Letter Re: The Water Filter Quest

Dear Jim;
I can contribute to the water filter research.  I have been a student of the subject for about 45 years depending on where I start counting.  I could tell a lot of great tales about things I have seen out in the world of water but most the people would question my truthfulness making these tales go better around the firepit. 
 
Many people misunderstand Charcoal filters and their usefulness.  In practical terms, they are useful for water that is contaminated with pesticides, complex nasty chemicals, or maybe a tiny bit of Hydrocarbon (Oil, Gasoline) pollution.  If you can taste anything like that, start looking for a better water supply.  Other nonchemical bad things can be removed by some well cared for sand filters and if you have possible human or animal waste contamination you need clorox, iodine, of even permanganate to finish your filtered water.  If you can taste chlorine let it set a minute in open air and try it again.  IF you can still taste chlorine strongly, you are using too much or heaven forbid you need that carbon filter before the chlorine and maybe an hour after it sits in the open.  Better start looking for new supplies.  I have been reading all the good reference sites from Survival Blog for making charcoal just in case I ever need to use it when making a filter. 
 
My view is that for short events like the well pump or city water being down a few days or weeks for localized disasters most of the commercial filters will work fine.  They should be cleaned and maintained regularly and instructions that come with each filter usually give a good practice regimen.  The most important thing to remember when using a filter is not to contaminate your clean water or parts of your filter mechanism.  At home don’t let the children the water filter care job.  And if you just got back from the pig pen or chicken house you don’t do it either.  Water treatment should be handled cleanly and carefully. 
 
Ceramic filters allow faster filtration but do not replace charcoal or finishing with chlorine.  If you have a really clean surface water supply you can simply use sand filters and forget the chlorine and the charcoal.  Yes people will disagree but if you have a long term or grid down supply problem you will be learning to build the old rain barrel filter used commonly a hundred years ago and described here recently.  Then advance your learning to build a better sand filter treatment system in some plastic drums with two or three filters in a row.  
 
For your backpack filters in the wilderness do not use glaciated water for your supply, it will jam your filter in a few draws of water.  Watch for nasty precipitates on the rocks before you choose your supply.  White or red is not good.  Look for better and yes rainwater puddles.  If running water tastes alkali, move on.   If in doubt, flip some rocks and see if anything can live in the stream or water puddle.  If it is dead, pick another supply.  I have been forced from the main stream to the puddles before and the 2 micron filter did fine.
 
 
For long term events and a number of people to supply we need to build larger gravity filters that are simple to maintain and operate.  The water first needs pass a small sized gravel filter to screen debris and rough solids, then clean sand filters six to ten inches thick.  Build sand filters on a plate with many tiny holes to allow the water to pass and collect under the plate to be piped to the next stage.  Next is another barrel with sand and if your supply merits a third filter then build one.  These sand filters need to be cleaned if possible back washed with clean filtered water when they noticeably slow down the finished water yield.  If you use plastic barrels, it is convenient to use removable tops for easy access.  Remove the top one inch of sand from the filter and look to see if the remaining sand is clean, inspect carefully for weak spots or piping in the sand filter and if you see any remove them and replace with prepared sand that you will have on hand for maintenance.  If your filters are eight inches thick you might remove two or three inches before replacing sand.  Stagger the regimen for several filters so that some are thicker at any particular time.  Without pumping pressure to backwash the sand you may have to completely remove all the sand and re-wash it all with a store of clean water then rebuild your filters.  The process takes some planning and thinking but the payoff is worth the effort.
 
All sand is different and you must wash out the fine sediment to make it useable.  Building a superior water system requires a little tinkering and experimentation.  It you need or want a charcoal filter, for long term water treatment, start reading and watching youtube videos on making your own charcoal.  It is a neat skill to learn and will be in demand for trade during a long term event.  Many of the people bringing back and improving the technology of charcoal making and hyper efficient “rocket” stoves are thinking of making charcoal for water treatment.  The charcoal chunks are pulverized and layered in your last water barrel filter setup.  Layer a couple of inches in the middle of a couple of thick sand layers.  One issue I seldom see discussed is that these carbon filters have a life time constantly shortened by the amount of nasty stuff (as described above) they must filter.  Not much chemical pollution in the water, the charcoal filter layer lasts longer.  More to filter, shorter life.  Charcoal cannot be cleaned like sand.  When it is spent it is finished and you cannot tell by looking but you may taste the difference in the water and that means new charcoal, immediately.  If you have an extra barrel build a replacement finish stage with the charcoal layer that you may just change out the barrel and keep producing water.  Same for the early stage filters.  You can continue to make water while you do your maintenance.  Accumulate plenty of new sand as you improve your system.
 
Recently I wandered down a click bar trail from SurvivalBlog to the University Research document linked below.  They have a good example of a home built water filter system near the end of the study.  Most of the study was about making the charcoal for the filter. 

Sustainable Decentralized Water Treatment for Rural and Developing Communities Using Gasifier Biochar
Version 1.0, March 2012
 
Corresponding author
Josh Kearns
Director of Science, Aqueous Solutions
PhD Candidate, Environmental Engineering
Engineering for Developing Communties
University of Colorado-Boulder
 
There are backyard researchers and Professional Companies now designing for wood fuel shortages and learning how to make charcoal in small amounts with out wasting all that wood heat and the wood gases (major BTUs) but cooking meals or heating water while making charcoal as they go.  Many are building better low fuel consumption, low pollution stoves and water filters for Third World countries but the same usefulness applies to a grid down event right here at home. – R.W.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Over at Instructables: 10 Minute Oil Lamp

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Five aircraft carriers simultaneously in one port! Photo caption: “The first time since WWII that five aircraft carriers were docked together. The nuclear powered USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) are all in port at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, the world’s largest naval station.” Don’t they remember Pearl Harbor?

