Restoring our abandoned land with HUGE POND and SWALE

Restoring our abandoned land with HUGE POND and SWALE | OFF-GRID HOMESTEAD

Рет қаралды 31,793

Күн бұрын

We left our city lives behind and moved to the top of a mountain in Spain, to live off-grid. We’ve spent two years alone, renovating an old stone house and restoring the abandoned land.
Since living here, we have relied solely on a mountain spring for all of our water needs. This summer, the spring got dangerously close to stopping completely. With over 150 trees, animals, vegetables and our (Robbie’s) long baths, we need to prepare for the worst.
So with all our great permaculture wisdom (from living in the middle of a city our whole lives 🤦🏻‍♀️) we have decided to try and make a pond!
The goal of the pond is to create a large store of water, approximately 50,000l, to fall back on should the spring run dry, and build a little more resilience into our homestead. After months of dry weather, we are coming into winter, where an entire years worth of rain can fall in 24 hours! We are racing against time to finish the construction of the pond, so we can seize the opportunity to fill the pond right to the top!
This is part 1 of a 3 part series on making this pond.
Join us as we continue to build our off-grid homestead, and become self-sufficient from the land.
0:00 Intro
00:32 Will our spring run dry next year?
00:47 Picking up materials
01:03 Pumping water 100m to the top of the mountain
03:44 Searching our land for a pond location
04:04 Digger - Day 1
06:33 Birthday cake, giant mantis, naughty sheep
08:14 Digger - Day 2
08:59 Emilia discusses “pond construction strategy”
11:01 90km/h winds cause damage
14:23 This project is scaring us
16:16 Wild boar destroy pond?
With your support we can keep these videos coming every week, even small donations make a big difference to our video production:
- Patreon: / ladyandtheowlman
- PayPal: paypal.me/ladyandtheowlman
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Business enquiries:
ladyandtheowlman@gmail.com
#offthegrid #abandoned #offgrid #offgridliving #homestead #homesteading #renovation #restoration #stonehouse #tinyhouse #wilderness #diy #alone #Spain #permaculture #organic #organicfarming #farming #pond #swale

Пікірлер: 78

@HeyMichaelLeo 5 ай бұрын

Pretty amazing to have found a woman, who looks like that, who will put up with such conditions.

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Fortunately, he does all the work, and I get to sleep through all the storms! 😅🌪️

@HeyMichaelLeo 5 ай бұрын

@@ladyandtheowlman smart man 😁

@xavy-loco Ай бұрын

😮 😂😂😂 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@georgemartin7115 3 ай бұрын

You guys should already be a massive channel you guys are pure entertainment and the way you just put up with anything that comes your way is truly just inspiring thank you for the content keep it up

@ladyandtheowlman 3 ай бұрын

Hey George! Thanks for your lovely comment 🤩 We are so glad you find us entertaining - sometimes we worry we are incredibly boring 😅🤣

@andrewgriffiths3778 5 ай бұрын

This channel will be big before you know it. The content is great and at a really high standard. It's not where you end up but the journey that takes you there 🎉

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Hey Andrew. Thanks for the positivity! Nice to know we are going in the right direction.. we are kinda winging it 😅💖

@Paul-ry5cx 5 ай бұрын

its great to see the progress...keep it going, and i cant wait to see each episode...thanks for bringing us all along with you...its going to be a fantastic paradise in a few years.

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for your sweet comment and we are glad you’re here for the journey! 🌙💫

@asgeirandersen 7 күн бұрын

Well I say happy birthday You have found water…

@TheMadManPlace 5 ай бұрын

Hi guys The thing with water is that YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT. Water goes down hill and that is just the way it is... You may be able to pause it for a bit but eventually water will get to the bottom. Swales are good in that they pause the water and allow some if not all of the water to soak into the ground. Ponds and dams are also good as long as you realize that at some point the dam wall will overflow and if that happens in an uncontrolled way your dam wall is probably going to be washed away. So, you need to plan for the eventuality of that happening in a way that DOES NOT DESTROY THE INTEGRITY OF THE DAM STRUCTURE. I have seen many farm dams built with sections of BIG culvert pipe built into the dam wall BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE WALL. And here is the important thing: The outlet of the pipe needs to be far enough away from the dam wall that no amount of erosion caused by the water coming out of the pipe has ANY CHANCE of undermining or damaging the dam wall. Don't "fight" the water, you will loose. Work with the water and it's desire to flow downhill and guide it to where and how it will be safest for you and your farm. Good luck to you three.

