In this informal vlog, the host (Speaker A) confronts his fear of trying new things (neophobia) by testing a manure spreader for the first time. He walks through the setup, dealing with a blocked PTO shaft, aligning ball bearings, connecting hydraulic lines, and loading extra garden compost using a shovel method they call the "Earth Gem way" because the tractor cannot reach the pole barn. Throughout the process, family members Josiah, Jacob, and Henry provide commentary, jokes, and support, highlighting differing attitudes toward learning and nervousness, including a brief anecdote about a hyperbaric chamber. The video mixes practical troubleshooting (identifying mechanical hang‑ups, checking PTO function, adjusting spread width) with personal reflection on embracing awkwardness, incremental 1% daily improvement, and the value of perseverance. The host concludes that despite the challenges, the spreader works, the compost is applied, and the experience builds confidence for future larger projects.
Chapters
I'm afraid of new things. It turns out I'm neophobic. I've been putting this project off because, I don't know, I've never done it before. I don't know if it's I'm afraid. It's more like frustrated. I know it's not gonna go 100% smooth. Today Well, hopefully we're testing out our manure spreader for the first time. The PTO shaft has to be lined up with this connection. See these ball bearings in there? They're blocking us. They should be— we need a screwdriver or something down there to loosen them up. That's what I'm talking about. I had no idea this would be the Hang up. I just knew we would have hang-ups.
She's not going down far enough.
That one moved. Okay, let's try it. Aha! Well, I got that on with some weeping and gnashing of teeth. Now we've got to connect our hydraulics from the manure spreader to here, but there's like 6 things. I bet one is down— one's up, one's down. So let's just go for the top one. How am I gonna get that out? I don't know. Hope it's right because I can't get it— I don't know how to get it out. Well, maybe I could have read the instructions. We should try one more thing before we load it with compost, and that's make sure these— this works, the PTO works, move this sifter to get it out. Now let's go load this up with the compost. We've got all this extra compost from our garden. Why not try out the manure spreader with this before, you know, we do the big manure spreading project? There's— that is the pole barn, in case you're wondering, we can't get the tractor in here to scoop this up because the garden's in the way. So that's why we're doing this the Earth Gem way, the shovel feature. We got it loaded. Definitely took longer than I thought. Trainer's here, we're gonna have to come back. Jacob, how did Rebecca and I do honestly when you introduced new things to us?
Uh, I mean, good. You know, it takes a second.
That's a nice way to say lots of griping and complaining.
Yeah, well, there is a lot of complaining, but I thought you meant like, like, uh, just your ability to learn. Your ability to learn is great, you know, with everybody. If you're learning something new, it takes a second. One thing that I've found—
but our attitude was something.
Yeah, that varies based on the day and fatigue levels and stuff like that.
Yeah, good. Look, Henry's doing the training. He's got on the mat, look. It's hilarious. He's stretching. Well, he was going like this. He was going like this. Look, he's leaning back. Is that what you do on that? We're gonna have to have a quick lunch and then at the bear chamber. You nervous? A little bit. He's gonna go with me today because I think it will actually help give you more energy.
How do they put the oxygen in?
There's a little thing that wraps around your head and you put, put two clips in your nose and it just pushes oxygen in there.
Does it hurt?
No. Guys like my new ride? No, it's a rental. Had a little accident, backed up the trailer and forgot the trailer was on. You know where we're going? Uh, yeah, tools. Okay, getting a drill bit for his go-kart project. Got it. But you know, kids, I don't think they're as nervous or awkward fearful of new things. Did you get what you were looking for? Yep. I think this will work too. It can be any size. I know when I first did the hyperbaric chamber, I was super nervous. You're not nervous?
I'm a little bit. It won't be as scary because you're gonna be there.
Ah, that's true. I had nobody there. You got— you got dear old dad. Now what you looking for? A belt sander. I think maybe you start out in life with the capacity for new things, and as you get older, that kind of, well, it diminishes because you've filled it up, your capacity. And we have liftoff, Josiah. How you feel, bud? You nervous? A little bit. Hey, I'm glad your feet don't stink. Do my feet stink?
No.
It's good. Well, it's been a while. She's letting us down. Josiah, you having fun?
No, it's hot in here.
Well, what's that fan? She gave you a fan.
It's working, but it's still a little hot.
Yeah, with both of us in there, it's quite warm. So how was it, Josiah?
Good. Once I was in there, I wasn't nervous.
All right, I think we can learn a lot from kids in this. We are back, ready to try this composting. We're going to try it out from first in this field, and then we're gonna take it over there where we actually need it, above the road. All right, I had this way up. I think I had it too far up. Look, it's too thick, too thick of a spread, but it's working. It's totally working. We'll just lower this when we go up to the field. To spread it out a little more thin. There it is. I like that layering. This spot will be forever greener. Just because something's awkward or difficult or even scary doesn't mean it's not worth it. The way I face these things are just that whole, we got to keep going. We got to get going. 1% improvement every day. Today it was just doing some of that extra compost. Look, remember? And I guess it goes to build confidence. I got that one off. You just push and pull out. So anyway, you just in the end just embrace any awkwardness and fear and do the right thing.