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Camouflage Your AR-15

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Texas, Mississippi seek to lure gun and ammunition makers

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Over at the WRSA site, Matt Bracken reviews the book “A Failure Of Civility”

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 45 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) D.) a $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear, E.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value), and F.) A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo. and G.) A $200 gift certificate, donated by Shelf Reliance.

Second Prize: A.) A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand, B.) A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589. C.) A FloJak FP-50 stainless steel hand well pump (a $600 value), courtesy of FloJak.com. D.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $300, E.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials and F.) Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.), B.) A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206, C.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value, D.) A Commence Fire! emergency stove with three tinder refill kits. (A $160 value. E.) A Tactical Trauma Bag #3 from JRH Enterprises (a $200 value), and F.) Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security.

Round 45 ends on March 31st, 2013, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Dispelling Some Homeschooling Myths, by Lori R.

The Boston Tea Party was a terrorist act—or so it is characterized in the 6th grade curriculum widely used in my beloved state of Texas.  The Pledge of Allegiance—in Arabic?   The national anthem—well, some schools have banned it for being “too offensive…”   At least the flag is still there—oh, wait, that’s the Mexican flag…Speaking of flags, let’s design a flag—for a new Socialist country.  Why is patriotism under attack in America’s public school system?

Better yet, why are kids under attack in America’s public school system?  Hugs are banned as a form of sexual harassment, yet condoms and STD screenings are offered at middle schools and high schools.  Sex acts go unnoticed in the classroom, worse yet predators posing as teachers go unnoticed in the classroom.  School shootings, kids bullied to death, mandatory GPS trackers on school kids, children medicated at younger and younger ages on psychotropic drugs, unfit union teachers who can’t be fired, teachers who refuse to take tests because they don’t measure anything, school officials changing student standardized test answers, and the latest trend—kids being suspended, some even arrested, for brandishing Lego guns, toy guns, bubble guns, drawings of guns, screen saver guns, imaginary guns—really!?  These are just a few of the headlines making news lately, and if that’s not enough to make you want to homeschool, I don’t know what is.  So as a homeschooling mom to a 9 year old who dang sure knows a terrorist from a patriot, I thought I would share my 2 cents on the subject and dispel some myths:

It has become the norm for American children to attend public school, as their parents did, and as their grandparents did.  But it wasn’t always so.  Before there were government schools, there were homeschools and homeschool co-ops held in little one-roomed schoolhouses funded and controlled not by the government, but by the parents.  And those primitive, humble homeschools produced many of our most cherished American icons and heroes, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, Stonewall Jackson, George Washington Carver, Eli Whitney, Clara Barton, Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, Thomas Paine, Frank Lloyd Wright, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Alexander Graham Bell, the Wright Brothers, Robert E. Lee, Douglas MacArthur, George Patton, and  Mark Twain.

But then in the late 19th century, the idea of forced mass education was introduced, and families were told to sacrifice personal liberty for the “good” of the children—sounds like similar arguments being made in favor of gun control today.  In “Why Schools Don’t Educate,” John Taylor Gatto, award winning public school teacher and critic of compulsory education, describes the creation of government schools in America:  “Our form of compulsory schooling is an invention of the state of Massachusetts around 1850.  It was resisted—sometimes with guns—by an estimated eighty percent of the Massachusetts population, the last outpost in Barnstable on Cape Cod not surrendering its children until 1880’s when the area was seized by militia and children marched to school under guard.”   From that point forward, literacy rates dropped in the state, and have not since recovered.

So began a new era in American history. And I wonder, how would our Founding Fathers and iconic American heroes have fared in today’s government school system.  How would the world have fared?  Would Abe Lincoln be told to put away those silly books—they aren’t on this year’s required reading list?  Would the Wright brothers be told to stop fiddling with that machine so they could finish their standardized testing?  Would George Patton or Robert E. Lee be told to quit playing hero, as it violates the school’s policy on imaginary fighting?

So many of the people who shaped the world were home-educated, and I wonder to what extent their success was shaped by freedom to explore their curiosities and talents and passions.
But such freedom is no longer the norm, even here in “the land of the free.”   Now, we have been conditioned to forfeit our freedom and our individual choice, and to hand over more and more of our parental responsibility to the government school system.   We have been conditioned to believe we are not capable of educating our own kids, and that our kids are not capable of thinking for themselves.  Today, the government education authority, strangers to our children, decide when our children go to school, what they learn, when they learn it, the time allotted to learn it, how they can prove they have learned it, what school they will attend, in which classroom they will sit, which teachers and subjects they will be assigned, when to eat, sometimes what to eat and whether they can even speak during lunch, when they can use the bathroom, what they can wear, and in many cases what to think and believe.  After all, between a 7-hour school day, extra-curricular activities and homework, school kids spend more time with their teachers than their parents.  School has become the pseudo-parent—sometimes out of necessity, but many times out of convenience—a one-stop shop for raising our children—for education, transportation, day care, meals, health care, sex education, mental health services and counseling, exercise, extra-curricular activities and even socialization.

