ~ Brian
I would place shield dams around the trees to prevent too much water being deposited around or against the trunks of the junipers. They thrive on deeper water rather than superficial water and excess water in and around their trunks can lead to rot. Best scenario is a 'well' surrounding the trees at their drip line which is well outside of the root crown which is the most susceptible to rot! BTW, I'm a landscape architect ~ Aloha ~ ~ ~
@@carylhalfwassen8555 Junipers are about the only kind of tree that thrives in that environment, so although a few might be strategically removed (road or driveway installation comes to mind) they're really the biggest and the best that grow out there!!!
I love how quickly the environment responds out here to these improvements!! LOL - yeah I found chasing women can be a bit frustrating...especially these days! I'm old fashioned and don't care for this new trend of "boss b*tch" mentality while constantly putting down men. Those girls can sit their asses at home, I'm certainly not going to waste my time on that!
Yeah, I'd like to get some footage of water raging through the area. There's more rain forecasted this weekend so I'll be down in my lower meadow filming!
Why wouldn't you dig a few of those out (pond) to allow MORE water to collect and trickle down into the ground. It would also give you a source to draw from to water trees and gardens, etc. Once your check dams are full of sediment, they won't hold anymore water and you will be right back to where you started in the first place.... water simply running over the surface, finding the path of least resistance downhill.
Give me a minute…I’m doing everything here by hand because I don’t want heavy equipment to disturb the land. Therefore, projects take much longer. Trust me when I say it’s in the works but probably won’t happen for another year.
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures Great! I'm looking forward to the end results. I'm interested in your area, because I would like to purchase land in a very similar environment where you are (exactly where, I am not sure) and doing the same thing you are. I applaud you!!!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures May I ask how many acres you have (you may have mentioned this in an earlier video). Are you on the north side of I-40 or south?
Right on, I really like the properties in NW Arizona along the western rim of the Colorado Plateau. The prices are still reasonable and people are respectful of your privacy. My suggestion is to look at land in an area that offers a community well. I only pay $94 per year for road maintenance and access to our community well which is a minimal cost in my opinion. I’d like to eventually drill a well but depths in this area of AZ are 1,200ft so the cost could be up to $60K when it’s all said and done.
I'm so glad you post updates relatively often compared to other channels. It's not as easy as you think to find content like this. Thank you, good work.
Spot on !
Thank you!
The amount of sediment that the check dams are building up in a relatively short time is really impressive. Can't wait to see what this area looks like a year or two from now.
please use this as an opportunity to plant native grasses. they have long enough roots to hold the soil you're building and survive the dry period. Awesome work!
Good thing about natives is if they're uphill, they plant themselves!
@@ScottWessels I would normally agree but its clear from the level of patchiness, especially during the rainy season, that the seed bank available in the soil is low. So helping that along to maximize the results he wants is important.
Yep, I'm using a blend of Arizona Sky Island Tallgrass seed and it's already starting to sprout! Love how this land responds so quickly.
Grass is literally everywhere, it doesn’t need to he planted, it’s a pioneer species
great to see the 'fruits' of your hard work. cool to see the pine trees close to your place doing well. they wil give a lot of shade once they grow a bit bigger!
I look forward to seeing how they look a few years from now!
Really enjoy seeing this progress.
Thanks for the update,Thats a crazy amount of soil that was captured.
Yeah, I'm impressed with the results!!
Looks awesome! Hard work pays off 🤗
Absolutely fantastic!
Great job!! You are a very hard working man and your plans are coming to fruition!! Good timing with that storm from last night. You should be proud of yourself. Hip hip hooray!,
Love what you're doing with your land.
Brian, I have to admit. This check dam project really has me interested! Love what you are doing and cannot wait to see progress!
Nice to get feedback from Mother Nature!
Thank you for the update. The Rock check dams are working amazingly. Happy to see all your hard work is paying off.
I feel a trophy is in the horizon for your incredible accomplishmentsAlso, Its a true talent to lay the rocks in a holding formation...
Great progress!
Keep teaching Brian! I love seeing your results!! Meadow is looking great! 🧡
Thank you, things are going much better than I expected out here!
Mind blowing success Brian really well done
Thanks William!
Love the updates. Always jealous when I see all the rainfall. I live in the NW Phoenix area and have had hardly near the rain you have this monsoon season.
I hope you all get some more rain soon!
