The first bit of land clearing on the new 101-acre property will be dedicated to working. The two acres will have three zones. On one end will be the shop. In the middle will be the outdoor working area where the tractor will have plenty of room to roam, and the sawmill will be located. On the other end will be the end of the processing process, so a burn area and a woodchip area. Of course, as time passes, the space will likely evolve into something different, but this is the initial concept for the space. In this video, I'm walking you through the rough land to document the space before any work is done and mark the perimeter of the space in preparation for an excavator to do the heavy work.

If you carry a compass, you can really insure straight/parallel lines.

Remember to make the shop bigger than you think you’ll need because if you don’t you’ll regret it. Been following you for a long time, keep it up and I’m so happy for you that you’ve come this far.

Fully recommend learning a bowline knot, in case you ever find yourself needing a second carabiner. Would love to own large area of woodland myself, so engrossed in your journey of a new property!

We did this starting in 2006 when we bought property. We built in 2014 when I retired. I share your excitement in this. The whole process from land purchase to build was a great exciting time for us. I enjoy seeing your excitement and look forward to seeing the progress. Bless you and your family in this new adventure.

Just love the giddy enthusiasm... like a 6-year-old on Christmas Eve.

You really should rethink getting a sawmill much sooner rather than later! You can clear a bunch of land, stockpile logs, saw dementional lumber, stack for drying, and then you have a free source of lumber ready for constructing buildings.

with that many logs pre-treat the ground for termites to the logs don't go to waste. I would put a row of logs down first before you put your good logs down so you keep your good logs up off the ground. it sounds like it might be a while before you get to use them. I think you got a great vision and love the videos thank God you're young see yaaa

I'd like to encourage you to compost those chips as it will be productive. Plenty of gardeners would take your wood chips as mulch or the compost if you don't sell them.

Love the excitement! If it’s 3 needles in a bundle together then it’s a loblolly pine

You have a pretty good idea where you want your shop you can just use google earth to set your coordinates and then use your phone to go to each corner and waypoints in between. I have done it how you are and it's disorienting without a second person and a compass. As for the trees. Since we have property that my great grandfather cleared by hand and farmed many decades ago... I'm familiar with how it goes and then the change to logging property where they clear cut and replant. The trees regrow surprisingly fast. What are you planning for utilities? For power I personally would go with solar and batteries as that is generally cheaper to put in than the cost of running power as far as you need to and the cost of a transformer. And yes I am living vicariously through you and I know how much fun you are having. It's one big toybox.

You don’t have to sell me on the sawmill. Haven’t seen you this excited in years! Good for you!

So proud of you, Jay. There's nothing like owning lots of land to expand your adventures! Can't wait to see all the excitement still ahead!

150 trees, 450 logs, might want to think about that sawmill a little sooner, gonna take a while to mill it. That and go with carbide blades. Lol

Have done own land clearing, less than you I think on your current land clearing for only your shop. But I really couldn’t hire anyone really as the terrain was a much rougher. No big machine bigger than chainsaw. But also not full clearing. We just wanted a solid river view and could save much either as any and all firewood would be too difficult to get out. At least on our budget. But we did give the fish plenty of safe spaces. So happy for you

Man, alive...I am SO excited for you, Jay! And, as the months roll ahead and you get waist deep into other projects, I hope you will come back to this video, if for nothing else than an opportunity to lift your spirits. Especially, I recommend the ending of your video when you are doing the calculating on how many logs you will potentially glean from the 2 acres. Man, the expression on your face is paramount! It's like you are really struggling to contain your massive excitement...and we don't blame you. Looking forward to the next videos. And, thank you for that "teaser" at the absolute end of this one! You've snagged me! ~ Dr. Larry S. Anderson • Tupelo, MS

I'm enjoying your joy lol! I was fortunate enough to have experienced some similar things in my own life, when I built my first studio for one, when I remodeled two old houses that I lived in and now live in one in my "retirement" and when I built my shops and my second studio which I now have about a hundred feet from my house in the mts of NC that I use to make my music vids in now for my channel. So at 79 I get to feel that again thru your excitement because I remember so well what it's like. Thanks for sharing. I'm really enjoying the ride, and I don't have to get the bug bites and poison ivy lol! What a piece of property you have!

At our first house that we had built in 2005 it was 5-1/2 almost solid woods. We had to do what you're doing and remove a bunch of younger growth trees. I marked out about 3/4 acre with yellow caution tape and everything inside was removed including the stump. A bunch of guys that were friends of the foreman came in with their chainsaws and cut it down and turned it into firewood (this was before I got into milling and woodworking myself). Seeing this video brings back memories! Have fun!

