Natural
Health Oriented Community
in New Mexico Has Openings
NEW MEXICO USA
SunToads Community Has Openings
Updated 17 September 2003
SunToads Community, PO Box 153, Elida NM 88116
Phone: (505) 274-6440 (Contact persons: John and Fe)
email: jfeb@yucca.net
Please forward this to good folks who may have an interest.
>>> This community is 100% free illegal items and substances, pets,
smokers, and problematic alcohol. Additionally, we do not want people who
claim to only use substances or smoke either in vehicles or off-property.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please inquire about long-term
openings that may be available for: * **
> Travel trailer or motor home (RV) dwellers
> Portable structure dwellers
> Permanent structure dwellers (these can be built mostly with free
native materials)
> Property caretaker (a paid position that may be available in the
future)
* Most disabilities are ok
** We have a couple of small, vintage, vacant travel trailers that could
serve as living quarters for helpers or caretakers. Some renovation is
needed. We will pay for materials. These trailers are a step above camping
out, not modern, or luxurious.
This community is ideal for people with independent income. Having your
own travel trailer or motor home is a plus.
Your income remains yours; we do not ask for it.
Medicaid cardholders may benefit from living here. Many Medicaid cardholders
qualify to have a helper/caregiver. Your helper/caregiver is paid from
government Medicaid funds (not your funds). This provides assistance for
the Medicaid cardholder and it supplies income for your helper who lives
at SunToads. We can help you obtain a helper/caregiver if you qualify
under New Mexico guidelines.
There are 2 local employers of caregivers. See paragraph 29c.
You may be able to live in one of our travel trailers rent-free if you
don't have your own portable shelter. You would pay only for your utilities,
food and personal needs.
Having a reliable vehicle is a necessity. Either we or someone locally
typically have useable vehicles for sale for $750 to $200.
1. Please study this document very carefully. Those who have failed to
do this have typically set themselves up for disappointment, frustration
and anger aimed at everyone but themselves because their expectations
were not based on the facts that are detailed in this document.
1a. Location/Topography. East central NM, 40 miles W of the Texas border,
50 miles SW of Clovis, 50 miles S of Cannon Air Force Base, 30 miles SW
of Portales, 70 miles NE of Roswell. High-plains. Semi-arid. We are about
220 miles SE of Los Alamos which recently had nasty fires in 2000. We
are about 200 miles SE of Albuquerque, a large city with typical urban
problems. Two hours to Lubbock TX. 3 ½ hours to Amarillo TX. No
problems here with illegals crossing the Mexican border; we are too far
north.
2. Access and Status. This land is privately owned by John and Fe. The
general public does not have access to this property. There are no sales
people, Halloween visitors, or other interlopers. The property is fenced
and has a locked gate. It is very quiet and delightfully private here.
All persons physically on SunToads land are considered guests of the owners.
There are no renters, squatters, uninvited people, or shared land ownership.
Guest status has unique practical and legal advantages. These advantages
include the ability of the owners to immediately and without notice require
anyone engaging in inappropriate behavior to leave the property. Opportunists,
predators and other harmful individuals are unwelcome here. These types
typically tend to avoid situations where responsible behavior is an absolute
requirement. Hence, there should never be a need for responsible people
to form self-protective sub-groups to align themselves against the inappropriate
behavior of one or two manipulators. Precious friendships can develop
here without hindrance.
3. Area Code/Time. All of New Mexico presently uses Area Code 505 and
Mountain Time. Eventually New Mexico will have two telephone area codes;
the second area code is expected to be 575. SunToads will retain Area
Code 505.
3a. Zip Codes. Elida 88116. Portales 88130. Clovis 88101. Roswell 88201.
4. Overview. We welcome those who may be seeking a better place, tranquility,
low stress, responsible reliable considerate neighbors, relative safety,
quiet, and freedom from smokers /drug users /alcohol abusers / pets /
chewing-tobacco users / snuff users. It is unlikely that the total number
of people here will exceed 20. In most cases, you will need to provide
your own shelter, means of support, and transportation. Every effort is
made in advance to prevent conflicts.
Anyone who looks carefully at the vast amount of literature generated
on the topic of social and technical arrangements made within intentional
communities can readily see that the majority of the writings address
conflict resolution. The people who most often create community conflicts
are typically the loudest, pushiest ones screaming for reforms to whatever
they agreed to in the first place. Perhaps these holier-than-thou whiners
and covert bullies can fit in somewhere, but not here.
4a. Focus. (1) Organic gardening. (2) Encouraging alternative healers
and those who need to be healed to live here. Allopathic orientation is
also welcome. (3) Preparedness for possible future manmade and natural
problems. We are aware of potential earth changes, police-state behavior,
war threats, so-called terrorism threats, Planet X conjecture, pole shift,
etc. (4) Working toward relative self-sufficiency and multiple back-up
systems ranging from modern to primitive. (5) Accommodation of life-styles
ranging from modern to primitive.
We do feel that the forces of good will ultimately prevail of the dark
agenda cabal in both the US and the world. The questions are: How rough
will the ride be to achieve better circumstances? How long will it take?
We are certain that the ride is in progress. Our rural location is undisturbed
by most of the things designed to harm humanity.
Our endeavors generally fit into the concepts of both community and homesteading.
We are not a theme-oriented community, i.e., there is no requirement to
think or believe within rigid parameters. People with either high or low
socialization needs are welcome.
We definitely do not fit portions of the definition of egalitarian communities,
that is, the holding of land, labor, your income and your other resources
in common. At SunToads what you earn is yours and if you wish to owe money
for purchases or loans that is your prerogative. We have no directive
requiring you eat or not eat certain foods.
We are not set up to provide room and board for folks who are looking
for a community where they can reside temporarily while they work and
learn the ways and skills of community . We would like to do this but
cannot during the foreseeable future. We seek long-term residents.
5. Membership. There are no memberships here. How long people stay depends
on their behavior towards others and the property. The only things missing
here are more nice people.
5a. Rent/Lease. No one pays rent or leasing fees.
6. Owners. The owners of this community (John and Fe) are mature in behavior,
stable, fair-minded, well educated, non-fanatical, and outgoing but not
pushy. We interact well with most responsible, non-manipulative people.
6a. Liability and basic agreement. Be it known to all who would visit
or stay here that neither John and Fe nor SunToads comminity is liable
to any degree for injuries or harm that may come to your person or belongings.
We expect all persons to exercise common sense and safety precautions.
Parents are directly responsible for their children s well-being and safety.
When you are present on this property, you automatically agree to abide
by the provisions in this entire document. If you disagree or choose not
to abide by the provisions, then you have the prerogative not to enter
this property.
7. Details. Only a few items in this description are written on stone.
Just inquire and we will explore almost any topic. We have chosen to provide
a great deal of detail for you rather than present a sketchy, fill-in-the-blanks-free-for-all,
unrealistic picture. You probably remember how upsetting it can be to
arrive somewhere and then discover a situation that you would never have
considered had you known the facts.
