Revealing a Secret Project I've Been Building for a Year (It Will Change Everything)
Summary
TLDRThe video script details the progress and updates on the construction and maintenance of a 5-acre pond, highlighting the challenges and technological innovations used for effective wildlife management. It discusses the introduction of fish species, the use of the Field Bot for automation and monitoring, and the interaction of various wildlife with the pond ecosystem, creating an engaging narrative for viewers interested in nature and farming technology.
Takeaways
- 🏞️ The speaker has built a 5-acre pond over the past year, involving extensive excavation and the addition of clay.
- 🚜 Several months were required to fill the pond with water, after which various species of fish were introduced.
- 🐟 The pond now includes bait fish like bluegills and threadfin shad, as well as aggressive bass.
- 🌳 Springtime is the speaker's favorite as it's a period of abundant wildlife and fish spawning.
- 📈 The speaker has an engineering background and integrates technology to monitor wildlife on the farm.
- 🤖 A product called the 'Field Bot' was developed by the speaker in collaboration with a company called Field Micro, aiming to automate farm tasks.
- 🌐 The Field Bot is equipped with a solar panel, HD camera, and sensors for temperature, humidity, and air pressure, and can connect to Wi-Fi or cellular networks.
- 💡 The 'Smart Farm' interface allows users to control Field Bots, view live satellite feeds, and receive alerts based on sensor data.
- 🎣 The speaker has used data loggers and antennas to track the activity of bass in the pond, gathering information on their feeding and territorial habits.
- 🌳 The speaker also discusses the health of oak trees, the behavior of wildlife like raccoons and squirrels, and the impact of technology on observing and managing the pond ecosystem.
- 🎥 The video includes footage of the wildlife and fish in the pond, showcasing the effectiveness of the technology in monitoring and understanding their behavior.
Q & A
What was the main project undertaken in the video?
-The main project was the construction and development of a 5-acre pond, including the excavation of dirt, bringing in clay, building an island and dock, and stocking it with various types of fish.
What types of fish were initially stocked in the pond?
-The pond was initially stocked with bait fish including bluegills, threadfin shad, and later with aggressive bass and rainbow trout.
How did the presenter utilize technology in managing the wildlife and pond?
-The presenter used technology such as underwater fish cameras, eagle nest cameras, and a recently developed product called the Field Bot. The Field Bot, equipped with a solar panel, HD camera, and sensors, can automate tasks like turning on and off pumps, feeders, and gates, and monitor the wildlife.
What is the Field Bot and what are its capabilities?
-The Field Bot is a product designed for automation in rural and remote areas. It has a solar panel for power, an HD camera for live viewing, and can control various tasks like operating pumps, feeders, and gates. It is weatherproof, has sensors for temperature, humidity, and air pressure, and can connect to Wi-Fi or cellular networks.
What is the purpose of the Smart Farm interface?
-The Smart Farm interface serves as the command and control center for all Field Bots. It allows users to see connected Field Bots on a live satellite feed, view onboard cameras, and control microphones. It also displays connected sensors and enables automation between Field Bots.
How does the presenter plan to use the Field Bot for pond management?
-The presenter plans to use the Field Bot to automate everyday pond tasks such as turning on the well water to fill the pond, and installing sensors to monitor water clarity and levels, thus optimizing pond management.
What challenges did the presenter face with the rural farm technology?
-The presenter faced challenges such as lack of power and cellular connection at the fish feeders, which made it difficult to set up live streams and automate daily pond tasks.
What is the significance of the eagle tower in the script?
-The eagle tower is a structure specifically designed for eagles. The presenter shared a story of how an eagle and a crow interact, symbolizing the idea of not spending time fighting small nuisances but rather focusing on rising higher.
How does the presenter plan to improve the habitat for the bait fish in the pond?
-The presenter plans to build and sink brush piles in spawning areas to provide hiding spots and protection for the bait fish, particularly after spawning when the bluegills and smaller bait fish are vulnerable.
What was the surprising behavior observed with the rainbow trout when stocking the pond with new fish?
-The rainbow trout displayed unexpected aggression when new golden shiners were added to the pond. They were actively feeding on the shiners, which was a surprising reaction.
