Gravity Fed Water Systems, by J.S.

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Gravity systems are simple but very complex at the same time. Having lived on spring water that was fed by gravity for over 50 years, I have some experience in making these systems work and easy to maintain. I hope that my simple overview will help you design, build, and enjoy a gravity-fed system, too.

There are four basic elements to a gravity water system: source, intake, sediment removal, and storage. Of course, you may have to deal with some troubleshooting down the road as well.

Source

The source can be any supply of free water. Spring, creeks, lakes, rivers or even collected rainwater are all viable sources. However, each has advantages and disadvantages to a homeowner. For instance, if you use flowing water, will a flood or mudslide possibly destroy your intake? First on your to-do list is to identify all water sources available to you. Even swampy areas can be a source, so do not be afraid to list everything. The next step is to have the water tested at the county from each source for pollutants. One common mistake beginners make is to assume that all natural water is clean water. Upstream cattle or wildlife populations, farmer field runoff, and so forth can all contribute toxic waste into water that can be hazardous to your health. Have the water tested and keep track of the pollutants found.

The amount of water (usually measured in gallons per minute) is a somewhat useless statistic. The only thing that matters is that the average daily flow is greater than your average daily need. Your storage tank will even out the difference on days your use exceeds your input and refill when the reverse is true.

Your next step is to pick your top two water sources. I pick the top two water sources using a scoring system; each source is rated based upon the following attributes to obtain each source’s total score. The top two highest scores at the two preferred sources. The movement score ranges from -3 for stagnant water to +3 for rapidly moving water. The pollution score ranges from -5 for water unsafe to drink to +5 for water that is cleaner than bottled water. (Note: Some pollutants will completely eliminate a source from consideration, such as mercury or arsenic at high levels.) The height score ranges from 0 for water that is level with its usage point to +5 for water that is 200 feet higher than its usage point. The volume score ranges from -2 for a flow that is a quarter of a garden hose to +5 for one that is a full 3-inch pipe flow.

Distance from the usage point is not really a significant consideration. Reliable, safe, plentiful drinking water for the long term is always worth the effort to lay your transport pipe.

Now that we have our scoring system, let’s take my personal gravity system as an example. It is a natural spring, with a seasonal creek addition, that is about 1/4 mile from my home and 230 feet higher than my house. It is a moving water source and would score a 0 on my scale above. Pollution levels actually tested cleaner than bottled water at the county. The spring comes out of a clay bank, so a +5 there. I get an additional +5 for the intake height (The height translates to water pressure at the usage point.) The volume ranks a +2, as it is enough to fill a 1-inch pipe. So, my total score is 12.

My father’s system is similar but is only 40 feet higher than the house and does not test as clean. (It is from an small open creek, but it is safe to drink.) So, the score for his system is 0 (movement) + 0 (pollution) + 1 (height) + 3 (volume) = 4 total score. By comparing water sources this way, it is easy to find your top one or two sources by score. The higher the score, the better.

Intake

Now that we have selected a source of water for our system, we need to devise a way to collect it and get it into our system. Options here include creating small dams, laying a pipe in the creek bottom, placing a pipe attached to the bottom of a float (great for large streams/rivers), or placing a screened box in standing water. Collection can be easy as even the most inexperienced plumber knows that water flows downhill. The problem is you probably do not desire to capture water bugs, salamanders, small fish, moss, leaves and other items inside your water system.

The easiest system to maintain is a graduated screening system. For my father’s system, I use a chicken wire fence across the stream several feet upstream. This keeps out leaves and large debris. At the pool where the intake is, we have a rigid wire mesh small animal cage. Inside the cage we stuff pond filter material, which is cheap and easy to obtain at most hardware stores, to prevent smaller debris from entering the pipe. One key item to remember here is that you are trying to get rid of particulates, not suspended items, so no “chunky” water, just “dirty” water gets through.

You should also build a simple shelter that will divert any falling material downstream from the intake point. You want to keep this as simple as possible, as you will probably need to repair it every other year if it is under tree cover, because falling branches and trees can cause a lot of damage. In open country, this shelter will provide shade, since sunlight causes algae to grow, and it will prevent animals from direct access to your water intake.

Sediment Removal

This is actually done in multiple areas. We already eliminated macro debris at the intake. The pipe should now flow into a sediment trap. Sediment traps are simple. It is just a place where the water pressure drops significantly and the water resides for enough time to allow sediment to collect at the bottom.

To design your removal system, collect a glass or jar of water after “muddying” the waters at the intake. Set the glass/jar down and see how long it takes for the material to collect on the bottom of the glass. The longer it takes, the larger your sediment trap needs to be. On my father’s system, we use a 55-gallon drum on its side. Water flows in on the top side. Once the barrel is full, the water flows out a connection at the top of the downhill end. A plug at the bottom of the downhill end allows us to drain the collected debris, periodically. I have also used a pipe system. Essentially, this is where a one-inch pipe T’s into a 2-inch pipe about two feet from the bottom. This two inch pipe must fill to a height of four feet to continue the flow. This pressure drop (due to the pipe size change) and the “fill” factor of movement, allows the sediment to collect on the bottom of the 2-inch pipe, where it terminates in a valve for sediment drainage. Anything will work, as long as you remember the key elements– pressure reduction, time, fill-action flow, and drain capability.