Thanks for this series. Enjoy it all.

Two acres of shop❤❤❤

Ice cold shower with dawn dish soap has done wonders on not getting/reducing posion ivy rashses in all my years working at an outdoor camp

Cool, cool, cool!! Really enjoying watching your progress!

Great to see how happy and excited you are, with each milestone you’ve reached since your garage workshop it’s been great to see how each move has brought you more fulfillment in your life! Looking forward to following this property evolution. All the best from Western 🇨🇦

I had my skeletool in all black for about 1 year and a half before the pliers broke in half. I miss that knife. I need to buy another one!

If you do that again here’s ideas to make that easier. Wrap one of the tag ends around the tree and then take both tag ends and walk away from the tree to whereever. It’ll only go half the distance but you don’t need to walk back to the tree to unclip it, you just let go of one tag end and pulling in the other tag end. Your phone has a compass app. Just shoot an azimuth to your next point so you don’t have to mess with the cordage.

I use baking flower instead of the high visibility spray paint. It is more visible and way cheaper. It last long on the ground too. Once it dries up the pressure from the can actually blows the paint with the dust coating you $$$.

I’m excited for the first building and how it will enable the rest of the progress. I have worn Kevlar fabric arm sleeves for work in the summer and they’re such a big deal for safety and preventing cuts but holy cow the sun protection is just as important. That’s working with strut material for electrical.

That’s going to be awesome Jay. So happy and excited for you guys. Don’t mind the rambling at all, in fact it’s all good stuff to hear and we know how excited you are about it all.

I’m so excited for you and your family! And I’m thankful you are willing to take us along on your biggest adventure yet. (You are keeping the “small stuff,” it will just be used in a different form.) Your Leatherman needs a compass - could come in handy, plus a fun skill to teach your daughter.

Getting caught up on your adventure today. I love watching this.

I carry a razor knife, and a multi screwdriver that has large Phillips and straight, and a nut driver when that bit is out, then if you flip the shaft over, it has another insert that leaves a different size nut driver, and it has a 1/4” bit with a small Phillips and straight, and if you reverse it, another bit with both common size square drives. So all together 3 nut driver sizes and 6 commonly needed bits, never tried the Leatherman thing, but maybe I will now and see how that goes! Enjoying your videos and envy you, in a good way that is. I’m about to sell my homestead to my son and buy a motorhome and build a building it will fit in and eventually a living space on the end, not near as much lawn as you but hoping to get enough for a small landing strip, time will tell if that can work out. I was expecting a SketchUp overlay on a satellite drawing or something from you, you’re still the best SketchUp teacher ever.

A lot of that old growth pine that you're going to be taking down, can be milled into REAL 2"X4" and 2"X6" boards for framing your new house. This could easily give your new how, and old school look and feel. I'm really enjoying the new direction your channel is taking with your new property, and looking very much forward to watching everything that develops. If I may make a suggestion, look into getting a diesel powered Woodmiser bandsaw mill. You can find them used, at Woodmiser dealerships with a more affordable price tag, possibly low enough to allow you to get a larger sawmill.

You need to dig a drainage ditch on the highest side of your road. This will save you in the long run from your road washing out. If you don’t, the dirt will wash down over the road and create a brim on your the lower side creating a stream down your road. Do this even on the dry parts of your drive. Put caldrons under road where you need the water to drain on the other side.

Living the dream.

Not sure what your overall plan and schedule are for the entire homestead, but here's a few thoughts on things to consider: 1. Look into lead times on sawmills.....you may not want it until the land is cleared, but if you wait until then to "get one", you will likely wait a LOT longer before you actually receive it. 2. Don't start on the shop until you're confident you have a design/solution that will last beyond your lifetime. In the setting you're in, I STRONGLY urge you to consider materials, construction methods, and a TON of your own oversight (if you use subcontractors). The LAST thing you want in your setting is any exposed wood or other materials that are subject to moisture, rot, sun degradation, Insect damage/infestation, etc.... because it is GOING TO HAPPEN. Concrete, blocks, brick, stone, cementitious products, metal, vinyl, composites, etc.... should be HIGH in consideration. If you haven't seen what carpenter bees can do to exposed wood (even treated), you owe it to yourself to research it. It is nightmarish. 3. During construction focus heavily on blocking, deterring, preventing any of the hundreds of possible paths of entry for insects (and worse) into the building. Tight joints, sealants, spray foam, screening, etc... can only affectively be used DURING construction. Trying to bandaid it on AFTER construction will never be truly adequate, and the frustration will kill you....or at least make you WISH you were dead. 4. Implement all of the products, methods, materials, etc... on the shop build so you can revise, update, and improve for when you do the house. Any corner you knowingly cut, just imagine stink bugs, wasps, carpenter bees, ants, spiders, snakes, millipedes, etc.... joining you inside the house .......every day! 5. For both buildings, consider planning for future rainwater catch systems. Don't have to engineer it now, or know where it would even go, but NOW is the time to consider any power you will need for it, and how you will get it to the system. So, plans for a couple of conduits that exit buildings, so they can be connected to later (without cutting into building, floor, foundation, etc... will return huge dividends in the future. 6. Back-up power. Self-explanatory.