But more and more families are pushing back, seeking alternate forms of education for their kids.  According to the US Department of Education, there are now well over 2 million homeschooled kids nationwide, an increase of over 35% in just 4 years.   But it is amazing how little the average person knows about homeschooling.  Let’s examine the myths…

Myth:  “Isn’t it illegal to homeschool?”  No…I’m not a criminal!  Actually homeschooling is legal in all 50 states in some form—but beware that each state has its own education laws and regulations.  The good news is that almost half of our United States are very homeschool-friendly.   Those with virtually no regulation include AK, TX, CT, NJ, ID, OK, MO, IL, IN, and MI. The states that only require notification to the school district of the intent to homeschool include CA, AZ, NV, NM, UT, MT, WY, NB, KS, WS, KY, MS, AL, DE, as well as Washington, D.C.  The remaining states have some hoops to jump through with various regulations ranging from home visits to standardized testing to time tracking to curriculum approval. For a complete listing of state homeschooling laws visit www.hslda.org/laws/summary_of_laws.  Vote with your feet!

For those parents that are concerned about drawing suspicion from nosy neighbors or authorities that confuse homeschooling with truancy, some good advice can be found at www.hsc.org/how-can-homeschoolers-avoid-truancy-officers-or-cps.html.    Even here in homeschool-friendly Texas, I tend to keep a low profile during school hours.  I avoid taking my son on non-school related errands until after 3 PM just to avoid comments such as “you don’t look sick—why aren’t you in school?”  It has also been my experience that families that homeschool from the beginning don’t face as much harassment from the school district as families who withdraw their child, and thus the school’s source of funding.

For peace of mind, consider joining the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (www.hslda.org).  For $115 per year, members receive legal advice, court representation, advocacy, conflict resolution, as well as perks such as member discounts, homeschooling advice, and a magazine.

Myth:  “Homeschooled kids do not get enough socialization.”  Since when is it the government’s job to provide my kid with friends?  And since when does going to public school guarantee popularity?  We have all known kids that that are lonely, shy, or friendless despite being in a classroom full of other kids day after day, year after year.

There is actually very little socialization occurring at today’s government schools, unless by socialization you mean “indoctrination” or “institutionalization.”  Recess is becoming a thing of the past, and even lunch period has become a no talking zone in my local school district, with “silent lunch” in effect.  The fact is that today’s schools have very little resemblance to the schooldays you may reminisce about.

But homeschooling is whatever you make it to be.  The social opportunities are out there through co-ops, churches, extra-curricular activities, you just have to be motivated enough to get your child involved.   How do you find other homeschooled kids?  When you are out and about during the day and see other school-aged kids, chances are they are homeschooled—introduce yourself and don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Search Google or Yahoo Groups for homeschool groups in your area, and if you don’t find one, start one.  Ask your local library or teacher supply store if they know of other homeschooling families.  Book sales and churches are another good place to start.  As you become involved in extra-curricular activities like scouting or sports, ask around—there are probably other homeschooled kids there, too.  Soon enough your calendar will be full of play dates and field trips and park days.  Good thing  our school day is half the length of the public school day and we don’t have homework—now we actually have much more time to socialize with friends and family—a perfect segue into the next myth…

Myth:  “I do not have time to homeschool.”   The public school day may last 7 hours, but since when was the government efficient?  “We’re not trying to do ‘school at home.”  We are trying to do home school.  These are two entirely different propositions.  We’re not trying to replicate the time, style or content of the classroom.  Rather we are trying to cultivate a lifestyle of learning.”—Steve and Jane Lambert

Homeschooling doesn’t have to take all day.  Here’s why:

  • My family homeschools year round.  We do not take off for 3 months during summer, or for 2 weeks in winter or a week in spring, or for Columbus Day or early release days or snow days or teacher in-service days.  Therefore we can afford to spend fewer hours per day, spread out over more days per year, and we do not have to make up for learning lost over long holidays.  When the weather is nice and most kids are busy in school, we can take off and spend more time outdoors and on field trips, without the crowds and Texas heat.
  • We have a one-to-one student to teacher ratio, with no distractions.
  • We do not have to budget time during our school day for busy work, lunch, recess, safety drills, roll call, morning announcements, standardized testing or test prep, bathroom breaks, changing classes, lining up, wasted substitute teacher days, bus routes or special assemblies.  There is no red tape in the way of our homeschooling (at least in Texas).  As a result, we have no homework.
  • We do not impose artificial timelines or time limits.  We have a list of lessons to complete each day, and it takes as long as it takes.  Some tasks we breeze through, in which case my son isn’t punished with busy work as he might be at school.  Others tasks may take a little longer, and that’s OK–I have the freedom to flex something off the list when need be.  My son has learned that if he lollygags, that means less free time, so he has an incentive to stay focused.   The beauty of homeschooling is that we can focus on knowledge rather than grades or unnecessary work.  When he gets it, he gets it.

With that being said, I spend about 4 hours per day homeschooling my son, as well as a few hours each weekend preparing for the coming week.  We spend about 2 hours in the morning with lessons in civics, math and geography.  After a lunch break, we spend another 2 hours or so on reading, writing, spelling, grammar and history.  Science happens all the time.   In addition to those hours, we have been active with a homeschool group which offers weekly social activities, and my son is always enrolled in at least one extra curricular activity, such as swimming lessons, day camps, zoo classes or Tae Kwon Do.  When I’m not feeling well my son is allowed to use educational software on the computer, but I prefer old-fashioned pencil and paper work.