If you want to use a filter, you will need to install that near the usage point, where you have sufficient water pressure. I have reverse osmosis systems under my sinks and a fine grain filter on the mainline before it enters the house. You will need to replace filters more frequently than the manufacturer recommends, as they are usually rated for treated/city water rather than runoff.

Storage

You will need storage of the collected water. My system has a pool behind an artificial dam at the intake point that holds about 400 gallons of water. I don’t run the risk of running short of water as my source is a permanent spring that has been in use for over 100 years without ever drying up. Previously, my father’s system used a water tank from a steam locomotive that held about 500 gallons. After years of rust, sediment filling between the baffles, and discovering albino crawdads living inside, we switched him to a 1100 gallon polyethylene storage tank this year.

For best results, your tank should contain a minimum of a one-week water supply and preferably at least a month-long supply. Right now you will probably not need that much, but what about after an event? You may need to shut your water intake off for several weeks to prevent ash, fallout, or other contaminants from polluting your storage. What about repairs? You should have supplies on hand, and right now it is no big deal to run down and get another 100 feet of poly pipe and various connectors, but what about after an event? You may have to get very inventive, and it may take more than a few days to find usable replacement parts. Keep a solid supply of parts for whatever system you build. I keep an extra roll of each size polypipe I use and three five-gallon buckets of connectors, valves, and ring clamps.

Troubleshooting

Contamination. Do your homework in advance. Find out exactly how much bleach is necessary to “clean” the water in your storage tank. Know what “cleaners” are necessary for each suspected contaminant and make sure they will not interact with the composition of your pipe or storage tank. If you are in doubt, make sure you have a way to drain your storage and allow it to refill while you ration water. We had to do this on my father’s system when an inconsiderate hunter used our intake point to clean a deer and left all the organs in the intake pond. We know the hunter was aware of where he was because he dug up the pipe to move it out of his way while he worked and then laid it back in the pond when he was done! If you have solar power near your intake, I know of one person who built an enclosure over their spring and installed multiple submersible UV water purification systems designed for fish tanks. (He found four of these were cheaper than one designed for home use.) It’s your water system, so redundant and varied methods of filtration are recommended, since there is no silver bullet to safe water. However, make sure you have the appropriate systems installed for whatever you found when you had the water tested.

Air locks in the pipe. Hopefully your pipe is downhill all the way to your usage point. Unfortunately, many times it is not. In those cases, you will have a section of pipe that is higher than the rest. This can result in “air locks” preventing water flow. The solution is to install an air release. You do this by installing a “T joint” at the highest point of the rise. Attach a pipe to the “T” and run it up a pole or tree. The top of the pipe must be higher than the intake point if it is a closed system, with no open storage between intake and usage or just several feet higher than the rise if the water flows free into some point lower. You should also install a corner or inverted “J” pipe (think upside down snorkel) to prevent debris from falling into the pipe. Downhill from this point, install a valve. This allows you to back the water up, forcing the air lock into the vertical pipe.

Tree roots. Trees grow and so do their roots. They can “squeeze” or bend pipe to the point where it breaks/ruptures. So have spare pipe on hand and try to stay at least six inches away from all tree roots. Cutting the roots is a bad idea, as this weakens the tree, and if it falls over, it can completely uproot your water line.

Freezing. An open flow system (water continuously flows downhill and excess water runs off at your storage tank) usually only needs to be buried about six inches deep for an inch and a half pipe. During very cold weather, let all your faucets trickle, to keep water moving through the system. Know your local ground temperature! An easy way to do this is to check the internal temperature of any nearby mine shafts or caves. If not, your local U.S. Geological Survey office should have this information. When in doubt, bury your pipe more than one foot deep, but keeping the water flowing is still the best way to keep a pipe from freezing.

Blockage. Sometimes debris (mud, moss, leaves) gets into your pipe and inhibits or prevents proper water flow. You should have a diversion faucet every few hundred feet of pipe. This allows you to drain the pipe at full force near the blockage. It can take several attempts of flow, stop, flow, stop before the plug material comes out. However, it is less work to sit on a hillside at a faucet and play the on/off game than it is to dig up several hundred feet of pipe to find the blockage. If you designed your intake correctly, anything that gets into the pipe should easily exit via the outlet valve. Salamanders are my personal albatross, as they periodically find their way into the pipe past by filters.

Pipe. I prefer poly pipe, as it is easy to install and maintain. Others I know use iron (installed in the 1940s and still working), galvanized, PVC pipe, and copper piping. For me, copper is too expensive and hard to work with. Iron, copper, and galvanized are highly susceptible to freezing issues and can suffer from corrosion. PVC is a nightmare to repair, as it is hard to clean and get the glue to work when it is wet, so I avoid it. Poly pipe I can repair at 2 am with minimal light in less than an hour.

Squatters. If you build a shelter over your intake, you will most likely eventually run into squatters. Squatters are unwanted wildlife that can make life interesting. I have chased out a bobcat, seen cougar signs, found hornet/yellowjacket nests, and had wood rats move in. Any wildlife in your area, that might appreciate a shelter, may move in on you. You should make sure you can see inside your shelter from a distance on your normal approach. Chicken wire fencing or similar may keep out some interlopers, but shelter is shelter, and eventually you will have something move in; just be prepared.

Letter Re: Useful CERT Publications For Preppers

The article on CERT was well written and very useful. I hold a CERT certification through FEMA’s online certification process, along with a whole grocery list of courses from the same source. I did so as part of my involvement with my local amateur radio club’s efforts regarding the Amateur Radio Emergency Service unit of the club. It’s all part of being prepared for the worst while hoping for the best.