Hi Jay, I’m so very happy for you and your family. May I suggest that you make a loop in the long line then put a stick in that loop then pull it tight. Have fun

This is so cool Jay! I'm very excited for you and your family! The smile on your face tells me you are having a blast out there in the woods. 👍❤

The yield for the trees, if the average diameter of the trunk is 24" when measured 4.5 feet above the ground will be 440 board feet of lumber. So for the 150 trees, that would be 66,000 board feet of lumber. If the trees are a bit smaller, around 20" in diameter, then you will get 295 board feet of lumber per tree, or 44,250 board feet of lumber. So, I would say, either way YOU NEED A SAW MILL. To figure out cord wood yield, for a 24" diameter tree trunk that is 40 feet long, you will get a single full cord of firewood. Add in some of the major branch limbs and you might be able to add another 1/3 to 1/2 cord of firewood (this is not for the pine trees, but the hardwood trees you have).

Good for you man and really enjoy your enthusiasm. Looking forward to future videos. God Bless.

Jay, have done Geocaching with my son years ago I wouldn’t hesitate to check my corners with GPS as well as string line. I was amazed even back then how accurate it can be. (I realize accuracy isn’t that important in this case, but a quick estimate/location may be useful in your future endeavors on the property.)

Good on you. Maybe it's time to eBay a Transit?

It looks like you're having fun doing it your way but may I suggest getting a garmin gps system, would allow you to really map out your property and keep straight lines when you want to

Going to love watching this process. Good luck.

Are you going to ask Matt Cremona come and build you a sawmill?

@15:44 Bowline on a bight. I thought you in were the scouts. smiley wink.

I'm sure someone already mentioned it. You have a ton of sticks there. Split your loop with the line and put a stick in there. Larks head knot.

brave colour choice top, i have always found bright yellow attracts all the bugs.

Seems like you might need to add log storage to your 2 acre map :D

I love the new direction… Norm Abrahams… goes Pilgrim… do you Jay!!!

So excisted for you and your family! Ramble all you want it is great to see dreams coming to reality!

i was always a swiss army knife as a kid . A couple of years ago leather produced the Free t2 and t4. Its like a swiss army knife but far more user friendly ... highly recommend

Cool

Im a huge fan of leatherman multi tools they come in very handy every day. If your doing more heavy work maybe try a Leatherman Surge or Wave.

Dig a trench for your wood chip spot and have them pour a footer when you do your shop, then build a cinder block wall for your wood chips to keep them contained and make them easier to scoop. Also dig piers by the saw mill to put a covering over it eventually. It’s cheaper to pour all at once.

When you mentioned having an area for burning you reminded me of wood gasifiers. If you haven't look into those I highly suggest you do. They are an amazing addition, especially if you have diesel vehicles.

So did i miss you telling us about the shirt? I need a long-sleeved shirt that keeps you cool

U gonna have fun…already R from the sound of it.

If you are getting a sawmill, you may want to consider another acre or two for log storage and drying area. It's amazing how fast you can run out of space.......kinda like a flat surface in a shop yo?

Consider removing the large trees near the shop that could fall and hit it in a bad storm. Had a lone one next to mine when I purchased my house and it was the first to go. Just can’t trust them after a heavy rain then heavy wind. Mitigated risk

All you need is a small stick and bam youre done lol

I mow 2 acres and it has my house 40x60 shop 20x20 chicken house and a 10x 16 shed and a driveway 2 acres will be plenty maybe want more with a sawmill lol

awesome ideas. so cool to see you excited. have you considered leasing part of the shop yard to some small business that would take your saw dust from the mill and shop to make brikets or other burnable bricks? asomeone could also come in like once a month to make charcoal? possibilities could be endless. not sure if you would need to burn anything at all without making something. 😅

That is a lot of timber, have you considered once you get the sawmill up and running selling processed lumber for supplemental income? love these vids keep it up!

