You guys did it right....and by it i mean going off grid. Trade the rest of your money for ammo and seeds. We will never ever get any illusion of freedom we once had back.
I don't need to buy seeds this year, got plenty from China... Interesting that you use 1-micron filter x 2, I've been using a 10 micron followed by a 1 micron? Thanks for the info!
My brother lives in Ghana, where you absolutely can not drink the water without getting sick; but, he has a Berkey and it works great for him and his family. It is a great system.
@@susannejohansson2802 - DIY Big Berkey Style Water Filter System with 5 Gallon Buckets (for 1/4 the cost) th-cam.com/video/_gx2nDtEDXo/w-d-xo.html If I had known about this 2 years ago I would have saved a few hundred dollars because I bought 2 Big Berkey's, one for us and one for our daughter. We've filtered our water for 2 years and the filters are still working fine, might be good for another year. Best filter prices: www.amazon.com/Waterdrop-Replacement-Berkey-Purification-Elements/dp/B075JBYGXG/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=waterdrop+filter+replacement+bb9-2&qid=1620537093&sr=8-4-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyVlFWNzI0QjlQQUs5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzc3NjkxVzAyOVFRRDhPR1AxJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwMzMwMzkxV0dFNFdVN0tVSjEyJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
We’ve been using the same Burkey that you have for many years. Two clear results for us are: 1. Our cats used to have blood in their urine -probably from salt crystals-with the Burkey, no issues. 2. My yeast and sourdough starter is twice as active since using the filter. My thoughts…if yeast and cats do alot better, we humans do as well.
The berkey takes out 99.5% of heavy metals and chlorine,but not flouride as its too small a particles to filter.The chlorine would definatley affect your yeast in a sourdough,because it acts like a bleach.The berkey filters have silver rods in the charcoal filter....so its expensive,but helps with anti viral,anti fungal,and anti septic properties....and stops anything growing in your water filter,and is safe to drink at low to medium levels.
@@lisabishop5216 they are making claims that can't be backed by science. carbon filters will filter chlorine only and some bacteria. chlorine can degrade carbon quickly depending on levels of chlorine. R/O is your best bet desalination tech. it will strip everything including minerals which you will need to add back to the water or your diet. I worked water treatment 27.5 years everybody has a gimmick. there are great filters out there do your research. check if they are actually certified by the companies, they claim they are certified by. you will be surprised if you check. most people take tap water and are only removing the chlorine but not the chloramine's. with a good R/O you can add the water directly to your fish tank. I do not filter my water I trust my city's system it is the best treated water in Tx and second in the nation. you would be so surprised if you checked what city has the best water in the nation. the city is the same name as the state I was born in, but I will let you check with the EPA and see for yourself. have a great day
Build your own Berkey system. Buy 2 food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids. Purchase 2 Berkey filter cartridges and a spigot to mount on bottom bucket. Mount cartridges in bottom of top bucket and matching holes to cover in bottom bucket. Fill top bucket with water and after some time your bottom bucket will be filled with Berkey filtered water. Makes gallons of water a day.
Very awesome that you were gifted one of these! Everyone should use them to avoid plastics from bottled water. Been using Berkey for a decade. We have the largest model. We have city water, so we have the fluoride filters too. The higher number of filters give you faster water filtration. My husband will drink 2 gallons a day including for tea and coffee. I drink about a half gallon per day. When we first got it we had 6 kids at home! We give our dogs filtered water and use it for cooking about half the time. Very awesome channel you have. I wanted to go off grid but we started too late in life so only got as far as raising and processing meat birds, food storage like buckets and canning, and off grid appliances like the All American Sun Oven and camp stove. I also make most of our food from scratch Agree the food grade plastic buckets will work but there is a chance of mildew developing due to the slightly porous material. Honestly, it’s worth the investment for the stainless steel model of you can save for it. And remember you have to change out the filters every year or so (based on your usage). We still have a school age child at home for 2 more years. Looking forward to downsizing and using these skills to live more simply going forward.
@@awakenedblackheterosexual5609 Berkey filter cartridges are rated by gallons, so figure what you'd use in a week, then extrapolate how long your filter will last before you need to change them.
Awakened Black Heterosexual you can also scrub them with a scotch brite pad and reuse them. I got one pair 4 years ago and am still using them, and have added in another pair so it filters faster
Doug, I remember the floods and bobcat days. Scary times. Learning and adapting, you definitely taught us that. The only way to develop a working system is a lot of thought and work. You folks are inspiring. On another note, I got my Berkey traveler while it was on sale about three years ago. I think it's the best water system. Quality materials and dependability. Hope your Berkey serves you as well as mine has served me. I have been enjoying your adventures since I caught your early shows many years ago. At my age (old), my dreams of an old farm home of my own has become a memory of a dream. When I turned 18 (late 1960s), I found a beautiful old 80 acre Amish farm. Farmhouse, barn, spring, fields... and two thirds of the acerage in old trees. I would probably be still using the deadfall for my firewood. I loved that place. It would have been less cost than a town or suburb home. But the local banks thought this hippie kid was a foolish dreamer. I still think I was ahead of my time... the back-to-the-land movement. I still dream of that place. Sweet dreams are the inspiration to eventual happiness. To anyone wanting this blessed, hard work life, don't give up.
Love to hear this. I am a few years older, and grew up in Northern Ohio in a county with one of the highest Amish populations in the country. We befriended many in our area in my youth, and I remain grateful to this day. It directly influenced how I live on this fragile planet.
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
@@treefellonya The YT videos you mentioned are not from Berkey. And I wrote my comment quite awhile back. Since then, I think the white fluoride filters are now made by other companies. I can't say what quality these filters are at this point in time. I know the original filters from Berkey, did an excellent job of removing metal and biological contaminates. The new filters may have changed due to manufacture changes over the past few years.
The problem was with introduction of aluminum. This was verified using an independent lab. Additionally, Berkey's claims of removal of impurities is overstated - also verified by independent labs. These are all recent reports.
I am making my second system that these filters fit in. The first was 2 food safe buckets, installed a spigot and drilled holes to fit the filters. It rocked! I am using stainless steel this time with 2 old stainless steel pots
I was a plumber for 12 years. A little petroleum jelly on the O-ring (located in the threaded part of the retaining cup) will prevent damage to the O-ring seal. You can also apply a very small amount to the threads to prevent "Dry Binding" of the retaining cups. If the sit for a year some sediment can penetrate into the threads making it difficult to remove. NEVER use more than your paws to tighten the cups. Great advice in this video.
Those black filters are actually called “fast flow filters“. The capacity is probably 1.25 gallons. I’ve had a Berkey system for several years and I just love it! I would not drink the munni water if my life depended on it. Get in the habit of a glass in for every glass poured. When I fill up my coffee pot I fill it up at the sink, pour in the top dispenser at the bottom. When I fill up ice cube trays I know that it’s 2 cups. I put 2 cups in the top and just fill up my ice cube trays. This way you always have a full Berkey and you don’t get angry when you’re thirsty and somebody forgot to fill it up for you. Enjoy the clean waterHi
I would like to thank you for another great video, and to comment on something you mentioned at the end of the video. You have dedicated your lives to living simple, and shared your entire journey with anyone who wanted to watch. and learn. If you take the time to try a product, and you share your honest opinion of it with us, then there is absolutely no shame in getting a royalty from the company that you shared with your watchers. People should be thankful instead of complaining, especially when there is a bonus discount associated with the link that you attach in the description box. There will always be a hater that is totally miserable with life, and their priority is to try to ruin anyone else’s life that they come into contact with. Rebuke them, and continue as you are!! Thanks again for sharing your experiences with everyone, and I pray that God will continue to bless and protect you and your homestead immensely! 🤗💕
Thanks so much Doug and Stacy for all your great videos teaching us a better fulfilling healthy life style! My husband and I are very worried about what’s going on in this country right now. We all need to be healthy to survive thanks again!
Hi Doug, We LOVE our big berkey!! We’ve been using it for over 10 years. One thing we did to to add to the use of our berkey was to get a food grade bucket and put a spigot on it. It sets beside our berkey and holds the “overflow”. As the berkey fills we pour it over into the extra bucket. For us it helps keep track of our water supply and not run out as fast
Turns out Berkey filters are not NSF certified. The company claims it is too expensive to lab test for every contaminant - which is required to be NSF certified. The "3000 gal" filter claim is arbitrary.
@@THXx1138 Even so, we should be able to tell when any water filter we use needs to be changed. If we don't go by the calendar, the taste will definitely let us know.. Ty
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
Ive been a plumber for 19 yrs. And I'd like to offer some advice. The plbg / filtration system looks good! But you shouldve used copper pipe before or after the filters. The reason being is copper pipe sanitizizes water. It's copper property's kills viruses and bacteria. Word to the wise. Love the video and all your intuitivness!