Also, in regards to your link to the article about mob mentality, I would refer you and your readers to, among other books, The Lord of the Flies and how parts of the book are applicable to the idea of mob mentality, not to mention how subgroups may turn out in the period after any major disaster that causes them to be isolated from other parts of society.

Keep up the good work with your website. I check in regularly for the good advice I find. – SRG

Letter Re: The Pachamanca: A Survivalist’s Feast

One alternative to the pachamancha pit is the “haybox cooker”. My experience involves only foods cooked with lots of liquid, but the idea is to get the food to a rolling boil, then pack it away in a well-insulated environment for six hours or so. Traditionally, people used a box filled with straw, but modern alternatives exist, typically in the form of a simple metal pot and an insulated larger pot with a tight-fitting lid. Amazon should turn up several examples under the search term “thermal cooker”.

– EQR

Odds ‘n Sods:

Mother dies in jail while being punished for kids missing school – H.L.

Can somebody please explain to me why a mother was in jail for her children’s truancy?

o o o

Postal Service Explores Sensors, Data Collection Via ‘Vehicles, Mailboxes, Machines, Letter Carriers’ – G.P.

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Is this what our republic has succumbed to– vulgar 6th graders being encouraged by their parents? This is sickening and the fruit of a depraved and fallen culture–a society that has abandoned God. Josh Orlian: 12-Year-Old Standup Comedian Gets Naughty on AGT Stage – America’s Got Talent 2014 – R.G.

o o o

2nd officer suspended in slitting of dog’s throat . – A.W.

o o o

U.S. appeals court overturns L.A. ban on homeless living in vehicles . – T.P.

Notes for Thursday – June 19, 2014

There are two letters today regarding the militarization of local law enforcement across the nation, along with a number of Odds n’ Sods posts regarding the same. In this day and age of mistrust, it is important to maintain your ability to protect yourself and others around you from abuses of the system. Make sure you have visited CFAPA.org and obtained your free press credentials to guarantee that you meet the arbitrary requirements of “The Press” to be able to freely record encounters with government officials.

o o o

Today we present another entry for Round 53 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. 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,
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  10. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  11. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  12. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. 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,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 53 ends on July 31st, 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.

A Primer On Salve Making, by S.T.

Salve making is an important skill now, and it will become an even more important skill after SHTF. So, master the skill now, collect your recipes, and obtain the various ingredients and equipment needed, because after SHTF there will be no more manufactured goods, and you may not have access to the essential oils and extracts that are needed.

My salve making came about when I went looking for a way to replace store purchased hand lotion with a better product that I could make post-SHTF and has evolved from there. From rosemary salve for dry hands to salve for pain to hand sanitizer to shampoo bars, the list of my products goes on. Everyday I look for something I am used to purchasing that I can make better and cheaper at home and can store the basic ingredients long term.

Equipment:

  • Frying pan; dedicated to salve making.
  • 28 oz tomato sauce cans.
  • #10 cans.
  • Measuring cups & spoons; dedicated to salve making.
  • Plastic lids for cans.
  • Small gravy ladle; dedicated to salve making.
  • Jars.
  • Labels.
  • Fine mesh sieve, or cheese cloth.
  • Dish towels.

Supplies:

  • Bees wax (I like to use ½ white and ½ yellow bees wax beads). Do not use paraffin wax.
  • Essential oils.
  • Extracts.
  • Fresh Herbs.
  • Oil (any type of oil can be used, but my preference is vegetable oil and olive oil).
  • Cotton Twine.
  • Vitamin E oil (optional).
  • Disposable chop sticks (I bring them home from the Chinese take-out). After use, I then add them to my wood stove kindling pile.

There are two main types of salves. The first is made from essential oils or extracts and the second is made from fresh herbs.

Salves made from essential oils or extracts can be made and will be ready for use the same day. Salves made from fresh herbs can take from five to ten days to be ready for use, depending on the herb used.

All the equipment I use in salve making is used only for salve making and never for cooking or processing food. I have chosen to use equipment in a different color, so there is never a mistake.

All cans should be washed, dried, and left in the dish drainer for a minimum of one week to remove all smells of the prior food it contained. You want your rosemary salve to smell like rosemary not tomato sauce.

A few drops of food coloring can be added, if you want a different shade for each of your salves.

The Base

Almost all salves use the same base of three cups of oil and one cup of bees wax.

All recipes can be cut in half or doubled as needed.

When using fresh herbs, if you are using cheese cloth you will only need one can. However, if you are using a fine mesh sieve you will need two cans.

Now that you have your equipment and supplies gathered, let’s start making some salves.

Lay out a clean dish towel on the counter (I use two, so I get a double layer) so the jars when cooling have a nice place to sit, cool, and set.

Set out your clean jars and remove the lids. Baby food jars are awesome and can sometimes be found for free. I use 4 oz ball regular mouth quilted jelly jars (because I do not have a source for baby food jars just yet).

Recipes

Menthol Chest Rub (used for colds and chest congestion). Fill the frying pan ½ full with water and set on the stove at medium heat. Add the oil (vegetable or olive) to the metal can, after about 10 minutes, add the bees wax and stir with a disposable chop stick until all the wax is melted. Remove from the stove and place on the dish towel on the counter.