The Bob Ross of check dams. So relaxing to watch.
I appreciate the kind words, Bob Ross is a favorite of mine!
That back breaking work is really paying off.
Have you tried sandbags covered with rock? Less work And a better seal. Stands up. against heavy. water Flows. If you have small spaces opened up. you can spray The bags. black. You won't even know they're there. It worked well for me. James
Perfect time to start growing some vegetables and fruits . 👍🏻
It's working! Awesome!
So cool to see it all start to work.
Those check dams are awesome. The grasses look to be thriving around those areas. Be cool to see a time lapse of that large dam during a monsoon.
Yeah, I hope to get some good footage when the storms return this weekend. I'd like to be down there in the lower meadow with the water really coming through, I think that would be great to show everyone how things work in action.
Great update, Swales look Awesome, Pines are happy too. So green up there, Congrats🤙🤙🏁🏁
It’s so wild to see how much progress you’ve made from last summer to now with these!!!
Thanks man!
Looking good my man, everything is nice and green and your check dams are working great! Thanks for the update.👍🏼✌🏼
Turned what I assume was just a straight cut in the landscape into what is basically a stair case. Nice!
i dont see too many channels with updates this good! this is amazing proof that it works =)
Beautiful, check dam examples
Hi Brian. Great job on your property. Its looking awesome. Meadow is growing up so fast, she's a beautiful girl ❤ 🐕
I live off grid in northeast az and this rain has been awesome but I live on the side of a hill. Lots of water flow
You have given me some great ideas
We live in Cottonwood AZ, and I"m a little jealous how much more rain you're getting there! Glad the check dams and swales are working so well, I only have 1acre here but I'm trying to do more remedial work to hold the water in and not have it flood through to the road and city drains when we do have big rains.
Awesome work!
Wow you have a lot of work to do. Little by little your place is looking great 👍
It’s really cool to see the results of the dams, I expected it to take much longer. Super interesting!
I too am impressed with how quickly things have improved out here!
Great job!
Hey Brian, Steven here. We met I couple weeks ago in town, (Desert Honey).
Your property is beautiful. I’m doing the same on mine with the pine trees, clearing around them to give better growth opportunity.
Hey Steven! How's your week going? I love the rain storms we had last weekend, did you get hit with moisture at your place? Looks like more is on the way starting Saturday. I'll be ready!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures all’s well on my end!
You’re definitely getting more moisture than me, but I am getting rain. I definitely would like more.
I’m lovin the clouds, and the cooler temps that come along.
If that were my project, I would consider getting a Ford 9n tractor, something basic and reliable. Fill the creek bed with rock. Nice work! I love it.❤
Thank you, I'm very pleased with the results so far!
i would recommend keeping the oaks around they got deep taproots that help break down the soil,
You can put PVC pipes with mesh on the ends and small holes along it to bring the water out to the grass also.
Your plan is really paying off. You can also cut and drop logs across the paths of the water run off. That's what we did on trails with switch backs.
Yeah, I think I'm going to use some tree logs for the secondary check dams. They always seem to work pretty good at stopping water.
Are you planning gardens along with the fruit trees that the swales will water ?
Yep
on the check dams that you intend to build up very high, perhaps you could put in a lot of woody materials in front. so the woody material will get covered over by the eroded soils that deposit on them.
I know it's A LOT of work but such awesome results!
im loving the update videos keep up the great work but would you be able to time laps you building check dams and half moon structures
Sure, I'll include some of that footage in future videos. Have a great day!
Have you access to a machine buddy? Get them 5 feet high, and stretch them 200 yards across,,,, then float the overflow passivly across a field somewhere.
can you explain why you want the pines to grow? is it because they will grow taller and provide shade?
Yeah, I really like the pine trees and want to start harvesting pinon nuts from them. I've decided to remove the invasive juniper species while still keeping the old grown juniper which isn't an invasive species. It's really interesting in the areas where I've cut down the thirsty junipers, all the native tallgrass species are coming back and pine trees are really starting to take off. It's so cool to actually see the results unfolding before my eyes, gives me motivation to get more accomplished. I love seeing the land transform back into it's original state and look forward to seeing what my place looks like a decade from now.
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures i agree its really cool to see the results in " real time"!
Beautiful morning! Did you buy the property with the Trailer already on it? May I know what county you are in? Meadow is Stoked! That's cool you used to surf. I had a feeling you were a surfer...