8. You. You should be personally responsible, cooperative and honest,
have a service-to-others orientation rather than service-to-self, that
is, be a more of a giver not primarily a taker, and practice water conservation.
Be clean, tidy and reliable, with high self-initiative and a strong sense
of self-worth. You may be as modern or as primitive as you wish; in most
cases, furnishing your own shelter and paying for your own utilities;
no land purchase is required or available from us. Together, we will have
more eyes, ears, resources and skills. The bottom line is that everyone
ends up with more free time for her/his favorite activities.
A couple of people have come here that claimed to fully understand, prior
to their arrival, what we have written in this document. They were certain
this arrangement was exactly what they wanted. It soon became clear that
these individuals were generally inconsiderate and disrespectful of others.
These self-deluded people lacked the ability to know themselves . Their
method for getting along with others was centered on negative manipulation.
To avoid a repeat of this situation, it may be advisable to ask someone
that knows you well, to read this document and then ask him/her to render
an opinion as to whether SunToads Community might be compatible with you.
SunToads has had at least ten people give opinions as to whether this
description of our community is accurate and reasonably complete. Their
answer was, yes 100%.
8a. Helping. Helping in the community is a requirement for living here:
Examples - organic gardening, general chores, electrical, welding, carpentry,
massage, digging, housekeeping, pulling weeds, mechanical, handy person,
etc. These are the kinds of things that one would expect to find at any
homestead and would otherwise have to do for themselves anyway. Helpers
are not paid money; instead they live here rent-free, but pay their own
utilities, personal expenses, and procure and transport their own water
whenever SunToads roof-catchment water supply is inadequate (it depends
on rainfall). Lately we have adequate water supplies, however, you should
be prepared to procure and transport your own water (not a hard job).
We have chosen not to have a communal kitchen. Depending on their moods
and privacy needs at any given moment, people here visit back and forth,
fix meals or samplings of food for one another, and share meals in their
dwellings.
8b. Help-Time. For help-time purposes, adults are defined as persons aged
16 and up. For each adult, 7 hours help per week is appropriate. The hours
are very flexible and tasks can be tailored to your capabilities. (Exceptions:
If, for example, you are living in one of SunToad s campers at no cost
to you and you are renovating or repairing it, or if you are building
a shelter for your occupancy, the time spent on these tasks would not
count as part of the weekly 7 hours. SunToads will pay for materials needed
in our campers.) If children are living in one of SunToad s campers, then
they are expected to provide help as follows: ages 10 & 11 = 1 hour
per week; ages 12 & 13 = 2 hours per week; ages 14 & 15 = 3 hours
per week.
9. Mutual assistance. When desired, you are encouraged to teach others
your knowledge and skills.
9a. Portable shelters can include travel trailers, slide-in truck campers,
motor homes, tipis, yurts, trailer-mounted-boats and just about anything
else that can be transported as a complete dwelling. For portability,
many kinds of customized living quarters could be placed on a gooseneck
flatbed trailer (up to 40 ft in length) that can be pulled by a heavy
duty (1 ton capacity) pick up truck. Your dwelling must be able to withstand
60mph wind gusts.
Advantages of portable shelters: (1) Usually a low purchase price compared
with conventional homes. (2) Land purchase is optional. (3) Low utility
costs. (4) Many options are available for free parking. (5) Can be easily
moved when desired. (6) Lower living costs permit more personal freedom
and more discretionary funds available. (7) The improvements, alterations,
labor and money you expend on a portable dwelling will travel wherever
you go. (8) A well-maintained older dwelling is safe, comfortable and
fully functional. (9) Lower insurance rates than conventional housing.
Our favorite company that insures both vehicles and campers is Camping
World, 800-727-7300.
Disadvantages of portable shelters: (1) Smaller interior space than conventional
housing. (2) Typically a full-sized vehicle is needed to transport the
dwelling, e.g., truck, van, Suburban, V-8 engine. (3) Dwelling may depreciate
rather than appreciate like most conventional homes. (4) Conventional
housing may last one or more lifetimes whereas campers may last 30 to
40 years.
A comfortable, livable used travel trailer can typically be found for
$1,000 to $5,000. We have found that there are advantages to running your
own ad looking for a travel trailer rather than responding to whatever
ads others have run. You will discover that running your own ad can produce
unadvertised bargains.
Here is a book full of useful information: TRAVEL-TRAILER HOMESTEADING
UNDER $5,000 Revised and Expanded Second Edition by Brian Kelling. Description:
Are you tired of paying rent? Do you yearn for the stability and sense
of security that comes with owning your own home? And do you despair when
you consider the high cost of buying or constructing a decent place in
which to live? This book explains how a modest investment can enable you
to put an inexpensive roof over your head and live a more independent
and self-sufficient life! By following the author's many informative tips,
you will be able to purchase a suitable piece of land, acquire a travel
trailer or mobile home that can be used as a serviceable shelter, and
make the necessary improvements to your property that will enable you
to live in comfort and style! This book tells you how to: " Break
down your costs effectively " Choose the tools you will need "
Pick the proper piece of land " Select an affordable travel trailer
or RV " Construct a septic system " Provide a water supply "
Generate power, including installation of solar panels " Arrange
for efficient refrigeration " Make the transition from a travel trailer
to a mobile home. Don't keep throwing your money away on rent! Taste the
sense of freedom that comes from owning your own home! Declare your own
financial independence. TRAVEL-TRAILER HOMESTEADING UNDER $5,000. 1999,
5½ x 8½, 103 pp., illustrated, photographs, soft cover.
Price: $ 10.00. (ORDER NUMBER 14205). Loompanics Books. http://www.loompanics.com/online-store/scstore/index.html
9b. Facilities/Hookups. We are still developing our facilities. At the
moment we have 2 unoccupied RV spaces with electricity that can accommodate
any length RV. RV electrical outlets are standard 30 amp, 120V. You may
need a 25 to 30 ft electrical extension cord for your 30 amp incoming
line. You may also need an extra 50 feet of incoming potable water hose.
We have spare house-type 120V electrical outlets available at each RV
space. Some spaces are shaded for part of the day. Two have no shade.
Grey water disposal can be handled here. Black water disposal can be handled
here if you are willing to dig the hole into which we will place a simple
septic tank. We have an outside potty so black water accumulation can
be eliminated if you wish. Additionally, a free dumping station is available
in the Portales area. Vehicle washing can be done in Portales.
Most campers/RVs have a shower or tub. If you don t happen to have one,
an outdoor shower hooked to your water pump can easily be constructed
for your personal use. We can show you how to do it.
9c. Deleted.
9d. Electricity. Electricity is 12 cents per kilowatt-hour. It comes to
you via the owner s lines, then through a meter at your dwelling. You
can easily read the meter at your dwelling to monitor your usage. You
prepay for your electricity. The electricity prepayment depends upon your
anticipated usage. Electricity prepayment is separate from the security
deposit. Refunds of unused electricity funds are made to you when appropriate.
9e. Water. Water conservation will always be necessary in the southwest.