Add one tablespoon of peppermint oil and one tablespoon of wintergreen oil and stir with the disposable chop stick.

Wait five minutes until the oil starts to cool down then using the small gravy ladle transfer the still liquid salve to your jars.

As an option you can at this point add two or three capsules of Vitamin E oil to each of your jars and stir again with the disposable chop stick.

Let the jars set on the counter without the lid for two hours to set. Then add the lid.

Tea Tree Oil (used for pain). Fill the frying pan ½ full with water and set on the stove at medium heat. Add the oil to the metal can; after about 10 minutes, add the bees wax and stir with a disposable chop stick until all the wax is melted. Remove from the stove and place on the dish towel on the counter.

Add one tablespoon of tea tree oil and stir with the disposable chop stick.

Wait five minutes until the oil starts to cool down, then using the small gravy ladle transfer the still liquid salve to your jars.

As an option you can at this point add two or three capsules of Vitamin E oil to each of your jars and stir again with the disposable chop stick.

Let the jars set on the counter without the lid for two hours to set. Then add the lid.

Arnica Oil (used for pain). Fill the frying pan ½ full with water and set on the stove at medium heat. Add the oil to the metal can; after about 10 minutes, add the bees wax and stir with a disposable chop stick until all the wax is melted. Remove from the stove and place on the dish towel on the counter.

Add one tablespoon of arnica oil and stir with the disposable chop stick.

Wait five minutes until the oil starts to cool down; then using the small gravy ladle, transfer the still liquid salve to your jars.

As an option you can at this point add two or three capsules of Vitamin E oil to each of your jars and stir again with the disposable chop stick.

Let the jars set on the counter without the lid for two hours to set. Then add the lid.

Lip Balm. Fill the frying pan ½ full with water and set on the stove at medium heat. Add the oil to the metal can; after about 10 minutes add the bees wax and stir with a disposable chop stick until all the wax is melted. Remove from the stove and place on the dish towel on the counter.

Add one tablespoon of your favorite oil extract (I use orange or berry extract), and stir with the disposable chop stick.

Wait five minutes until the oil starts to cool down; then using the small gravy ladle transfer the still liquid salve to your jars.

As an option, you can at this point add two or three capsules of Vitamin E oil to each of your jars and stir again with the disposable chop stick.

Let the jars set on the counter without the lid for two hours to set. Then add the lid. If you have a glass eye dropper and empty lip balm tubes, they can be used. (I just use small pots.)

Rosemary Salve (used for dry hands and feet.) Fill the frying pan ½ full with water and set on the stove at medium heat. Add the oil to the metal can, then add the fresh rosemary to the can (if you are using a fine mesh sieve). (If you are using cheese cloth, first place the rosemary in the cheese cloth and tie it up with a piece of cotton twine before placing it in the can.) After about 20 minutes remove the can from the stove and place on the dish towel on the counter and let set for 5 days.

After 5 days set the fine mesh sieve over a second can of the same size and poor the oil through the sieve to remove the rosemary. If you are using cheese cloth, remove the cheese cloth from the can, place it in your hand, and squeeze out all of the infused oil back into the can. (This is a messy job. I learned, so now I use the sieve.)

Return to metal can of oil to the frying pan and heat on medium. Then add the bees wax and stir until melted.

Wait five minutes until the oil starts to cool down; then using the small gravy ladle transfer the still liquid salve to your jars.

As an option you can at this point add two or three capsules of Vitamin E oil to each of your jars and stir again with the disposable chop stick.

Let the jars set on the counter without the lid for two hours to set. Then add the lid.

Balm of Gilead (used for circulation and frostbite). This is the only recipe that I deviate from the standard salve base.

For this recipe you need the fine mesh sieve. Do not use cheese cloth.

During the winter, go out and collect the buds from Poplar Trees. You want the buds to be orange and sticky.

Fill your metal can ½ full of the buds; cover the buds with oil and heat in a frying pan that is filled ½ with water. After heating for about 20 minutes, remove from the stove and place on the dish towel on the counter and let sit overnight. Repeat this for five days.

On the sixth day, set the fine mesh sieve over a second can of the same size, and poor the oil through the sieve to remove the poplar buds.

Return the metal can of oil to the frying pan and heat on medium then add two ice cream scoops of rendered lard (rendered bear fat works great). When the lard is melted, then add the bees wax and stir until melted.

Remove the metal can to the counter and let set overnight. The next day test the completed salve for consistency. (Does it need more oil to be softer or more wax to be thicker?)

Bring the contents of your metal can back to a liquid state in the frying pan ½ filled with water and make any adjustments to oil or bees wax as needed.

Wait 5 minutes until the oil starts to cool down. Then, using the small gravy ladle, transfer the still liquid salve to your jars.

As an option, you can at this point add two or three capsules of Vitamin E oil to each of your jars and stir again with the disposable chop stick.

Equipment Suppliers

Final Notes

If there is any salve left in the bottom of the can after you have filled your jars, add a plastic lid and, using a sharpie on the lid, note which salve it is. Place it in the refrigerator. Then, when you need to add some to a jar or are ready to make another batch, just melt the contents of the can.

The jars can be washed and reused over and over again.

Some salves I have placed in Altoids Tins for EDC in a pocket or purse or in the go bags.