Good Morning, I have 14 acres in Yavapai County. Love it up here! I found this vintage camper in Eagle, CO for sale and love living in it here at my place.
I miss surfing!
Instead of concave miniature dams do convex mini dams with outstretched wings. Where you want a pond do a very long swale to catch everything that gets past the smaller dams. You’ll retain more water and get increased soil saturation.
Looks great
it'd be great to see what the big dam look like during full flow.
bigger rocks will really help- Bigger rocks also prior to hitting the mixed material...have fun as ur enjoying the process...
your property is really starting to look very green funny how i always think of Arizona as desert have a good week hope you get your pc sorted ive had same problem i still dont think ive 100% fixed it
Hey Dean! Yeah, I used to think AZ was nothing but desert too. Sure am glad to find this slice of heaven away from the distractions of a big city. I sure do love living in rural America! It's so peaceful out here.
how quickly did the water in the half moon take to soak in? given how full it looked form the live stream its amazing it gone already. i think you need to build some contoured swales to catch the water overspill from your check dams, you'd soak in a lot more if you catch the water like your half moon rather than just slow it.
Here in cali that's a fine for diverting the water way lol
Yeah, California has some crazy laws in regard to water. Colorado has similar restraints.
love the doggie too....
Thanks
Thank you!
Great video
thank you!
awesome Results !
Some of your check dams which receive more water will become sand dams holding and slowly releasing water. Which is perfect for your situation caring for the pine trees. Good job.
Thanks! I'm really pleased with the results so far!
Muddy paws are happy paws.
I agree! Love seeing Meadow enjoying life out here :)
So jealous of your precipitation. I'm further west and it's much drier here. You say you are going to graduate to swales? That will be fantastic.
Are you down near Kingman? I was talking to a buddy of mine who lives there and he said the storms have been circling the area but nothing is really hitting locally. I hope that changes for you all, this weekend looks like another round of moisture. I need to get some more rock check dams built in the next two days...time to get crackin'!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures Yucca. We had a tornado come through and destroy buildings, but very little rain. My wash has been bone dry for months.
Have you considered using gabions in metal wire cages for your larger check dams?
Great idea
Yeah, I've thought about it but I don't like the look of metal cages in the lower meadow. I'd rather it look more natural, yet I realize it's more effective to use metal cages. I just have a bit more maintenance to do since I'm stacking these the old school method.
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures The main advantage to using gabions would be if you wanted to build a sand dam water reservoir, which would be more useful if you had a seasonal streambed to take advantage of. Not sure if you have something like that on the property.
Nice set up,why you just want a pine forest??? isn't better to have a more diverse forest that support wild animal and biodiversity?? Just a question like that.Cheers
thats just insane to see
So maybe I missed it. When everything fills in will you leave the rocks in and let the grass grow over and have a sloping meadow effect?
Yes, that's essentially what I'm going for. The grass will really help to slow down the water while it percolates into the ground. Love the fact these projects show results so quickly! Thanks for tuning in...
The half moons should be pointed the opposite direction. It will spread the water out and protects the dams.
then you could put some vegie plants around the mini ponds and not have to worry about them, a self watering chain of mini gardening and farm ponds,,,, pc
Im curious to learn why youve chosen not to include putting in swales to quickly assist your efforts? Well done on your efforts thus far, is really making a positive difference to the land
Thank you, I'm really pleased with the work I've done so far! I have future plans for swales but being a one man show and doing this all by hand (I think it looks better that way), things can progress a bit slow. I hope to get there by this Fall. Enjoy your Thursday!
Your plan is paying off!!!
I'm pretty stoked at the results so far!
Curious, do you keep adding to the base of all the dam's as you pile up the top?
Yes
It looks like its time to get 3-4 goats around the camp to clear brush and add nutrients to the area.
They sure do clear everything in sight!
Why not use paper in your damns between the rocks to hold back the water . It will degrade but meanwhile itll hild back water and silt ?
Good question! I prefer to just use the natural materials laying around. Since i have a ton of gravel and other natural resources, it's not a problem finding material to build these check dams. Sure am happy with the results so far!
Good morning Brian and meadow ☕🍩 meadow kiss 💋
Good Morning!
😍
Not an expert on AZ natives, but $45 for your grass mix is nuts. Blue grama should be ~$30, and texoka buffalograss ~$25. Bamert is my favorite -- order over phone for lower price, and they charge no sales $.
