I strongly suggest installing rain gutters on ALL roofed structures, downspouted to cisterns. The amount of rain collected from a roof can be astounding.
Yeah!! Cheering for the rain. The ground already being moist means every drop will happily stay on your land. Give yourself a big pat on the back your efforts are working!!! 🎉
Water not going into the ground is also a sign of compaction. Not necessarily clay. It's fantastic that it's raining there. Dry as a bone here in Montagu. Not one drop the whole of December, and November we only had one rain shower. Hoping for something in this, the promising New Year.
Oh I'm really sad for your loss. Horses are amazing. I mostly like them more than people. I like your idea of planting a tree on his body. That's a nice way to use his body and remember him. Good old blood and bone. Excellent fertiliser. Sandy soil is always hard to grow on. Of course it can be done, the same solution as the clay soil, lots and lots of organic matter. I'm really enjoying watching your progress.
I love that you said “this could be better.” I hear you say that often. That’s how I know you will be successful. You are always learning . People can learn something but not apply it. I don’t see that with you. That’s why we’re staying with you. We all want you to succeed and we want to have front row seats. Thank you for taking us on your journey.
It will be so exciting to see all those pits begin to go green and the overall effect of that. Big shout-out to your team and the day labourers for all their digging and planting.
@@thefoodforestnamibia yes, its good. Also you can give it to someone else if you dont have much time. For example your kids or wife could be part of your production team and check dejavu and other things in your vids. Anyways soon hitting 10k, so you will definetely have more money and less time, so bigger team will be needed.
Danou you and your wife are great role models for your children. Animals teach empathy . A tree would be fitting and a gesture to nature and life and death cycle. You and the crew have done a great job. I could glimpse parts of your neighbours land when you were filming and the difference was astounding. I will send some buy me a coffee to help pay for a great tree the children choose.
You're doing great. Don't compare one area to another but instead compare the same area from 1 week ago, 1 month ago, 1 year ago, 10 years ago.... you will see how permaculture improves the area over time. It's not about creating the same area everywhere but about making an area better and more productive over time.
It might help if you dig some of the sand out of Damian's forest and swap it with some of the clay soil from the river. The clay mixed in the sand will add fertility and the hole dug in the river and filled with sand will help more water sink in.
I think even those pits that were "dug wrong" will end up doing good. As Ari over on Polyculture Farm showed, just breaking up the crust of the soil can make a huge difference in things, allowing the water to penetrate more easily and seeds to geminate more abundantly.
I agree 100% they have been done like that in Namibia and other countries for manny manny years. They do work and they wil help allot. The others is a newer approach but the logic tells me they wil work better.
@@insAneTunA I just noticed that. Weird, too, because he could have left the content up even if he wasn't going to be active with it since the kid was born.
@@threeriversforge1997 Really weird. 3 years of work erased. Because you mentioned him I decided to go take a look if he was still active. But to my surprise he was completely gone. I could find some older traces on the web. Some short clips still exist on a different platform to which I am not subscribed. I just hope that he and his family are okay, and I wish him all the best.
Sorry to hear about the horse. One thing to keep in mind when burying a body is that it should be about 6feet under the surface to stop the smell coming out.
Looking forward to seeing more rain. Oddly we never look forward to rain here in the UK, especially at this time of the year. I guess it's just a matter of perspective.........
I think it's interesting that for most of humanity's history, most of us were farmers and we revered the rain. we prayed for it regularly. now that almost none of us are farmers, most people hate rain - though farmers know its essential to our survival.
