T Melloh

Thank you Les. I might give that a shot. Will keep you posted.
Toxtli

Thanks Matt, nice to know you are nearby.
I might need to go a bit deeper than the iron pump offered by Lehman's. Will recheck water level now while we are in "severe drought".
Would also like a threaded outlet.
The Simplicity which both you and Les suggested (thanks Les) is a work of art. Pretty pricey too. Same with the Bison, at maybe a bit less.

I'll continue to research and welcome other suggestions.

 Additional note to my post on hand pumps.

    The well is about 180 ft deep. Latest level depth check was in winter was 22 feet.

I found this site which looks hopeful. https://homesteadingalliance.com/best-hand-water-pump-for-deep-wells/[/url]

And when I posted this a number of promising threads which I did not find in my search on this site came up.

Good morning,
We are  looking for a hand pump for the well at our orchard. Its been a long dry spell and 2 year old trees are withering despite mulch. Hauling water is no longer making it.
Bison pumps were a good product, but they have moved to some plastic components and are expensive.
Not sure how valid a concern the plastic is. Wondering what people's experience is and welcome recommendations.
I see pumps in a wide range of prices.

We hope to find a pump we can attach a hose to.
Thanks
Toxtli in Maine

Thanks Jay.  That helps focus my thinking some.
 Toxtli

We have a wooden yurt from a kit and are looking for ideas for ways to cover the dome from the inside. This would be to shade the sun in summer and insulate in the winter. Ideally it would be easily opened and closed without the use of a ladder. It may require one for each season. Wondering what other have done to create coverings?

Lovely spot!
Let me clarify your intent. Sounds  like your goal is to infiltrate water into the soil, clay, on your property versus draining it away into the ditch?
If so, for infiltration, slowing the flow is needed. Faster moving water will carry away your soil.
There are great suggestions already: Widening the trough, making shallower sides. Adding organic materials to both slow flow, hold moisture and allow biology to begin to change your soil structure. Broad forking to open the soil, and perhaps using compost tea or extract afterward to introduce biology deeper into the soil. Planting in the trough as mentioned, and plantings on your mounds.

If flow through the swale maze is still too heavy at times, you might add loose leaky rock dams  intermittently to slow flow and catch soil. Though I suspect the other measures should suffice. The ditch might be a place to consider this, depending on your needs. Slowing water is usually a good thing.
Best of luck.  Looking forward to updates.

Toxtli

Hey Alan, that's really cool. Might try a version of it myself. Based  on past experience, for the first few years keeping the soil moist will be a challenge given the shallow soil over logs which will take a while to decompose somewhat to hold moisture.  The elevation increases sun and wind exposure increases drying, as will any cracks to allow air flow.. Mulch, green or brown will help. Great you are getting numerous plants in to help with that.
I look forward to updates on your progress. Thanks for the pics.

Responding to earlier comment which indicated grafting is hard.  Grafting a scion onto rootstock can be challenging. It is a skill to be learned, like any other, so don't give up too easily. Good instruction(s) is important.
Much easier is cleft grafting. It requires you have tree(s ) to start with. Given that, it is a super way to expand your varieties, all on the same tree if you wish. Below is a link to a description. Many video instructions can be found online.
You can also use this technique to graft onto a fresh stump.  Cambium to cambium is the key, whatever the type of graft.

https://www.motwebpageherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/grafting-apple-trees/

I like Lina's idea.
Working with lasagna gardens over time I see mother nature takes advantage of any weakness in a cardboard floor.  Grasses enter through any cracks (overlap less than 6 inches) and from the sides. Covering one large plot well makes construction and especially maintenance is easier.
As mentioned by someone earlier the paths can be dug out to give height and hold moisture. If you cover the entire area with cardboard and chips in the fall, adding beds where desired, in spring you can dig out your paths with less risk of grasses growing in them and on their walls.
I recommend a work party, permablitz, to initiate your project.

      Great ideas shared above. Dug Hugels make sense with your soil. My raised Hugels were not packed and covered  well enough when constructed and dried out quickly in the summer sun for a  number of years.

Have fun creating!