@@heidi22209 I THOUGHT IT WAS SILVER THAT KILLED VIRUSES AND BACTERIA / COPPER IS A NEW ONE ON ME / WELL WE LEARN SOME THING NEW EVERY DAY DON'T WE / THANKS
Copper pipes can erode and leach into the water. Also make certain if you do have them that they are not connected together with led.Osmosis filters are the best for cleaning the water for drinking.
@@qicksilver8949 erode? No Mr. Silver copper pipes don't just waste away. It would take some really hard water and about 100 yrs for water to erode copper. Especially if said copper pipes are installed properly avoiding bi-metal contact , insulated and a filter installed before the plbg system. Also lead connections would be almost any public connection pre 1980, so always check that before any improvements are made regardless. Copper out performs any other water distribution system out there in terms of water quality and longevity by far. Further more R. O FILTRATION will remove pretty much everything healthy and unhealthy in water. Making it useless or rather harmful for human consumption. The best filter to use would be a simple homemade filter utilizing gravel sand and activated charcoal, which can also be done from home at little to no cost. Mr. Silver here is obviously not a plumber nor is he a very good googler. So before you start dishing out potentially harmful advice about drinking water push a few buttons on that nifty lil device you got in your hands and check yoself
Just a recommendation, Always, I mean always use some silicone lubricant on those threads on the head of the filter canister before you screw the canister back on to make sure that you will be able to get the filter canister to unscrew the next time that you change the filter. Also they make a special wrench to help you to unscrew the filter. The charcoal filter is for taste and odor and the string wound filter is for sediment. For the bacteria, you would need an ultraviolet system. We used to own a plumbing and electrical store for 40 years and did service calls also and water filtration was one of our specialties. I love your videos. Love Stacy's cooking and fermenting videos.
Claudette would you be able to recommend a whole house filter for Iron. I moved to a house that has a well and terrible iron problem. I use string filters because that is what the previous owner did. It does help but the water still has enough iron in it that it stains the white shower stall and my hair is getting a slight orange tinge to it. Thank you for any help.
@@flowergirl8887 My husband is the real expert on that subject. You can take a sample of your water to probably Home Depot or call your local county to see if they can give you the name of a lab that they might use to test water and have them test it for how many ppm (parts per million) of iron is in the water. You may have other minerals in your well water for instance, sulfur or hardness. Even Home Depot would be able to sell you a system that would take care of the iron. For instance, one of the filtration systems for iron would be a greensand filter system. There are a few other ways. Look at TH-cam videos under "iron filtration system for well water" and it will show you what they look like and what to do. I don't know how knowledgeable someone at Home Depot would be as opposed to someone that specializes in water conditioning and filtrations. Beware of those companies that want to sell you more of what you might need. I'd watch quite a few videos and write down some questions that you can ask whomever you talk to. Hope this gives you some help.
@@flowergirl8887 check the iSpring company from Georgia, great product and the phone service advice is honest. I don't find big box stores to fully understand all problems. For instance, my well has a sulfur smell. It took a long time to find out my iron would not be filtered unless I put in a hydrogen sulfide filter first. It took a lot of research and finally found the answer in an Amazon comment.
Thank you Doug! We get our water from a beautiful, clear creek and still filter our drinking water through a Berkey just for peace of mind. We’ve had the Berkey for a couple of years now and recently did the red food coloring test to check the filters. Even after two years the filters are still working great! Well worth the money!!
I have been using a Berkey for 3 years and the same filter. It is now time to replace the filter. I have heard they will go for 5 years but not on my well laden with rust
You make it look so effortless. Watched two suburban gals struggle to put it together with mixed results! I’m with you on the chem’-trail issue and been worried about our water for sometime now and this is top of my list. Almost everyday planes can be seen relentlessly messing up our skies here in the UK🇬🇧 They say it’s for rain which is crazy when this is a country world renowned for being rainy! 😮
We are in the Missouri Ozarks and in the first year of our off grid homestead. We have our big chicken coop and raised bed garden area fenced with 12 4x8 beds we were able to get filled and use this year. I see the progress and beauty of it all and I'm so grateful!! You guys are, and were, our inspiration to do this. You are our Homestead Heroes! Thank you both for your inspiration and informative videos!! It's been such a blessing!
I have a house I am rebuilding 60 miles South of St. Louis, Bismarck. It is a small town. I want to start making all the stuff instead of using the electric and water from town. I am putting in a swim pond and want to put in a water wheel to generate electric. Dig down to water source and add a pump. Hopefully by next year it will all be done. I am not taking any vaccines so I won't be able to buy sell or trade for electric or water. I hope to have the house rebuilt by fall this year.
@@inspire734 look into microhydroelectric instead of a big wheel. Also a diverting spiral drain can produce he generation. About 8' across, I think. The inexpensive components are not complex. Imagine how a hose sprayer works? The pressure of the water coming out can spin a small generator. A waterwheel scaled down.
Hi Doug I’m a new subscriber. I used to design water systems for homes and I see a small problem with your filters. Your first filters should be the sediment (threaded) filters and your carbon filter should be the very last filter that your water passes through. You don’t want to contaminate your carbon filter with dirt and debris that’s why the sediment filters should be located first. God Bless.
Great thanks so much for that information. Do you know how that works in the Burkey System by any chance? Because the water is going through at once? I have a cymomis system, I can't remember how to spell it, but I only discovered this year that I hadn't got the one that puts minerals back in, so got the extra one. But I was thinking of the Burkey for my Caravan.
God bless the folks that blessed you with that Berkey! You and Stacy bless so many of us, you are in line for blessings. I pray that you get back 100 fold for all that you give out. Our goal is to meet you guys at your next big fair. FYI, when we had our farm, we used shade cloth canopies over top of any open garden boxes to protect them from the harsh sun. Then in the winter we folded them up and stored them for next season. I love how you always interject helpful information in the middle of doing something totally unrelated. You're always thinking about sharing your wisdom, I love that and so thankful for who you are. May God our Jehovah Jireh, Provider, bless you and your beautiful wife and precious family in fathomless measure.
My wife and I have a hunting cabin in VT. We have well water and use the Berkey to filter the water making it drinkable. We added 2 filters for a total of 4. It speeds up the filtering process. We love the filter. Our water is safe and tastes great.
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
I've used a Berkey for 3 years and love it, It's the 1.5 gallon one. For some reason California won't let us get the larger ones. That being said, the 1.5 gallon size is perfect for my husband and I. I even purchased one for my daughter and son-in-law. I use two filters in the top along with two Fluoride filters. I really like having the glass tube to see the water level. I also find it very easy to clean and maintain. I'm enjoying your videos!
Modern faucets are difficult to use for priming. Berkey sells a priming kit. Just used it last weekend when I cleaned my filters and it worked just fine.
We've had the Berky water filter for 2 years now and are on the same filters we installed on day one. We take the filters out and clean them and use them again. Good for a few years. We LOVE our Berky. Our water is in holding tank and comes from a spring in a cave on our property. It's pumped up to our house. We just use a single thread filter and and run the water into the house then run everything we drink through the Berky. Best water ever!
I’m on city water. I’ve been using my Berkey with the additional white filters for about 7 years. We absolutely love it. Keep some extra of those filters on hand as well!
@Will Swift not the op, but I to am on city water, first years we lived here we bought bottled spring water. The berky beats that as far as taste, which in my mind pays for itself, hope this helps.
@Will Swift take it or leave it, you don't need to be a smartass or maybe you do. I couldn't care less if you buy one or not. Just trying to be helpful.
I think you may have misunderstood that guy. I believe he was actually thankful that you let him know there is an improvement in the taste of the water. That means a lot. I hate bad tasting water. Take care and God bless.
Using a Berkey for 5 years. Great product! They/it even take Roundup out of the water. Which is in the rain now. A tip I have if it doesn’t process the water fast add a small clip to the joint of the top & bottom of the container. They sell them clips but anything will help. The other holes are for fluoride filters. But you could use 4 filters...
the fluoride filters screw on the end of the carbon filters, it would do no good to put the in the extra holes. the berkey can handle 4 carbon filters and 4 fluoride
Someone may have noticed this already but, you want to wait until most of the filtered water has been used and that lower container emptied before you fill it up. It's important for the filters to be completely immersed in water for them to work optimally. If you are just adding a pitcher to the top when you see the bottom is low it's not going to work as well. If you fill the top to the tops of the filters you are going to get a flood. But my kitchen floor got a good rinse and rub down so there's that! ;)
This is the very first OFF GRID video I ran across, as I researched water filters. I fell in love with Doug as he bends over backwards to teach us. Then I found Stacy, and I have been hooked, listening to them EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!
I can't even tell all the many times we have been "enlightened" with the multitude of "nuggets" you share! We will see you in a couple of days!!! We're so excited!!! 💗💓
Hey Doug, you are right about being limber. I own a landscaping company so I know all about staying in shape. Core strength is key. And my wife works with me so frisky is mandatory. Just not in front of customers. PS she will be 60 in a few months.