John and Fe fulfill their personal water needs from captured rainwater
using a 5000 sq ft roof. Since your roof area will not be as large as
that of John and Fe, you may need to obtain and transport much of your
own water unless there is sufficient rainfall for us to supply water to
you. This is a relatively simple procedure that can easily be done by
a small person. Recently we have adequate water, however you must be prepared
and willing to transport your own if needed.
There are several options for obtaining water:
You will need to provide your own water hose for use with your living
unit. 5/8 inch diameter is the best choice.
Caution: When using a garden hose for transferring water that will be
used in your living unit, it is best to use your own (clean) RV-type white
potable water hose that will not taint the water with rubber or plastic
odors and tastes.
Free water can often be obtained from gas stations when you buy gas; or
offer to pay them 50 cents per 55-gallon drum. If you want to purchase
a large water storage tank, we can easily transfer any excess to it.
Free non-chlorinated well water is available NE of Portales slightly NE
of Wal-Mart.
If you procure slightly chlorinated well water from the Town of Elida,
the charge is $5 per 1000 gallons via a high-flow-capacity fire hose.
This equals about 28 cents per 55-gallon drum. Therefore about eighteen
55-gallon drums can be filled for $5. You or someone else will then need
to transport the water here.
We know folks in Elida who can sell you slightly chlorinated Elida well
water for 50 cents per 55-gallon drum via your own water hose. You or
someone else will then need to transport the water here.
You can easily make a way to capture free rainwater from your roof. Captured
water will supplement your needs but not fulfill all your water requirements
because your roof will likely be small. We can show you how to make a
capture system.
There may already be someone living at SunToads who will be willing to
transport water for you. You would make this arrangement between yourselves.
John and Fe are not available to personally procure and transport water.
Larger capacity water tanks (200+ gallons) can be purchased that will
fit into the back of any pickup truck or sit on a utility trailer. It
takes under 3 minutes to fill a 200-gallon tank with a fire hose running
at considerably less than its maximum flow-rate.
It is easy to haul 55-gallon water drums in a utility trailer. A 55-gallon
plastic drum measures 38 inches tall by 24 inches in diameter (width).
Drums are cylinder-shaped like a drinking glass. Each full drum weighs
about 480 pounds. Water weighs about 8.333 pounds per gallon. From these
data you can choose the dimensions of a utility trailer. Be sure the axle(s)
will safely carry the weight with a margin to spare. Dual axles are more
stable. A spare tire and jack for the trailer are smart. A 2 ball-hitch
fits most needs.
SunToads can loan you one of our elevated stands that will accommodate
a 55-gallon water drum mounted on it that you can use to gravity feed
water to your living unit&. or you may make your own stand. You can
purchase a new 55-gallon potable water container for transporting water
for about $40 + shipping, or a slightly used one for about $10 locally.
We will let you use our hand-operated pump for transferring water from
your transport drum to the elevated storage drum (a pump is necessary
because a 55-gallon drum full of water weighs about 480 pounds). We do
not loan drums for transporting water because many individuals have a
tendency to cross-thread fittings or otherwise damage drums. A 55-gallon
plastic drum measures 38 inches tall by 24 inches in diameter (width).
Drums are cylinder-shaped like a drinking glass. Smaller 5-gallon and
15-gallon drums can also be purchased if desired. A 55-gallon drum will
stand upright in the trunk of some cars given that the trunk lid is in
a raised position.
SunToads has found that blue or black polyethylene water containers do
not allow light to enter their walls, therefore curtailing the growth
of algae.
You may wish to either distill or use a ceramic filter to further purify
your drinking and cooking water. We have an outside potty that can totally
eliminate the need for toilet water, should you choose to make use of
it&. and/or you can use dishwater and bathing water to flush a toilet.
9f. Security deposit. A $100 advance security deposit is required; the
unused portion is returnable upon departure or mailed to you should you
leave without making prior arrangements. John and Fe, at their discretion,
may elect to return the security deposit earlier than departure. The security
deposit is used for damages, if any. If a portion of it is withdrawn by
SunToads for damages during your stay, then you are expected to replenish
the security deposit so that $100 will be maintained at all times.
9g. Money. All monetary transactions with the owners are made in cash
only; no checks, money orders, or credit cards of any kind. An ATM that
accepts major credit cards, etc., is at the 24-hour convenience store
in Elida. Portales has several banks.
9h. Elida RV accommodations. (1) Elida RV at the intersection of Hwy 114/330/70,
505-274-6392. (2) Llano Estacado RV Park on Hwy 70 at the western edge
of Elida, 505-760-4004.
9i. Portales RV accommodations. (1) Wagonwheel Campground, 42699 US Hwy
70, about 3 miles NE of Portales, 505-356-3700. (2) Oasis State Park,
1891 Oasis Rd, about 3 miles N of Portales on NM Hwy 467, south side,
505-356-5331.
9j. Other RV accommodations. The Blackwater Draw Rest Area is a lovely
free NM state facility. It has numerous picnic tables, rest rooms, pay
phone, pull-through RV sites for camping (without hookups), a free dump
station, one water faucet with free non-chlorinated, non-fluoridated well
water; camping is limited to one night. This rest area is roughly 5 miles
NE of Portales on the east side of US Hwy 70. It is about one mile NE
of the intersection of US Hwy 70 and NM Hwy 202.
10. Money. We know that the cheerful cooperative efforts of a small group
makes life easier and safer for all and at a lower cost. No dwelling should
be a frequent or continuous burden to any other. It is not a problem for
you to hold a full or part-time job in, say, Portales which is 35 to 40
minutes away with almost no traffic. This community does not utilize a
common monetary fund . Each dwelling is responsible for its monetary needs.
Outside income is a necessity unless you can create an income here without
customers coming here.
11. Vehicles. Since there is no public transportation, you will need a
vehicle. Some people think that a community-shared vehicle is a wonderful
idea. Wrong! The registered owner may share liability with the driver
in case the vehicle is involved in an accident. At the very least, the
registered owner s auto insurance would likely increase or be cancelled.
This is an unfortunate reality in our sue-happy country.
11a. Loaning of items. John and Fe do not loan their personal vehicle,
utility trailer, power tools, and certain other items that non-owners
often have a tendency to damage or not use as carefully as the person
who paid for it. When there is hidden damage that shortens the item s
life it is us that will ultimately have pay to replace or repair it.
11b. Privacy. People have differing privacy needs. For example, writers
may spend days buried in their work and not leave their dwelling during
this period to socialize. We have seen communities where periods of seclusion
are regarded as anti-social, suspicious, or somehow threatening to the
perceived social needs of the complainers. Here, we recognize and accommodate
individual differences&.. given that disturbances are not created.
Privacy is practiced here to the extent desired by individuals. For example,
should there be a community event and some individuals prefer not to participate;
this is not grounds for negative social pressure. Exception: when matters
of security, safety, or utilities need to be addressed, everyone is expected
to attend. Respecting others needs for personal space, time spent alone,
and a place to find tranquility is of great importance. Both privacy and
an extended family/group concept can co-exist here. We are supportive
with a live-let-live attitude within the parameters of what is written
in stone.