How does the presenter track the bass in the pond?
-The presenter uses pit tag antennas to scan the bass in the pond. When a tagged bass swims near or through an antenna, it scans it back to a data logger, allowing the collection of data on the bass's activity and location.
Outlines
🏞️ Pond Construction and Wildlife Update
The paragraph discusses the year-long project of building a 5-acre pond, including the excavation process, the introduction of clay, and the creation of an island and dock. It mentions the stocking of bait fish like bluegills and threadfin shad, followed by aggressive bass. The speaker shares their excitement for spring, the abundant wildlife, and the clear waters of the newest pond. They also discuss the introduction of technology on the farm for monitoring wildlife, such as underwater fish cameras and eagle nest cameras. The speaker talks about their involvement with a company called Field Micro to develop a product called the Field Bot, which automates tasks on the farm using solar power, an HD camera, and sensors. The Field Bot can control pumps, feeders, and gates, and it's designed to work in remote locations. The speaker shares the origins of Field Micro and how it aims to save farmers time and money by automating everyday tasks. They also mention the Smart Farm interface, which serves as a command center for all Field Bots and connected sensors, allowing for automation and efficient land management.
🌱 Springtime at the Pond and Field Bot Features
This paragraph focuses on the speaker's appreciation for spring at the pond, with wildlife spawning and clear waters. They discuss the aggressive behavior of rainbow trout and the entertainment value of wildlife feeding cameras. The speaker shares their experience with Field Micro and the development of the Field Bot, detailing its features such as solar power, HD camera, and the ability to automate tasks like controlling pumps and gates. The Field Bot's design is weatherproof and waterproof, suitable for remote locations. The speaker talks about the Smart Farm interface, which allows users to view connected Field Bots and sensors on a live satellite feed, control devices, and receive alerts. The interface can also connect to third-party APIs for increased efficiency. The speaker invites viewer feedback on the Field Bot and Smart Farm and mentions upcoming field testing and production plans.
🦅 Eagle and Wildlife Observations
The speaker shares a story about an eagle and its nemesis, the crow, highlighting the eagle's strategy of rising higher to avoid the crow's annoyance. They discuss the eagle tower cam and the excitement of observing wildlife, such as the eagles Sam and Dixie, and a crow interacting with the eagle. The speaker also talks about the bass splashing near Alcatra Island and the eagle's keen eyesight. They mention the addition of brush piles for fish to hide and the importance of protecting bait fish after spawning. The speaker also discusses the installation of pit tag antennas to collect data on bass activity and their plans to analyze this data further.
🌿 Spring Activities and Observations at the Pond
The speaker talks about the changes in the bass's patterns and colors as the water clears up in Cedar Falls. They discuss the use of fish caves by all fish species and the absence of bird interference with the fish. The speaker also mentions their Public Service reminder for turkey hunters and shares a clip of a unique white and gray fox squirrel. They describe the pond at night with the bait fish spread out and the balance between providing enough light for visibility without attracting nocturnal predators. The speaker also talks about their interactions with Hooter the owl and their observations of the farm's wildlife and plants.
🎣 Fishing and Wildlife Interactions
The speaker shares their fishing experiences during spring, noting confusion about the bass spawning season. They discuss the use of a frog as bait and the successful catching and tagging of large bass, including a red tail and a fish weighing 1.74 lbs. The speaker also mentions the importance of scanning caught fish for previous tags and the fun of engaging with the local wildlife. They conclude the video with a call to action for viewers to share their thoughts on the Field Bot and to stay updated on the pond and wildlife series.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Crimson Oak Pond
💡Excavation
💡Stocking
💡Wildlife
💡Field Micro
💡Automation
💡Smart Farm
💡Eagle Tower
💡Underwater Fish Cams
💡Pit Tag Antennas
💡Squirrel Feeder Stations
Highlights
The construction of a 5-acre pond over the past year, involving several months of excavation and the use of truckloads of clay.
The creation of an island and a dock, and the placement of structures in the pond.
Filling the pond with water over a couple of months and stocking it with various bait fish, including bluegills, threadfin shad, and aggressive bass.
The observation of wildlife abundance during spring, particularly fish spawning, and the clarity of the pond water.