I suggest the tyres be used to extend the tyre dam so it reaches over the banks and more placed on top of the existing dam, then they’re kept together in one place, they’ll back the water up to the road when it come down fast and let it through slowly
So far - it looks like sorghum is the clear winner. You've already got grain heads maturing, it is drought, heat and direct sun resistant, stalks for the animals - grain for the humans a second harvest and and lots of roots in the ground if all goes well! ✅
The amount of green gets my heart pounding, and you're still going hard on the water structures. So exciting to witness. It reminds me of Andrew Milsons reports about drought resolution in India. Perhaps, once your farm is lush succes and officials are eager to come look around, you can have plans ready for the entire region. Convince them it can be like this everywhere. You know where the swales need to be put in. Take them for a drive show them what you see. You can do it we believe in you anyway. 💚
I’m late I just woke up having a coffee, sorry about that horse mate but it’s a good lesson for the kids as hard as it is it’s a part of life and will have learn to deal with it
If it was my decision, I would continue to use the single row of lashed together tires downstream of the Y posts/wire net and the BDA/leaky weir upstream. I think the first leaky weir/BDA has proven that it works perfectly. Why mess with a proven solution? When the tires that are on the farm are used up, then no more tires. All you have to do to finish the first BDA/leaky Weir is plant native grass in the tires and along the downstream side of the tires and ram the spaces between the tires full of clay. To sum up - Don't over think this or get confused by the noise You have a proven system made with materials readily available on your farm. Don't mess with it - just build more all along the river and in all of the erosion gullies. Keep it simple! ✅
For Damien’s sandy soil spreads thick layer of compost/castings and dig/hoe it in as deep as possible, increasing organic matter and holding it together the more you can expend there the better, then plant the crap out of it with the seed mix for a green manure crop
awe no!!, Rest in peace Elijah 😢, I understand that drainage issues in soil from it being to sandy or something like that are fixed by worm castings, microbial's in the worms guts help the soil to clump up, obvious problem where your from though is the heat, so it'll have to be indoors, if you don't have the space, maybe a new shed would be good, there's a channel called "Plant Obsessed", the lady there, "Ann" goes through a 55 gallon Worm Bin, cut from top to bottom, put on its side & joined back up, using a wedge style system the castings get pushed to one end while she sorts through it with her hands to keep it all aerobic, & make sure the moisture levels are good, she then works her way to the other end where she checks out the worms progress on old food, & gives them fresh food, it's quite fascinating to watch i think, so if i may, i could post a video/channel link in a reply if you'd like?
You have two different ecosystems, one with clay soil and one with sandy soil, although they have the same micro-climate, they are different. The way to regenerate them may vary slightly as a result.
Good plan with the tires. If you don’t need them really bad then please don’t use them for permanent structures. They are not very natural 🙃 Also good job with your land. Greetings from Germany. One day I hope for a video where you take a big zoomed out drone picture of your land and mark and explain different structures inside the pictures. Almost like a map.
I have sprinkled lime (or wood ash) on dead animals to accelerate the decomposition of road kill. Reading online it suggests compost around the animal. My road kill recycling experience is of squirrels and nothing as large as a horse before.
Wakey wakey hands off snakey time to go to work 😂 morning Danou hope you had a good rest you definitely seemed disheartened with Elijah, today will be a better day
@@thefoodforestnamibia looking forward to video update. Sounds like perfect rain for seed germination Did any of the structures capture water? I suggest a video focusing just on the African smiles that you have dug and planted. I believe there are many new people in the community who don't realize the smiles were dug and how successful the smiles are. ✅
@@stevejohnstonbaugh9171 no water capture but soft rain on and off. Ground is nice and wet. I think a african smile video would actually be a very good thing
Great progress Danou, I love seeing your hard work bearing fruit. Have you considered teaching school kids and getting your local and national news media involved? I know you want to help others, you have a big soft heart.
New subscriber, loving the channel. I have seen a lot of clay on your land and wondered if there are permaculture or other purposes it could be put to? For example, does coating sticks in a mixture of clay and water help to prevent termite damage? Could clay be used on top of the Beaver Dam Analogs or mixed in, to help slow the water and flood more out of the river? I've seen people make seed balls with clay for planting to give moisture on the seeds and protect against birds. Complete novice, so genuinely curious
Welcome. We can use clay in a posting soil mix, use it to build, use it in the beaver dam and other dams to seal. There is a couple of things. It is a very useful thing to have on the land. We must just be wise and use it to the best of our abilities
Hey Really enjoying your vids. I would like to suggest that you include a map of your property when showing off your builds and permaculture projects. It would give your viewers a better understanding of the scale and location. And it would also give us better opportunity to suggest improvements of your projects. Maybe a drone shot would do the trick? I work in engineering and know what a 3D map of my projects can do for my company, but that might be overkill in your case. ;) Keep it up, and keep restoring the world bit by bit..