12. Children. Well-behaved, well-supervised children are ok. Parents should
be aware that additional water consumers (children) will require extra
effort on the part of the parents. Please know that there are certain
dangers here that differ from an urban/suburban environment. Nothing here
is child-proof . There is much that could damage children (e.g., farm
equipment) and much that children could unknowingly damage. Areas containing
SunToads vehicles and equipment is strictly off-limits to children. We
don t intend to sound negative but this is reality. Overall this environment
is far safer than an urban/suburban one. We have no developed children
s play areas or facilities; if desired, these will be the responsibility
of parents. We do have materials for a world-class children s play house,
etc. in case residents wish to build them.
12a. School. A decent public school (grades 1-12) is 5 miles from the
living area: Elida Municipal School, POB 8, Elida NM 88116. 505-274-6211.
Fax 505-274-6213. www.elida.k12.nm.us . School bus pick-up is ½
mile from the living area and is visible from the living area with binoculars.
13. Self-Sufficiency. Many people describe themselves as wanting to live
100% sustainable, totally self-sufficient, not relying on outside sources,
etc. To us, this literally means going naked into the wilds, taking with
you nothing from civilization, not even a knife, shoes, cookware, matches,
water container, etc. For as long as there have been humans we have engaged
in trade of goods and food, etc. John and Fe choose not to live that primitively
but we want to be prepared in case times get tough. Anyone here may live
primitively if they wish.
Using a wider perspective, the term sustainable development calls for
changing the very infrastructure of the nation away from private ownership
and control of property to nothing short of a national zoning system.
This means even more rules and bureaucrats telling you what to do from
their ivory towers.
13a. Points-of-View. John and Fe happen to be health conscious with emphasis
on alternative and natural cures/treatments when feasible. We neither
expect nor require any particular philosophy or religion, nor do we want
to be converted. We feel that we have a spiritual orientation. We choose
not to live a fear-based life, nor do we have our heads in the sand where
reality and healthy caution are concerned. We are open to learning about
views that may be new to us. We put out a free health-oriented email newsletter
(for details and subscriptions see the end of this document).
14. Disabled and Retired Persons. Our community is designed to accommodate
the limited abilities and often small, fixed incomes of both disabled
and retired persons.
We welcome disabled and retired
persons to live in our community. Owning a recreational vehicle (RV) that
you can live in is a plus but not required if we happen to have a vacant camper/RV.
Many Medicaid card-holders can qualify to obtain a helper who is paid $9 per
hour from government Medicaid funds (not your funds). This provides assistance
for you the Medicaid recipient and it supplies income for your helper who
lives at SunToads. We can help you obtain a helper.
Persons age 10 and up are expected to contribute a certain number of hours
of community work per week (see paragraph 8b). Exceptions: most Medicaid Card
holders with a helper living at SunToads.
14a. Disabilities. Many disabilities are compatible with this lifestyle. All
persons should be ambulatory upon arrival unless they have a full-time caregiver.
There are few smooth areas to accommodate wheelchairs. Our grass grows in
tufts and is not uniform like a manicured lawn. Because each case may differ,
we must discuss mental and physical disabilities in advance to determine if
all concerned will be compatible.
Certain behaviors are not compatible with this community or with those here
who may help you obtain disability status. Incompatible behaviors include,
but are not limited to: lack of cooperation, negative manipulation, aggressiveness,
attempts to control others, attempts to destroy existing relationships, sour-puss
attitude, inappropriate outbursts in our community or the surrounding area,
reluctance to protect one s self or dwelling, insufficient regard for safety
of self or others, suicidal/homicidal behavior, and irritating or annoying
others.
You must have resources to support yourself for 4 months and have reliable
transportation. You will also need sufficient resources to move elsewhere
if compatibility with this community does not exist.
We are benevolent but are not equipped to provide financial support or in-patient
care.
In case of illness or injury, taking care of our own whenever possible is
encouraged. Persons of any age, race and ethnicity are welcome.
14b. Disabilities. The applicability of the below disability information may
be influenced by your condition, resources, and income history.
If you are not already receiving disability income, we can immediately help
you get on New Mexico (NM) General Assistance ($231/mo) given that a physician
states that you are disabled and unable to work and NM approves your General
Assistance.
Food stamps can begin almost immediately. Free federal food commodities are
also distributed every two months in Elida to people in a low income status.
Given that our workload permits, we can assist you in making application for
your disability payments, which when approved will pay about $536/mo via Supplemental
Security Income (SSI)& or more via Social Security [SS] if you have sufficient
credits with SS. You will automatically get either Medicaid or Medicare, or
sometimes both, depending on what you qualify for.
We are skilled in the disability application process and so far have a 100%
success record.
If you are not initially approved
for disability by SSI or SS, then NM General Assistance ($231/mo) will continue
for as long as you continue to reapply for SSI or SS disability.
When you are on SS disability, SS allows you to have a job, if you want one,
and you can earn up to $940 per month without jeopardizing your disability
payments. Additionally, there may be money that you can make that may not
be taxable.
If you think you may be disabled, and are not receiving disability payments,
then you may discuss your situation and the application process with us via
phone, not email because email is too cumbersome for this discussion. 505-274-6440.
14c. Disabilities. Medical Records Procurement Plan:
Portions of this paragraph (14c) assume that you may be considering moving
to this community. Other portions assume that you are already living at this
community.
This plan can be of great help to you in the future. It is always smart to
plan for contingencies.
Since doctors and mental health agencies only keep patient/client records
for the short number of years that their state laws require before destroying
them or shipping them to a records center where they can misplaced, it is
wise to get copies of all your records soon&. just in case you may need
them in the future to support a disability claim.
Without these records, a disability claim may be difficult to support. Without
supporting records, the claim process may take many months longer. Without
past records, new assessments of your condition must be obtained and the assessing
professional will be unable to take into account your documented past conditions,
therefore much information that could have been of assistance in winning your
disability claim will not exist.
Many providers will not send records directly to the patient/client, but they
generally will send them to the either a patient s representative or a physician.
We can easily arrange for a local physician to receive records if the need
arises, then we can later get the records from the physician.
If you are already here and want to start the process of gathering your records,
you will first need to sign about 10 forms authorizing John and Fe to be your
representatives so John and Fe can communicate on your behalf.
Then we can mail the authorizations and records request to the providers and
see what we get back from them. We will either get the records or they will
send one of their own release forms wanting your signature and perhaps a witnesses
signature.
In any event, we should eventually obtain your records.
If you want to work and you move to NM but can t find a suitable job immediately,
you may qualify for food stamps that should continue until you find a suitable
job. Free food commodities will be available from the government that will
help a little.
If you file for disability rather than get a job, you should qualify for food
stamps and $231 state assistance that will continue until your disability,
and medicare and/or medicaid is approved. In this case, when you have a documented
disability, the
Federal requirement of actively searching for a job at least 20 hours per
week would not be a prerequisite to the granting of food stamps.
14d. Directory of local resources. We have developed a comprehensive Community
Assistance Resources Directory. It details sources that can assist the needy,
elderly, and disabled. Much info is available for all persons, regardless
of status. Even if you will never live in this area, this directory also has
applications for any area of the US. When printed, it is nearly 40 pages.