Myth:  “I am not a teacher, therefore I am not qualified to homeschool my kids.”    “There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent.” –Mahatma Gandhi

Legally speaking most parents are qualified to homeschool.  According to the Home School Legal Defense Association, “forty-one states do not require homeschool parents to meet any specific teacher qualifications.  The other nine states require only a high school diploma or GED and include GA, NC, ND, NM, OH, PA, SC, TN and WV.”  For more information visit www.hslda.org/laws/summary_of_laws.

For skeptics who believe that parents aren’t qualified teachers—if graduating from the government school system renders people incapable of teaching their own children, what does that say about the system?  I graduated from high school with honors, went on to earn my Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree, yet, until recently, I couldn’t name all the presidents or states, I couldn’t have told you anything about the War of 1812 other than it had something to do with the year 1812…My tests scores did not reflect my mastery of each subject or lack thereof, but rather my mastery of taking tests!  A decent short term memory was enough to get me a seat in the National Honor Society.  So the bottom line is even though I don’t have a degree in public education, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t do any worse.

As a homeschooling parent I know what my son has learned, I know his strengths and struggles–I have been there each step of the way.  In contrast, a friend of mine doesn’t know whether her child has learned the states or where he is on a map because she leaves it to the school to teach him those things.  It’s as if it is none of her business.    Educating my son is my #1 business, and through research I have learned that there is no “one size fits all” method of education.  Children have different learning styles, different strengths and weakness, and there is only so much a classroom environment can do to accommodate a room full of individuals.  But homeschooling can be adapted to the individual child, and  who knows that child better than his or her own parents?  Parents are always their children’s first teachers, and homeschooling is just an extension of that.  Homeschooling allows us as parents to provide consistency, rather than changing teachers from year to year or class to class.  And for those subjects that we struggle to teach or that our kids struggle to learn, we can always do a little homework or ask for help.

  • Partner with other homeschoolers:  One of the best resources that we have is other parents in the homeschool community, whether locally or on-line.  There are endless opportunities for on-line discussion groups and forums.   When I find myself struggling with something, Google usually finds an answer, or at least something different I could try.  Joining a local homeschool group or co-op is invaluable for support and advice and even pooling resources and skills for joint classes or private tutoring led by parents in their areas of expertise.
  • Partner with community resources:  There are endless learning opportunities right in your own backyard for PE (martial arts classes, gymnastics classes, tennis lessons, swim lessons, YMCA or city league sports clubs , public pools, walking trails, parks), fine arts (art competitions, art festivals, art museums, lessons at Michael’s/Hobby Lobby, community theatre, acting camps, piano lessons, community band, church/community choir, orchestra performances, dance performances/lessons, photography workshops), scouting, science (zoos, wildlife refuges, nature preserves, state park presentations, 4H, museums, planetariums, farm and factory tours, TV weather station tours), history (re-enactment events, museums, renaissance fairs, heritage festivals, historical building tours, living history events), social studies (cultural celebrations, parades, museums and events), civics (voting, welcome home soldier events, public rallies, patriotic events, museums, memorials, tours of post office, fire station, etc, volunteering), language arts (book clubs, read alouds at libraries and book stores, literacy councils, spelling bees, writing competitions),  geography (geo-bees, geocaching), not to mention summer camps and workshops in every subject under the sun.  So, you see, it is quite easy to take the “home” right out of homeschooling.
  • There are countless internet and software resources available for learning everything from foreign language to flight simulators.

Myth:  “We can’t afford to live on one income.”  Or, more eloquently stated, “We didn’t have the luxury for her not to work.”–President Barrack Obama…OK, first of all, not all homeschooling families have a full-time, stay-at-home parent/teacher.  Some families have one parent that works part time or from home.  Other families have two parents that work opposite shifts so that someone is always home with the children. Second of all, being a stay-at-home mom is not a luxury—it is a sacrifice.  We chose to sacrifice my career, half of our family income, and most of our luxuries so that I could stay home with my son, so that I could provide him with a home education and avoid government schools, and so that we could move to a country “retreat” full time and raise a few homestead animals.  It’s not that we can afford to do this, it is that we can not afford not to.   There is a huge difference.

The bottom line is that while it is true that you can’t maintain a two income lifestyle on one income, there are ways you can make one income work.  What would you be willing to give up?

We have gotten our monthly budget down to $2100 per month for our family of 3.  Notice what is not in our budget: 