These videos are super entertaining and I hope I get hours and hours of this amazing “free” content in the years to come! Just a quick thought: it would be amazing to display a kind of map as you keep moving and turning around in order to make it easier for us to follow your thoughts around. Think of it as a videogame map on the screen in a corner, just like in first person games. I think that this could be invaluable for your channel and it could become a “next big thing” in the “real life streaming entertainment future”

@jaybates you can get a pack of replacement bits for that Skeletool for like 11$ from leatherman. Well worth it. I love all my leathermans, but the Skeletool is my favorite overall. Not much bigger than a normal pocket knife and enough utility to do a lot.

Jay, as a former math educator and woodworker I’m hoping to help with, not nitpick, your estimates. If you have a 200’ deep area with rows approximately every 20’ you have 11 rows, not 10. Because you need to count row 0 near the road. Same applies to the width. But in that case you lose 2 rows from your 21, one at each end boundary , instead of 1 from your 11 for the back boundary. Hats off for even attempting the math during a live commentary, however!

I would have strategically left a few of the big trees in the square just for shade but I also come from an area of little trees so I see it differently

It's been over 4 decades since I did any logging. But for 10' boards the log should be cut no less than 10.5' but 11 is better. If all the trees are the size you showed. Hopefully you can get around 58k board feet of lumber.

When will you get started to clear this area?

I’m glad you know what you’re doing because I got SO confused as you were walking your property. 😂. Are you going to buy a sawmill or build your own? If you build your own, get ahold of Matt Cremona. I watched him help April Wilkerson build hers and he’s very knowledgeable about the process. Also, you said one side was hardwood. What species of hardwood is it?

Some thoughts / observations after watching the video (some of which I'm sure you've already considered, but hey, 2 (or 20,000) heads are better than one....): 1. The Pythagorean Theorem could be useful to you in laying out a perfect 90* angle for your 2 acres (Quickly put, 3 pieces of rope, 3, 4, and 5 feet long respectively [or multiples of], placed together in a taut triangle, you'll have a 90* angle between the 3' and 4' rope pieces. ) 2. For your area outside the shop, you might want some of it paved - easier to pick up bulk items. (See #3 and #4) 3. Think of other things you will need to do with, or TO your equipment in that area, like clean them off. 4. You might want to consider open 'bins' made with block walls to store bulk items, like mulch, sand, top soil, sawdust, whatever. This area should have a solid floor - concrete or asphalt. Also might want to make an open-sided 'pole barn' over the area to protect from rain/snow. 5. Outside power hookups and water lines obviously, on the side of the shop structure.

Keep big trees and sale them as lumber

I’ve never done what doing. Can’t you use a compass to walk roughly in a straight line? Just thought. Thanks for sharing this stuff interesting.

Get a compass

Almost thought you meant a workshop with a 2-acre footprint.

Are you planing to gravel the area/driveway? Concrete? Bitumen?

Will the tractor/mill have a covered area to protect the tractor and wood mill?

Honestly surprised you’re not using a drone to assist with marking out the perimeter

If the guy doing the machine clearing is okay with it would you show how he is processing the saplings?

You're going to want to build a lean-to structure on the side of your shop for things that are to be under cover but not fully climate controlled.

Any thoughts on electricity? Diesel Creek had some nice video series on this

Если бы мы знали что это такое, а мы не знаем что это такое. Но очень интересно.

A GPS device and a map would have been helpful.

Jay,just a question Im looking for small magnetic micro I've seen them on a site I thought It on one of your video?

I thought you would have had more back bone than that.

What state are you located in now?

Get 3 phase power for this entity You can always run single phase loads on that. buy once and cry only once.

Why don’t you build a barndominium/shouse.

1 acre is 208×208 feet, what a logical system 😂

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

USe the phone as a GPS locator, rather than dragging a cord?

I hate you because you are having way too much fun (just kidding)

I get this method worked, but I would maybe recommend using gps on your phone if you have work like this in the future?

Or just use the GPS on your phone?

GPS is your friend

Jay, do yourself a favor and hire a Hardscape/ arborist designer. I know you’re salivating over all those big trees, but please do some long-term planning before you start chopping things down. This should be a legacy, heritage, property for your kids, grandkids, extended family. For every big tree you drop equates to at least one generation of family to regrow something of that size. Be a thoughtful steward of all you survey.

Why burn your waste wood, why not use it for heating the house, shop and so on, use the rest for chipping and compost it?

Poison Ivy issues? How about put some gloves on??

Get some good leather gloves.

Nice place for a workshop , right between bugs , spiders and critters 🤮🤮🤮🤮👎👎👎👎