Is there something that you purchase that you can make or would like to make ? If so, is it an item that will be in demand in post-SHTF? Can you make a better product than you can purchase using natural ingredients or less toxic or for less cost for your family?

If you have a local health food store with a good book section, check out the books on natural healing and purchase one or two or check out your local library; you will be surprised at the things you can whip up in your kitchen.

In closing, for me, this is not just a pre- and post-SHTF skill I will use for my family. I know other families will need not only these products but the other products I can and will produce. So, for me, it has also become one part of my post-SHTF business plan. Now, if only I could find a few boxes of baby food jars free or cheap.

Two Letters: The Militarization of LEOs

Good Morning, Mr. Latimer. I have been following the subject of police incompetence very closely for the last few years, with the parallel corruption and deterioration of our political establishments and our military officer corps. I can save those last two items for later, but it is my firm conviction that our present LEO personnel are ALL corrupt. Every single one of them. Before someone(s) respond with bluff and bluster, protesting that “they” are not corrupt, I will put out this question. If there is one single LEO out there that has not committed an act of gross incompetence, like PA state trooper Joseph Miller of East Norritton, PA, who shot and killed his wife and unborn child, while he was cleaning his firearm. He said he didn’t know it was loaded. Really???? How about the many instances of blank search warrants being sworn out, to be filled in later. Or, the extortion known as “civil forfeiture” where if a LEO suspects it may be tainted money, it can be confiscated right then and there. Look up Humboldt county Nevada, Matt Lee, and Tan Nguyen. I’m sure everyone knows about babby Bou-Bou and the flash-bang grenade in his crib. I submit that sheriff department felt it was too troublesome to do some real investigating about the circumstances of who, what, where, when, and how. They just wanted to play with their toys and feel the adrenaline. How about the nine year old girl that was handcuffed and taken to the police station !!!!!without her mother!!!!! Google “Latoya Harris”, and police officers David McCarthy and Matthew Huspek. Then there are the recurring problems in Austin,TX, and Police Chief Art Acevedo’s brutality in that city. New Mexico has had a long run of unconstitutional and overwhelming body-cavity searches. The Border Patrol is also guilty of gross misconduct. The Department of (In)Justice is a joke. The FBI kills witnesses, look up Ibragim Todashev and do NOT rely on MSM reports. Try the real investigative reports from COP BLOCK, PINAC, and some of the other police brutality sites, I check mine at BATTLEFIELD USA. It will make you sick, some of those stories.

Additionally, there is a doctor in NJ that has confessed to writing thousands of prescriptions for steroids for hundreds of cops in the NJ/NY area. Ever heard of “roid rage”?

Based on all the abuse, corruption, and incompetence in LEO departments from coast to coast, sea to shining sea, I personally am afraid of all LEO’s. My first-hand experience with several LEO’s over the years has validated my opinion that all LEO’s are corrupt. If there is one LEO that has not pulled his or her badge to get out of a traffic ticket, or let a speeder slide because of the “brotherhood.. if there is one single cop who hasn’t looked the other way when one of “their own” did something a little shady, did not report it for fear of crossing the blue line…if there is one Internal Affairs officer that pursues and resolves abuses of their fellow officers, even if that means sending them to prison… if there are any LEO’s out there that always follow the rules, always does the right thing, doesn’t take bribes or return favors, then you are still corrupt for not doing your utmost to clean up the corruption all around you. You LEO’s need to start policing yourselves, start acting like the good examples you are supposed to represent so that children and senior citizens are not feeling threatened when you show up. If you are going to enforce the law, you darn well better start following the law, everywhere, with every single person, all the time 24/7/365.25. You clean up your act, and then we won’t be so fearful of our lives. It might even reassure us to be more co-operative when you are trying to do your … job…. Remember, there is no Justice in the American legal system. Ask Justina Pelletier. 15Fixer.

HJL Responds: I do understand your fears about LEOs, but I also know that there are Oathkeepers among them. The scary part is that you never know who the LEO you are dealing with is. I’ve even had a friend who was a LEO who I was surprised to hear that he didn’t need to prep because he would just take from those who did. The LEOs suffer from the same problems that the rest of society suffers from. You would be hard pressed to find a regular citizen who wouldn’t lie if they thought that it would better their position. Our society has reduced the ethical standards by removing “absolute truth” from the equation and making truth “situational”. It has even permeated into places that we once thought were safe, like our churches. When making business decisions, I almost cringe when the other person tells me that I can trust them because they are a “Christian”. It’s not that Christianity has changed, but their toleration of things that are obviously “unchristian” has grown. If it is hard to find a civilian that will always tell the truth, and LEOs come from the same population pool, it’s obvious that LEOs are going to have the same problem. The difference is that a LEO carries authority from the government, is willing to enforce that authority, and has the means to enforce that authority. It also does not help when either the citizen or the LEO takes on an “Us-vs-Them” attitude and applies it indiscriminately.

The bottom line is that LEOs have the higher standard to uphold, because of their given authority and means, and must regularly demonstrate that high standard. The unwillingness of LEOs to purge their own ranks of those reluctant to uphold that higher standard contributes heavily to the general mistrust. One of the obvious ways to help the situation is to make sure that you have the same documentation available to you, that the LEO will have, if there is an altercation. JWR’s son’s site CFAPA.org is an excellent way to protect and guarantee that ability to document the situation.