I'd like to hear your thoughts on worm farming, as the castings are pivotal for regeneration. There is additional base sheeting on site. Are there incremental improvements? Seems to be running on autopilot right now. How abut an update video focused on the current worm system Danou?
Hi I thought of a suggestion for you for your check dams. When you lay mulched grass it might stay in place better if you wove it into mats that could be tied to trees or fixed with stakes in the ground. This might sound condescending, but I'm sure your local native women would know how and would enjoy the work to further your aims.
ua-cam.com/video/mUKRPoQKynk/v-deo.htmlsi=lfsQmlgRxAHCK7-n Trying to send you link to an awesome permaculture project born from one man’s dream. Hope you enjoy this , it truly is the best example of… life throws you lemons make lemonade. Or in this case oranges.
Have you heard of 'seed bombs' with guerilla gardening? Basically mixing clay, compost, and seeds with just enough water to bind it together. You make 4-5 cm balls out of the mix and you can randomly throw them in bare spots. The clay will help hold a bit of moisture to help germinate the seeds and they have just enough organics to get some roots going for a while!
Thank you for viewing with me. Where are you viewing from?
Germany
Denmark.
Namibia :)
South Africa 🌍🇿🇦
San Diego California
I strongly suggest installing rain gutters on ALL roofed structures, downspouted to cisterns. The amount of rain collected from a roof can be astounding.
Same Here. And collect in IBC totes to use that Water later
Such a kind-hearted man
Yeah!! Cheering for the rain. The ground already being moist means every drop will happily stay on your land. Give yourself a big pat on the back your efforts are working!!! 🎉
Water not going into the ground is also a sign of compaction. Not necessarily clay.
It's fantastic that it's raining there. Dry as a bone here in Montagu. Not one drop the whole of December, and November we only had one rain shower. Hoping for something in this, the promising New Year.
I am so sorry for your loss. Give your kids a big hug from me.
I'm sorry for your loss...
The Sorghum brain block everytime is sooooo funny!
Every time without fail 😂
It's looking great. Let's hope for lots more gentle rain.
Oh I'm really sad for your loss. Horses are amazing. I mostly like them more than people. I like your idea of planting a tree on his body. That's a nice way to use his body and remember him. Good old blood and bone. Excellent fertiliser.
Sandy soil is always hard to grow on. Of course it can be done, the same solution as the clay soil, lots and lots of organic matter. I'm really enjoying watching your progress.
great looking progress... hoping for more rain =]
I know it takes time to video, edit and post on YT... We appreciate it a lot.
My pleasure. I look froward to comments everyday!
Yes. Thank you for all your efforts. You wear a lot of hats. 😊
indeed 😅
I love that you said “this could be better.” I hear you say that often. That’s how I know you will be successful. You are always learning . People can learn something but not apply it. I don’t see that with you. That’s why we’re staying with you. We all want you to succeed and we want to have front row seats. Thank you for taking us on your journey.
@@patti280 nicely phrased. 😊
☹️ sad to hear about the horse.
It will be so exciting to see all those pits begin to go green and the overall effect of that. Big shout-out to your team and the day labourers for all their digging and planting.
The more roots in the ground the better! The water will follow the roots down into the ground!
Great when the rain falls softly and that it soaks in.
Much better. 🌿💚🌿
That angel horse is going to turn into a beautiful tree.
I would be happy to be buried without a coffin, letting a tree grow from my grave. 😇
@@OublietteTight unmarked grave was my favorite but this is even better
Comment # 90😇
Just think of your gums being sore . Sorgum . Voila . You'll never forget now . Nice to see some rain and growth . Sorry about the horse .
5:30 Oats. Also i can confirm today its without any dejavu 🙂
Hahahaha I watched again before publishing just to make sure 😁🤣
@@thefoodforestnamibia yes, its good. Also you can give it to someone else if you dont have much time. For example your kids or wife could be part of your production team and check dejavu and other things in your vids. Anyways soon hitting 10k, so you will definetely have more money and less time, so bigger team will be needed.
@rm6857 I love your prediction!
