In this episode of Occupy the Land, we dive into a busy day on our Arizona desert homestead! With the tractor back from maintenance, we attach the backhoe to help a neighbor dig a septic tank, reinforcing community ties with a promise of mutual aid. We trade our broken Ram 1500 for an F-150 and […]
Description: In this episode of Occupy the Land, we tackle end-of-summer maintenance on our Arizona desert homestead! With cooler 63°F mornings, we set up a new flex-fuel generator (propane and gasoline) as a backup to our trusty diesel generator, ensuring uninterrupted power while we repair our solar system’s charge controller. We haul four food-grade IBC […]
In this episode of Occupy the Land, Donna and Ernie embark on a supply run to bolster their Arizona desert homestead! They snag a discounted flex-fuel generator from Harbor Freight for reliable backup power and secure four food-grade IBC totes to store nearly 3,000 gallons of pool water for gardening, chickens, and construction. Battling a […]
In this episode of Occupy the Land, we tackle monsoon water retention by stuccoing a check dam with a mix of Portland cement, fine sand, and chopped basalt and fiberglass mesh, testing its durability for future dome applications. After recent rains confirmed our drainage strategy, we strengthen the dam to saturate six acres of soil, […]
In this episode of Occupy the Land, we take advantage of a tractor maintenance break to transform our shipping container into a weatherproof workshop, framing it with two-by-threes and planning pegboard and shelving for tools like plasma cutters and welders. We explore our desert water management with a new sand filter for the sand pond, […]
In this episode of Occupy the Land, we push forward with our Arizona desert dome build, planning electrical outlets, light switches, and PEX water lines within earthbag walls and two-by-four framing. We prepare for custom cement countertops and map out drains for the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry areas, ensuring proper slopes for septic drainage. Amidst […]
In this episode of Occupy the Land, we dive into our Arizona desert homestead as we plan the floor layout for our utility dome, marking spots for outlets, USB chargers, dimming switches, and a lofted bedroom. We detail the kitchen, dining, and bathroom-laundry areas while prepping the house pad with soil from our sand pond […]
In this episode of Occupy the Land, we brace for a late monsoon storm on our Arizona desert homestead! We take the tractor to check drainage channels and ensure our sand pond is ready to capture floodwaters, while raising the dome’s platform to prevent flooding. Inside the utility dome, we plan electrical outlets and lighting, […]
In this episode of Occupy the Land, we dive into our Arizona desert homestead as Donna tackles a solo earthbag-laying session using a stand mixer, proving it’s possible but time-consuming compared to the tractor method. We continue building our utility dome, reinforcing doorframes with concrete-heavy mixes and planning for electrical boxes. Meanwhile, we work on […]
#OccupytheLand with attainable housing for the freedom community. Ernest Hancock runs FreedomsPhoenix.com and has a radio show, Declare Your Independence with Ernest Hancock.
