A resilient homestead is only as strong as its weakest defense. Therefore, it is crucial to implement multiple concepts and mechanisms around your property, creating layered security measures to maximize effectiveness. This post will delve into the fundamentals of homestead security, providing you with the necessary knowledge for a successful and secure off-grid life.
Given my background in intelligence and counterintelligence, I approached the topic with the mindset of safeguarding a military base or critical location. Neglecting security measures or becoming complacent is the fastest path to an attack on a military base or your homestead. Maintaining constant vigilance and meticulous attention to detail are paramount when considering the safety of your family and homestead.
To facilitate a clear understanding of my zoning system for homestead security, I have prepared a diagram below. However, feel free to tailor this zoning system to your own preferences or explore alternative approaches.
Zone 4: Perimeter
The first layer of your security will encompass the perimeter of your property. For those with smaller properties, setting up a reliable barrier is relatively easier and less capital-intensive. However, larger parcels will require greater effort and investment to fence the entire perimeter or divide the property into smaller sections. While fencing the entire perimeter is ideal, it may not always be feasible. In such cases, we have a few options to consider.
Survey the perimeter and identify areas that are more susceptible to potential intrusions. These locations could include open areas near access roads, easily traversable landscapes, areas in proximity to neighboring residences, or other potential points of easy access.
Consider creating a smaller perimeter closer to your homestead itself. If fencing the entire perimeter isn't feasible, you can establish an inner perimeter that can be fenced instead. For instance, we have utilized a treeline surrounding our property as a natural boundary and fenced this inner perimeter.
In areas where fencing may not be possible, consider using defensive plants to enhance security. Some examples of suitable defensive plants for your perimeter include hardy citrus, hawthorn, multi-floral rose, and firethorn. A comprehensive list of such plants can be found at gardenerspath.com.
Don't forget to install gates at all access points, including your driveway. Although it may sometimes be inconvenient, having a gate serves as an effective deterrent against unauthorized vehicles entering your property.
If you have a smaller property with nearby neighbors, it may be worth considering a tall and robust privacy fence. This not only acts as a physical barrier between your property and the neighbors but also provides you with added privacy while engaging in your self-sustaining activities.
Cameras are another essential component of your security system. Setting up trail cameras along the perimeter allows you to monitor any activity near your property line when you're not present. You can find decent-quality trail cameras at affordable prices, starting from around $30 at Walmart. Additionally, investing in wireless cameras with wifi or LTE connectivity enables remote monitoring of your property. We will delve deeper into this topic when discussing Zone 1.
Ensure that you prominently display "Private Property" signs along the perimeter of your land. These signs are often required by law in most jurisdictions if you intend to press charges against trespassers. Moreover, they serve as a clear indication to people that your property is private, especially if you're located near a national forest, preventing unintentional trespassing.
Maintaining a visible presence on your property is crucial. Make an effort to be present at random times, walking the perimeter and checking your trail cameras every few days. By varying the timing of these patrols, you prevent potential intruders from predicting your movements. Establishing a predictable routine, such as walking the property every day at 4 pm, makes it easier for someone observing your property to learn your patterns and adjust their plans accordingly. To disrupt any potential patterns, vary your walks based on weather conditions, chores, and work schedules.
Zone 3: Interior perimeter
In the event that an intruder manages to gain access to your property, it is crucial to be alerted as quickly as possible. In situations involving power grid failure or social unrest, one effective method to achieve this is by setting up a few tripwire alarms within your interior perimeter.
For those unfamiliar with tripwire alarms, they are mechanisms designed to be triggered when an unwanted individual enters your property. Various types of alarms exist, ranging from those that produce noise or light to those that may even spray the intruder with a substance. While I don't recommend the latter option, it's important to always consult local ordinances to ensure you don't risk legal trouble with your chosen device. However, in a de-industrialized world where legal constraints are no longer in effect, you have more flexibility. Your priority should be utilizing every possible means to protect your property.
The simplest tripwire mechanism can be constructed using fishing line, spring-loaded mouse traps, glow sticks, and tin cans. On one end of the tripwire, you attach the fishing line to the mousetrap, positioning the glow stick on the mousetrap. On the other end of the fishing line, you place the tin cans. When something or someone walks through your property and triggers the tripwire, the glow stick will illuminate, while the cans will produce a considerable amount of noise simultaneously. Below is an example of an easy DIY tripwire mechanism.
Zone 2: Outside Home Perimeter
To further enhance the security of the property, I prefer to establish an additional zone known as Zone 2, which lies beyond the perimeter of the home. By implementing layered security measures, our goal is to make it exceedingly challenging for anyone to penetrate the core of the property. While a determined adversary may still find a way through these defenses, the multitude of obstacles will significantly slow their progress.
Between Zone 2 and Zone 3, it is advisable to create a dense hedgerow using trees or bamboo. This hedgerow serves as a wind barrier while adding yet another layer to your security system. Its strategic placement obstructs the view of the house area (Zone 1), giving you a distinct advantage against potential attackers.
In addition to the hedgerow, consider creating intentional choke points if you have the means to manipulate the landscape. These choke points enable you to guide an intruder precisely where you want them to go. By surveying the land and carefully assessing your options, you can establish corridors that channel any potential threat into a predetermined location. For lack of a better term, let's refer to this area as the "Killzone."
Similar to how animals in the woods instinctively follow paths of least resistance, people traversing your property will tend to take the easiest route. Therefore, it is essential to strategically set up trails that lead individuals into one or more locations where you can confront them from a position of advantage. Familiarize yourself with every inch of your property, knowing each ratline and trail, as they can serve as potential avenues of approach for both inadvertent trespassers and those with malicious intent.