*I"m central texas hill country... ~1400 ft. Similar terrain to yours.
To reinforce your dams, look up bookstacking (Zeedyk I think had the original concept) as US forestry service in NM and AZ.
*Their native treats forbs at sub-$30 is also an incredible value.
I’m fine paying $45 for this blend of 12 different native grasses.
Plant natives, think about fire load with pine. Here in Canterbury New Zealand natives are the best. I guess you know your area and will plant what you need. Food forest ?
Yeah, I'm going to start planting fruit tress this fall when they are dormant. Starting with cherry trees and then adding more variety as I make more swales and half moons. Have a great day in New Zealand!
Zucchini bread is delicious.
Grassroots environmental land management…. From little things ❤
It might turn into a spring one day at this rate.
I sure hope that is the case!
You should make some bio char and spread it around
Greetings from England, Just found your channel today, great stuff. Have a coffee on me. Thanks.
Good morning, hope all is well over in England! Things are good here in the mountains of Northern Arizona, I sure do love living here. Thanks for the coffee and enjoy the rest of your day! ~ Brian
I would place shield dams around the trees to prevent too much water being deposited around or against the trunks of the junipers. They thrive on deeper water rather than superficial water and excess water in and around their trunks can lead to rot. Best scenario is a 'well' surrounding the trees at their drip line which is well outside of the root crown which is the most susceptible to rot! BTW, I'm a landscape architect ~ Aloha ~ ~ ~
Does he want the Junipers?
@@carylhalfwassen8555 Junipers are about the only kind of tree that thrives in that environment, so although a few might be strategically removed (road or driveway installation comes to mind) they're really the biggest and the best that grow out there!!!
In which state are you located?
What kind of camper is coming? M1?
Yes, I'm getting the M1 for my Tacoma. Looking forward to it!
I wonder if olive trees would thrive in your area?
I'm not sure, I'll ask around to see if any neighbors have had success.
AMAZING! You're chasing water... path of least resistance. Unlike chasing women.....rofl. GOOD JOB, BRIAN! Looks wonderful!
I love how quickly the environment responds out here to these improvements!! LOL - yeah I found chasing women can be a bit frustrating...especially these days! I'm old fashioned and don't care for this new trend of "boss b*tch" mentality while constantly putting down men. Those girls can sit their asses at home, I'm certainly not going to waste my time on that!
question if you knew that land would do that would you of still of bought it?
I don't understand what you are asking about...could you be more specific?
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures when it rains did you know before you bought the lane that your land would have the water problems when it rains. ?
More will improve it ✌️👍
you need a cam at each damn to live monitor and record to review later
Yeah, I'd like to get some footage of water raging through the area. There's more rain forecasted this weekend so I'll be down in my lower meadow filming!
Do you see many rattlesnakes?
No, I'm lucky as it seems they don't really come around much. I've only seen one on my property in 4 years so it's not really an issue up here.
dig the vids, i would dig down 18 inches of the sediment and plop it on your rock damn, that way you could hold a lil bit of water, good luck
He has a shovel and a rake.
no gold
Brother, it's all gold out here! Love living this life...
Why wouldn't you dig a few of those out (pond) to allow MORE water to collect and trickle down into the ground. It would also give you a source to draw from to water trees and gardens, etc. Once your check dams are full of sediment, they won't hold anymore water and you will be right back to where you started in the first place.... water simply running over the surface, finding the path of least resistance downhill.
Give me a minute…I’m doing everything here by hand because I don’t want heavy equipment to disturb the land. Therefore, projects take much longer. Trust me when I say it’s in the works but probably won’t happen for another year.
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures Great! I'm looking forward to the end results. I'm interested in your area, because I would like to purchase land in a very similar environment where you are (exactly where, I am not sure) and doing the same thing you are. I applaud you!!!
@@OffGridBackcountryAdventures May I ask how many acres you have (you may have mentioned this in an earlier video). Are you on the north side of I-40 or south?
Right on, I really like the properties in NW Arizona along the western rim of the Colorado Plateau. The prices are still reasonable and people are respectful of your privacy. My suggestion is to look at land in an area that offers a community well. I only pay $94 per year for road maintenance and access to our community well which is a minimal cost in my opinion. I’d like to eventually drill a well but depths in this area of AZ are 1,200ft so the cost could be up to $60K when it’s all said and done.