The use of technology, such as underwater fish cams and eagle nest cameras, to monitor wildlife and nature's hidden aspects.
The development of a product called the Field Bot by a company named Field Micro, designed to automate tasks and provide live monitoring in remote locations.
The Field Bot's capabilities, including solar power, HD camera, automation of pumps, feeders, fans, and gates, and its weatherproof and waterproof design.
The creation of a user interface called Smart Farm, serving as a command and control center for all Field Bots.
The ability of Smart Farm to connect to third-party APIs like tractors, satellites, and weather services to increase land or farm efficiency.
The inclusion of the audience in the journey of developing the Field Bot and Smart Farm, and the invitation for feedback and ideas to improve the products.
The use of data loggers and pit tag antennas to track the activity and locations of bass in the pond, providing insights into their behavior and feeding patterns.
The installation of underwater cameras to observe changes in fish behavior and interactions in clearer water conditions.
The construction of brush piles as habitats for small bait fish, providing them with hiding spots and promoting their growth.
The observation of eagles and their interactions with crows, highlighting the eagle's superior adaptability and resilience.
The installation of squirrel feeding stations and the monitoring of wildlife activity, including the趣事 of raccoons and field mice.
The use of night lights around the pond to observe nocturnal fish behavior without attracting predators like raccoons.
The capture and tagging of bass during the spring spawning season, using the opportunity to study their size, weight, and activity.
The engagement with the audience through sharing the progress and findings from the pond build series, fostering a sense of community and involvement.
Transcripts
Folks at home welcome back to the
Crimson Oak Pond and if you're new to
this series we built this 5 acre Pond
over the past year and it took us
several months to get all of the dirt
excavated and we had to bring in several
truckloads of clay and we also built an
island a dock and got all the structure
in place and then it took a couple of
months to get it full of water after
that we stocked it with a bunch of bait
fish including bluegills and thread fin
shad and not long after that we stocked
it with these little 2-in aggressive
bass and we're going to be giving you an
update on them here in just a minute and
showing you how big they've gotten but
spring is in the air and it's my
favorite time of year because the
wildlife is abundant the fish are
spawning and we got the water in our
newest Pond crystal clear so we're going
to be doing a fish feeding feeding our
two youngest bass but the big surprise
is how aggressive the rainbow trout are
I never saw that one coming but as
always the wildlife feeding cams are
carrying the series and I always find it
amazing how entertaining Wildlife can be
just hit the record button and the
animal always find a way to put on a
show so you'll be seeing Flying
Squirrels as well as George Jones The
posum and for those of you that have
been asking about some old school
fishing videos I got something special
for you at the end of this video you're
not going to want to miss it so if you
followed along with this Pond build
series you've seen the wildlife habitat
it created and you've probably noticed
that due to my engineering background
I'm always looking for ways to
incorporate technology at the farm to
monitor the wildlife and see the sides
of nature we don't always get to see for
instance the underwater fish cams eagle
nest camera and our most recent project
of installing antennas in the pond to
track the fish's activity and sometimes
we go a little bit overboard and install
a splash pad and irrigation system for
the duck house but as most of you know
there are plenty of challenges when it
comes to rural Farm areas and technology
and in the past I've even thought about
setting up a live stream on the fish
feeders and letting some of you
subscribers control the fish feedings
throughout the day but I didn't have
power or Cellular Connection at the
feeder and there's been times where I
wanted to automate everyday Pond tasks
like turning on the well water to fill
up the pond and once it reaches a
certain level then automatically turning
itself off but I didn't have that
capability so about a year ago I joined
a company called field micro to build a
product called the field bot and the
field bot is equipped with a solar panel
to provide all of its necessary power
and an HD camera for live viewing but
most importantly it has the ability to
automate tasks like turning on and off
pumps feeders fans as well as opening
and closing Gates and we designed it to
be weatherproof and waterproof and work
in even the most remote locations in the
world it has built-in temperature
humidity and air pressure sensors and
also connects to Wi-Fi or cellular
networks but before we get into any more
details on the field bot I wanted to
give you a quick background on how it
got started so the company field micro
was founded by an Australian cotton
farmer named Mitch and Mitch grew up on