  • No government assistance—although we would probably qualify, we are not on food stamps or any other government subsidy.
  • No dream house—after years of searching, we found a 750 square foot, 3-room cabin on 9 acres of land in farm country about 15 minutes from a small town.  We got rid of at least half of our belongings and kept only our most cherished possessions.  We heat only with a wood burning stove and cool with window units—there is no central heat or air.  Our mortgage of $430 is cheaper than the monthly rent of $495 at a travel trailer campground a few miles down the road!
  • No car payments—we own two older model 4 wheel drive vehicles.  The cost of maintaining them is much cheaper than purchasing a newer car, plus the insurance is cheaper.  Again, no bells and whistles.
  • No toys—no boats, RVs, motorcycles, 4 wheelers…
  • No jewelry.
  • No credit cards—we have learned to live within our means and pay cash for what we need.  Otherwise we do without or save up.
  • No manicures, pedicures, massages, waxes, facials.  My beauty routine involves a $13 haircut maybe 4 times a year.  My husband and son cut their hair at home.
  • Very low clothing allowance–most of our clothing comes from Goodwill (yes—you can get good looking clothes there for $1-4 per piece!  Military gear is also a steal and much cheaper than at Army/Navy stores, ranging from $1 for hats to $5 for BDU, especially at Halloween).  Occasionally we will buy clothes on deep clearance sales, usually off season.  I don’t go window shopping.  I don’t go to the mall or department stores.
  • No trash service–we burn our own trash in a pit in the ground.
  • No travel budget—we can’t afford to travel, which is just as well, because we can’t afford to pay for a pet sitter!  It’s one thing to ask a neighbor to feed your dogs or cats.  It’s another thing altogether to ask your neighbor to milk your goat!  Something to think about!!
  • No expensive hobbies or entertainment—we do not have internet at home—we have not found a good rural internet option that we can afford.  Instead we use the limited internet access on our cell phones, and take the laptop into a town once a week for free wi-fi at fast food restaurants (on a laptop that does not contain our personal info).  We do not have I-pads or I-pods or any of those gadgets.  We do not go to the movies—instead we rent movies for $1.30 at the red box.  My husband doesn’t golf or go to sporting events or go on hunting trips with his buddies.  I don’t do girls’ night out, or facebook, blog, twitter, scrapbook, or read trashy novels or magazines or watch soap operas.  We do watch TV (cheapest package available, no DVR, no high-definition), read books, play board games and card games, and spend time outdoors.  We eat out maybe once or twice a month, and we take advantage of Kids Eat Free nights in our area.
  • Veterinary care—we have learned to provide most vet care for our animals, including giving injections, assisting in birth and newborn care, administering antibiotics, using a drench gun to provide fluids or liquid medications.  We do visit a mobile vet clinic which offers rabies shots for $10 each—most vets in the area charge an office visit fee of at least $30 just to get you in the door…
  • No expensive home security system—a fence and locked gate, 3 large dogs, 2 x 4s held against the door with barn door bar holders, and guns are our home security system…
  • No expensive gifts—we have officially withdrawn from the holiday rat race.  We do buy gifts for our son, but not for extended family members.   We do offer gifts of homemade goat milk soaps and fresh farm foods, but so far those gifts haven’t been appreciated…
  • I guess extreme couponing would be an option for some, but my local grocery store has put a stop to that.  There is not a bulk warehouse in my neck of the woods either.

How’s that for luxury, folks?  I think Michelle just might have me beat.  But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Myth:  “Public school is free–we can’t afford to homeschool.”  According to the Census Bureau, on average it costs American taxpayers over $10,000 to send one child to public school for one year.  What a rip off!  Homeschooling families pay those public education taxes even though their children do not attend public school.  They must then purchase their own homeschool materials and supplies out of pocket, which are not tax deductible.  Luckily, unless you run your homeschool like a bloated bureaucracy, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.  Here’s the nitty gritty:

  • School Discards:  It is amazing what our tax-funded government schools throw away.  Every so often schools review and update their materials and discard old inventory and even brand new sample materials and library books, either by throwing them away or donating them.  I once received a whole car load of brand new or slightly used textbook sets including workbooks and teacher guides spanning multiple grade levels and multiple subjects—all for free, including expensive brands such as Saxon math.   Contact your local district to determine a contact person and schedule for curriculum dumping—they will often be glad to give the books to a good home.     Also, when a new school is built to the take the place of an existing school, or when a school is scheduled for major remodeling, or when a school’s technology is updated, or at the end of the school year/beginning of summer break, you can bet they will be cleaning house.  This is a good time to keep an eye on dumpsters.  We have pulled art prints, textbooks, workbooks, even TVs and overhead projectors from the dumpster.  A find well worth the embarrassment of dumpster diving!  Get permission if needed in your area.
  • Garage Sale Leftovers:   Garage sales are great, homeschool/teacher garage/retirement sales are even better, and free garage sale leftovers are the best!  Local newspapers sometimes offer searchable classified listings on-line to help you narrow your search to keywords “teacher” or “school” or “homeschool.”  I have made it a habit to purchase a few things, introduce myself, and then ask for any leftovers that they might want to get rid of after the sale.  If they are planning to donate or toss, they may as well give it away to a family that will gratefully use it.  I’ve received two car loads of free books and supplies that way.  Best of all, most of the maps, posters, charts, etc. are already laminated, which can be very costly.
  • Bulk Trash—some of the towns in our area host a free bulk-item pick up once or twice a year.  This is a great time to do some treasure hunting!  We have picked up desks, bookshelves, encyclopedias and other school supplies, as well as household items such as metal bunk beds, toys, toy boxes, etc.
  • Swap Meets:  Organize a swap meet with other local homeschooling families to trade books, games or other materials that your children have outgrown or that you do not want.   This is also a good way to trade any multiples that you may have received in classroom sets obtained from schools or teachers.   Many homeschooling families do not write in textbooks or workbooks so they can be passed down to younger siblings, and then eventually resold or swapped.
  • Free On-Line Resources:  The internet can be an invaluable resource for lesson plans, worksheets, printables, arts and crafts, videos, discussion groups, live web-cams, etc.
    • Don’t forget on-line resources such as CraigsList and Freecycle for give-aways.  I received a huge ocean collection of coral, shells, starfish, seahorses, even a stuffed shark from a woman who just needed to make room in her house.  The collection is actually better than that offered at our local children’s science museum!
    • Homeschool Tracker (www.homeschooltracker.com) offers a free record keeping download that allows you to schedule assignments, record grades and field trips, generate report cards and attendance records, track time spent, log books read and resources used, etc.
    • Search for free classroom or homeschool materials, promotions and give-aways.  I have been sent free posters, DVDs, etc.  Most giveaways marketed for schools are also available for homeschoolers.  Office Max once offered free laminating to teachers, which they extended to homeschoolers.
  • The world is our classroom.  Mother Nature is a wonderful resource for free learning materials, and what better way to learn than to collect and examine specimens first hand rather than looking at illustrations in books.  Turtle shells, feathers, nests, bones, skulls, leaves, plants, insects, etc. line our shelves.  Of course, observation and appreciation of nature do not have to take up space on a shelf.   Homesteading offers many opportunities to witness science first hand, from sky and weather observation to life-cycles, birth and reproduction, to anatomy lessons at chicken cleaning time.
  • Catalog of Ideas:  My local teacher supply store, which is very expensive, offers free catalogues.  A quick search through the over-priced products has given me ideas for things I could make rather than purchase.
  • Free field trips–Many museums offer a free day each month during a low-traffic time (free on the first Wednesday of each month, for example).  Call around or check web sites for public free days.  Our local symphony offers free admission to the last rehearsal performance before opening day and encourages families with squirmy kids to attend then, so the paying audience won’t be disrupted.  Our local art museum offers free family days on one Saturday each month, with children’s art activities as well as free museum admission and tours.  Many places offer free open house dates from time to time—take advantage.