I know this video is a year old so maybe you already thought of this. I would suggest to replace your Filter canisters with Clear ones instead of Blue ones you can't see the filters without taking it appart. This will save you time & energy to put towards other things. 😉👍🏼
I have a Berkey, and a Clearly Filtered Pitcher. I have not Setup the Berkey, yet. I am on City water, and have been content with filtering it. Now, I am ready to unbox the Berkey and put it to work! Thank you for the Tutorial, Doug! Water is Very Important!
I came across the Berkey system a couple of months ago. It seems to work very well and lots of folks swear by it. Will be looking into getting or making one myself (I like to putter around with things like this) that's compatible with their filters. Given all the 'stuff' that's being found in processed (read: city) water these days I would say everyone should be filtering water!
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
We’ve had our Berkey for almost a year. Beside refilling it during the day as needed, it’s my last chore before bed every night so we start the day with a full container of clean water!
I LOVE my Berkey filter, I’ve had it for 7 years. You don’t need to replace those filters, you can scrub them clean. I live in the city (lots of chlorine in the water, yucky) so I use the city water for doing the dishes but I use my Berkey water for everything else. I have a shower filter too. You can also get an arsenic filter too
Feeling frisky. Lol love it...glad to see you’re using the BERKEY water filter system....I’ve been using mine for years now, love it. Use mine mainly to take out the fluoride and chlorine that they add to the tap water, and if i ever have to use the rain water it’s here and ready to go...and i never have to worry about a boil water order if something goes wrong with the water lines. I never cook without it and the flavor of the food is much better, especially teas and coffee. Never trust city water, not even in the garden, unless you have an extra filter on it. So happy you are using it, much better than having to lift those jugs of water, no more cut fingers.
I have a friend who ran a pipe right from their rin water system to their stainless steel water filter system because they have a big family...you just have to have the hole drilled..but I know you have lots of tools and could do it. Thanks, Doug! Many blessings to you and Stacy!
Thanks Doug for the encouragement! A lot of us need that! God is good ALL the time! I will not abandony Bible, my faith nor my God during these difficult times!
I'm glad you guys got a system, and thankful for our talk at Mother Earth News Fest. Don't forget about the Berkey Bottle we gave you for on the go. Stay Safe and God Bless.
May I suggest that you put your carbon filter on the other end let the string filters do most of the work. This way the string takes all the poo poo out first . The string filters are a lot cheaper and you'll got more life out of your carbon filter
Your homestead is looking 👌 mighty fine. I cannot imagine how many people are looking intently at your lifestyle in 2020. Every video 📹 is inspiring and educational! Thank you both for sharing.
Love your channel soooooooo much. If it wasn’t for me fighting. Pancreas cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer, stage four Thyroid cancer, lymphoma (yep I survived) yes all cancers were different cells. 🙁 Stanford found that where I live it’s old house wires for electricity called DIRTY ELECTRICITY and yes that can get you very sick over time. They found that my cancers were from bad food choices when I was young but mostly from radiation...electricity stuff. Amish are smart no electric 👍🏼 So my point making..I was supposed to retire from Nursing and buy my land and get out of this rural 1/2 city area. So n9w I’m fully retired and ready to move on out. God bless for all you do.
We don't have a Berkey Filter System, but have been thinking of getting one, because our other filter is wearing out. I didn't know exactly how it works and am very glad you showed how it does. I've seen bits and pieces of how it works before, but you did a great job and very complete.
Why I love this channel?!! Because everytime I come here I learn something new, for me....whether from Stacy or like now, from you Doug, you both are inspirational and proof that it is very possible to go it alone, off grid! Thanks for sharing Doug, 👍and greetings 👋for you both from Mexico! 😊
Love my Berkey! I've used one for close to 20 years. Moved from the city, built a log home on 25 acres of heavy woods. I do have city water and still use my Berkey. I have a creek that we have hauled water up from the ravine to use in the Berkey. Love my remote/rural life.
Coincidentally, my family owns a plumbing company. Good job, very impressive! We have been playing with the idea of homesteading, moving rural, etc. Very good videos. Keep it up.
The Berkey is the perfect final step in your water filtration system. Your washing and general usage water doesn't need the Berkey but for cooking and drinking, the Berkey is a must. Really good to see you guys get one!! You will not be disappointed.
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for taking the time to show and tell us about your homestead, your successes and the difficulties. It is best of all to know how and where others had been able to make things work, when they decided to change course. Very neighborly of you to do this. Thank you. 👍
Hi Doug and Stacy! Love my Berkey Filter. I got sick and tired of the computerized getup I had and went with a simple, no nonsense Berkey! Hope you continue to enjoy yours.
Berkey will tell you always test your filters with the red food coloring as soon as you get them to make sure they're working properly, then dry them out and store them. They also say don't top off the filter, let it get all the way empty before filling then fill it up enough to cover the filter elements completely, otherwise the filters will wear unevenly.
I just set up my Berkey! I have been enlightened. I feel healthier already. I also bought a chlorine filter for my shower and I feel a difference in my skin already. Thanks for the video to help me set up my Berkey. Love you guys
Perfect timing! This morning my hubby and I were discussing plans for rain water filtration. We have been browsing through your old videos looking at your system. Thank you for your videos and any time you want to talk more about this particular subject we will be listening!
Thanks Doug, We got two, one for my Son. We’re in our 70’s. Have always wanted to get out of the crowded place here on the coast. Our Daughter has Retts syndrome. She needs medications and air conditioning for her lungs. Drs predicted a life expectancy of 30 years. She just turned 52. We homestead as best we can here in the suburbs. We have chickens, a pretty nice garden and compost. Wish we knew older folks like us who’ve made the leap.
Love love love your channel!! I was an organic gardner in my youth passed down from my father....he encouraged me to fix things and be self sufficient. I have an ear to the news and am getting ready for whatever comes my way. God bless you for taking the time to pass on what you have learned. So many are are going to benefit as I am .
That's so much easier with the Burky to be sinkside & have a flexible hose-type faucet end. How fast you fill it really depends on how fast you're using it. I love your whole water system.
I like the AlexaPure as well I have been using mine for about 4 years and use double filters so should have about 6 more years before I change out the filters. What I liked about the AlexaPure that caught my attention was that they used a third party to run the tests on their filters that verified the 99.9x percent filtration where as Berkey did not use a third party to do the testing. That said something to me right there in terms of standing behind your claims.
I have been enlightened! We thank you for this information. We are living vicariously through you at the moment but getting in order to move in that direction. Thanks for all the great videos and information. We so enjoy your family and farm.
It's so hard to watch a friend suffer, animal or human! I feel your pain, and pray for your comfort knowing you give your friends their best life ,even up to the end. I can see how much you care about your food ,your animals , your way of life, well done!
We bought our water filtration system, and found that we needed a second one, just to ensure a continuous flow of water. Food preparation (for canning, fermentation, home-cooking, etc.) takes a LOT of water - clean water. We love our system, too! 💗
I truly love my berkey,,,i had mine for over a year now and i can't even drink bottle water anymore... Thank you for all the wonderful videos. Keep them coming.
Got a 6 gallon Berkey several years ago and still need to put it to use!! Was so excited to get it and then waited to try it out until we get our rain water system in place... just need to get it out and start using it I suppose as our building is going slower than anticipated. 🙄🥴 Glad I watched this video tonight. Time to just do it!!
We’ve used a berkey for 10 years. We keep a gal pitcher of tap water beside it to dump into the Berkey, and another beside a separate clear dispenser to move the filtered water, so we have easy access to a greater volume of ready to use water. We drain the filtered tank to keep in the clear 2.5 gal dispenser every time we fill the top reservoir so it doesn’t overflow, but we keep an inverted lid under the unit just in case. We use filtered water for all drinking, cooking, bean soaking, pets, etc.
I don't like when the sky looks like a checkerboard either. I've been meaning to get a filtration system. God nudging me, now todays the day. Thanks for all information! Such a inspiration!
We live in central Californian and have lots of planes overhead normally. I just remarked yesterday that there are no planes or jet trails at all. So strange.
I’ve tried explaining chemtrails in the sky to some folks. It’s like talking to a brick wall. I even showed my Dad one time we was sitting out on the back deck. There were two planes in the sky. One was a regular plane, and the trail behind it disappeared quickly, quite normal, while the other one wasn’t. Then it would spread out like a fog, and in a checkerboard pattern eventually.
Everyone has problems with the ceramic berkey filters leaking. Put red food coloring in the top, and see if it gets to the bottom. Buy aquarium sealant, and run a bead across the base of the filter where the ceramic nests into thw plastic cup. That seems to be the weak spot. Aquarium sealant is safe; if it's safe for fishies, it's safe for us.