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment and detailed information! Definitely a little worried after reading this 😅 Really hope our pond doesn't get washed away when the rains come 🤞🏻 A full years worth of rain can fall in 24 hours here, so i guess we are at particular risk of this happening! Good advice on the culvert exit being a long way away from dam wall foundation. At first we were going to put a culvert pipe in (also really expensive for a big one), but then we watched videos of culvert pipes getting blocked in a flood and then the whole dam collapses, so we decided to go for the spillway idea... but need some ideas on how we can make our spillway more resilient to erosion if you have any thoughts on this?

@stevedockery3534 5 ай бұрын

The two of you are very motivated and hard workers. You're doing a great job and it will pay off eventually. Continue the great work and teach your child along the way. Kudos my friends. Steve in FL

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Hi Steve, thank you for your positive words all the way from Florida! Glad you’re enjoying our videos! We’re definitely teaching Sage all we can, so he can start helping us out as soon as possible!

@Neilhuny 5 ай бұрын

A couple of very prophetic comments in this: "a pond ... will bring some more wildlife", "this is gonna be like the highest water source in the whole valley for animals" ... I think that flower at 4:24 was a saffron crocus and could be the source of a small fortune for you - if you plant a few hundred others - good saffron is more expensive than gold. Either way; it was beautiful. (Backbreaking work to harvest the anthers)

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment Neil! Haha, yes in hindsight these comments were quite prophetic! The word has certainly spread to the whole valley, more and more animals coming everyday! Yes - it’s a saffron crocus! They are so beautiful, there are quite a few on the mountains here.

@andrewharris1837 3 ай бұрын

It is incredible you have built anything with so many lovely distractions including the delightful Sage😊

@ladyandtheowlman 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for all your positive words Andrew! Yes it really is a wonder we get anything done!

@paulconnor2261 2 ай бұрын

Just found this Chanel ..binge watching ..you guys are amazing..hard working ..Robbie building skills attention to detail first class well done

@ladyandtheowlman 2 ай бұрын

THANK YOU! and welcome 🤗🧡

@tessakennedy7156 5 ай бұрын

"We know nothing about anything" ..... 😂😂😂

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Absolutely NOTHING! 😅🤣

@FransWallenberg-ji1zg 3 ай бұрын

So wonderful place to live. You to Robbie and Emilia working hard. Lovely family it is, I wish you guys al the best in the future ❤

@ladyandtheowlman 3 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Frans, appreciate the love! ❤️

@FransWallenberg-ji1zg 3 ай бұрын

@@ladyandtheowlman Thank you ❤️

@lovefishcafe 5 ай бұрын

Guys ..... like 10 times deeper !

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Don’t let Robbie hear that! Maybe getting deeper next episode..

@lovefishcafe 5 ай бұрын

Good !@@ladyandtheowlman

@daveffs1935 5 ай бұрын

Your ladyship would like a swan, make it so old chap

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

hear hear 🙌🏼

@jigogaoiran2281 5 ай бұрын

Happy birthday bro🎉

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot 🧡

@philvale5724 5 ай бұрын

Hi 👋, Lady and the Owl 🦉 man , sorry, I do not know why I somebody has just passed comment that I put Portugal in and obviously you are in Spain, I do apologise, I think it’s my age, still amazing scenery, as I have written a motor motorbike around Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, for many years, there’s definitely some beautiful amazing scenery in Spain, Spain, Spain rain mainly falls on the planes, 😂, sorry, I’m losing the plot, Phil from the moulin France . Spain ,

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Haha all good Phil! Appreciate your creative writing, and please do keep singing that rain song - it’s about time for some rain! ☔️

@andrewk2338 5 ай бұрын

It looks like the pond was built for Goats and Boars, I guess if you fence off the approach to the SPA procedures they will remove all the fences :)

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

HAHA. It’s the perfect spa. The goats and boar will ALWAYS win 🤦🏻‍♀️

@martinvanstraaten2059 3 ай бұрын

😂..Who said Crocs are crap 🤨 ..Had a pair when they first came out..Loved them for my garden and especially working in the pool and Koi pond..😉🤙

@ladyandtheowlman 3 ай бұрын

Potentially the ugliest of the shoes BUT they really work 🤣 I will be wearing crocs for the foreseeable future, that is for sure 🤩

@Wolle7477 Ай бұрын

you guys should definetively have some guard dogs ... big ones!

@ladyandtheowlman Ай бұрын

Thank you for the advice! Haha yes, the more time that goes on we realise we need some animals to help us! Definitely some cats to keep the rats away, and dogs to keep the sheep away! Maybe a donkey to help move rocks and carry things around the small terraces.

