At the end of an already very hard day, the farm was struck with even more tragedy when all hell broke loose. Eric was just trimming a Bonzi tree when he smelled it, fire coming from the west side of the property. With his wife, son, and 2 employees still on the property, Eric knew there was no time to waste. In a moment of complete chaos, Eric, his family, his employees, and complete strangers joined forces to battle the fire and save the farm!

Eric shares his insight on:

• Deciding what the right moves are in a moment of chaos
• The timeline of how everyone reacted to the Apple Fire
• Eric was forced to leave in order to find more water
• Getting the horses out was a fiasco in itself
• Knowing when it's time to call it because there is nothing you can do
• This fire could have been catastrophic if it had moved another direction
• There was almost no time to get the animals out
• In a community, everyone plays their part during a crisis
• Reporters showed up at the wrong time
• Deciding what was actually important enough to save
• It takes a lot of communication to orchestrate a fire fight
• Everybody did exactly what they were supposed to do at the right time
• Experiences like this take a massive emotional toll

Links to resources:

John Deere

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

COVID has affected all aspects of life, home landscaping definitely included. Eric's guest today is Sara Bendrick, a landscape designer/contractor, TV host, and author of the book, Big Impact Landscaping, a book dedicated to helping DIYers construct the landscaping that they desire. Her goal in landscaping is to help people decide climate-friendly and native aspects for their home landscapes. People are starting to realize the value of their homes during this staycation and habits are being changed. Whether it's buying, shopping, exercising, or relaxing, everything is changing!

Eric shares his insight on:

• Eric's 5 essential elements to a great outdoor landscape
• Sarah's background and journey to where she is today
• How COVID has affected the usage levels of gardens
• Water is expensive but essential to proper landscaping
• Keeping everything natural will help protect the wildlife
• Everyone wants fire right now, but which one should you get?
• Transplanting a big inground tree is worth the trouble
• Maintenance is a driving factor in deciding what trees to plant
• You can layer with flowers and different colors to create a certain impact
• Gardens and ponds are critical to people's mental health right now
• Landscape lighting comes in different stages
• Pet peeves when working on a landscape
• Balancing opportunities with distractions
• An absolute infatuation with stone walls
• Stories from Eric and Sarah's past in show business

Links to resources:

Big Impact Landscaping

Sarita Landscape Designs

Sarah's Social:

Instagram

YouTube

Facebook

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

They say knowledge is power, but don't let that knowledge poison the water. Eric has seen his fair share during his long career in the pond industry, and he's here today to share some stories about when knowledge was not used for the greater good. Many people are caught in this tug of war between a thirst for knowledge and how to use that knowledge correctly. Take a listen to see if you might be in this war without even knowing it!

Eric shares his insight on:

• Passion can become an obsession, whether that's good or bad
• Eric places importance on living through the text book
• The intersection between the text book and money
• When people become more critical of their fish
• That moment Eric realized the knowledge has poisoned the water
• Sometimes our desires and wants are out of our reach

Links to resources:

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

A pond is more than just something to make your yard look pretty or act as a symbol of wealth. Ponds actually affect people's lives at a much deeper level. Today, Eric is in the house with his wife, Leslie, to talk about the role that ponds play in mental health. The world is going through an outrageous and crazy time right now, and with so much time alone or out of work, the mental health of those affected has taken on some added pressure. Ponds and the wildlife around them can actually help ease these effects!

Eric shares his insight on:

• People are stuck at home with their kids more and it can be difficult
• Animals play a role in mental health as well
• It's easy for humans to take things for granted
• Ponds provide people a source of comfort and relaxation
• There is always a balancing act with everything in life
• How the global pandemic has affected the pond industry
• The DIY community is changing before our very eyes
• Design ponds to make sure the audio and visuals resonate towards the home
• Instagram stories help people live vicariously through others

Links to resources:

75 Hard Program

Leslie's Instagram: @leslie_thepondgal

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

Plenty of people want a pond on their property, but those special few have an innate desire to learn how to do it themselves. Part of being a member of the DIY community is going through the growing pains of learning a new trade. It's not your expertise, so failure is unavoidable. Eric's special guest today, Ron Yelenich, knows all about DIY disasters when it comes to building ponds, being a member of the DIY community himself, and he started before YouTube! Don't let disaster and failure deter you from building your own pond. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day!

Eric shares his insight on:

• Ron's inspiration for getting into the pond world
• Discovering the pond building DIYers on YouTube
• Setting the stage for what DIY really means
• Digging the pond to the correct depth for Koi
• How Ron and Eric came to meet each other
• Not knowing where to put the UV lamp in the pond
• Making a disastrous homemade sieve filter
• Running two bottom drains with a stiff pipe
• Using a large Rubbermaid trash can as a settlement tank
• The tricky thing about leaking
• Deciding to start over and build a pond the right way
• How Ron's family has coped during the long building process
• What has changed as life has continued moving forward
• Things that originally came from that DIY mentality
• Advice from Ron about doing too much DIY

Links to resources:

Rubbermaid

Home Depot

YouTube

Find Ron on Instagram!