You keep me inspired , I live alone and I’m 68… I still work full time and I have slowed down but yours and other channels keep me wanting to know more n I do share what I’ve learned with younger members of my family so they know there are other and better ways of going everything … it’s so cool .. we should have a lot of hope in our lives but we must be willing to work for it … work gives us so much aside from what we obviously get, $ , we get self esteem, self respect n respect from others n we grow in knowledge and experience , have a lot to share with others n we gain more friends… these are invaluable assets that often times our young don’t have and they don’t understand why they’re frustrated at times.. of course there are many reasons that many can get frustrated but our young need to learn very basic things so as to stay motivated .. enough out of me .. I loved this video and I love your channel .. thank you for being here …
I think your channel, lifestyle and personality are all quite wonderful. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and lessons with us. Appreciate your positive attitude.
It's been since molly was a puppy that I was tuned in, life had me by the ears. Great to see how well you guys are doing and the place looks like Paradise. I've missed our talks Doug. Thanks for still being here and being such a roll model, both of y'all.
Hi Doug and Stacy, I enjoy watching your channel and getting tips. Im from the suburbs of Dublin City but moved to a rural part Ireland 25 years ago to be closer to nature. I don't live completely off grid but one day I will. I have a rain water system and it was recommended to me by the guy in the store to position the carbon filter after the sediment filter. You're both doing a great job on sharing the knowledge, keep it up. Regards "Irish Tom" as I was once known as
My recommend is to use a string filter first then a pad filter. After that use the carbon filter. You could put in a pleated filter after the carbon filter. If your water is fairly dirty as from a stream use a sand filter before the cartridge filters. The only reason you would want to have to replace the carbon filter more often is to keep the taste of your water like new out of the bottle.
Since you all are off-grid, I was wondering how often you all get colds, flu, sinus issues, ect.? I would think it would be rare but, I was just curious.
We love your character Doug you're so funny, keep the inner child. We have learned so much from you and Stacey and are so grateful to have found you. Great informative video as always, we're ording our Berkey now ❤ from 🇸🇪🏴
I couldn't agree more, I plan to be on my homestead in a couple of months, God willing, and I have watched I think all of their videos, plan to copy quite a few of their ideas. Thanks Doug and Stacy, for sharing your journey with us all. Tammy Whitten (this is my business acct)
We met them at the homesteaders conference (which I can't recommend enuff!!) And lemme tell ya, Doug and Stacy are just the sweetest people!! They are the real deal!!❤
Thank you for all of your knowledge, and willingness to share. This video was right on time. We are getting ready to setup our rain catchment system. You and Stacy are awesome.
Love y’all’s ‘outdoor’ kitchen. Where I grew up out on the Big Empty the well water had such a high content of gyp it was awful, so for drinking water we relied on rain water collection using gutters that fed into a cistern. Drawing up water was a daily chore. I can’t recall what cistern ‘treatment’ Dad used to eliminate bacteria back then (I’m a senior now)? After I was grown and gone, Dad plumbed the water to the kitchen sink to make it easier for Mom, and praise the Lord, she is still using it.
Never done this before I have been struggling ,because I am a little woman with no one to pick up or any motorized to move heavy stuff . Working together ,is great .
Doug, I have never seen a filtration system where the carbon filter is first in line. The carbon traps both water soluable compounds as well as microorganisms. Filtration stages should be set up to progressively trap the larger particulates. The Berkey gimmick appears to be just a carbon filter. In my opinion you may consider rearranging the cannisters.
I like the ceramic filters for the Berkey. You can just take some high grit sand paper and lighty sand them to renew them. The charcoal filters have to be tossed and replaced.
You should be able to get approx. 4 years life from Berky charcoal filters by washing them lightly with a scouring pad. I personally Found that the charcoal filters last twice as long than the ceramic filters, and the water tastes better
Thanks for the "enlightenment" Doug. I have been thinking about getting a Berkey for a while now...this is the nudge I needed. I have learned so much from your videos. (Breakfast this morning was Stacy's pumpkin/oatmeal bake, have been making that since she posted the video!) Stay safe and well, blessings to you both.
Back in the 90's my friend took a gas fence post auger, a couple of water hoses, and some PVC piping, drilled his own well for his house. I was planning on doing the same thing for my farm but the laws have changed here since then lol. I was operations manager for 12 wastewater treatment plants and 2 potable water systems years ago. I'm curious if you have had any testing of your water done at a water testing laboratory? Right out of the air and a sample after filtering would be interesting to see results.
Other than radiation from Japan and dust from China what would you expect from rain water, what has showed up other US rainwaters? Let's see mercury if downwind from a coal burning electric producer hmmm...
@@willyfoofoo318 I am wondering if you would get that from any government lab since it is a given that they are seeding the skies against what they are told it "global warming" maybe a private lab,,,
We love our BERKEY! We put extra fluoride filters in ours. We use it for drinking, cooking, and our cats love it too. I’ve seen few negative comments on the BERKEY but we have had NO problems at all. Worth the investment and the filters last at least a year and a half to two years.
I just stumbled upon your channel and have been binge watching it the last few days, I love all your experienes and information. I specially like that Stacy cooks so naturally. The minute I heard you mention capturing rain water the first thing that popped into my head was "OMG all those Chem trails, how do they filter for that"!!
OMGosh we have so loved our Berkey since 2013! It traveled with us everywhere. Our Berkey has its own special padded bag for Harley adventures! As time has passed we have 2 now for our big family get togethers. All my children & grandkids have Berkeys in their homes too! With the world the way it is right now, you would be CRAZzZY not to buy one before you can't! Take 15 minutes time reading the site to know this product is AMAZING! Thanks for ALL you teach us D & S 🇺🇸
I’m hearing the cookoo clock ticking lol, thank you for all these off grid living videos, Doug and Stacy, I retired due to this pandemic and now I’m going off grid , in the Philippines hehe I know Philippines is already off grid, lol but if you might get a collect call from Palawan Philippines, it’s your loyal subscriber hahaha
Here is the complete install playlist of the gravity fed water
system----->th-cam.com/video/6147qOOFBLc/w-d-xo.html
You guys did it right....and by it i mean going off grid. Trade the rest of your money for ammo and seeds. We will never ever get any illusion of freedom we once had back.
I don't need to buy seeds this year, got plenty from China... Interesting that you use 1-micron filter x 2, I've been using a 10 micron followed by a 1 micron? Thanks for the info!
I was just thinking about this. Do you make your own charcoal?
Doug did y'all get some high winds. Go to the 33:03 m ark n pause. Look at the cabins roof....
May just be me but ya might wanna take a look at it.
@@michellebeebelewisfrith1544 Thats a deflector so the rain water will run over to the flatter roof and not right down on the steps
My brother lives in Ghana, where you absolutely can not drink the water without getting sick; but, he has a Berkey and it works great for him and his family. It is a great system.
We live in N Ghana as well We love the Berkeley as well and love it.
Biosand filter works great for biological contaminants and lasts up to 10 years..
has anybody tried multi-pure solid carbon block?
@@aywitb911 where do you get it from? 🙏
@@susannejohansson2802 - DIY Big Berkey Style Water Filter System with 5 Gallon Buckets (for 1/4 the cost)
th-cam.com/video/_gx2nDtEDXo/w-d-xo.html
If I had known about this 2 years ago I would have saved a few hundred dollars because I bought 2 Big Berkey's, one for us and one for our daughter. We've filtered our water for 2 years and the filters are still working fine, might be good for another year.
Best filter prices: www.amazon.com/Waterdrop-Replacement-Berkey-Purification-Elements/dp/B075JBYGXG/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=waterdrop+filter+replacement+bb9-2&qid=1620537093&sr=8-4-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyVlFWNzI0QjlQQUs5JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzc3NjkxVzAyOVFRRDhPR1AxJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwMzMwMzkxV0dFNFdVN0tVSjEyJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
We’ve been using the same Burkey that you have for many years. Two clear results for us are: 1. Our cats used to have blood in their urine -probably from salt crystals-with the Burkey, no issues. 2. My yeast and sourdough starter is twice as active since using the filter. My thoughts…if yeast and cats do alot better, we humans do as well.
Thanks. I was searching for Burkey but found out that it actually spelled Berkey
The berkey takes out 99.5% of heavy metals and chlorine,but not flouride as its too small a particles to filter.The chlorine would definatley affect your yeast in a sourdough,because it acts like a bleach.The berkey filters have silver rods in the charcoal filter....so its expensive,but helps with anti viral,anti fungal,and anti septic properties....and stops anything growing in your water filter,and is safe to drink at low to medium levels.
@@erikmilburn51 I purchased the Berkey floride filters so we now have a total of 4 filters.
@@lisabishop5216 they are making claims that can't be backed by science. carbon filters will filter chlorine only and some bacteria. chlorine can degrade carbon quickly depending on levels of chlorine. R/O is your best bet desalination tech. it will strip everything including minerals which you will need to add back to the water or your diet. I worked water treatment 27.5 years everybody has a gimmick. there are great filters out there do your research. check if they are actually certified by the companies, they claim they are certified by. you will be surprised if you check. most people take tap water and are only removing the chlorine but not the chloramine's. with a good R/O you can add the water directly to your fish tank. I do not filter my water I trust my city's system it is the best treated water in Tx and second in the nation. you would be so surprised if you checked what city has the best water in the nation. the city is the same name as the state I was born in, but I will let you check with the EPA and see for yourself. have a great day
So THAT’s how you prime the filter. Thank you Doug for explaining the process. I have a home built system setup for emergencies.