a farm so he designed the original field
bot prototypes with farmers in mind to
help automate those everyday tasks and
save Farmers time and money and Mitch
just happened to be following along the
pond build series and he reached out to
discuss the product he was working on
and after some discussions we both
agreed that field Bots could be used for
multiple scenarios including Pond
management so you could connect a water
Clarity sensor to the field bot and have
it send you a text when the water
visibility is greater than 24 in
so you know it's time to fertilize or
maybe a low-l sensor installed on the
dock so that when the water levels drop
during a drought the field bot receives
the low-level signal and turns on the
well to pump fresh water back in the
pond until it's full So the plan was to
build a universal field bot that can
work with all sensors and bring
automation to even the most remote
locations and the next step was
designing a user interface that we call
Smart farm and smart farm would become
the command and control center for all
the field F Bots once you're in smart
Farm you can see all the connected field
bots on a live satellite feed and you
can view the onboard camera and you can
also turn on their microphone which
turns out to be a really neat feature so
let's say that you command a diesel pump
to turn on if the microphone doesn't
hear the pump turn on then you'll
receive an alert or if you had a field
bot installed on a fish or deer feeder
and the feeder was running if the
microphone didn't hear the feed coming
out it would notify you that the feeders
were empty and I'm personally even going
to set one up here at the waterfall and
use it to control the pumps and control
the amount of water that flows down
through the waterfalls based on when I'm
out here or away so the possibilities
truly are endless but back to the smart
Farm you're able to see all of your
connected sensors right here in the app
the oh board temp humidity or barometric
pressure plus any of the external
sensors are going to be displayed here
in the lower left and if you have
multiple field Bots you can set up
automation between them for example if
you have two field bots on opposite
sides of the farm one could turn the
irrigation water on and once the
moisture probe connected to the second
field bot registered water then it would
turn the irrigation pump off and smart
Farm was also designed to connect to
third party apis like tractors
satellites and weather and that helps
increase the efficiency of your land or
Farm but just like I've done with all of
my previous projects I want to include
you all in this journey and I've gotten
some great ideas from you in the past so
if you have any ideas on how we can make
the field bot or smart Farm better even
if it's going to solve a completely
unrelated problem I'd love to hear your
thoughts so we're finalizing on the
hardware design now and getting ready
for production so any changes or
improvements have to happen now and
we're also going to send about 5 to 10
of our final prototypes out to some of
you that are interested in helping us do
some field testing so if you're
interested in the product or want to
give us some feedback check out field
micro.com where you can join the weit
list or leave us a message and we're
going to be sending out all the pricing
information by email to those of you
that sign up once we've got it finalized
and you know I'm going to add some
discounts to my subscribers that join in
on the launch but if you don't want to
enter your information on the site feel
free to leave a comment down below or
you can email me directly at stenfield
micro.com and we look forward to hearing
your feedback and I'll be giving you
updates on the project in our upcoming
videos so if you missed the last video
we spent a good bit of time cleaning out
the Wetland filter and that fixed all of
our water Clarity issues now we have
Crystal Clear water and I love it
because you can see down in the bottom
and watch all the fish interacting with
the fish
caves we even got one of the little
ninja turtles popping its head out but
the pitcher plants are blooming a
Japanese Maple's putting on its leaves
Little Birdies are stopping by but I'll
have to say that the coolest thing is
watching the two bass we call Johnny and
June so every time I walk up to the
Pond's Edge they come rushing over and
at first I thought they were just trying
to greet me but I really realized it's
because I'm pushing those little minnows
out of the shallow water and as they
start getting out there in the deeper
area the bass begin patrolling them and
looking for those easy meals but I
really like it because since they're
this young they're not scared of human
Presence at all and that reminds me a
lot of Moby We started him out when he
was just a couple inches long and he
grew up with us so he enjoyed it when we
came around because he always knew it
was going to be feeding time and
speaking of feeding time I wanted to add
a few new shiners into this Pond and I
was pretty surprised by the reaction of
the rainbow trout check this out all
righty stocking some fresh golden
shiners in the new
Pond Look Who's down there
eating I don't know if you guys can see