@@thefoodforestnamibia 2months and you are there, but dont do any stupid clickbait and drama, we like it to keep it real as it is.
Danou you and your wife are great role models for your children. Animals teach empathy . A tree would be fitting and a gesture to nature and life and death cycle. You and the crew have done a great job. I could glimpse parts of your neighbours land when you were filming and the difference was astounding. I will send some buy me a coffee to help pay for a great tree the children choose.
So green compared to outside your property!
Wow your neighbours will be asking what’s your secret!
My coffees are bought🥳🙋🏻♂️
Greetings from Munich🎉🎊🙏🏼
i like particularly when you show the difference between your property and your neighbours
You're doing great. Don't compare one area to another but instead compare the same area from 1 week ago, 1 month ago, 1 year ago, 10 years ago.... you will see how permaculture improves the area over time. It's not about creating the same area everywhere but about making an area better and more productive over time.
Would love to see an update on the little trees in the greenhouse.
The deep holes probably also act to help lower the temperature around the seedlings, just the same reason why meerkats dig in the sand to cool down.
Yes I believe so. Shade on the soil bigger part of the day. It also makes it more difficult for bigger birds to scratch
I know from experience that mulching deals with clay soil in the long run... soon you will have more biomass to use as mulch.
Can we have an update on the corn patch where part was fully cleared and another part was heavily mulched? Any difference there?
It might help if you dig some of the sand out of Damian's forest and swap it with some of the clay soil from the river.
The clay mixed in the sand will add fertility and the hole dug in the river and filled with sand will help more water sink in.
I think elephant grass will be the perfect fodder for the animals. I can't wait for it to go to seed, so you can plant more of it. 🌿🌱
During the hot and sunny months maybe it would work to shade some areas that don't have trees with a tarp. You can always take it down.
Thank you for another vlog.
Absolutely love this and thank you for sharing the link with me. Look forward to watching more of your stories and journey 🌻
I think even those pits that were "dug wrong" will end up doing good. As Ari over on Polyculture Farm showed, just breaking up the crust of the soil can make a huge difference in things, allowing the water to penetrate more easily and seeds to geminate more abundantly.
I agree 100% they have been done like that in Namibia and other countries for manny manny years. They do work and they wil help allot. The others is a newer approach but the logic tells me they wil work better.
I can't find his channel anymore. It looks as if Ari gave up on his channel. Which is too bad, I loved watching his project.
@@insAneTunA I just noticed that. Weird, too, because he could have left the content up even if he wasn't going to be active with it since the kid was born.
@@threeriversforge1997 Really weird. 3 years of work erased. Because you mentioned him I decided to go take a look if he was still active. But to my surprise he was completely gone. I could find some older traces on the web. Some short clips still exist on a different platform to which I am not subscribed. I just hope that he and his family are okay, and I wish him all the best.
Sorry to hear about the horse. One thing to keep in mind when burying a body is that it should be about 6feet under the surface to stop the smell coming out.
11:41 Sorghum lol ever time you forget sudan grass maybe easier to remember
I have never been so invested in watching the grass grow.
Looking forward to seeing more rain. Oddly we never look forward to rain here in the UK, especially at this time of the year. I guess it's just a matter of perspective.........
I think it's interesting that for most of humanity's history, most of us were farmers and we revered the rain. we prayed for it regularly. now that almost none of us are farmers, most people hate rain - though farmers know its essential to our survival.
@@NirvanaFan5000try being in the UK in winter, I am sure that not even our ancestors were praying for rain, praying for it to stop maybe....... 😅😅
That warm, moist air welling up from the Ocean Conveyor Belt definitely keeps England rainy... specifically warn enough to rain... instead of snow. 😁
SOrry to hear about the horse, never good to lose a loved animal. Thopughts with you, the Mrs and the kids.