Zone 1: The Homestead
The homestead zone holds utmost importance on your property and should be treated accordingly. In the context of a forward operating base, we would refer to this area as the "green zone." Essentially, this zone should provide you with the highest level of protection.
Our entire Zone 1, covering approximately an acre, is enclosed by a fence. We have a large gate to accommodate vehicles and two smaller gates for access to different parts of the property. Barbed wire is installed atop the gates. To emphasize, our aim is to layer our security measures to make it exceedingly difficult for others to navigate the property without encountering significant obstacles. In addition to the fences and gates, we have also electrified the perimeter.
Setting up an electric fence is relatively straightforward, and Tractor Supply offers excellent kits for under $200. A sufficiently powerful kit can deter larger animals like bears from attempting to breach your wired fence. While it may not necessarily prevent determined individuals from trying to enter, it will certainly impede their progress if they receive a significant electric shock. For legal purposes, remember to display an electric fence "sign" on your fence.
Inside the perimeter of Zone 1, it is crucial to keep the vegetation controlled and strategically position trees to ensure a clear line of sight throughout the entire zone. I cringe when I see houses with large bushes obstructing windows or a tall garage blocking the view from the home to the driveway. Believe it or not, the plants surrounding your house should serve practical purposes rather than being purely for aesthetic appeal.
Illuminate potentially vulnerable areas around the house, including blind spots, by installing lights. In this case, I recommend motion-activated lights that can also be manually switched on. The exterior lights should not be kept on continuously. It's one of my pet peeves to see houses brightly lit like it's Christmas every night, as it makes it easy for others to familiarize themselves with your property. Practicing light discipline can save lives.
Solar motion lights are an excellent addition to place around your immediate home or other vulnerable buildings. Amazon offers a wide selection of high-quality solar motion lights for less than $50. These lights are self-charging, making them low-maintenance security devices, which are a homesteader's best friend.
Maintain privacy within the home by ensuring that people on the outside cannot see inside. We achieve this by using blackout curtains. Even when standing 20 feet away from our shipping container house, one cannot tell if we have any lights on, even in pitch-black conditions outside.
Another valuable gadget to have near your home is a solar-powered external camera. My partner and I, like many others, do not have Wi-Fi. Instead, we rely on unlimited data from our mobile device plans, which provides us with all the internet access we need. While most cameras on the market are Wi-Fi enabled, I was determined to find a solution. I came across Reolink on Amazon, which allows you to set up a solar camera with a small cellular plan. By inserting a SIM card, which is the same as the one used in your phone, I established a $35 per month plan. Now, regardless of our location in the world, we can log into the app on our phones and view the property in real-time. So, even without on-the-grid Wi-Fi, we are well-equipped.
Your Entire Apparatus at Work
Now that you are familiar with the basics of property security and how to layer your defenses, I would like to provide you with some additional tips and advice.
Take the time to get to know your neighbors beyond just exchanging pleasantries when they pass by your property. Research their criminal histories through your county police activity system to gain a better understanding of your threat landscape.
Coordinate drills with your family or other residents on your property to prepare for potential critical scenarios. Adopt an approach used in the intelligence world by developing various courses of action. Plan and simulate multiple attacks on your property to identify vulnerabilities and see your property from an attacker's perspective. Start with three attack scenarios: the most likely attack, the most deadly attack, and an alternate plan. This will help you anticipate potential threats and create effective mitigation strategies.
Exercise caution when discussing your security plans. It is essential to follow operational security (OPSEC) principles. Avoid sharing detailed property security information with individuals who do not reside on your property. Refrain from exchanging property security notes with someone you just met at a dive bar. Keep this information confidential. Similarly, avoid discussing your resilience activities, such as food storage, water collection, and medical supplies, as doing so may attract unwanted attention.
If feasible, consider getting a dog. Research popular guard dog breeds and choose one that suits your needs. A dog can provide early warning of potential intruders and, with proper training, can serve as a defensive asset.
While weapons can be a necessary measure, it is important to exercise moderation. You do not need an arsenal of twenty different guns when you only have two hands. I suggest owning an assault rifle, a shotgun, a handgun, and a hunting rifle. If multiple people reside in your house, it is advisable for each person to have a handgun. Remember to follow all legal requirements and ensure proper training and responsible ownership of firearms.
The time to set up security on your property was yesterday. As Christopher David once said, "To put it bluntly, if someone has not woken up to this reality, no one else will jolt them into serious action." The serious action of layering your security to protect what is yours needs to be taking place right now. We are on the brink of it being too late to start. Collapse now so the next chapter won't be so painful.
Plant your hedge today!
When you look for hedge plants, always, always, always, check what the mature size of the shrub will be. There is variability but if you're planting under powerlines, you have got to stay under 10 feet or the electric company will top your thujas and kill them.
Many municipalities have rules about fence height but not nearly so much about hedge height. A dense, six-foot hedge is quite acceptable and the casual intruder isn't going to push through it.
Decorative hedges like roses work great in the front yard. Get the thorny kind.
Hedges and well-placed trees can also shield you from Google street view and Google Earth.
Well-placed trees will also provide shade in the summer and sun in the winter, letting them do double duty.
I looked a bit into planting hedgerows like in France etc,but it takes a long time for them to grow ,I found Himalayan blackberrys make a pretty effective barrier, and they literally grow a foot a day
Theres a quarry near me and their security fence is about 20 feet of blackberry,I thought a plus to is the bees and other animals like them,and heat or extreme cold doesn't seem to hurt them.