Planting 1,000 Trees For My Birthday

From the book Gaia's Garden and the late Toby Hemingway, I read: A tree is a dynamic element embedded in and reacting to an equally dynamic landscape. It transforms wind and sunlight into a variety of daily and seasonal changing microclimates, harvests nutrients, builds soil, pumps and purifies air and water, creates and concentrates rain, and shelters and feeds wildlife and microbes. Add to to all this, the better-known benefits for people— fruits or nuts, shade, climbing, and other fun for kids— and the beauty of foliage, flowers, and form, we start to see how tightly enmeshed is a simple tree with all the other elements in a landscape. Wasn't that a beautiful piece about trees? And who knew they did so much? Love trees. Gotta love trees. How can you not love trees? After that. So, you know, today is my birthday. I've always wanted to do something special with you guys for my birthday. Do something that's bigger than me. It's gathering all you guys together to make an impact as we work together. So to celebrate my birthday, hey, do you guys want to get me a birthday present? Oh, I really never ask for anything for my birthday, but maybe I will today. If you want to get me— if you're feeling saucy and want to get me a birthday present Give the world a birthday present. Give yourself a birthday present. Go check out Team Trees. They're doing a fundraiser to plant 20 million trees. It's amazing. The YouTuber community is coming together. Today we will be planting 20 million trees. For every dollar donated, one tree is going to be planted. Good morning, fellas. Nice mow. So today I'm personally planting 1,000 trees. Didn't even have to lift a finger. So will you guys join me in celebration of my birthday and just consider at least go look at the project and see what some of the other YouTubers are doing? Maybe you don't have a lot of money. Plant a tree. It's one of the best things you can do for yourself and the generations behind us. Grandkids— we're always thinking about the grandkids, right? I don't even have grandkids and I'm thinking about the grandkids. And I'm winded, I'm winded. Sally's side by side already making me weak. Good morning! Do you know it's my birthday? Did you know it's my birthday? Also, Jason's here from Sow the Land. Look who's here, Jason, Sow the Land. We're back at it, buddy. Remember when we built— you were here when I built that? Yes. And that was for our guinea hogs, American guinea hogs. Nice. We got you a hangout, okay? And it served them well, and it ended up serving 3 more traditionally sized hogs well, and it was fine. Yeah. So what I want to do is get this as plans to the Permaculture Pigs Kors customers. And I don't know if folks know, but you can do what you call— what are they, CAD drawings? AutoCAD drawings. Um, yeah, dimensional drawings. I just draw out drawings, and, uh, so we could, uh, build this. It'd be simpler to build if you had dimensions to it. Yeah, cut list. Yep, dimensions. Do we need to pull it out? Um, we got everything in here. We got our turkey shaw in here. Our trailer. I should be all right. You think so? Yeah, I think I'll get it. Okay. All right, well, I gotta go milk the cows. I want to see what you've got going, Jonah. Look at this. You, you know, Grandpa— your Grandpa Henry used to have a vision to turn this into an office. What are you going to turn it into?

A clubhouse.

It's a clubhouse now. I think he'd still be proud. Oh. Disgusting. Where are pigs when we need them, huh, honey? Hmm, better. Come on, come be with me. Here. Oh, he's got his shoes on backwards. He's got new shoes. More shoes to lose. This is what I really want for my birthday. My children and my wife all around me. Well, I don't want to do it alone on my birthday. So the kids came down. I'll beat— they're playing in the hay. They're still close by. And Jonah, you got the camera. And another present. Will you pull that away, add some water to it, and take it to the pasture, please?

Thank you.

Let's go. You kids still up there? So we cleaned out our raised beds over the weekend and we threw down winter wheat and winter peas. Some of the peas are germinating. I don't know about any of the wheat, but the peas are doing good. The peas might— or the wheat might have gotten hollowed out, but Beauty spreads so much seed, we're gonna have plenty even if just the peas come up. All right, Lorraine said it should only take Jason 5 minutes. It's been like 30. Hey, what's going on over there? Have you been riding Sally? Huh? Have you been fooling around riding Sally? Yeah, I was getting in the driver's seat pretending I'm driving it. Yeah, everybody wants a ride on Sally. Well, I don't know if they do, but We want to give them a ride on Sally.

Oh, look at you, Rebecca!