I suggest the tyres be used to extend the tyre dam so it reaches over the banks and more placed on top of the existing dam, then they’re kept together in one place, they’ll back the water up to the road when it come down fast and let it through slowly
So far - it looks like sorghum is the clear winner. You've already got grain heads maturing, it is drought, heat and direct sun resistant, stalks for the animals - grain for the humans a second harvest and and lots of roots in the ground if all goes well! ✅
The amount of green gets my heart pounding, and you're still going hard on the water structures. So exciting to witness. It reminds me of Andrew Milsons reports about drought resolution in India. Perhaps, once your farm is lush succes and officials are eager to come look around, you can have plans ready for the entire region. Convince them it can be like this everywhere. You know where the swales need to be put in. Take them for a drive show them what you see. You can do it we believe in you anyway. 💚
Thank you so much! I believe this is going to be great!
I’m late I just woke up having a coffee, sorry about that horse mate but it’s a good lesson for the kids as hard as it is it’s a part of life and will have learn to deal with it
I’ve heard lots of wood chips help reduce the smell of meat decomposition
If it was my decision, I would continue to use the single row of lashed together tires downstream of the Y posts/wire net and the BDA/leaky weir upstream.
I think the first leaky weir/BDA has proven that it works perfectly. Why mess with a proven solution? When the tires that are on the farm are used up, then no more tires.
All you have to do to finish the first BDA/leaky Weir is plant native grass in the tires and along the downstream side of the tires and ram the spaces between the tires full of clay.
To sum up - Don't over think this or get confused by the noise You have a proven system made with materials readily available on your farm. Don't mess with it - just build more all along the river and in all of the erosion gullies.
Keep it simple! ✅
@@stevejohnstonbaugh9171 😊
@@OublietteTight Thank you!
In my country as soon as horse gets any kind of "stronger" medication it's marked in the papers and can't be used for human consumption anymore.
It seems like you do a video almost every day. Thanks you, I enjoy watching.
Yes we try. We had a slow patch a week ago but going full steam again now.
For Damien’s sandy soil spreads thick layer of compost/castings and dig/hoe it in as deep as possible, increasing organic matter and holding it together the more you can expend there the better, then plant the crap out of it with the seed mix for a green manure crop
Just cover the soil as much as possible in Damien's forest, and things will grow better. Not super thick mulch, but as much area coverage as possible.
awe no!!, Rest in peace Elijah 😢, I understand that drainage issues in soil from it being to sandy or something like that are fixed by worm castings, microbial's in the worms guts help the soil to clump up, obvious problem where your from though is the heat, so it'll have to be indoors, if you don't have the space, maybe a new shed would be good, there's a channel called "Plant Obsessed", the lady there, "Ann" goes through a 55 gallon Worm Bin, cut from top to bottom, put on its side & joined back up, using a wedge style system the castings get pushed to one end while she sorts through it with her hands to keep it all aerobic, & make sure the moisture levels are good, she then works her way to the other end where she checks out the worms progress on old food, & gives them fresh food, it's quite fascinating to watch i think, so if i may, i could post a video/channel link in a reply if you'd like?
You have two different ecosystems, one with clay soil and one with sandy soil, although they have the same micro-climate, they are different. The way to regenerate them may vary slightly as a result.
👍
👍👍👍
In 6 weeks you will have lush green property.
5:35 oats
Good plan with the tires. If you don’t need them really bad then please don’t use them for permanent structures. They are not very natural 🙃
Also good job with your land. Greetings from Germany.
One day I hope for a video where you take a big zoomed out drone picture of your land and mark and explain different structures inside the pictures. Almost like a map.
There is a link to a goggle earth map that a clever follower has done in the into. Apology forget which follower
I have sprinkled lime (or wood ash) on dead animals to accelerate the decomposition of road kill. Reading online it suggests compost around the animal. My road kill recycling experience is of squirrels and nothing as large as a horse before.
Water Not going into the ground is also Compaction
Wakey wakey hands off snakey time to go to work 😂 morning Danou hope you had a good rest you definitely seemed disheartened with Elijah, today will be a better day
I have been up for a while now. Sun coming up. Had soft rain the whole night
@@thefoodforestnamibiathat’s fantastic
@@thefoodforestnamibia looking forward to video update. Sounds like perfect rain for seed germination Did any of the structures capture water? I suggest a video focusing just on the African smiles that you have dug and planted. I believe there are many new people in the community who don't realize the smiles were dug and how successful the smiles are. ✅
@@stevejohnstonbaugh9171 no water capture but soft rain on and off. Ground is nice and wet. I think a african smile video would actually be a very good thing
@@thefoodforestnamibia Great! Your community is growing so quickly, some might have missed that chapter.