@Wolle7477 Ай бұрын

My wife would let me do the donkey job ;-)

@VeraMMartins 5 ай бұрын

The best videos I've seen in a while of off grid life ! Those mountains kind of remind me some of the landscape here in Portugal. Better summers there I bet 😋

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much for the kind words! Do you live in Portugal? I’m sure the summers are nice there too? It gets a little too hot here in summer for us! Starting to enjoy winter more than summer, sunny but cool so you can get work done, and clearer nights for star gazing! 💫

@VeraMMartins 5 ай бұрын

@ladyandtheowlman My partner and I live off grid in Central Portugal, close to Spain. It gets bloody hot here, like if it's 37°C that's OK cause it can go up to 40°C! We basically can't do any land stuff for 2 to 3 months. But besides that it's lovely weather here. We have been having more rain than usually but that's good for the land... Keep on doing the videos. They are amazing! I've been rewatching them whenever I'm having a grumpy day (pregnancy hormones 🙃)

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Congratulations! Is it your first baby? Such an exciting time 🤩

@VeraMMartins 5 ай бұрын

@ladyandtheowlman yes 😊 first baby, coming in spring, a boy too 💙 We have 4 more months to have get going with the bedroom area and bathroom. Limited budget means my partner does most of the work and things take a bit longer 🙃 can't complain, feels amazing to be inside a house with running water (still cold water) after 2 and half years in a caravan 😋 Can't wait for your next video !!!

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

It’s really nice to put your roots down and live in your own house! Never have we ever appreciated running water, and a warm bath from our own DIY plumbing! Do you have plans for putting a boiler in so you can get some hot water? Great to hear your having some rain, we haven’t had any proper rain in months! We watch some Portuguese off grid KZfaq videos and they always seem to have more rain than us! What is your average yearly rainfall there? 40 degrees really is intense. We’ve made a promise that we will try and buy an air conditioning unit before next summer, because otherwise there is no escape! We hope we can share some tips in our videos for new mums, it’s been a real challenge, but a fun one. And it IS possible to keep getting things done when you learn all the tricks! And so nice to be able to share a more natural way of life with your baby.

@thecosmicartis Ай бұрын

You guys need some dogs for the sheep 😂

@ladyandtheowlman Ай бұрын

Yep, think you're right, we just need to try and find the right dog, and dedicate some time to train it! We need an assertive but kind dog that doesn't hurt the sheep when it chases them away, more like a gentle push off our land!

@tobysydney1411 14 күн бұрын

Kate moss looks, drives a tractor…. Lucky man 🎉

@ladyandtheowlman 9 күн бұрын

Haha thanks Toby! Pretty good at driving the tractor too! Although it's about the most dangerous tractor in the world

@franzschiestl7015 3 ай бұрын

❤❤❤❤❤

@ridetofreedomf.e.3039 3 ай бұрын

👏👏👏

@philvale5724 5 ай бұрын

Hi 👋, Lady and The Owl 🦉, Man, 👨, yes sorry it is me again, you cut down some trees, apple I think you said, it might be worth trying to find a wood Turner, could possibly give you some pennies for those pieces of wood, which could help you, If I was a bit closer to you I would definitely been interested, as I like wood turning myself, good luck, Phil from the moulin.

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Wood turning is a cool idea, we have about 1,500 dead almonds on our land, some are really old, so would be nice to make some furniture from them!

@philvale5724 5 ай бұрын

⁠@@ladyandtheowlmanHi Lady and Owl , , Almond wood is very very hard, and is prone for splitting in side, it is normally used for charcoal, And for burning on the fire, it supposed to hold its heat for a long time, people do make occasional bits of furniture, and there are people who use the root ball for turning, if you google it, you’ll see what is mainly used for, and there are people on KZfaq that use it for Woodturning, it’s got a beautiful grain to it, good luck hope this some help to you, probably for the future, You’ll have to build yourself a workshop, And Woodturning is very satisfying, there is a lot of ladies that do it, And obviously men, and there are people that make a good living at it, Though you could make some rustic furniture out of it , good luck, Phil from the moulin

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Some very in depth knowledge on almond wood there Phil, thank you, very interesting. It definitely makes great firewood, we hope we can burn as many of the trees for firewood as we can - however many of them will have been completely eaten by termites and beatles before we get to do that! Cool idea to take the root for turning.

@franciscojaviersauracasano914 5 ай бұрын

Seria posible que subtitularais los videos en Castellano.Son muy entretenidos.GRÁCIAS.

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Hola Francisco! Puede presionar el botón "cc" en el video para mostrar los subtítulos. Y si desea cambiar el idioma, presione el botón "configuración" al lado de este y podrá seleccionar un idioma diferente. Escribimos manualmente todos nuestros subtítulos en inglés, ¡pero deberían traducirse bien al español! ¡Muchas gracias por ver nuestros videos! 💖

@climate-civilizations 3 ай бұрын

You can easily survive on these wild sheep that come to your property.