Her deluxe golf cart.

Should I be scared? No, you shouldn't. Are we going to tip over? I know, right? This is how I felt. The rain, the first time I did it, I was like, oh my gosh, I'm going to Disneyland!

There it is! We're on the safari.

Yes, we're on the safari. We're on the Jungle Cruise.

Jungle Cruise!

Where do we put up our hands?

Grab a couple bales. Hey, well, there we go. We can put 3 hay bales just like that, plus one more there. How would you normally do it? Wheelbarrow? Yeah, well, or Henry. The cart. Look at that smile. The good old days. The good old days with the cart. Yep. Now we're gonna have to join the gym, Jason. Get our workout.

Why not? Yes.

Go through the old house right here. You want to switch? Do I go Go right there on the driveway and go up towards that gate. It sure makes— it sure makes getting hay out here a lot more fun. Hey, your turn, buddy. Let's try it. There you go. Oh, he's gunning it out the back. California crazy. I know.

If you look off to your left here, you might see the water buffalo and the rhinoceros.

Oh, big 25! Y'all leaving?

Yep.

Bye-bye. Bye! Happy birthday! All right. Happy birthday. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Now this is really what I want for my birthday. Time alone with the beautiful one. Isn't it pretty? This is nice.

Fall leaves.

It is. Did you know that these trees help cool off the town? Well, we're also gonna go see the man who made me possible. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be here.

Definitely integral part of that.

Yes.

How are you?

Well, I've been up and at it. You are? You're up and at them? Yeah. Oh yeah.

I don't know who brought me that food.

Somebody brought you some food?

Somebody brought you a tomato and a sandwich. Who was it?

I did earlier today when you asked for it at 5 o'clock.

Yeah, there he is. You know what today is? Yeah. What? Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Zach. Happy birthday to you. That was a good one. We love you. Love you.

Tomorrow I'll bring you a piece of Justin's chocolate pie. Okay? That's my favorite.

That's your favorite chocolate pie? I love it. I love you too. I'm very proud. Thank you. Of you and your family. Thanks. Keep up the good work. We will. Keep them rolling.

Keep them growing.

Rolling.

Rolling.

Keep them rolling.

Keep them rolling. Okay, we will. All right. All right. I'll leave you to the vlog. Happy birthday! Your naps. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Turned his defibrillator off.

They did.

Today.

It's his heart. He's in the final stages of heart failure.

Oh, he is? Okay.

That's, that's what this is.

That's what's gonna get him. Okay. We just got home. That's amazing. Look, Jason's already done with the pig shelter plans. Oh my gosh. Does that not rock? What? He included pictures with instructions. How's it going?

Good.

How was the chores?

Okay.

You did the chores. You moved the sheets.

We didn't pull the nuts out where they had been.

I saw that. What? Who decorated? Me! Lily, you did a good job. Thank you. Balloons on the roof. Here we go. Thank you. Chicken Parmesan, cheating a little bit with lentil noodles. Big cheese. We're getting wild tonight. We're getting wild tonight with these lentil noodles.

They're gonna sit really well.

Yeah. Are these— is this our chicken, or did we buy breasts? Oh yes. Okay, our chicken. All right, good. Do you like it, Lily?

Yeah, I love it.

What part do you like?

I'll get them later.

The noodles and the chicken. You excited about this? Yeah. Are you nervous about this?

I'm excited.

Good.

I'm going to see how I feel eating the noodles.

Okay, good girl. You— so you are a little nervous?

They're like red—

they're red lentils.

I know.

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Papa. Happy birthday to you and many more.

Yes, I get my wish!

Papa, I never have a wish. I have a good birthday.

How is it?

Delicious.

You all right?

So good. You did so good on this, Rebecca.

Thanks.

Oh my, this isn't even cheating, this dessert. This is a GAPS approved This is a Gap dessert. What is it, Gideon?

I don't know.

Do you know? Oh God, he doesn't know.

Hey, what is it?

Friendship hits the spot because we love you. That's all.

Okay, there you go.

You're helping me. Okay, we will take your car to be washed. Oh, I like that because there's some melted chocolate in the middle console. Still from the Homesteaders event. I will cook you dinner. This is from Grandma. Oh, we'll take that on a Saturday or Sunday night. What is it? Oh, it's another card. Coupon good for selling. Yay! Yes, it's another card. We will keep care of the kids so you can have a date. We're redeeming that right now, in about 20 minutes. Okay, should I do Aunt Rachel's?