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Gentlemen,

I have been following closely the stories of the federal government arming its agencies with no plausible explanation of need. The questions below are not mine originally, but they significantly reflect my concerns over the situation. Therefore, I ask that you take my request seriously and provide answers an informed lay person can understand. It would also be encouraging to hear specifics about what is being done to correct the situation.

To start with, what’s the rationale behind turning government agencies into military outposts? There has been a notable buildup in recent years of SWAT teams within non-security-related federal agencies, such as Department of Agriculture, the Railroad Retirement Board, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Office of Personnel Management, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Education Department. As of 2008, “73 federal law enforcement agencies… [employ] approximately 120,000 armed full-time on-duty officers with arrest authority.” Four-fifths of those officers are under the command of either the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice.

What’s with all of the government agencies stockpiling hollow point bullets? For example, why does the Department of Agriculture need .40 caliber semiautomatic submachine guns and 320,000 rounds of hollow point bullets? For that matter, why do its agents need ballistic vests and body armor?

Why does the Postal Service need “assorted small arms ammunition”?

Why did the DHS purchase “1.6 billion rounds of hollow-point ammunition, along with 7,000 fully-automatic 5.56x45mm NATO ‘personal defense weapons’ plus a huge stash of 30-round high-capacity magazines”? That’s in addition to the FBI’s request for 100 million hollow-point rounds. The Department of Education, IRS, the Social Security Administration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the National Weather Service, are also among the federal agencies which have taken to purchasing ammunition and weaponry in bulk.

Why is the federal government distributing obscene amounts of military equipment, weapons, and ammunition to police departments around the country?

Why is DHS acquiring more than 2,500 Mine-Resistant Armored Protection (MRAP) vehicles, only to pass them around to local police departments across the country?

According to the New York Times: [A]s President Obama ushers in the end of what he called America’s “long season of war,” the former tools of combat — M-16 rifles, grenade launchers, silencers and more — are ending up in local police departments, often with little public notice. During the Obama administration, according to Pentagon data, police departments have received tens of thousands of machine guns; nearly 200,000 ammunition magazines; thousands of pieces of camouflage and night-vision equipment; and hundreds of silencers, armored cars and aircraft. The equipment has been added to the armories of police departments that already look and act like military units.

Why is the military partnering with local police to conduct training drills around the country? And what exactly are they training for? In Richland, South Carolina, for instance, U.S. Army Special Forces are participating in joint and secretive exercises and training with local deputies. The public has been disallowed from obtaining any information about the purpose of the drills, other than that they might be loud and to not be alarmed. The Army and DHS also carried out similar drills and maneuvers involving Black Hawk helicopters in Texas, Florida, and other locations throughout the U.S., ostensibly in order to provide officers with realistic urban training.

What is being done to protect the American populace from the threat of military arms and forces, including unarmed drones, being used against them? Policy analysts point to Directive No. 3025.18, “Defense Support of Civil Authorities” (issued on Dec. 29, 2010), as justification for the government’s use of military force to put down civil unrest within the United States.

Why is FEMA stockpiling massive quantities of emergency supplies?

On January 10, 2014, FEMA made a statement enlisting the service of contractors who could “supply medical biohazard disposal capabilities and 40 yard dumpsters to 1,000 tent hospitals across the United States; all required on 24-48 hour notice.” This coincides with other medical requests seeking massive amounts of supplies, such as “31,000,000 flu vaccinations,” “100,000 each of winter shirts and pants and the same for summer” and other goods and services requests as well as tarps, manufactured housing units, and beverages. And why does the TSA need $21,000 worth of potassium chlorate, a chemical compound often used in explosives?

Why is the Pentagon continuing to purchase massive amounts of ammunition, while at the same time preparing to destroy more than $1 billion worth of bullets and missiles that are still viable?

Moreover, what is really being done to hold the Pentagon accountable for its doctored ledgers, fraud, waste, and mismanagement, which has cost the taxpayer trillions of dollars? According to Reuters, “The Pentagon is the only federal agency that has not complied with a law that requires annual audits of all government departments. That means that the $8.5 trillion in taxpayer money doled out by Congress to the Pentagon since 1996, the first year it was supposed to be audited, has never been accounted for. That sum exceeds the value of China’s economic output last year.”

Given the similarities between the government’s Live Active Shooter Drill training exercises, carried out at schools, in shopping malls, and on public transit, which can and do fool law enforcement officials, students, teachers, and bystanders into thinking it’s a real crisis, how much of what is being passed off as real is, in fact, being staged by DHS for the “benefit” of training law enforcement, leaving us none the wiser? These training exercises come complete with their own set of professionally-trained crisis actors, playing the parts of shooters, bystanders, and victims in order to help “schools and first responders create realistic drills, full-scale exercises, high-fidelity simulations, and interactive 3D films.”

Given that Americans are 110 times more likely to die of food-borne illness than in a terrorist attack, why is the government spending trillions of dollars on “national security”?

How exactly is the $75 billion given to 15 intelligence agencies annually to keep us “safe” being spent?

Why is the DHS giving away millions of dollars’ worth of federal security grants to states that federal intelligence agencies ruled have “no specific foreign or domestic terrorism threat”?

Why is the government amassing names and information on Americans considered to be threats to the nation, and what criteria is the government using for this database? Keep in mind that this personal information is being acquired and kept without warrant or court order. It’s been suggested that in the event of nuclear war, the destruction of the U.S. government, and the declaration of martial law, this Main Core database, which as of 2008 contained some 8 million names of Americans, would be used by military officials to locate and round up Americans seen as threats to national security– a program to be carried about by the Army and FEMA.