If you want a copy, just send an email to us and ask for the Community Assistance
Resources Directory. It is only sent via email.
15. General. John does not have an outside job. Fe does. Our religious outlook
does not adhere to any organized or formal religion; we are independent and
spiritually oriented. Our view has no name because we believe all is of God.
We are ok with any race, belief or cultural system so long as behavior is
not dangerous or irritating. We choose friends on an individual basis, not
by stereotypes. We have not noticed any racial problems in the area. There
are presently no children here.
16. John. John s background includes Marine Corps and Navy field/combat medicine,
preventive medicine, emergency dentistry, treatment of biological/chemical/nuclear
casualties, industrial-organizational psychology, counseling, management,
basic carpentry, plumbing and electricity, and organic food gardening. John
speaks English.
17. Fe (pronounced Faye). Fe s background includes medical technology, parasitology,
and basic organic food gardening. Fe is from the Philippines and speaks English,
Tagalog, Visayan, a little Spanish and a little Arabic.
18. General. We started developing our 160-acre property in June 1999. It
was just bare high-plains grassland with no improvements or utilities.
19. Safety. Fire prevention is a necessity everywhere, always. Grass fires
are more manageable and much less devastating than forest fires. Should our
grass ever burn, it regenerates itself in one season; not so for forests.
The local fire and rescue unit is five miles away and consists of volunteers
who must be called in when needed. We have a fire break around the 7 acres
here that is occupied.
19a. Sanitation. Since there is no trash pick up service, each LU is responsible
for bagging their trash and disposing of it in Elida s dumpsters. Commercial-type
plastic trash bags with a way to tightly seal them are required. Plastic merchandise-carrying
bags are not adequate because they leak. Elida charges each dwelling only
$10.50 per month to use their dumpsters. Stealthy individuals have been known
to successfully use residential-area dumpsters in Portales.
20. General. This area is very rural. It has a beauty of its own but is considered
by many to be a dry, forsaken place two hours from the nearest large airport
at Lubbock TX. It has no forested mountains, deep valleys or pristine flowing
rivers. All this is both a plus and a minus. Most human predators would not
look here for a target to plunder. There is very little air pollution, mostly
just dust that is occasionally blown across the land by wind. There are many
ranches in this rural area. Huge numbers of windmills dot the landscape.
20a. Airports. The nearest large airport is Lubbock TX (2 hrs); then, Amarillo
TX (3 ½ hrs). Roswell NM, a smaller airport is 1 ¾ hrs. Portales
NM (1/2 hr) and Clovis NM
(1 ¼ hrs) each have tiny airports.
20b. Radiation. Some people equate all of NM with radioactivity because the
first atomic test was conducted in NM. Regarding residual manmade radiation
in this area, we have no more or less than any other so-called normal area
of the US, as far as we have been able to determine. Regarding the 1941 twenty-one
kiloton atomic test at the NM Trinity Site, the Seattle Times recently stated,
"Despite bulldozing away the fused sand, the radiation levels today,
half a century later, are still 10 times that of the background radiation
levels found in nature from radioactive rocks and cosmic rays." The Trinity
Site's ground zero has allowed visitors for years. The site is nearly 200
miles west of Elida. There are 2 mountain ranges between Elida and the site.
People in eastern NM do not suffer from diseases at a higher rate than any
"normal" area of the US.
20c. Elida. Elida has features that promote health: no nasty industry, low
vehicular traffic, low air pollution (given that nearly the entire US is polluted),
low humidity which means minimal molds and fungi and relatively low pollen
counts, zero to very few mosquitoes, almost continual breezes, and 4 distinct
seasons with rare extremes.
21. Elida (pop. 200). 5 miles away, has: a well stocked 24-hour convenience
store with ATM, gasoline, diesel, low-pressure compressed air; a second gas
station with gasoline, diesel, bulk fuels, high-pressure compressed air, tire
repair, and minor mechanical repair; a smoke-filled restaurant; several churches;
2 beauty shops/barbers; senior center (with weekly van trips to Portales or
Clovis); town hall (with copying and fax machines); library; bookmobile; 2
feed stores; post office 505-274-6483; lightly stocked hardware store and
well repair service; a decent public school with grades 1 12; one police officer;
volunteer fire dept and ambulance; 2 pay phones.
22. Portales (pop.12,000). 30 miles to the NE (35 minutes); full service hospital;
separate medical centers; county offices; 24-hr Walmart Super Center; Eastern
NM University; motels; RV parks; large variety of businesses.
23. Clovis (pop.34,000). 50 miles to the NE (1 hour); full service hospital;
Cannon Air Force Base (with tactical F-16 aircraft) with a hospital, commissary,
exchange, and thrift store.
24. Roswell (pop.46,000). 70 miles to the SW (1½ hours).
24a. Taxes. Other Costs. NM may be the poorest state in the US. There is about
a 6% sales and services tax; food is taxed. Auto licensing fees are reasonable
(Example: 1993 V-8 Chevy ½ ton pickup truck = $38 per year). NM does
have a small income tax. Compared with other states, overall costs in NM are
low. To get detailed info on tax, licensing, etc., contact: NM State Agency
Info 800-825-6639 or: http://www.state.nm.us/state/rul_reg.html
24b. Higher Education. Eastern New Mexico University (30 miles), 1200 W University,
Portales NM 88130. 505-562-1011. webmaster@enmu.edu . http://www.enmu.edu
.
Additionally, four colleges and universities at Cannon Air Force Base (50
miles) offer a variety of degree programs. Cannon Education Service Center:
505-784-4184.
25. Employment and Area Information. If you have questions regarding job availability,
please do these things: Ask the Chambers of Commerce for information, a list
of major employers, and maps (Portales 800-635-8036, 505-356-8541/2, 200 E
7th St, Portales NM 88130; Clovis 505-763-3435). Get a copy of the local phone
book; just go through the yellow pages page-by-page; a fast review of the
white pages can also be useful. The Roosevelt County Rural Telephone Cooperative
may be willing to send you a free phone book if you tell them you will be
moving here soon. Ask for the Roosevelt County phone book, 800-231-3448, 505-359-1273.
There is a 2nd phone book published by US West Dex, 800-422-8793 (There is
definitely a fee for this one). Look at the local newspaper: Portales News-Tribune,
101 E. First St., Portales NM 88130, 505-356-4481 (www.portales-news.com.
See Classifieds, these include Clovis also), published daily except Saturday
and Monday. Portales web site is www.portalesnm.org .
26. Employment. All levels of government, Eastern NM University, utility companies,
the various manufacturers and processing plants and dairies employ people.
There are many ranches and farms in the area that may need at least temporary
help.
27. Employment Agencies. (1) State Labor Dept Employment Office (a satellite
office of the state employment office in paragraph 27), Mon, Wed, Fri 8am-Noon
and 1pm-5pm, 505-356-5408, web sites: www.pol.state.nm.us/, www.3.state.nm.us/DOL,
1028 Community Way, Portales. Their job-search computers are available Mon-Fri
8am-Noon and 1pm-5pm. (2) Matchmakers Employment Service, 9-5 M-F, 505-763-5428.