Low Cost Resources

  • Low cost field trips—
    • Most museums, zoos, etc offer discounted group rates, so coordinate with other homeschool families to take advantage of discounts.
    • Many museums, zoos, and even some amusement parks in larger cities now offer annual or semi-annual homeschool days with special exhibits, shows and pricing.
    • School shows—some symphonies, ballets, theatres, renaissance fairs, etc offer school performance shows which are closed to the public and deeply discounted.  Usually homeschooling families are welcomed.  We have attended the symphony and ballet for as little as $3 per person.   School shows usually occur at the same time each year, so plan ahead to get tickets before they sell out.
    • Family Memberships—many museums and zoos offer family memberships that are well worth the price if you plan to visit often.
  • Thrift stores, library sales, garage sales and fundraiser book sales, although not free, have been a great resource for very low cost books, games, supplies, and videos.   I typically pay 25 cents to 50 cents each for paperback readers or educational magazines such as national geographic magazines, and $1-2 each for hardback books, textbooks, computer software, DVDs/videos, workbooks, and other resources such as flashcards or educational games.
  • As a last resort, shop retail sales.  Stock up on school supplies only after the back-to-school rush is over and supplies go on clearance.  The Dollar Tree chain store offers a teacher supply section that includes charts, posters, timelines, maps, reward stickers, bulletin board decorations, etc., as well as school supplies for, obviously, $1 each!

Plan ahead.  Do not wait until the last minute.  I have been stockpiling school books and supplies since my son was an infant, and it is amazing how quickly they have come in handy.

Myth:  “Homeschoolers are white, right-wing, religious extremists.”  Heck they’re probably a bunch of preppers, too!  The demographics of the homeschooling population is ever changing, as are the reasons for homeschooling, which do include religion and politics, but also concerns over school safety and security, overcrowding, bullying, privacy, poor school performance, and just your basic freedom of choice.  Across the country, you can find homeschool groups geared toward children with special needs, only children, secular families, teens, Native American families wishing to preserve their culture, Muslim families—and yes, even Christians and preppers!  Concern about the government school system is universal.

Myth:  Homeschooling is a cover for parents that are too lazy to take their kids to school.  There may be a few bad apples in the barrel, but homeschools must be doing something right.   Homeschooled kids continue to outperform their public school peers.  And according to a report by US News, “students coming from a homeschool graduated college at a higher rate than their peers and earned higher grade point averages along the way.”  Homeschooled children have also fared well in academic competitions.  According to the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, “although homeschoolers make up approximately 2% of the US school-age population, they made up 12 % of the 251 National Spelling Bee finalists, and 5% of the 55 National Geography Bee finalists.  Three of the past seven spelling bee winners have been homeschooled.  Last year’s homeschooled winner of the geography bee was 10 years old, the youngest in that event’s history.”

Conclusion

So if it is cheaper, more efficient and more effective to homeschool our kids, what is the purpose of government schools?   A chilling quote from John Gatto:  “Divide children by subject, by age-grading, by constant rankings on tests, and by many other more subtle means and it was unlikely that the ignorant mass of mankind, separated in childhood, would ever reintegrate into a dangerous whole…Mandatory education serves children only incidentally; its real purpose is to turn them into servants.  If David Farragut could take command of a captured British warship as a preteen, if Thomas Edison could publish a broadsheet at the age of twelve, if Ben Franklin could apprentice himself to a printer at the same age, there’s no telling what your own kids could do.  After a long life, and thirty years in the public school trenches, I’ve concluded that genius is as common as dirt.  We suppress our genius only because we haven’t yet figured out how to manage a population of educated men and women.  The solution, I think, is simple and glorious.  Let them manage themselves.”

Auction Update: PVS-14 Gen 3+ Night Vision Scope to Benefit C.R.O.S.S. Ministries

CURRENT BID is $3,000 (Bid by Reader D.J.G.)