Taken individually, these questions are alarming enough. However, when viewed collectively, they leave one wondering what exactly the U.S. government is preparing for and whether American citizens shouldn’t be preparing, as well, for that eventuality when our so-called “government of the people, by the people, for the people” is no longer answerable to “we the people.” – D.T.

HJL Replies: Some of these questions have been addressed in past posts and comments, but others are still open-ended. As an EMT, I understand why FEMA might want to stockpile emergency supplies. I understand that an open PO does not mean those items were delivered. Hurricane Katrina is a prime example of why having the supplies close to the emergency is a strong benefit. However, I still have trouble understanding the militarization of local police forces and the questions related to that, or the amassing of private data regarding US citizens, or even the accountability of any and all government entities.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Video Surfaces of Texas Police Executing Handcuffed Prisoner – T.P.

Texas police execute a handcuffed man and the grand jury refused to indict the officer. The D.A. didn’t want the video released “to protect the rights of the victim”, but I suspect the real reason was to protect the police officer. Once again, mental illness mixed with police brutality is essentially a death sentence with no consequences for the offending officer. Warning: the video is extremely graphic! Surveillance Video of the incident.

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Another example of expressing a first amendment right violated: Parma resident ticketed for sign warning of drunken driving checkpoint – T.P.

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Examples of tacticts that ultimately harm the relationship between the LEOs and the general population, yet the LEOs argue for their continuance. The Policing Tactics The Public Isn’t Supposed To Know About. – B.B.

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This is a typical response of the DHS. It would be so much more constructive to address the root problem, rather than attempt the intimidation of those who are wronged in the first place. DHS Goons Occupy VA Hospital Under “Presence Deterrence” – Police State Intimidation of Vets. – T.L.

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Mother-of-four, 31, stripped naked by police pepper-sprayed and left for hours in a cell over a misdemeanor. – R.R.

There is no possibility that this treatment of a person can be justified. This was outright torture, solely for the sake of asserting dominance. Again, the officers perpetuating these actions should be purged from the force and prosecuted for their actions.

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US pushing local cops to stay mum on surveillance. – P.M.

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Why do police departments need equipment designed for war? Do they consider themselves “at war” with the general populace? Do they think that intimidation of the populace will keep them subdued? When offered inappropriate hardware or equipment, why don’t they “just say no”? War Gear Flows to Police Departments. – G.P.

Notes for Wednesday – June 18, 2014

Today we present another entry for Round 53 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. 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,
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Instituteis donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  5. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  10. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  11. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  12. RepackBoxis providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. 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,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 53 ends on July 31st, 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.

Becoming The Bank In TEOTWAWKI, by J.M.

It has happened. The event that we have all talked about for so many years has come to fruition. The banking and monetary system, after many years of bail-outs and market manipulations, has finally collapsed. Many have plans to “bug out” to the safety of their isolated retreat where they plan to hunker down and weather the financial tempest that surrounds them. I have to admit that this is probably the best short-term plan to survive, but what do you do when your supplies run out? What will the long-term solution be, until a new monetary system is established? How could someone position themselves to be part of the solution rather than waiting for the solution to come to them?

Several very knowledgeable people have discussed a great many topics regarding preparedness in case of an economic catastrophe in our country. Whether it is inflation, deflation, or stagflation, the economic impact on our currency could be severe. That is why, in tandem with all my preps, which includes a paid off, well-stocked retreat with a water filtration system, solar/wind power generators, fuel and farming gear, and all the necessary supplies, I have also positioned myself to act as an interim bank, mercantile, and co-op for day-to-day purchases, exchanges, and loans, until a new currency is established by the government.

There will probably be a period, albeit a short one (I’m guessing six months or so but maybe longer), where U.S. dollars will not be the preferred medium for exchange. I feel that some will barter directly for food with whatever goods or services they may have, but what does one do when they do not possess something that the other party covets or desires? It will be necessary for something to serve as a “store” of value.

The biggest problem, though, is that whatever is used will need to be available in several small denominations and be easily recognizable to all. People tend to gravitate towards the familiar. The closest thing to our old beloved dollar will be pre-65 coinage, recognizable .999 silver bars/coins, and our current 75/25 nickels and pre-82 pennies. Gold will also be coveted but only for larger purchase, in my opinion, as even a gram of gold will far exceed the purchase price of most goods needed for day-to-day living expenses.

After assessing the demographics surrounding my retreat, I discovered that I had about 1,000 people within a 10-mile radius. I then established what the current AVERAGE dollar amount is for Americans to have for cash-on-hand at any given time. After pouring over several statistical analyses regarding this issue, I’ve found that that number rests between $80 and $100. That basically means that for each person (man, woman, and child), you would need 4-5 ounces of silver or a gram and a half to two grams of gold for each person. Your base coinage values would be established at coinflation.com values.