Great progress Danou, I love seeing your hard work bearing fruit.
Have you considered teaching school kids and getting your local and national news media involved? I know you want to help others, you have a big soft heart.
@@Argrouk 😁 he had a class out to visit several months ago. I have been waiting to see their reaction to the big changes.
Amazing progress! You'll need a machete just to cross from one side or your land to the other soon.
Best to build an outhouse toilet near the septic system so it can be plumbed into it, you should remember we don’t shit where we eat.
New subscriber, loving the channel.
I have seen a lot of clay on your land and wondered if there are permaculture or other purposes it could be put to?
For example, does coating sticks in a mixture of clay and water help to prevent termite damage?
Could clay be used on top of the Beaver Dam Analogs or mixed in, to help slow the water and flood more out of the river?
I've seen people make seed balls with clay for planting to give moisture on the seeds and protect against birds.
Complete novice, so genuinely curious
Termites use clay to cover wood so they can eat it, he has so many previous videos go have a look in his channel playlist with all his videos
Welcome. We can use clay in a posting soil mix, use it to build, use it in the beaver dam and other dams to seal. There is a couple of things. It is a very useful thing to have on the land. We must just be wise and use it to the best of our abilities
Hey
Really enjoying your vids.
I would like to suggest that you include a map of your property when showing off your builds and permaculture projects. It would give your viewers a better understanding of the scale and location. And it would also give us better opportunity to suggest improvements of your projects.
Maybe a drone shot would do the trick?
I work in engineering and know what a 3D map of my projects can do for my company, but that might be overkill in your case. ;)
Keep it up, and keep restoring the world bit by bit..
We have a basic map in the description below t mayby I shot do shots of that in the video.
@@thefoodforestnamibiayou can add pictures to EARTH
Sorry to hear about your horse. Have any of your laborers started digging pits at the homes?
Not as far as I know. They struggle with theft where they live and that keeps them from planting even fruit trees
Animals do not judge.
And they listen good.
😊 ❤
Where is the wood chipper? How much $ for a sack of charcoal? I recommend you change how you do the worm farm
The company that gave it to me looked at the comments and decided to take it back and re engineer it before we make another video.
I'd like to hear your thoughts on worm farming, as the castings are pivotal for regeneration. There is additional base sheeting on site. Are there incremental improvements? Seems to be running on autopilot right now.
How abut an update video focused on the current worm system Danou?
Have you heard of fog-harvesting ?
Are you done with pigs?
An update on the pigs, ducks, chickens and worm's would be very nice. ✅
Hi I thought of a suggestion for you for your check dams. When you lay mulched grass it might stay in place better if you wove it into mats that could be tied to trees or fixed with stakes in the ground. This might sound condescending, but I'm sure your local native women would know how and would enjoy the work to further your aims.
if people would like to comment but don't have anything to add to what has already been said just leave an emoji for the algorithm 👍
I second this.
ua-cam.com/video/mUKRPoQKynk/v-deo.htmlsi=lfsQmlgRxAHCK7-n
Trying to send you link to an awesome permaculture project born from one man’s dream. Hope you enjoy this , it truly is the best example of… life throws you lemons make lemonade. Or in this case oranges.
wow
Have you heard of 'seed bombs' with guerilla gardening? Basically mixing clay, compost, and seeds with just enough water to bind it together. You make 4-5 cm balls out of the mix and you can randomly throw them in bare spots. The clay will help hold a bit of moisture to help germinate the seeds and they have just enough organics to get some roots going for a while!
Might be something the kids would enjoy doing.
You should make little shields with the names of the plants
I was thinking the same thing. Like a park.
Just keep the tires in the river for now. You might see the need for them after a really good rain.
Are you aware of Sorghum Poisoning of animals with new and stressed sorghum plants?
I am not bit wil Google now to learn more.. Thanks for letting me know
Mini Electric elcavators ua-cam.com/video/cW0w2LSraic/v-deo.html
Great view to like ratio. We need to up the game a bit in the comment section tho :)
👍👍