(3) Quest Personnel Inc., 505-762-2114. (4) SOS Staffing Services, 800-625-9061,
505-762-6757. (5) Summer Youth Employment Program Portales, 505-356-8031.
28. State Employment Offce. New Mexico Dept of Labor Clovis Workforce Development
Center, 505-762-4571, 1601 Sutter Place, Clovis. Web sites: www.pol.state.nm.us/,
www.3.state.nm.us/DOL. See job seekers, see online job searchers, see NM employment
possibilities, see NM state personnel office. This office has a free resume
service and has access to America s Job Bank. This office does not communicate
with job seekers via email.
29. Employment. It is unlikely you will find a job in Elida unless you create
one. John and Fe encourage compatible cottage industry if desired and given
that no customers enter the property. From time to time, Allsups, the Elida
convenience store hires workers.
29a. Cottage Industry/Creating Income. Possibilities: Growing, harvesting,
and selling non-hybrid seeds. Working for local farmers and ranchers seasonally.
Flea marketing. Selling fresh produce. Doing work for other SunToads community
members. Selling handcrafted items. Doing skilled-trade work for Elida &
Portales residents (painting, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, welding, etc.).
Computer-based sales or consulting. Selling bulk whole grains/foods much like
a food cooperative might except that some items could be containerized for
long-term storage (e.g., nitrogen packed).
29b. Employment. We have found a way to create jobs that can pay you $9 per
hour. It can take 2 to 3 months to arrange such a job. The jobs involve helping
qualified Medicaid recipients with their daily needs. Their needs vary widely.
These needs could include assistance with nutrition and meal preparation,
personal care, speech, hearing, vision, cognition, behavior, household duties,
elimination, grocery shopping, running errands, etc. The jobholder does not
need any medical training, but if you happen to already have some there is
no problem.
29c. Employment as a caregiver. This refers to info mentioned in paragraph
29b. SunToads first choice of caregiver employers is Clovis/Community Homecare,
Inc.,
800-559-2243, 505-769-2243, Fax 505-762-6452, 1944 W 21st St, Clovis NM 88101.
Our second choice is Community Services Center, 505-356-8576, 505-356-8577,
Community Services Building, 1100 Community Way, Portales NM 88130. M-F 8a-5p,
csc@yucca.net . You can phone these employers and ask for literature on the
Medicaid Personal Care Option Program and other opportunities for which you
may have skills. The Medicaid Personal Care Option Program is the one that
pays non-medical people $9 per hour.
30. Thrifty Nickel Want Ads. www.thriftynickel.com. Clovis office, 888-841-5725.
505-769-2183.
30a. Government and private resources in this geographical area. SunToads
can email to you a free 51-page Community Resources Directory if you ask for
it. It has info that is designed to help the needy, elderly, disabled, and
just about everyone else. It mostly applies to the two counties but also has
many state and national resource listings.
31. General. Our nearest neighbor is 2 miles away. We are on a high section
of land that drains well. From our land, we travel ½ mile via a driveway
easement through neighboring property to an all-weather paved road. Our driveway
is smooth enough for ordinary cars. It is always passable but is difficult
in rare deep snow or frog-strangling rain. It dries up in one to two days.
Our area is not subject to flooding, known earthquake faults, volcanoes or
hurricanes. Tornadoes are rare and typically cause little damage. As a comparison,
Florida has about 7 times more tornadoes than NM. The nearest railroad track
(single-track) is 4 miles and the nearest gas pipeline is about 6 miles. The
closest nuclear facility is the Pantex Nuclear Weapons Plant near Amarillo
which is above ground according to someone who has been there,160 miles from
us. A second source says a portion of Pantex is also deep underground. We
do have large hail every few years big enough to dent trailers and break windshields
on a fast moving vehicle. There is a free source of materials to cover trailers
and vehicles if you have the means to haul it.
When considering potential natural and manmade disasters a few years ago,
we did much research to determine the probable safe areas of the U.S. before
selecting this location. We selected this location after considering the other
options and our resources. Determining factors included our own set of needs
and our point of view. Your views, needs, and resources may differ.
32. Food. There is a lot of wild Amaranth (Jul & Aug) here that supplies
tasty greens and seeds. The abundant native Yucca has many uses. Almost any
grass can be juiced. This region grows a lot of wheat, corn, other grains,
and peanuts. You can buy these by the ton.
The last time we checked there was a food cooperative of sorts in Portales
but we can t find our info about it. You can get better service and prices
with Walton Feed below.
Excellent quality food packed in nitrogen for long-term storage (or immediate
use) is available from www.waltonfeed.com . Walton Feed, 135 North 10th, P.O.
Box 307, Montpelier, ID 83254. 800-847-0465. Fax: 208-847-0467.
Food stamps can begin almost immediately for those who qualify. Free federal
food commodities are also distributed every two months in Elida to people
in a low income status.
There are two large grocery stores in Portales: Wal-Mart and IGA.
32a. Garden. Each person that wants to grow vegetables may do so. Each person
is responsible for tending his/her own vegetables and using your discarded
household grey water on your garden area. Typically, when there is an abundance
of vegetables, we share the excess. We have refined a successful technique
suitable to this location. Water is a limiting factor. A good source of water
is discarded shower, dish and sink water. It is not hard to collect rainwater.
SunToads plows and disks the soil for the garden (this is the hard part).
When we share vegetables with you we expect some help in the garden that is
not part of your help-hours per week.
We typically grow green beans, tomatoes, swiss chard, new zealand spinach,
peanuts, sweet onions, garlic, leeks, green peppers, hot peppers, watermelons,
variety of lettuce, cucumbers, variety of squash, beets, oriental veggies,
seedless grapes, blackberries, cherries, apples, apricots, plums, pistachios,
black walnuts, pecans, peaches, nectarines, cantaloupes, wild flowers, amaranth
(like spinach), figs, kale. All trees are still relatively small. We don't
expend time and water growing inexpensive items such as potatoes.
33. General. Most local trees have
been planted. Our property is open range land covered with grass that grows
up to 4 ft tall, no trees. We live and garden on 7 acres within our total
160 acres. We keep the 7 acres mowed. The bulk of our land is in an agricultural
program in which we have agreed not to destroy the grass or allow grazing
in return we get a small income from the acreage. Our land is surrounded by
open gently rolling pasture grazed by neighbor s cattle and sometimes antelope.
Line of sight from our elevation is 1 to 8+ miles. Elevation is a little over
4300 ft.
34. Deleted.
35. Dwellings. Your dwelling (at a minimum) should have its own facilities
for cooking, dish washing, food storage and heating. Each dwelling must have
its own reliable transportation. The basic idea is for each dwelling to be
relatively independent. Should the basic systems fail in a dwelling, then
there will still be functioning dwellings available that others will undoubtedly
be willing to share until the failed dwelling is repaired. This adheres to
the principle of having backups for the backups.