The key to all this is to not just put aside one ounce and one gram increments of bullion. You need that dollar value to be reached with a diversified breakdown of coinage and bars that allow the populace to be able to make multiple purchases with their $80-$100 worth of currency. This is where 90% dimes, quarters, half dollars, fractional bullion, and quality-base coinage come into play. Let’s take my population of 1,000 persons as an example. To serve as the “bank” for that many people, I have put aside these denominations:

  • 30 ounces of gold consisting of: (200) one gram bars, (50) 1/10 oz coins, (12) ¼ oz coins, (6) ½ oz coins, (10) 1 ounce coins, and one 100 gram bar.
  • 3000 ounces of silver consisting of: 500 ounces of Premium bars ranging from 1-10 ounces, 750 ounces of Silver Eagles, 750 ounces of Premium Silver rounds (Engelhard, Johnson Matthey, Maples), $1,000 face of 90% coinage ($500 in dimes, $250 in quarters, and $250 in half dollars).
  • $2500 of base coinage consisting of: $2000 in nickels and $500 in pre-82 pennies.

The above amounts are worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000.00 at today’s “spot” value. That means, I am a little more than 10% above what I need to operate as an interim “bank”. That additional 10% will be necessary, as you still have to have additional liquidity to provide security for your “bank” and provide extra (float) money for those that wish to secure extra funds through collateralization or outright sale of their goods. People will still want “loans” to help get them through, and this will mean that if one wishes to act as a “bank”, they need to be prepared to lend and take in collateral for the loan, or be willing to act as a “mercantile” or “co-op”, as people will not have a lot of money but may also have goods that the “bank” can buy and then re-sell to others in the community.

You won’t be able to act as our current-day, money-grubbing, greedy banksters do. You will need to be a staple of the community– helping others and acting as a “conduit” for exchange in a noble manner. Anything else will lead to a good old-fashioned tar-and-feathering or worse…and rightfully so. You will still have to have excellent security, too, as banks have been, and always will be TARGETS. Do not take being a bank for your local community lightly. You are definitely breaching OPSEC in many ways by acting in such a manner. However, SOMEBODY needs to do it, but you better be damn sure that your neighbors are as committed and endeared to you as you are to helping them.

Another necessary item will be a VERY LARGE BUILDING with a stock yard to serve as your center for exchange. I would definitely recommend that you build it in such a way to house a myriad of goods and products. Everything from food, seeds, and livestock, to other material goods such as guns, ammo, and medical supplies will need to be stored there. You will also need, of course, a vault.

You’ll have to work hard, but being the center of exchange for a community has its benefits as well. When you are just a consumer, you eventually run out of money. When you are the bank/mercantile/co-op, you have continuous flow, and you can make a small amount on each transaction to be able to maintain and even grow your wealth…even in a bad time. This is not a license to fleece people by any means, but most people will not begrudge you a reasonable profit for the services you provide to the community, as long as you are compassionate, charitable, and friendly to all who patronize you.

Many will comment that putting yourself out there in such a manner is not responsible. Let me be clear: I do not recommend attempting this unless you have established yourself with people PRIOR to the “great reset”. Trying to do so when you are not integrated into the area would be foolish in my opinion, BUT, the potential to be “the bank” in your area is possible, if you lay the proper groundwork. When people know you, they tend to be more open to dealing with you. It is human nature to be suspicious of someone’s motives, if you are unfamiliar with them. When others in the area will vouch for your character, it can make all the difference in the world and can lead to strong relationships that can be of great use when things are difficult.

The reason for writing this article is not to show how someone can capitalize on other’s misfortunes but rather to show how we can be a part of the solution and be proactive in re-establishing commerce in our area rather than just waiting for civilization to restore itself. I would like to think that the people on this forum are going to be a part of our country’s rebirth after fiat paper collapses. We can all play an integral role in bringing REAL MONEY to the forefront in our area. It takes courage and fortitude to put oneself out there and help to be a part of the solution. Our forefathers were patriots and risked a heck of a lot more than what I am proposing.

Regionalized banking truly is the best system in my opinion. When folks are tight-knit and know each other, there are simply less defaults on loans, and risky lending does not take place. Once we went to global banking systems, the human factor was eliminated from the equation. Credit unions and co-op’s, as well as localized banking, is what can work and even flourish. It is that “village concept” that will be key to restoring faith and credit, as everything will be based on real and tangible assets and NOT a fractional reserve system that is, quite frankly “imaginary money” with no real backing. My goal here is to spark discussion, and I am sure others will have more to add to my thoughts. I welcome all your ideas, criticisms, and additional input to becoming the “bank” in TEOTWAWKI. The squeamish need not prescribe!

–God Bless

Letter Re: Artificial Intelligence

James and Hugh,

Regarding your entry on Artificial Intelligence, please see the book “Our Final Invention” by James Barrat. Our world lives with potential catastrophe, i.e. nuke war, EMP attack, famine, drought, civil unrest, asteroids, etc. These are all potentially survivable occurrences. The achievement of AGI (artificial general intelligence) leading to super machine intelligence is not. You might also check out the following: http://Plato.stanford.edu/entries/Chinese-room/.

Hugh Replies: While I understand the reasoning behind the desire to advance artificial intelligence, I also clearly see the dangers in it. Isaac Asimov was a visionary in his “I Robot” series in dealing with this issue. While the ability to make decisions can be clearly advanced, even in the face of unclear logic, the morality of making any decision without guiding ethics and principles is definitely questionable. That is really the crux of our humanity– the subjugation of our decisions to our sense of right and wrong. The whole point of natural law is that there are some universal concepts that we just recognize as “right” or “wrong”. Machines don’t and can’t know inherently what these “laws” are. At best, they can be programmed with the programmer’s ideas of the laws, but they will always be unable to infer the laws.