@ladyandtheowlman 2 ай бұрын

Well yes we are definitely thinking that too! We're just not sure we have it in us to catch one! We spend a lot of our monthly budget buying organic meat for us to eat, so it does seem like living off the animals around us makes more sense. We need a plan going forwards for sure.

@climate-civilizations 2 ай бұрын

@@ladyandtheowlman Buying organic meat when it comes to your door free of charge?! I would imagine that setting up some sort of trap would be quite easy. If that's not an option, then I would simply buy a compound crossbow. I'm almost 90% carnivore, and witnessing the effort you put into growing those vegetables makes me wonder. Plants are inferior to meat in terms of nutrition, and your crop can be easily devastated by a natural event.

@marclangefotografie1513 5 ай бұрын

First xD

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

🌈💖

@maxe.8336 5 ай бұрын

Really amazed with everything youve accomplished so far!! Such a beautiful plot of land. But., I gotta be honest, the excessive jump cuts (circa every 4 seconds) make your videos quite challenging to watch. Please chill out on the myriad edits and linger a bit longer- it's too good to rush through at mach speed. :)

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Hey there! Thanks so much for your supportive comment, and we really appreciate your honest feedback. Editing videos is very new to us, so it’s great to hear what you like/ don’t like! After watching a video 75 times, you get pretty bored and end up making a lot of cuts 😅

@philvale5724 5 ай бұрын

Hi 👋, The Lady 😂 Gaga, 😂 & The Owl 🦉, Man 🧍‍♂️. 😂, another great show, amazing 😻 lifestyle, But Owl 🦉 Man 👨 very very dangerous going outside in a Storm ⛈️, you could of been brown bread,🥖, Zebedee said, yes you saved your chicken 🐓, what would’ve happened to your lady?, And baby, please be safe, we all enjoy your lifestyle, I think your pond needs to be deeper , but you might come across bedrock, I highly recommend you put a liner into it, 🚢⛴️🛳️ silly boy, child, wrong type of liner, 😂, you wouldn’t get one of those up there in a hurry, A good quality liner I recommend, Might struggle with fish, 🐟, as you will find eagle will come down and take them, but would look very nice landscaped , with a pagoda, 😂, that will give you a project and a half to build, A nice seating area around it, I think in the shade in the summertime would be very, thank you once again for showing your amazing lifestyle in Portugal, building your amazing, Homestead, it’s a project for lifetime, so please be careful and stay safe, ❤ to all, Phil from the moulin France .

@timshimmin3468 5 ай бұрын

Spain

@philvale5724 5 ай бұрын

@@timshimmin3468yes you are right, Spain, do not know why I said, Portugal, it might be my age,

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Phil, for another great comment! We wanted to put a liner in it but it was going to cost €2,000 and we couldn’t afford it! Also the wild boar might make holes in it with their tusks! So we’re hoping that the clay soil will keep the water in🤞🏻 Yes you’re right! Something is definitely going to swoop down and eat the fish, hopefully an eagle owl (says Robbie) - of which we have some of in the valley! We love the pagoda idea, that would look beautiful! We’re thinking of planting some willow trees to help shade the pond in summer and slow the evaporation.

@lovefishcafe 5 ай бұрын

no ducks Sage ? you gotta problem with ducks ?

@ladyandtheowlman 5 ай бұрын

He only likes chickens.

@lovefishcafe 5 ай бұрын

Sounds a bit fowlist to me !@@ladyandtheowlman

@ejdercelik495 27 күн бұрын

Burası hangi ülke bizm ülkemize benziyor türkiyeye

@ladyandtheowlman 21 күн бұрын

Yorumun için teşekkür ederim! İspanya'da Alicante ile Valensiya arasındaki dağlarda yaşıyoruz! İspanya'nın güneyinde yaşıyoruz, bu yüzden oldukça kuru, yani evet belki daha çok Türkiye'ye benziyor! Sanırım burada her yıl 400-600 mm civarında yağmur yağıyor.

@ejdercelik495 21 күн бұрын

Yeni hayatınızda başarılar diliyorum şehrin karmaşası dan doğaya kaçarak büyük bir iş yaptınız zevkle takip ediyorum 🇹🇷

@ladyandtheowlman 9 күн бұрын

Çok teşekkür ederim, bu çok nazik bir davranış! Atlamayı yapıp şehri terk edebildiğimiz için minnettarız, o zamanlar korkutucuydu ama şimdi bunu yapacak cesarete sahip olduğumuz için minnettarız! Her gün doğada olmayı seviyoruz!