Build your own Berkey system. Buy 2 food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids. Purchase 2 Berkey filter cartridges and a spigot to mount on bottom bucket. Mount cartridges in bottom of top bucket and matching holes to cover in bottom bucket. Fill top bucket with water and after some time your bottom bucket will be filled with Berkey filtered water. Makes gallons of water a day.
We actually have 2 of these , getting our daugters ready for her..
Very awesome that you were gifted one of these! Everyone should use them to avoid plastics from bottled water. Been using Berkey for a decade. We have the largest model. We have city water, so we have the fluoride filters too. The higher number of filters give you faster water filtration. My husband will drink 2 gallons a day including for tea and coffee. I drink about a half gallon per day. When we first got it we had 6 kids at home!
We give our dogs filtered water and use it for cooking about half the time.
Very awesome channel you have. I wanted to go off grid but we started too late in life so only got as far as raising and processing meat birds, food storage like buckets and canning, and off grid appliances like the All American Sun Oven and camp stove. I also make most of our food from scratch
Agree the food grade plastic buckets will work but there is a chance of mildew developing due to the slightly porous material. Honestly, it’s worth the investment for the stainless steel model of you can save for it. And remember you have to change out the filters every year or so (based on your usage).
We still have a school age child at home for 2 more years. Looking forward to downsizing and using these skills to live more simply going forward.
How long are the filters good for do they give you instruction on longevity.
@@awakenedblackheterosexual5609 Berkey filter cartridges are rated by gallons, so figure what you'd use in a week, then extrapolate how long your filter will last before you need to change them.
Awakened Black Heterosexual you can also scrub them with a scotch brite pad and reuse them. I got one pair 4 years ago and am still using them, and have added in another pair so it filters faster
Doug, I remember the floods and bobcat days. Scary times. Learning and adapting, you definitely taught us that. The only way to develop a working system is a lot of thought and work. You folks are inspiring.
On another note, I got my Berkey traveler while it was on sale about three years ago. I think it's the best water system. Quality materials and dependability. Hope your Berkey serves you as well as mine has served me.
I have been enjoying your adventures since I caught your early shows many years ago. At my age (old), my dreams of an old farm home of my own has become a memory of a dream. When I turned 18 (late 1960s), I found a beautiful old 80 acre Amish farm. Farmhouse, barn, spring, fields... and two thirds of the acerage in old trees. I would probably be still using the deadfall for my firewood. I loved that place. It would have been less cost than a town or suburb home. But the local banks thought this hippie kid was a foolish dreamer. I still think I was ahead of my time... the back-to-the-land movement. I still dream of that place. Sweet dreams are the inspiration to eventual happiness. To anyone wanting this blessed, hard work life, don't give up.
So many other ppl like your situational dream....like myself....smile when you think of the good memories...that's what I do...God bless!
Love to hear this. I am a few years older, and grew up in Northern Ohio in a county with one of the highest Amish populations in the country. We befriended many in our area in my youth, and I remain grateful to this day. It directly influenced how I live on this fragile planet.
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
@@treefellonya The YT videos you mentioned are not from Berkey. And I wrote my comment quite awhile back. Since then, I think the white fluoride filters are now made by other companies. I can't say what quality these filters are at this point in time. I know the original filters from Berkey, did an excellent job of removing metal and biological contaminates. The new filters may have changed due to manufacture changes over the past few years.
The problem was with introduction of aluminum. This was verified using an independent lab. Additionally, Berkey's claims of removal of impurities is overstated - also verified by independent labs. These are all recent reports.
I am making my second system that these filters fit in. The first was 2 food safe buckets, installed a spigot and drilled holes to fit the filters. It rocked! I am using stainless steel this time with 2 old stainless steel pots
I was a plumber for 12 years. A little petroleum jelly on the O-ring (located in the threaded part of the retaining cup) will prevent damage to the O-ring seal. You can also apply a very small amount to the threads to prevent "Dry Binding" of the retaining cups. If the sit for a year some sediment can penetrate into the threads making it difficult to remove. NEVER use more than your paws to tighten the cups. Great advice in this video.
.
If the O ring is rubber, won't petroleum jelly cause it to break down?
😁
I did plumbing for many years. I always use a product called plumbers grease. It helps as well to tighten fittings.
Food grade silicone grease. Yes it's a thing
Those black filters are actually called “fast flow filters“. The capacity is probably 1.25 gallons. I’ve had a Berkey system for several years and I just love it! I would not drink the munni water if my life depended on it. Get in the habit of a glass in for every glass poured. When I fill up my coffee pot I fill it up at the sink, pour in the top dispenser at the bottom. When I fill up ice cube trays I know that it’s 2 cups. I put 2 cups in the top and just fill up my ice cube trays. This way you always have a full Berkey and you don’t get angry when you’re thirsty and somebody forgot to fill it up for you. Enjoy the clean waterHi
I would like to thank you for another great video, and to comment on something you mentioned at the end of the video. You have dedicated your lives to living simple, and shared your entire journey with anyone who wanted to watch. and learn. If you take the time to try a product, and you share your honest opinion of it with us, then there is absolutely no shame in getting a royalty from the company that you shared with your watchers. People should be thankful instead of complaining, especially when there is a bonus discount associated with the link that you attach in the description box.
There will always be a hater that is totally miserable with life, and their priority is to try to ruin anyone else’s life that they come into contact with. Rebuke them, and continue as you are!! Thanks again for sharing your experiences with everyone, and I pray that God will continue to bless and protect you and your homestead immensely! 🤗💕
Thanks so much Doug and Stacy for all your great videos teaching us a better fulfilling healthy life style! My husband and I are very worried about what’s going on in this country right now. We all need to be healthy to survive thanks again!
Hi Doug,
We LOVE our big berkey!! We’ve been using it for over 10 years. One thing we did to to add to the use of our berkey was to get a food grade bucket and put a spigot on it. It sets beside our berkey and holds the “overflow”. As the berkey fills we pour it over into the extra bucket. For us it helps keep track of our water supply and not run out as fast
Turns out Berkey filters are not NSF certified. The company claims it is too expensive to lab test for every contaminant - which is required to be NSF certified. The "3000 gal" filter claim is arbitrary.
@@THXx1138
Even so, we should be able to tell when any water filter we use needs to be changed. If we don't go by the calendar, the taste will definitely let us know.. Ty
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
@@THXx1138 true!! true!!! just watch Robert Beaty & thats why Berky is in a class action lawsuit in Texas right now!👍🏻✌🏻
Ive been a plumber for 19 yrs. And I'd like to offer some advice. The plbg / filtration system looks good! But you shouldve used copper pipe before or after the filters. The reason being is copper pipe sanitizizes water. It's copper property's kills viruses and bacteria. Word to the wise. Love the video and all your intuitivness!
Ya don't say? Huh. I know plumbers...wtf? They are in trouble!!!! I never knew that.
Thanks!
@@heidi22209 I THOUGHT IT WAS SILVER THAT KILLED VIRUSES AND BACTERIA / COPPER IS A NEW ONE ON ME / WELL WE LEARN SOME THING NEW EVERY DAY DON'T WE / THANKS
Copper pipes can erode and leach into the water. Also make certain if you do have them that they are not connected together with led.Osmosis filters are the best for cleaning the water for drinking.
@@qicksilver8949 erode? No Mr. Silver copper pipes don't just waste away. It would take some really hard water and about 100 yrs for water to erode copper. Especially if said copper pipes are installed properly avoiding bi-metal contact , insulated and a filter installed before the plbg system. Also lead connections would be almost any public connection pre 1980, so always check that before any improvements are made regardless. Copper out performs any other water distribution system out there in terms of water quality and longevity by far.
Further more R. O FILTRATION will remove pretty much everything healthy and unhealthy in water. Making it useless or rather harmful for human consumption.
The best filter to use would be a simple homemade filter utilizing gravel sand and activated charcoal, which can also be done from home at little to no cost.
Mr. Silver here is obviously not a plumber nor is he a very good googler. So before you start dishing out potentially harmful advice about drinking water push a few buttons on that nifty lil device you got in your hands and check yoself
@@joshakers1 Copper pipes are a known cause of copper-toxicity.
Just a recommendation, Always, I mean always use some silicone lubricant on those threads on the head of the filter canister before you screw the canister back on to make sure that you will be able to get the filter canister to unscrew the next time that you change the filter. Also they make a special wrench to help you to unscrew the filter. The charcoal filter is for taste and odor and the string wound filter is for sediment. For the bacteria, you would need an ultraviolet system. We used to own a plumbing and electrical store for 40 years and did service calls also and water filtration was one of our specialties. I love your videos. Love Stacy's cooking and fermenting videos.