36. Laundry facilities are not available here for community use. There are
several laundromats in Portales.
37. Potty. Available for community use is a toilet with privacy screening.
It presently consists of two buried 55-gallon drums, placed end-to-end, with
a lid. One removes the lid, places a sturdy potty-type chair over the opening
and& On the list of things to do is the building of an outhouse-type structure
for it. There are a total of four separate buried potty facilities. No water
is required to operate these potties. 50%+ of household water use typically
goes down the toilet.
We have materials available that you may use to construct a simple septic
tank if needed.
38. Deleted
39. Deleted
40. Trash. Since civilization is intact, we do not burn or bury trash. Everyone
that lives here takes their own trash to any of Elida s dumpsters, typically
during a trip to the post office. This costs $10.50 per month per dwelling
for unlimited use of the dumpsters. Elida is on the way to all other urban
locations. Another option for those who generate very little trash is to make
stealthy use of dumpsters in Portales.
41. Water Conservation. Under normal urban or suburban circumstances, each
person whether large or small typically uses an average of 75 to 100 gallons
of water per day (75gal x 30 days x 1 person = 2250 gallons per month). Toilet
flushing is the biggest glutton of water&. about 50% of consumption. We
flush toilets in our mobile home with water recycled from dish washing, hand
washing, and showers. In a travel trailer/RV, one conservative person might
use 4 to 5 gallons of water per day.
42. Water. We catch all our water from rainfall using our roof. Most of our
water is used for gardening. If you choose to grow vegetables, a good source
of water is your discarded shower, dish and sink water.
42a. Water. Our water system is engineered such that our community will have
emergency water even if all forms of electricity cease and there is no fuel
to haul water.
43. Drinking Water. For your drinking and cooking water, we recommend your
own purified bottled water, or distillation, or ceramic gravity-flow filtering,
or boiling for 10 minutes& any of which will allow you to avoid consuming
chlorine. If you use ordinary garden hoses, your water will taste bad. You
will need to have your own special RV-type potable water hose that does not
affect taste (available from WalMart s camping/RV section, hardware stores,
RV stores). Two 25 ft, 5/8 inch interior diameter hoses should be sufficient.
You will also need a high-quality 100% brass shut-off fitting for the end
of your hose(s). Just because a hose is colored white does not automatically
mean it is designed for potable water.
43a. Drinking Water. John and Fe prefer to err on the side of caution. We
use a several-step water purification process for our drinking and cooking
water. Our rainwater is stored in tanks and chlorinated; then it goes through
a carbon filter. Next, simple chlorine-removing filters are used for our showers,
and a chlorine-removing carbon pre-filter is used before distilling or ceramic
filtering for drinking and cooking. Our finished water product is far superior
to typical water sources.
All water coming from Elida and the city of Portales is chlorinated with a
little more than you may wish to drink straight.
44. Electric / Phone / Internet Service / TV / Commercial Storage. We have
ordinary electrical service from a power company. Our personal phone and computer
are not available for community use. If you would like phone and/or internet
service, you may arrange for it with the local providers in Portales. Optional
high speed internet satellite via our local server is available (about $600
one-time for equipment and about $60 per month). Internet is also available
via two considerably less expensive methods. Internet access and email are
available free at the Portales library. Two pay phones are available in Elida.
TV antennas work marginally on 2 or 3 channels. For good reception and many
channel choices, satellite is necessary. No cable TV service is available.
Commercial storage facilities are available in Portales.
Plateau Cellular (Yucca Communications, 505-356-6462) has excellent cell phone
service at cost often lower than regular phone service.
Phone and internet choices may vary depending on local demand. If you are
serious about coming here, just phone us and ask about the current options.
Propane is available in Portales.
45. Monthly expenses. Trash = $10.50. Water is variable but inexpensive or
free. Electricity, if you use it, ranges from $10-$70. Propane, if you use
it, is about $9 for 20 lbs. Shelter if you have payments, food not grown here
by you, transportation, gasoline, and incidentals. Basic regular phone service
is about $36. 56 baud internet is $19.
46. Health Insurance. There is no medical/dental insurance coverage provided
by this community.
46a. Self-Reliance. People are responsible for their own needs unless otherwise
specified in this document.
47. Our Resources are Finite. Therefore it is best for you to provide your
own tools to accomplish whatever your skills allow you to do here. This is
smart because it means more tools will be available during emergencies. Exception:
we provide the gardening tools.
48. Wind. There is nearly always some amount of wind. Windmills are plentiful
in the general area. Because of the wind and the general dryness of the terrain
and vegetation, open fires are not permitted at SunToads. Cooking is best
done via electricity, wood stove, or propane if shielded from wind.
49. Dwellings. If you don t have a recreational /trailer of some sort, things
are somewhat primitive at this stage. Any form of portable shelter with rigid
walls is a good option. The weather allows year-round comfortable living in
an RV. Sudden wind gusts of about 60 mph do occur occasionally, therefore
a tent is not a good choice, particularly if cooking or heating is in progress
should the flammable tent be blown down over a hot surface. If someone prefers
to live primitively, off-grid, etc., that is not a problem given that basic
safety is maintained.
50. Dwellings. For permanent shelters, abundant free adobe, cob, and limestone
materials are available. Underground construction is possible here. Please
keep in mind that when you do not actually own the land, permanent structures
remain the property of the landowner. Portable shelter can be moved anywhere.
Since all peoples attitudes, interests, and behaviors are subject to change,
portable shelter is a good choice because if and when you decide to leave,
you can take it with you. By having a portable dwelling, no one would leave
behind a disproportionate amount of his/her labor; exceptions may be simple
structures made with free native materials.
50a. Land and Homes for Sale. There is always a variety of land for sale in
the general area. Prices are often very low when compared with rural and small
town areas nationally. Our favorite honest realtor is C. H. Justus: justus@yucca.net
or www.justusrealty.com . Justus Realty, 219 W 2nd St., P.O. Box 784, Portales
NM 88130. Office 505-356-8594. Home 505-356-6134.
51. Fire Wood. There are free local sources for fire wood and wooden shade-making
materials if you have the means to haul it.
52. Comfort. With sufficient shade and our low humidity, air conditioning
is typically not necessary here. If it were humid here, air conditioning would
be necessary for maximum comfort. Mosquitoes and other biting insects are
rare.
52a. Shade. The best way that we have found to provide shade for motor homes
and travel trailers is to use surplus military camouflage nets. They are inexpensive,
portable, easily suspended (erected), wind and hail resistant, and available
at most surplus stores. They allow rainwater and wind to pass through while
reducing sunlight proportionate to the tightness of weave. The tighter the
weave, the better as long as it allows rainwater and wind to pass through.
Canvas or awning type materials are a poor choice because they become sails
in the wind and will eventually become damaged. In much of the western US,
wind gusts up to 60 mph can occasionally occur without warning, not giving
you enough time to wind up or take down an awning. Parachute fabric will also
become a sail and tear its moorings.
53. Attitude. We do not want people who seek to go out and do harm to others.
At the other extreme, being a total pacifist could bring harm to others here
unless we know what to expect regarding your anticipated behavior in an emergency.