Simply e-mail us your bids. I will post regular updates on the bidding. The final deadline will be Midnight EST on Monday, March 11, 2013. Thanks for your generous bids in support of C.R.O.S.S. Ministries.

We are continuing a benefit auction of a brand new AN/PVS-14 Gen 3+ Night Vision Scope. All proceeds (100% of your bid) will be donated to C.R.O.S.S. Ministries. (A very worthy Christian ministry that is sharing the Gospel of Christ in South Sudan. Their outreach method is unique: They are teaching rural villagers tactical marksmanship, water purification, and firefighting skills, free of charge.)

The monocular is one of these. (The same model that we use here at the Rawles Ranch.) These night vision scopes normally retail for around $3,600. (Although Ready Made Resources sells them at the discounted price of $2,695.) This monocular was kindly donated by Ready Made Resources, in cooperation with Night Ops Tactical.

Letter Re: The Federal Reserve’s Inauspicious 100th Anniversary

Captain Rawles,
The inflation calculator that you linked to is way off. If you punch in five cents it returns $1.16. [JWR Adds: This is because their calculator uses "official" CPI data, which is badly skewed.]
 
In 1913 it cost five cents for a loaf of bread. I would love to find a store that sells a loaf of bread for $1.16 today.
 
Being a master of Excel, I played around with this a few months ago. It turns out that a loaf of bread costs about $4.00. An increase from five cents to four dollars is an increase of 7,900%. The 2,226.1% increase claimed on the inflation calculator is too low by nearly a factor of 4.
 
An ounce of gold in 1913 cost $20.68. When I did these calculations gold cost $1677 per ounce. That is an increase of 8,009%. So I think it much more accurate to say that inflation since 1913 is roughly 8,000%.
 
Another point that might be interesting to those who are not aware: the value of gold does not change. The number of fake reserve notes it takes to buy gold keeps going up but the value doesn’t change. The evidence: Take the cost of a loaf of bread in 1913, five cents, and divide it by the cost of one ounce of gold in 1913, $20.68, and you get 0.24%. Then take the cost of a loaf of bread today, $4.00 and divide it buy the cost of one ounce of gold today, $1677 and you get 0.24%. It costs exactly the same amount of gold today to buy a loaf of bread as it did in 1913!
 
So if you leave the fake money out of the equation and only calculate with bread and gold, you find that there has been no inflation at all. I think this proves that inflation is a construct of the criminals in the Federal Reserve along with their fake money. – Maddog

Three Letters Re: How Racially Tolerant is the American Redoubt?

Captain Rawles,
I am one of those people that the liberals like to call a racist because I am outspoken about my hatred of the Muslim anti-American criminal in the Whitehouse. In 2000 I voted for Alan Keyes. In 2004 he wasn’t on the ballot so I wrote him in. If Dr. Benjamin Carson decides to run, I will very likely vote for him too. LTC Alan West is one of my heroes. I read the editorials of Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, and Ellis Washington every week without fail. I consider them to be extremely intelligent and honorable.
 
If this man is a Christian, reveres our Constitution, and tries to live his life with honor then I think he will find himself quite welcome in my neighborhood (somewhere in Idaho). – Maddog

James,
I wanted to comment on this gentleman’s question. (If not posted possibly cut and paste and forward to him.) I am from Southern California and have lived in Western Wyoming for about eight years now. I am half Italian with a very obvious Italian last name. I have never seen any issues where people cared about where I was from. On a more specific note, I have a very close friend that is African American and his wife is Puerto Rican. They came to visit us for a week with great hesitation due to his skin color. They had a wonderful time being taken around town and being introduced to our friends and acquaintances. As we hugged to say goodbye there were tears in his eyes because of the love that was shown to him at the local restaurants, the neighbors, people at the general store, church, etc.

I am 42 years old and have seen a lot of hatred as a law enforcement officer in California. I am proud to say that we do not judge people by the color of their skin in this area. We are more concerned about the caliber of their rifle and the goodness in their heart.
Yes in some ways America is getting better and better everyday! – Tony in Wyoming

FMJ
The redoubt has a higher proportion of former military members than the nation at large and military service [serving alongside] those of other races goes a long way to eliminating ignorance.   I recommend you plan a vacation through as much of the area as you can to get a feel for things.  You may be more comfortable around college towns so check out the Helena, Montana, Cheyenne, Wyoming  and Boise, Idaho area. [JWR Adds: I’d also recommend Moscow, Idaho and Bozeman, Montana.] I live in Boise where racism is nearly a non-issue but with that choice comes all the downside of being in a populated area including the loss of the ability to become truly self-reliant.  Like everything else, you’ll need to set your priorities.    I strongly believe that, if you’re a person of character, that will be a much more important factor in your being “accepted” than your race.  Good luck. – Jan G.

Letter Re: Nursing an Infectious/Infected Patient Post-Collapse

James:
While the article Nursing an Infectious/Infected Patient Post-Collapse, by P.C., RN, shares some common methods of treatment for general conceptual care of some common childhood diseases of infectious patients, it does not consider that in the treatment of diseases without available treatment of antibiotics, of diseases that are airborne and highly contagious, like Tuberculosis, SARS, Pertussis, or the Blood borne pathogens like Ebola, Active Hepatitis B, C or D, HIV PCP (Pneumocystis Pneumonia) or Ebola.