You can get food grade silicone lubricant too. Companies that make it are CRC, Spray On LU210, Cabela's, Jet Lube, Super Lube, 3M etc.
That's right! Culligan makes two sizes of wrenches. I think I remember the bigger one cost about $15 at a farm supply store.
Claudette would you be able to recommend a whole house filter for Iron. I moved to a house that has a well and terrible iron problem. I use string filters because that is what the previous owner did. It does help but the water still has enough iron in it that it stains the white shower stall and my hair is getting a slight orange tinge to it. Thank you for any help.
@@flowergirl8887 My husband is the real expert on that subject. You can take a sample of your water to probably Home Depot or call your local county to see if they can give you the name of a lab that they might use to test water and have them test it for how many ppm (parts per million) of iron is in the water. You may have other minerals in your well water for instance, sulfur or hardness. Even Home Depot would be able to sell you a system that would take care of the iron. For instance, one of the filtration systems for iron would be a greensand filter system. There are a few other ways. Look at TH-cam videos under "iron filtration system for well water" and it will show you what they look like and what to do. I don't know how knowledgeable someone at Home Depot would be as opposed to someone that specializes in water conditioning and filtrations. Beware of those companies that want to sell you more of what you might need. I'd watch quite a few videos and write down some questions that you can ask whomever you talk to. Hope this gives you some help.
@@flowergirl8887 check the iSpring company from Georgia, great product and the phone service advice is honest. I don't find big box stores to fully understand all problems. For instance, my well has a sulfur smell. It took a long time to find out my iron would not be filtered unless I put in a hydrogen sulfide filter first. It took a lot of research and finally found the answer in an Amazon comment.
Thank you Doug! We get our water from a beautiful, clear creek and still filter our drinking water through a Berkey just for peace of mind. We’ve had the Berkey for a couple of years now and recently did the red food coloring test to check the filters. Even after two years the filters are still working great! Well worth the money!!
Great news. 2022
Make sure to do red food dye.
Berkey had gone downhill recently in past two years with their filters.
I am curious if the chemicals in some water sources may be breaking the Berkey down. Just a thought.
I watched a man on TH-cam who made a simple two step filter like a berky using two large steel pots! It looked easy and was very cost effective!
I have been using a Berkey for 3 years and the same filter. It is now time to replace the filter. I have heard they will go for 5 years but not on my well laden with rust
We've used our Berkey for years because we have E Coli and coliform bacteria in our well water.
Great filter system!
You make it look so effortless. Watched two suburban gals struggle to put it together with mixed results! I’m with you on the chem’-trail issue and been worried about our water for sometime now and this is top of my list. Almost everyday planes can be seen relentlessly messing up our skies here in the UK🇬🇧 They say it’s for rain which is crazy when this is a country world renowned for being rainy! 😮
The narrative will not change. Geothermal engineering was never about improving, only destructive practices.
We are the target...the "eaters"😢
We are in the Missouri Ozarks and in the first year of our off grid homestead. We have our big chicken coop and raised bed garden area fenced with 12 4x8 beds we were able to get filled and use this year. I see the progress and beauty of it all and I'm so grateful!! You guys are, and were, our inspiration to do this. You are our Homestead Heroes! Thank you both for your inspiration and informative videos!! It's been such a blessing!
I have a house I am rebuilding 60 miles South of St. Louis, Bismarck. It is a small town. I want to start making all the stuff instead of using the electric and water from town. I am putting in a swim pond and want to put in a water wheel to generate electric. Dig down to water source and add a pump. Hopefully by next year it will all be done. I am not taking any vaccines so I won't be able to buy sell or trade for electric or water. I hope to have the house rebuilt by fall this year.
@@inspire734 I recently saw a couple yt vids of diy water generators made from old washing machines. You oughta check that out, may be what cha need.
Your right ,
Very inspirational ,
@@inspire734 look into microhydroelectric instead of a big wheel. Also a diverting spiral drain can produce he generation. About 8' across, I think. The inexpensive components are not complex. Imagine how a hose sprayer works? The pressure of the water coming out can spin a small generator. A waterwheel scaled down.
Thanks for the information.
Doug, You should run your carbon filter after the sediment filters, that way the carbon will last longer.
Agree I run my carbon last. Sediment>softener>carbon.
We have found that filtering through carbon last is more efficient.
Good idea.
Thank you for the tip for us newbies.
I was about to post that.. prefilters before carbon filters..
That is what I was thinking.
Hi Doug I’m a new subscriber. I used to design water systems for homes and I see a small problem with your filters. Your first filters should be the sediment (threaded) filters and your carbon filter should be the very last filter that your water passes through. You don’t want to contaminate your carbon filter with dirt and debris that’s why the sediment filters should be located first. God Bless.
Well done.. the collaboration of great minds! Thank you all!
👍🏼 thanks for the heads up.
Great thanks so much for that information. Do you know how that works in the Burkey System by any chance? Because the water is going through at once? I have a cymomis system, I can't remember how to spell it, but I only discovered this year that I hadn't got the one that puts minerals back in, so got the extra one. But I was thinking of the Burkey for my Caravan.
Reverse Osmosis is the system I have in my house, I get the filters changed every year. 👍😉🇮🇪🍀
I was wondering about that. I was thinking he at least needed a pre-filter before the carbon filter or something
God bless the folks that blessed you with that Berkey! You and Stacy bless so many of us, you are in line for blessings. I pray that you get back 100 fold for all that you give out. Our goal is to meet you guys at your next big fair. FYI, when we had our farm, we used shade cloth canopies over top of any open garden boxes to protect them from the harsh sun. Then in the winter we folded them up and stored them for next season. I love how you always interject helpful information in the middle of doing something totally unrelated. You're always thinking about sharing your wisdom, I love that and so thankful for who you are. May God our Jehovah Jireh, Provider, bless you and your beautiful wife and precious family in fathomless measure.
My wife and I have a hunting cabin in VT. We have well water and use the Berkey to filter the water making it drinkable. We added 2 filters for a total of 4. It speeds up the filtering process. We love the filter. Our water is safe and tastes great.
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
I've used a Berkey for 3 years and love it, It's the 1.5 gallon one. For some reason California won't let us get the larger ones. That being said, the 1.5 gallon size is perfect for my husband and I. I even purchased one for my daughter and son-in-law. I use two filters in the top along with two Fluoride filters. I really like having the glass tube to see the water level. I also find it very easy to clean and maintain. I'm enjoying your videos!
I agree with Anthony. Sediment filters first, carbon for the final clean.
We just introduced a Berkey to our home, next the sun oven. The hardest part of the Berkey is the priming...it’s a great system.
@Tony thompson What line?
Modern faucets are difficult to use for priming. Berkey sells a priming kit. Just used it last weekend when I cleaned my filters and it worked just fine.
Karen Richardson yes I saw it and after I buy the fluoride filters and glass measuring tube I may consider this. Thank you😀
It was a bugger for me as well
@Opy Brook I notice that now Berkey includes a "Pro Kit" with purchase. Includes a different type of primer.
We've had the Berky water filter for 2 years now and are on the same filters we installed on day one. We take the filters out and clean them and use them again. Good for a few years. We LOVE our Berky. Our water is in holding tank and comes from a spring in a cave on our property. It's pumped up to our house. We just use a single thread filter and and run the water into the house then run everything we drink through the Berky. Best water ever!
Such valuable information you share! As a grandchild of a Mennonite family who taught the "old ways" I truly appreciate what you and Stacy share.
❤❤❤
I’m on city water. I’ve been using my Berkey with the additional white filters for about 7 years. We absolutely love it. Keep some extra of those filters on hand as well!
@Will Swift not the op, but I to am on city water, first years we lived here we bought bottled spring water. The berky beats that as far as taste, which in my mind pays for itself, hope this helps.
@Will Swift take it or leave it, you don't need to be a smartass or maybe you do. I couldn't care less if you buy one or not. Just trying to be helpful.
I think you may have misunderstood that guy. I believe he was actually thankful that you let him know there is an improvement in the taste of the water. That means a lot. I hate bad tasting water. Take care and God bless.
@@jofipps376 I may have and I am sorry if I did misunderstand, I also sometimes come off like an ass and don't mean too.
You and Stacy work very hard. I love your off grid homestead. ❤️
Using a Berkey for 5 years. Great product! They/it even take Roundup out of the water. Which is in the rain now. A tip I have if it doesn’t process the water fast add a small clip to the joint of the top & bottom of the container. They sell them clips but anything will help. The other holes are for fluoride filters. But you could use 4 filters...
the fluoride filters screw on the end of the carbon filters, it would do no good to put the in the extra holes. the berkey can handle 4 carbon filters and 4 fluoride
Someone may have noticed this already but, you want to wait until most of the filtered water has been used and that lower container emptied before you fill it up. It's important for the filters to be completely immersed in water for them to work optimally. If you are just adding a pitcher to the top when you see the bottom is low it's not going to work as well. If you fill the top to the tops of the filters you are going to get a flood.