Yes.

Happy birthday, Justin. Should I read this?

Sure.

I hope this is your best birthday ever. Thank you so much for being an awesome husband to my sister, for loving her unconditionally, and for him being an awesome dad. I'm proud to have you for my brother-in-law. I love you, Becky, and all the kids so much. Thank you. We love you too. And she drew me a nice picture. Oh yeah, how appropriate. Oh wow, oh my goodness, dollar bills, dollar bills.

That is from me.

Oh good, pull up. You helping me with it? I like your voice. Speaking of wallets, is that a wallet?

It is.

Okay, good.

It's like a real wallet.

Give me your old lock.

But it's a little— it's a little one though. Yeah, it's not big.

Wow, it's nice.

That is Jonah and Josiah.

Oh, I'm gonna get you a present.

You didn't? No, that's okay. Oh look, they got me a headlamp. A blessing. I've been needing that. Yeah, Legos. It's the Lego kit I've always dreamed of. Oh boy, what is it? It's a pull-up bar. It's a pull-up. Thank you.

And they found out we're gonna do blessings.

That means the youngest to oldest. Okay, so who is gonna be first?

Can you say nice things about Papa? What does Papa do for you? Yeah, that's nice.

He really doesn't do nothing. Does he— wait, does he—

does he find your shoes? Yeah.

No.

I help you get dressed, I put you to bed, brush your teeth.

Yeah.

Get you your meals, get you all 3 of your meals.

He gets me a throw-up bowl when I have to throw up.

When you're sick, that's a good thing. Because that was her worst moment, you're there for her. When she throws up, you're there with the bowl.

I like when he gives me rides on Sally. I like it when he takes me rides on Sally. And he's a good dad. He makes all the money for the family and he gives me 3 meals. And when I was little, he carried me on his back. He's a good dad. He makes all the money for the family. He makes everybody happy in the family. He birdies Produces good meals and gives us a good life. Gave me a job. Makes time for us. Takes us on hikes. I'm binding May Camp. Lets us buy things. Supports me when I get all my tools. Helps me when I have a problem.

Well, gosh, you met when you were 16 years old and you've been around forever. So you're Rebecca's first true love.

Yeah.

So I really appreciate you.

Thank you.

Being good to her and your commitment to her and loving her and being a good father and family man. So that really means a lot. And so we're blessed to have you as part of our family.

Thank you.

I wanted to say happy birthday.

Thanks.

You're the big 4-1. How is it?

Fabulous.

Okay, good.

You're coming in hot.

6 months. I need to know how it is. And you work really hard for the family and you, uh, do a good job at making the videos and editing them, and you take good care of our children, and you bring them with you to work and doing chores. You are very selfless, and you're always the— always last one working, always doing dishes, and always the last one to go to bed, the first to get up. So I appreciate that. Love you.

Love you too. Thanks. Now this is a man after my own heart. Gets up early, And he goes to work.

Justin, when I first got to know you, you hardly ever spoke. We could ride in the car 2 hours and you might say one sentence.

Maybe not. It's true. They're all laughing because it's true.

You hardly ever talked.

I remember talking to your dad one day and he said that they had named you the talking man. And I remember bursting out laughing. I couldn't— I said, he never talks. He said, oh yeah, he talks.

I do remember we asked Rebecca, does he talk to you?

Oh yeah, Ma.

Yeah, that was probably the summer, like around we were getting married, where we said, does he ever talk? I'm like, all the time.

And then you got the Lyme disease, and that was probably your lowest moment. And then you got into permaculture. And you figured out that you could do these blogs, and everything changed. Because I remember talking to somebody else, saying, well, you put him in front of a camera, and boy, he could talk forever.

That's right. You know why? Because the camera doesn't talk back.

Oh, but it has been very good for you. Yeah, very good. And you found, uh, now your niche in life, and it's, uh, I think you've been very successful at that, and I'm proud of you for that.

Thanks, thanks. And for a fun fact, they used to call me Talking Man because— not because of the quantity, but the quality was very loud. When I talked, it was loud. You could hear me down the mountain.