In these cases you do not want an open window to be allowing any escaping infectious droplets. Use of an airflow HEPA filtration system is optimum. It is also preferable to not provide care for the person in your home dwelling if others are residing there, if possible. Set up a non-porous washable surface tent for the patient with only a metal framed bed or cot, an overbed table and a bedside commode, 30 ft. away from your home or any animals. Anything that was in that room that is porous, like fabrics or even binds with cording that opens and closes them, must be either removed before the patient is placed in the room, or disposed of if left in it. Only Non-porous metal furniture or bed frames are recommended to be used in that room after the infectious droplets or bloodborne pathogens have come in contact with them. They will need to be heavily scoured and disinfected with bleach on all surfaces and baked in the sunshine before reuse. 

What to do with waste: Use disposables whenever possible, not re-usables. Store up ample supplies of paper towel rolls, tissue, toilet paper, plates, spoons, forks, cups, gowns, disposable nitrile gloves in at least two sizes, face masks, incontinent pads, for the patient, add those and also head covering, and shoe covering, for each of the caretakers use, and when once used, double bag them, and bury them or burn them downwind from the homestead, in a designated metal 55 gallon drum. 

Urine and stool should not be flushed untreated into a septic system if the field line runoff is connected to a gray water system or for leach watering your lawn or garden. 

For additional specific information on Infection Control Practices used in Present Third World countries, refer to the PDF available at the WHO web site or search the Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières web site for useful infection control practice information. Here is an interesting and informative article dealing with care of infections with the absence of antibiotics. Are you ready for a world without antibiotics?  – K.A.F.

News From The American Redoubt:

Here is an interesting new underground storage shelter made by a company on the Montana/Idaho state line: NotaBunker.com. They have a PDF brochure available. They are offering free shipping in a 200 mile radius of Heron, Montana.

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The Washington state legislature opting for Full Californication? A 47.5 cent per gallon fuel tax? (More reasons for Washington’s eastern counties to spilt off and form their own state!)

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Oregon legislators clone Washington’s bad law: Is Oregon writing the Worst. Gun. Law. Evah? (If this passes, it will be the queue for Oregon’s counties east of the Cascades to split off and form their own state.) Here is a PDF of the text of the bill. Oh, but other news sources say that they are abandoning that legislation, to focus on other gun-related laws.

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Wyoming state representative Hans Hunt politely tells a newly-arrived liberal: “By All Means, Leave.”

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Roadkill rule offers Idaho new opportunities for fame. And in related news: Montana Bill Would Legalize Roadkill Dining

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Dr. Krayton Kerns, a Montana legislator has authored HB302, a bill that would prohibit state personnel and funds from being used to enforce an unconstitutional federal ban on semiautomatic weapons and high capacity magazines. In his blog, Kerns reports: “The opposition [in committee] was fierce. HB302 was voted out of committee 12-8, entirely along party lines with no support from even one Democrat.” Kerns has also written a lot of other great essays.

Economics and Investing:

The High Burden of State and Federal Capital Gains Taxes. (California’s new combined rate us a whopping 33%. Ouch!)

Report: United States lost 11,630 farms in 2012

What European Recovery? Unemployment at record high and debt only keeps reaching more unsustainable levels. Italy’s Debt to GDP crosses 125 percent.

Items from The Economatrix:

The Trigger Has Been Pulled, The Crash Has Begun, How Are Things Going To Play Out

Are We Headed Toward An Economic Collapse? Preparing For A Financial Armageddon

Moody’s Cuts UK Credit Rating One Notch To Aa1

US Consumers Hit By Payroll Taxes, Rising Gas Prices: Up Next, Government Austerity!

Odds ‘n Sods:

Camping Survival is running their semi-annual sale on Mountain House foods. They are offering 25% off #10 cans and kits, and 15% off all pouches. The last day of the sale is March 1st, so order soon!

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Several readers sent this: Do you live in a state that still holds high regard for the Second Amendment? (Let the Brady Anti-Gun Organization Help You Choose a Retreat State.)

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Nathan Haddad’s legal defense fund has now raised more than $40,000. Please support this worthy cause.

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Chinese Hackers Have A Weapon Of Mass Destruction That No One Is Talking About. (Thansk to M.V.R. for the link.)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"We have looted the future to bribe the present, and at the bottom of the cliff the future is waiting for what we owe it." – Mark Steyn, in a lecture at Hillsdale College, January 29, 2013

Notes from JWR:

Today is the 234th anniversary of the British surrender following the Battle of Vincennes at Fort Sackville in what is now Indiana. This 1779 battle is is notable for at least four reasons: The actions of Colonel Clark and his company-strength unit of men endured considerable hardship in a surprise march across the flooded and frozen Illinois prairie and yet defeated a numerically superior and fortified enemy force with small arms, primarily rifle fire alone; the flatboat carrying artillery support from Fort Pitt/Pittsburgh down the Ohio River and up the Wabash failed to arrive in time for Clark’s attack and the British surrendered before it finally arrived. The territory thus secured by Clark and his 172 men included present-day Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and parts of Ohio and Michigan; the next nearest British fort and garrison was at Detroit. Clark’s use of psychological warfare, ruse and bluff was notable, and his leadership worthy of special note: Great things may be effected by a few men when well conducted. And so they were.

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February 25th is also the 86th birthday of bluegrass music legend Ralph Stanley. (He was born in 1927.) His great harmonizing and tenor solos have an almost haunting sound to them.

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Micah Wood of C.R.O.S.S. Ministries has returned from his first trip to South Sudan. Don’t miss reading his newsy and inspiring update, below.