A farm crew rents heavy equipment to compact gravel and lay four inches of wood chips for winter livestock bedding. While trucks are on site, they move sheep and chickens to safety with temporary fencing, troubleshoot a compactor issue, and keep up informal banter about sleep scores and the cold.
We're a little concerned with the dump truck, but it seems to be making it just fine. This is the future site of our pole barn. It's right next to our house. We're gonna deep bed the cows in the depth of winter on wood chips, compacting this gravel. We're gonna get a— I don't know, one of those huge compactors coming today. Fresh ground over there. Before we pour a concrete pad, this has to be compacted mega. While the skid steers, while the graders are here, the sheep— the sheep have got to get moved on. They're going on anyway so that the big equipment can access the back of the high tunnel. Got to keep the chickens up because we got to get them out. We're gonna put our 4 inches of wood chips inside the winter housing, and then we'll be pretty much done with the winter housing. How are we doing on our predator-proofing, guys? You've got it to here.
Both sides are finished.
Both of the long sides? We just got the— we just got the short ends. Well, we got to do it. Some in down there missing, so a few patch jobs.
Because that I intentionally left because water was running out.
Okay, we're gonna have to get everything out of here, Jonah, because we're gonna put 4 inches of wood chips in here. Did this even stay unfrozen in here? Sort of. Let's set up their net right here just to get them out, out of the way for the big trucks. We're in a bit of a hurry because they're coming in about an hour. We need to get the chickens out. We need to open the, this, this greenhouse for them. We need to get the sheep over. We just got the bottom retainer boards off so the big machines can get in here. Frozen solid. Free the birds! I'm sorry guys, it's not your haven. Will you please forgive me? It's only for one day. We gotta mow for our next paddock right through here, zigzag around the wrestling ring. I marked our spot. Guys, we're getting it done. We're on a time crunch to get here. Oh boy, it's 5 till 8. They could actually get here at any minute. Are they 8 or are they 8:30 boys? 8:30 maybe. So yesterday we moved the cows from way over there into here. We had a bit of drama with Stud Muffin. I mean, not much, he just went up through there. It's not a big deal. I don't want that to happen with Nacho or Escalito, so I'm actually I'm actually going to put up a, a net. Drama-free, drama-free move here. Here's where I think I'm gonna take the risk. I think we're gonna run them without alfalfa right through here. It would be too hard to put up nets on that gravel. You kind of naturally have sides with the creek and then the barn. Maybe I'll put something right here. One more piece of the puzzle right here, getting the cows over. Fosse, where you gonna have this bait? Well, I'm glad you didn't have it last night, 25 degrees. Now, because we need to get the sheep over here now, let's get a 50-foot net and just block this off so— just so they're not bothering us while we're milking her. We've got our fence. Took a rubber mallet and hammered these in down at the forks. Got that in on this gravel. I'm kind of wondering if I should put another one up. I've got one right there. If I put it up though, we got to take it down. I don't know, it might be kind of smooth just to put it right here and then across this road. I'm kind of a fan of intense management. Stops a lot of problems in the first place. Hopefully Big Daddy won't come down and want out. Okay, this is exciting. We got this open. This is exciting because we've never ran these sheep without a lane. I don't think I even would have done this much if it weren't for the luchadors, but I think they're kind of a wild card because they're not as handled as the ewes. This thing is sort of in the way. Look at that, a bucket inside of a bucket. That thing's boss. And the gate's not but way up there, so they're gonna really have to follow us down through here. around the machine. You guys got it? Have you been trained enough to alfalfa? This is our pack. Can you tell it's a little. Little sunken in right there because it's new dirt.
Sheep.
Sheep.
Sheep. Sheep.
Sheep.
Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep.
Sheep.
Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep.
Sheep.
Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep, sheep, sheep.
There. Let's just keep them eating right here. Harun's getting that fence up. I mean technically Escalito could take off. They won't. They want to be together.
Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep.
Sheep. Sheep.
Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep. Sheep, sheep, sheep.
Okay. No. So far so good. Look at this. Why do they run around heading. I'm glad I did this because they jumped ahead of me. They would have ran out there. Who knows? For a minute I thought that's maybe crazy.
Sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep.
Come here. Right here.
Sheep, sheep, sheep, sheep. Cheep, cheep.
Ah. They would have came back. I guess. All right, we only like one thing before we're ready for these guys, and that's getting this old cheap net up so that they can have access to this Greenhouse. I gotta fix your mom's feet. I took time out to make my baby's mama some eggs. You checking my sleep score?
I am. It's Oura Ring.
What, are you jealous?
I am jealous. You didn't wake up at all. I woke up like 6 times.
Heartbeat average 45. If you want to know how to sleep, just come talk to me.
You were asleep for 8 hours and 27 minutes.
Nice.
Your resting heart rate was 45.
I didn't even wake up.
And you didn't wake up at all. I mean, you had—
hey, you look nice today. Look at this, getting dressed. Oh, we're going to— we got a vote. Good thing they won't see our socks at the voting clinic because I don't, I don't think we ever match. All right, well, come to me if you ever need any sleep counsel.
I do, but I'm— you can't help me. You don't know what to do or to help me. There it is.
They're having some sort of problem. I think it is the compacting settings. I don't know if they figured it out. It doesn't necessarily look like it. He's still working on it. Looks like he's on the phone. I don't know if something's wrong or— it's a rental, so maybe, maybe they're missing a step. Who knows? I went to get the milk stuff ready. They're moving. Maybe they figured it out. They figure it out? Yeah, they figured it out. Vibrating and working now. Oh yeah, I can feel it. It's been cold. Oh, it's been cold. Man, like inches. 3 or 4 inches right there. Okay, we're gonna go vote. Going to vote. Who you voting for?
Why do you always do this to me?
Because I want to know, because whoever you're voting for, I'm gonna vote the opposite and cancel you out.
You're funny. You're a funny guy.
If I had to start my Homestead all over again, it could only pick one animal… 