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

If you find yourself in a position where you are constantly trying to achieve deadlines, you know that life can get a little hectic. Sometimes you just can't seem to get yourself moving, looking for any reason to put off your deadline until the last minute. Today, Eric wants to discuss an old adage, swallow the toad. A phrase that historically relates to procrastination, Eric finds a way to relate it to pond building. Procrastination is something that comes in our DNA, so "swallow the toad" in the morning so that the worst is behind you!

Eric shares his insight on:

• Eric's backstory behind his motivation for this episode
• Where the phrase, "swallow the toad," originally came from
• Putting a pond twist on the age-old phrase
• How to wake up and hit the ground running
• What you can miss out on when you put things off

Links to resources:

Eat That Frog

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

There are many different paths that can lead someone to the world of pond building. Not everyone comes from the construction business or even become professional pond builders, and that's definitely the case on today's episode. Eric's guest today, Matt Sexton, got into tropical fish as a young man but eventually found his way into the DIY pond-building community. Some of the most creative pond designs and innovations come for the DIY community. Matt is a prime example of someone who needed to scratch the itch for fish, so he decided to build his own ponds and aquariums. Don't let your lack of experience stop you from chasing something that you are passionate about!

Eric shares his insight on:

• Matt's journey through the world of tropical fish
• The inspiration behind getting his first pond
• Making a transition from being a high-level aquarist to a pond builder
• Deciding that it's time to build your own pond
• Step-by-step process of building a pond for the first time
• Where to find resources for DIY pond projects
• Biggest challenges that you will face when building a pond on your own
• Building your yard as you build your pond
• Best parts of the pond building process
• Translating a passion for fish into a pond
• Inspiration for those thinking about building their own pond

Links to resources:

Check out Matt's work on Instagram

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

Getting a pond goes beyond changing the physical appearance of your home. Once you dive into the pond world, your entire lifestyle will be affected. Eric's guest today, Rushka Knauss, has seen an incredible amount of transformation throughout her own life stemming from the ponds that she has had. Today, Eric and Rushka are going to take you through Rushka's incredible pond journey. When you decide to get your first pond, know that you are entering a new lifestyle that will follow you for the rest of your life. First, it's a project, then, it's a passion!

Eric shares his insight on:

• Rushka's journey through a lifetime of ponds
• Why you should go bigger on your pond
• The optimum location for your bedroom in relation to your pond
• Moving houses when you have a pond
• Eric and Rushka's bamboo trimming horror story
• Taking care of your fish when it's time to change properties
• Advice for people thinking about getting their first pond

Links to resources:

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

There are a lot of things that happen between someone's first desire to get a pond and the completion of the project, but most people don't really know how much goes into the process. A contractor can only tell you so much, but to see it through the homeowner's eyes is an incredibly enlightening picture. Eric's guests today, Diane and Allen Anderson, are going to show you a very interesting perspective of their journey to hiring a pond contractor as homeowners. Stay tuned so you know what possibilities to expect on the journey from pond desire to project completion.

Eric shares his insight on:

• What prompted the Andersons' desire to get a pond of their own
• Working with clients that are into the hobby already
• Getting pigeonholed into a spot that is easy for the contractor
• Researching design and contractors in the initial stage of getting a pond
• Staying patient when hiring a contractor in-season
• Dealing with the Home-Owner's Association
• Utilizing social media to track your contractors work
• Biggest concerns when starting the project
• Understanding the vital importance of having effective lighting
• Waterfalls acting as an exercise area for the fish
• Suggestions on what to do in your homeowner's journey

Links to resources:

Yelp

Snapchat

Instagram

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]

Oddly enough, one of the most important aspects of having a great pond is the air. Ironic, right? Airlift technology plays a vital role in maintaining aquatic life in your home pond. Today, Eric is talking airlift technology with one of his great friends and mentors, Kent Wallace. Kent has spent years working with airlift technology in ponds, creating and innovating in the industry. He is going to tell you all about how airlift works and how to use it correctly to maximize your pond efficiency. Stay tuned!

Eric shares his insight on:

• How Kent got involved in airlift technology
• What airlift is and how it used in the pond industry
• Creating an energy-efficient air pump
• Concerns that come with large bubbles
• Why so few people utilize airlift technology
• Purging the air out to get rid of the big bubbles
• Staying very careful when setting up the plumbing
• Building an airlift pond vs. building a pond with a standard pump
• Kent's pet peeves with bottom drains
• Fighting algae by circulating and oxygenating your pond
• Setback to using the large air pumps

Links to resources:

Get in touch with Kent at https://www.livingwatersolutions.com/

The Pond Digger

If you're looking for inspiration and tips for your pond, be sure to follow The Pond Digger's Instagram!

You can also check out The Pond Digger's products at:

http://helixpondfiltration.com/

And follow his adventures in the pond world at:

Instagram @theponddigger

Facebook @theponddigger

If you have any questions, feel free to email Eric with the subject line "Persuasive Pond Design" at:

[email protected]