it
man look at there
wow trout are aggressive
man and I've tried to start feeding the
bluegills some pellets because I know
they like them and I caught them right
there at the
feeder but they're still not having it
yet and today's video is brought to you
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for days out here at the pond got to
love it now let's check in on the pair
of eagles that we call Sam and Dixie but
it's tough to explain to you how happy I
was when I saw the eagle land right here
on the perch by Cedar Falls so back in
November when the Aquascape guys were in
town I was telling him about the eagle
Tower I built and Greg told me he was
going to put this particular piece of
wood here for the eagle so it's just
really cool to see that when you design
something specifically for a rare bird
like the eagle and when they actually
come in and use it just like planned
it's tough to beat that but I want to
tell you guys a story about the eagle
and its Nemesis the crow so there's an
old tail out there that I'm not sure if
it's true or not but the story basically
says that there's only one bird out
there brave enough to mess with an eagle
and that's the crow and as you'll see
throughout these videos the Eagle's
content and peaceful but the crow is
always pestering him and the story says
that the crow will land on the Eagle's
back and Peck at his neck but the eagle
doesn't attempt to shake it off or fight
it or spend its time or energy on the
small nuisance but it just opens its
wings and continues to rise higher into
the sky and the higher the flight the
harder it is for the crow to breathe and
hold on until it eventually falls off
due to a lack of oxygen so the moral of
the story is don't spend your time
fighting crows just keep ascending so
I'm not sure if there's any truth to
that story at all but I can confirm the
crows are the only ones brave enough to
mess with the eagle but I love watching
the eagle tower cam because you never
know what you're going to see pay close
attention to the bass splashing right
beside alcatra Island and the eagle
notices that the bass actually knocked a
little Blu Gill up onto the island and
watch him fly down there and grab that
little Blu Gill off the bank that is
just wild it's incredible to see how
good their eyesight
is and the bass got the assist on that
one and we got Dixie here giving Sam an
ear full and they're just like an old
marry couple that's that if you got
something to say just go ahead and say
it
look and I'm not sure whose doggo this
is but he found the pond and has been
stopping by to take a quick bath and I
was down there looking at the animal
tracks in the sand and had no clue what
it was and it's because this pup loves
Rolling In The Sand he's got a lot of
spunk so about twice a year I'll sink
some brush piles and in the summertime
I'll sink them out deep cuz that's where
all the fish are hanging out but this
time of year you can see we got all
these little small Bait fish hanging out
right right here in the shallow parts
and they don't have a ton of places to
hide you can see where I've added some
tops there and there's some more brush
piles we sank last year but the key is
to get that leafy brush in there kind of
like this brush right here and if you
can see we got a couple tilapia sitting
right there up under it I had no idea
any of the tilapia survived last year
but that leafy stuff gives all those
little small Bait fish that are cruising
these Banks right here it gives them a
place to hide and grow up a little bit
and you don't want all the bluegills and
smaller Bait fish getting eaten right
after the spawn so we're going to go
build them a new
home and sinking the tops are pretty
simple just get you a block some wire
and I like to lay some of the bushy ends
on each side and then wrap that wire and
block right there in the center there's
a look at the final product let's go
drop it off and you want to Target those
spawning areas so if you remember we put
pea gravel all around the island right
here so a lot of Blu gills are going to
spawn and when those little fry hatch
out they can come and swim right over
here to this and be protected all right
see if I can do this with one
hand perfect little setup for them all
right just sank another one right over
here by where we pump the water in this
little
cve that's usually a good spawning
ground right over there all right just
think the last one over here by the
Cedar Falls feeder it's right there you
can barely see the top of it but if you
remember we have a road bed that comes
out right here that we put a lot of
gravel out on and there's always a bunch
of beds right
[Music]
there
oh
oh
oh
so in the last couple videos we
installed these pit tag antennas so when
any of the bass that have been tagged in
the pond swim near or through one of the
antennas it scans it back to a Data
Logger and as you can see I found a
really easy way to scan these fish and
see who it is that's hanging out here
around the dock just toss some shiners
out there and they'll swim right through
it but now that we're starting to
collect a lot of data I got a few few
ideas of things I want to do with it and
one of the cool things about the Data
Logger is it logs the exact time that