But my kitchen floor got a good rinse and rub down so there's that! ;)
This is the very first OFF GRID video I ran across, as I researched water filters. I fell in love with Doug as he bends over backwards to teach us. Then I found Stacy, and I have been hooked, listening to them EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!
I can't even tell all the many times we have been "enlightened" with the multitude of "nuggets" you share! We will see you in a couple of days!!! We're so excited!!! 💗💓
Hey Doug, you are right about being limber. I own a landscaping company so I know all about staying in shape. Core strength is key. And my wife works with me so frisky is mandatory. Just not in front of customers.
PS she will be 60 in a few months.
I know this video is a year old so maybe you already thought of this. I would suggest to replace your Filter canisters with Clear ones instead of Blue ones you can't see the filters without taking it appart. This will save you time & energy to put towards other things. 😉👍🏼
I have a Berkey, and a Clearly Filtered Pitcher. I have not Setup the Berkey, yet. I am on City water, and have been content with filtering it. Now, I am ready to unbox the Berkey and put it to work! Thank you for the Tutorial, Doug! Water is Very Important!
I came across the Berkey system a couple of months ago. It seems to work very well and lots of folks swear by it. Will be looking into getting or making one myself (I like to putter around with things like this) that's compatible with their filters. Given all the 'stuff' that's being found in processed (read: city) water these days I would say everyone should be filtering water!
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
We’ve had our Berkey for almost a year. Beside refilling it during the day as needed, it’s my last chore before bed every night so we start the day with a full container of clean water!
Where did you buy it
I learned the HARD WAY, don’t over fill. About a gallon at a time. Don’t use hot water
@@sallyjowoods2428 they received it as a gift from a homestead homie several years ago
I LOVE my Berkey filter, I’ve had it for 7 years. You don’t need to replace those filters, you can scrub them clean. I live in the city (lots of chlorine in the water, yucky) so I use the city water for doing the dishes but I use my Berkey water for everything else. I have a shower filter too. You can also get an arsenic filter too
Feeling frisky. Lol love it...glad to see you’re using the BERKEY water filter system....I’ve been using mine for years now, love it. Use mine mainly to take out the fluoride and chlorine that they add to the tap water, and if i ever have to use the rain water it’s here and ready to go...and i never have to worry about a boil water order if something goes wrong with the water lines. I never cook without it and the flavor of the food is much better, especially teas and coffee. Never trust city water, not even in the garden, unless you have an extra filter on it. So happy you are using it, much better than having to lift those jugs of water, no more cut fingers.
I have a friend who ran a pipe right from their rin water system to their stainless steel water filter system because they have a big family...you just have to have the hole drilled..but I know you have lots of tools and could do it. Thanks, Doug! Many blessings to you and Stacy!
Thanks Doug for the encouragement! A lot of us need that! God is good ALL the time! I will not abandony Bible, my faith nor my God during these difficult times!
I'm glad you guys got a system, and thankful for our talk at Mother Earth News Fest. Don't forget about the Berkey Bottle we gave you for on the go. Stay Safe and God Bless.
May I suggest that you put your carbon filter on the other end let the string filters do most of the work. This way the string takes all the poo poo out first .
The string filters are a lot cheaper and you'll got more life out of your carbon filter
Your homestead is looking 👌 mighty fine. I cannot imagine how many people are looking intently at your lifestyle in 2020. Every video 📹 is inspiring and educational! Thank you both for sharing.
Love your channel soooooooo much. If it wasn’t for me fighting. Pancreas cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer, stage four Thyroid cancer, lymphoma (yep I survived) yes all cancers were different cells. 🙁 Stanford found that where I live it’s old house wires for electricity called DIRTY ELECTRICITY and yes that can get you very sick over time. They found that my cancers were from bad food choices when I was young but mostly from radiation...electricity stuff. Amish are smart no electric 👍🏼
So my point making..I was supposed to retire from Nursing and buy my land and get out of this rural 1/2 city area. So n9w I’m fully retired and ready to move on out. God bless for all you do.
We don't have a Berkey Filter System, but have been thinking of getting one, because our other filter is wearing out. I didn't know exactly how it works and am very glad you showed how it does. I've seen bits and pieces of how it works before, but you did a great job and very complete.
Why I love this channel?!! Because everytime I come here I learn something new, for me....whether from Stacy or like now, from you Doug, you both are inspirational and proof that it is very possible to go it alone, off grid! Thanks for sharing Doug, 👍and greetings 👋for you both from Mexico! 😊
Love my Berkey! I've used one for close to 20 years. Moved from the city, built a log home on 25 acres of heavy woods. I do have city water and still use my Berkey. I have a creek that we have hauled water up from the ravine to use in the Berkey. Love my remote/rural life.
I find my Berkey water gets cloudy every 2 weeks- not happy and no customer service…
@@mjmccarthylloyd9299 Turns out Berkey filters are not NSF certified. Their claims of "3000 gal" filters is arbitrary.
Coincidentally, my family owns a plumbing company. Good job, very impressive! We have been playing with the idea of homesteading, moving rural, etc. Very good videos. Keep it up.
The Berkey is the perfect final step in your water filtration system. Your washing and general usage water doesn't need the Berkey but for cooking and drinking, the Berkey is a must. Really good to see you guys get one!! You will not be disappointed.
been very disappointed in my berkey . frequent cloudy water and inadequate customer service
Berkey has several in depth YT videos that demonstrate that it is not very good. You need to update/do better research - have a peak at this 10 min video about the Berkery - and it is just one of others coming to light. : th-cam.com/video/AVZmZwTxnMc/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for taking the time to show and tell us about your homestead, your successes and the difficulties.
It is best of all to know how and where others had been able to make things work, when they decided to change course.
Very neighborly of you to do this.
Thank you. 👍
Hi Doug and Stacy!
Love my Berkey Filter. I got sick and tired of the computerized getup I had and went with a simple, no nonsense Berkey! Hope you continue to enjoy yours.
Berkey will tell you always test your filters with the red food coloring as soon as you get them to make sure they're working properly, then dry them out and store them. They also say don't top off the filter, let it get all the way empty before filling then fill it up enough to cover the filter elements completely, otherwise the filters will wear unevenly.
Berkey filters are not NSF certified.
We’re much more of an urban “ homestead “ but love getting ideas that would make an shift easier to take. Thank you both.
Dandelion tincture is great for removing heavy metals out of the liver, and body system in general. Great information! Thank you!
I just set up my Berkey! I have been enlightened. I feel healthier already. I also bought a chlorine filter for my shower and I feel a difference in my skin already. Thanks for the video to help me set up my Berkey. Love you guys
Such a neat and tidy home. Great stuff Doug and Stacy.
Perfect timing! This morning my hubby and I were discussing plans for rain water filtration. We have been browsing through your old videos looking at your system. Thank you for your videos and any time you want to talk more about this particular subject we will be listening!
Thanks Doug, We got two, one for my Son. We’re in our 70’s. Have always wanted to get out of the crowded place here on the coast. Our Daughter has Retts syndrome. She needs medications and air conditioning for her lungs. Drs predicted a life expectancy of 30 years. She just turned 52. We homestead as best we can here in the suburbs. We have chickens, a pretty nice garden and compost. Wish we knew older folks like us who’ve made the leap.
Love love love your channel!! I was an organic gardner in my youth passed down from my father....he encouraged me to fix things and be self sufficient. I have an ear to the news and am getting ready for whatever comes my way. God bless you for taking the time to pass on what you have learned. So many are are going to benefit as I am .
That's so much easier with the Burky to be sinkside & have a flexible hose-type faucet end. How fast you fill it really depends on how fast you're using it. I love your whole water system.
Since I’m on city water, I also attached the chlorine and fluoride filters that go below the charcoal filters.
I like the AlexaPure as well I have been using mine for about 4 years and use double filters so should have about 6 more years before I change out the filters. What I liked about the AlexaPure that caught my attention was that they used a third party to run the tests on their filters that verified the 99.9x percent filtration where as Berkey did not use a third party to do the testing. That said something to me right there in terms of standing behind your claims.
Great video Doug & Stacey! I have used a Berkey for the past 10 years and I’m sure you will be happy with it. Love the Homestead!
I have been enlightened! We thank you for this information. We are living vicariously through you at the moment but getting in order to move in that direction. Thanks for all the great videos and information. We so enjoy your family and farm.
It's so hard to watch a friend suffer, animal or human! I feel your pain, and pray for your comfort knowing you give your friends their best life ,even up to the end. I can see how much you care about your food ,your animals , your way of life, well done!
We bought our water filtration system, and found that we needed a second one, just to ensure a continuous flow of water. Food preparation (for canning, fermentation, home-cooking, etc.) takes a LOT of water - clean water. We love our system, too! 💗
You guys have one of the cutest and well made cabins ever
I truly love my berkey,,,i had mine for over a year now and i can't even drink bottle water anymore...
