Why This Grass is a Game-Changer for My Desert Ranch

Thank you to Bombas for sponsoring this video! Head to bombas.com/dustups and use code dustups20 at checkout for 20% off your first purchase.

Suggestion for collecting mulch from the area around DUSTUPS: provide your neighbors with a flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) or several that they can fill up with manure, wood cuttings, etc. You save the self the time of loading up the trailer from loose piles and your neighbors get free disposal of organic waste. You might even leave a bag or several in Sierra Blanca that residents can use for landscape waste.

Tip for using bio char. Add some water to it in the bucket before applying, You won't be losing so much fine particles to the wind but more importantly you won't breath them into your lungs. The whole point of the stuff is to absorb moisture, no point in applying it dry in the wind imo.

Bees love a leaky hose. They’re constantly gathering water in this heat to cool the hive.

I think the best lessons are you are willing to “do something “ , if mistakes are made, start again. Courage and resiliency is key to success.

Aim for mycelium. Add all the organic matter you can. Fungi have a way of breaking down useless matter into useful matter. And desalinifying. Among other benefits.

100% agree with your parenting philosophy. Amazing what kids learn when they want to. One son learns trades, the other learns cooking. Both know how to garden, camp, and help their mom and me clean the house. Well done, sir.

Hearing your praise for Scratch has given me such a huge smile I’m delighted, learning can also be fun

I think a timer on the irrigation system to trigger at night might be a good idea as you won't lose as much water to evaporation

talk to Mossey earth they would help you with planning ,planting and sourcing things, they are into rewilding all over the world, one project is trying to bring back beavers into a desert creek and grow the aspen trees for them.

Elephant grass, if it works, will provide valuable shade too!!

The brilliant thing about your watering plan right now is that it is time bound. A year is a lot of time for nature when we’re helping it along the way you are. I think you’ll pleasantly surprised with how things progress, then get disheartened by how things seem to stall when the shock of water loss happens and then how things kickstart once everything adapts. I would add, one thing to the repertoire only because I noticed it when you showcased some of the plants growing on the outside of the terrace. Rock mulch was used by indigenous Americans for all the benefits of mulch minus breaking down over time. Some of the little sprouts you showed seemed to be taking of some accidental rock protection. If the goal is to use what you have, if nothing else you have plenty of rocks. Keep up the great work.

People always get analysis paralysis. Hardest part is getting started keep going and doing you. And shouts out to the boys for the animations they always make me smile 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I love how relaxed you are when your son is behind the camera, it feels like your talking and teaching him more then the camera ☺️

Im a landscaper of 45 years and irrigation plumber of 20+. Drip irrigation is great. The main negative is water moves vertically in the soil with very little lateral movement. So you must have the emitters very close to the plants and seeds. Netafim has emitters every 12" and you can add more using microtubeing to reach out and use spray emitters if more lateral movement is needed. Ive done systems using netafim in a 12"×12" buried grid system for lawns to great effect. Your doing good. And drip is the best way in dry conditions as it puts the water were ya need it. At the roots.

You have a hundred thousand plus people who are proud of you

Appreciate your curiosity and willingness to try something, even if it might fail. Also that you are willing to spend sweat and money on something positive instead negative complaints.

Hey brother before you get carried away with the horse manure. PLEASE give it a good rinse of water first before adding it to the growing area or other compost. It works great but can initially be a little high in different types of salts so flushing some of the salts out is a good idea. We will also use a free form calcium sometimes because it will bind up those salts and flocculate the soil. Just a thought.

Have to be careful planting invasive species. I’m learning about it here in Hawai’i, aka the “extinction capital of the world” and now I know the importance of planting native and endemic species. I’m happy that you have done your research and have a plan for keeping controlled. Nice work 🤙🏽

Shaun, I am soooo impressed with your parenting monologue about the importance of not forcing or pressuring your children to work or to do what you would like to see them do, but rather to let them be free to CHOOSE to be with you and whether or not to join you in the work. I agree very much! When a parent forces a child it is not helpful in building the child's character, but rather it is destructive to their development because it removes their sacred free will, which is so important to preserve and cultivate, so that they can best create the version of themselves which they most want to be! I think punishing a child when they do something which does not meet the approval of the parent is also violating and robbing the child of their sacred free will, and in the same way as forcing a child to work or to be with you is harmful to their development of real true character, punishment is also destructive to their natural development, sabotaging the crucially important development and exercise of their free will, and it is abusive.