How We Developed A Natural Spring On Our Off Grid Homestead

That German shepherd is living the life.

We have a farm of 150 acres in a valley with a river running through it. The farm is fed by underground springs. We found two springs on the hill like yours and my dad made watering station on the hill with faucets. Then he ran pipes like you did to the barn and used a old bathtub and toilet float to automatically refill when horses drink from bathtub.

This is what I have for a water supply. It is a gravity fed system of over 100 years old I’m the 4th generation here using this spring water is so delicious and perfect. This is how all the early settlers here got their water. They never used big digging equipment to work in the area as it could change the flow or lose it completely. My spring is located 1,500 ft up the mountain.

If you ever need to lay pipe again, please roll the coil out instead of pulling it out sideways. Rolling it out will ensure the pipe ends up (more) flat and it won't kink as easily either. It is a bit harder to do perhaps. Pulling it out sideways will give you all these curled up tangles.

Don't forget to test for lead and other heavy metals. Prior owners of my farm all went insane from lead in the spring water.

Last year i was working on spring restoration at a volcano in New Zealand. I like what you did with the rock creating a pool, all i would add is the bigger the pool the better, and get as many native plants around it as possible. Spring ecosystems are very very special. Plants that like wet feet are called hydrophites

My grandfather and great uncles would find spring on their land in Wisconsin. They would dig a hole in the rocks and put in a 2.5- 3 foot culvert liner. Then wait until the water ran clear and collect water for drinking. They bathed in lake water that included chopping ice in the winter. But the spring area would never freeze from what I remember however I am in my 70's now. My grandfather was born in the 1980's. My parents born in 1920's. Now us kids are the old ones. Life go so fast, day by day, month by month, year by year.

The sound of that running water is so peaceful

The best time to find the source of a spring is in the dry time of the year.

This is exactly what I needed to see!!! Thank you for sharing. I have found springs but wasn’t sure what to do and what not to do. It looks just like yours!!!! ❤🎉😊 Our Shepherd even looks like yours. We’re in Kentucky, probably going to binge on your channel today. I’ve been raising babies/kids for 32 years yesterday, the land has been waiting for me to make the best of it. It’s finally time. 😅

Your overflow box should be at the source where it comes from the ground. That way the overflow contiues to water the mountainside and keep it green rather than get dry and die off.

I think Freya was in her element with you! Also thank you for that running water sound & not playing music over it.....

The birds and wildlife will love that constant hose running esp in the summer. Great spot for a night camera.

I have a saltless whole house system that cleans on a few watts of electricity. Plan out a combined waterfall/power wheel for a small generator.

Three gallons a minute! Cue the banjo!

Well done Lou! Just another completely natural resource for your lovely family. ❤

You can build a ram pump from off the shelf parts from any hardware store.

I did not know that in times past, springs were considered sacred. Thats interesting, as when I come across a spring in nature, I am filled with awe and beauty of the clean, clear, pure water that flows forth. It always moves something inside me that is different to whatever else is going on.

A ram pump can also compress air. Depending on the altitude drop, and size of ram pump 50-90 psi is attainable easily. It won't have a great deal of cfm but considering it never stops running you can offset this with the size of your holding tank. A large tank can get a job done, then you have to wait for it to recharge. (Just thinking out loud)

Hey Dana and Lou, First off, i am dumbfounded everytime you start a new project, not simply because of the sheer will to take on such demanding tasks but also from your sense of creativity to think of new ways to improve your off the grid lifestyle. i started watching you way back when you did a tutorial on how to develop film at home ( i was 14) and kept up with you throughout all your changes and found myself growing alongside you. im in the middle of medical school and as demanding as it feels, somehow your courage makes it easier to find new ways to assess whatever comes my way and leaves room for excitement and hope for the future no matter how different our circumstances are. thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me push through and hold fast ❤