Thank you for all the wonderful videos. Keep them coming.
Got a 6 gallon Berkey several years ago and still need to put it to use!! Was so excited to get it and then waited to try it out until we get our rain water system in place... just need to get it out and start using it I suppose as our building is going slower than anticipated. 🙄🥴 Glad I watched this video tonight. Time to just do it!!
Yea DO IT!
We’ve used a berkey for 10 years. We keep a gal pitcher of tap water beside it to dump into the Berkey, and another beside a separate clear dispenser to move the filtered water, so we have easy access to a greater volume of ready to use water. We drain the filtered tank to keep in the clear 2.5 gal dispenser every time we fill the top reservoir so it doesn’t overflow, but we keep an inverted lid under the unit just in case. We use filtered water for all drinking, cooking, bean soaking, pets, etc.
I don't like when the sky looks like a checkerboard either. I've been meaning to get a filtration system. God nudging me, now todays the day. Thanks for all information! Such a inspiration!
It was kinda nice when no one was traveling...sky was so clear.
We live in central Californian and have lots of planes overhead normally. I just remarked yesterday that there are no planes or jet trails at all. So strange.
Same, here in New England, I haven't seen any in a couple of days - finally. They were persistent for weeks!!!!
Well, with all thats going on now a days, you had better have that berkey going.
I’ve tried explaining chemtrails in the sky to some folks. It’s like talking to a brick wall. I even showed my Dad one time we was sitting out on the back deck. There were two planes in the sky. One was a regular plane, and the trail behind it disappeared quickly, quite normal, while the other one wasn’t. Then it would spread out like a fog, and in a checkerboard pattern eventually.
Everyone has problems with the ceramic berkey filters leaking. Put red food coloring in the top, and see if it gets to the bottom.
Buy aquarium sealant, and run a bead across the base of the filter where the ceramic nests into thw plastic cup. That seems to be the weak spot. Aquarium sealant is safe; if it's safe for fishies, it's safe for us.
You keep me inspired , I live alone and I’m 68… I still work full time and I have slowed down but yours and other channels keep me wanting to know more n I do share what I’ve learned with younger members of my family so they know there are other and better ways of going everything … it’s so cool .. we should have a lot of hope in our lives but we must be willing to work for it … work gives us so much aside from what we obviously get, $ , we get self esteem, self respect n respect from others n we grow in knowledge and experience , have a lot to share with others n we gain more friends… these are invaluable assets that often times our young don’t have and they don’t understand why they’re frustrated at times.. of course there are many reasons that many can get frustrated but our young need to learn very basic things so as to stay motivated .. enough out of me .. I loved this video and I love your channel .. thank you for being here …
I think your channel, lifestyle and personality are all quite wonderful. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and lessons with us. Appreciate your positive attitude.
I’ve been wanting a system like this for years ….I think we are finally going to decide to get one this year. 👍😃
It's been since molly was a puppy that I was tuned in, life had me by the ears. Great to see how well you guys are doing and the place looks like Paradise. I've missed our talks Doug. Thanks for still being here and being such a roll model, both of y'all.
A person has to soak in hot water for many reasons , soreness, back pain, stress.A tub is a must for me.
Hi Doug and Stacy, I enjoy watching your channel and getting tips. Im from the suburbs of Dublin City but moved to a rural part Ireland 25 years ago to be closer to nature. I don't live completely off grid but one day I will. I have a rain water system and it was recommended to me by the guy in the store to position the carbon filter after the sediment filter. You're both doing a great job on sharing the knowledge, keep it up. Regards "Irish Tom" as I was once known as
My recommend is to use a string filter first then a pad filter. After that use the carbon filter. You could put in a pleated filter after the carbon filter.
If your water is fairly dirty as from a stream use a sand filter before the cartridge filters.
The only reason you would want to have to replace the carbon filter more often is to keep the taste of your water like new out of the bottle.
Thank you Doug, good to know.
Since you all are off-grid, I was wondering how often you all get colds, flu, sinus issues, ect.? I would think it would be rare but, I was just curious.
We love your character Doug you're so funny, keep the inner child.
We have learned so much from you and Stacey and are so grateful to have found you. Great informative video as always, we're ording our Berkey now ❤ from 🇸🇪🏴
I couldn't agree more, I plan to be on my homestead in a couple of months, God willing, and I have watched I think all of their videos, plan to copy quite a few of their ideas. Thanks Doug and Stacy, for sharing your journey with us all.
Tammy Whitten (this is my business acct)
We met them at the homesteaders conference (which I can't recommend enuff!!) And lemme tell ya, Doug and Stacy are just the sweetest people!! They are the real deal!!❤
Thank you for all of your knowledge, and willingness to share. This video was right on time. We are getting ready to setup our rain catchment system. You and Stacy are awesome.
Love y’all’s ‘outdoor’ kitchen. Where I grew up out on the Big Empty the well water had such a high content of gyp it was awful, so for drinking water we relied on rain water collection using gutters that fed into a cistern. Drawing up water was a daily chore. I can’t recall what cistern ‘treatment’ Dad used to eliminate bacteria back then (I’m a senior now)? After I was grown and gone, Dad plumbed the water to the kitchen sink to make it easier for Mom, and praise the Lord, she is still using it.
Never done this before I have been struggling ,because I am a little woman with no one to pick up or any motorized to move heavy stuff . Working together ,is great .
Doug, I have never seen a filtration system where the carbon filter is first in line. The carbon traps both water soluable compounds as well as microorganisms. Filtration stages should be set up to progressively trap the larger particulates. The Berkey gimmick appears to be just a carbon filter. In my opinion you may consider rearranging the cannisters.
Do you mean progressively filter out smaller things?
I like the ceramic filters for the Berkey. You can just take some high grit sand paper and lighty sand them to renew them. The charcoal filters have to be tossed and replaced.
You should be able to get approx. 4 years life from Berky charcoal filters by washing them lightly with a scouring pad. I personally Found that the charcoal filters last twice as long than the ceramic filters, and the water tastes better
We have a Berkey and love having it. People at my husbands work gave it to him as a retirement gift, what a blessing!!
Honesty in this day and age is rare.!
I have been ENLIGHTENED
I've said it before and I'll say it again...you guys rock! Also, your an excellent teacher. The both of you are. Love you guys dearly💕
Thanks for the "enlightenment" Doug. I have been thinking about getting a Berkey for a while now...this is the nudge I needed. I have learned so much from your videos. (Breakfast this morning was Stacy's pumpkin/oatmeal bake, have been making that since she posted the video!)
Stay safe and well, blessings to you both.
Back in the 90's my friend took a gas fence post auger, a couple of water hoses, and some PVC piping, drilled his own well for his house. I was planning on doing the same thing for my farm but the laws have changed here since then lol. I was operations manager for 12 wastewater treatment plants and 2 potable water systems years ago. I'm curious if you have had any testing of your water done at a water testing laboratory? Right out of the air and a sample after filtering would be interesting to see results.
Other than radiation from Japan and dust from China what would you expect from rain water, what has showed up other US rainwaters? Let's see mercury if downwind from a coal burning electric producer hmmm...
@@itsno1duh plenty of things, including aluminum, barium, nano particles of polymer.
@@willyfoofoo318 I am wondering if you would get that from any government lab since it is a given that they are seeding the skies against what they are told it "global warming" maybe a private lab,,,
See if Mike Adams of Natural news would analyze it in HIS lab !
Lithium...
We love our BERKEY! We put extra fluoride filters in ours. We use it for drinking, cooking, and our cats love it too. I’ve seen few negative comments on the BERKEY but we have had NO problems at all. Worth the investment and the filters last at least a year and a half to two years.
Got a caretaking gig on a country property... love it... no going back, I enjoy the sound of the doves every morning and evening....
I just stumbled upon your channel and have been binge watching it the last few days, I love all your experienes and information. I specially like that Stacy cooks so naturally. The minute I heard you mention capturing rain water the first thing that popped into my head was "OMG all those Chem trails, how do they filter for that"!!
Great content!.... Just an idea. Maybe a large, cheap, sediment filter first in line. Preserve the more valuable elements.
I didn't show you "first in line" that was just under the house...the playlist is available
May the Lord bless you and Stacey
OMGosh we have so loved our Berkey since 2013! It traveled with us everywhere. Our Berkey has its own special padded bag for Harley adventures! As time has passed we have 2 now for our big family get togethers. All my children & grandkids have Berkeys in their homes too! With the world the way it is right now, you would be CRAZzZY not to buy one before you can't! Take 15 minutes time reading the site to know this product is AMAZING! Thanks for ALL you teach us D & S 🇺🇸
I’m hearing the cookoo clock ticking lol, thank you for all these off grid living videos, Doug and Stacy, I retired due to this pandemic and now I’m going off grid , in the Philippines hehe I know Philippines is already off grid, lol but if you might get a collect call from Palawan Philippines, it’s your loyal subscriber hahaha