At a minimum, be willing to sound the alarm in an emergency.
Whenever we can find a way, we like win-win situations rather that confrontational
behavior.
54. Wildlife. This area has antelope, deer, coyotes, turtles, gophers, prairie
dogs, lizards, horned toads, rabbits, birds, insects, spiders, and snakes.
Scorpions are supposed to live here but we haven t seen any yet. Our most
dangerous forms of wildlife are rattlesnakes and black widow spiders. Rattlesnakes
and black widow spiders reside nearly all over the US. We have only encountered
3 rattlesnakes since June 1999. We keep the area we live on mowed and therefore
they have little cover to hide or hunt in. We also take measures to control
rodents. Mosquitoes are almost nonexistent.
55. Illegal substances. We do not want law enforcement and local officials
bothering us, therefore we do not allow any illegal substances on the property,
or in vehicles, or in shelters on the property. This means no pot or similar
substances. Absolutely NONE! EVER! All your activities both on and off the
property must be legal and never cause problems here. Law enforcement in general
has gone wild in the US, confiscating vehicles and property almost at will
(when illegal items are discovered, planted, or even suspected by them). A
significant portion of law enforcement funding and personal income often is,
or can, be derived from confiscation. We do not want alcohol related problems,
therefore any consumption must be minimal and responsible. Alcohol and substance
impairment is a danger to all.
56. Pets. Typically, pets are defined
as any non-human mammal, reptile, bird or fish that resides either inside
or around a dwelling. Pets often present many problems to everyone except
their owners. Problems may include annoyance to others, constant infection
and re-infection of both themselves and humans with parasites. There is a
potential of over 100 diseases transmittable to humans from dogs and cats
alone. Their fleas also transmit parasites (e.g., flatworms) and pathogens
to humans. According to Dr Hulda Clark < http://drclark.ch/ >, who has
CURED 90%+ of her patients with cancer or AIDS who followed her methodology,
both cancer and AIDS cannot develop in humans unless there is a parasitic
infection present in the human. Yes, we are saying that pets with their parasites
are facilitators for both cancer and AIDS and numerous other diseases. Parasites
are manageable in humans but not easily so for pets. Worming does not begin
to do the job for pets. Currently in the US there is an epidemic of parasitic
infection in humans (95%+) which is as poorly understood by doctors as is
their knowledge of nutrition and the existing suppressed cancer cures. Anyone
with a challenged immune system is at high risk when pets or fleas are in
their environment, and that includes the living parasites and parasite eggs
that their owners will automatically, but unknowingly, carry on their clothing
and person that would otherwise not be there. Most parasites and their eggs
are microscopic in size.
57. Parasites. If you want to know more about parasites call 212-932-0363,
ask for a free audiocassette: America s #1 Epidemic. Call 870-269-4177, ask
for audiocassette: Parasites A Hidden Epidemic (there is a small cost). Call
800-519-2465, order the book: The Cure for All Diseases by Dr Hulda Clark
(approx. $23) (contains a way to cure cancer and AIDS and many more diseases).
58. Deleted.
59. Mail and deliveries. We are not on a US mail route, therefore post office
boxes are free in Elida for SunToads residents.
UPS does deliver directly to residents at SunToads property. Other delivery
services do not routinely deliver to SunToads property. For delivery services
other than UPS, arrangements may be made at Dixon Oil in Elida for deliveries
to be made there if you ask them nicely.
Heavy freight deliveries can be made directly to SunToads property if prior
arrangements are made with John or Fe. There is no weight limit. The width
limit is about 15 feet unless we remove a section of fence.
59a. Public transportation. Greyhound bus lines picks up and discharges passengers
at Dixon Oil in Elida. The cost should be the same as if it occurred in Portales.
The Elida Senior Citizens van takes seniors to Portales and Clovis once or
twice weekly. When there is space available the seniors van will take younger
people for a small fee. There is almost always space available. One of their
stops is Wal-Mart.
One can easily ride a bicycle the 5 miles to Elida given that you don t have
too much of a headwind.
Medicaid patients can be transported free to medical appointments with a Medicaid
van.
Portales and Clovis have mini bus services covering their respective areas.
Catching a ride in John and Fe s vehicle is not an option because there is
typically just no room. Life threatening emergencies excepted. Arrangements
for catching a ride with other residents here must be made by you. At times
there may be no one available because all may be away on trips. It is unwise
to believe that you can depend on others here to provide you with transportation
on a predictable basis.
60. Weather. Weather analysis based mostly on data gathered from 1979-1992:
We average 18.25 inches of precipitation a year with 2/3 of it coming in the
six month growing season of April through September. Rainfall varies from
9.66 inches to a high of 25.75 inches per year. Average of 14 inches of snow,
varying from a high of 33 inches to a low of 1 inch per year. Temperature
drops to freezing or below about 93 days a year which is ¼ of the time
(typically at night). Temperature drops to single digit numbers only 4 days
per year (rarely). One day per year the temperature will drop to 0 degrees
or a few degrees lower. On the average, we have 193 growing days, from April
3rd to October 18th. Summer temperatures reach 100 degrees or slightly higher
7 days per year. Summer daytime temperatures usually range 87 95 degrees.
There are an average of 61 days per year with daytime temperatures at 90 degrees
or higher. Humidity is usually 45% - 60%, very comfortable. There are only
6 nights per year when the temperature is 70 degrees or higher. Ideal sleeping
weather here.
60a. Chemical and environmental sensitivities. For many people with these
sensitivities, SunToads property is in a reasonably good area. There is minimal
pollen, no offensive odors, no nearby high-tension power lines, no domestic
animals, no smoking, no incense, no scented candles or similar scented items,
no pesticide spraying, no herbicides, no carbon monoxide (except from the
very few vehicles here), no radiation, low humidity (hence low to no mold),
no nearby microwave towers, no wood smoke or other smoke sources, no nearby
electromagnetic radiation sources (other than what is found in a typical home),
no propane, no natural gas, and no loud noise. A single-track railroad is
4 miles away. The nearest road is ½ mile away with very little traffic.
Residents here would be expected to be considerate enough to avoid wearing
or using scented substances if it presents a problem for others.
We have found that older travel trailers have minimal outgassing problems,
particularly if they were built to be all-electric or have been converted
to all-electric. These can be modified easily to meet the needs of an individual.
There are many options.
For those who may be sensitive to alternating current (AC), direct current
(DC) may be a solution. Travel trailers and motor homes can be set up to run
lighting and refrigeration on DC using solar or a wind charger to charge storage
batteries. Heating requires too much power for DC, therefore propane heating
may be an option for some folks. Some people are sensitive to almost imperceptible
levels of propane. Wood heating is not an option here because of the fire
hazard from tiny sparks. AC electric heating can be set up a safe distance
from a dwelling and then hot heated air can be blown into the dwelling. Cooking
and water heating can be done with electric or propane. Propane or AC heated
water pumped through pipes is a possibility, much like a radiator, although
the heat output is not high. From a safety standpoint, propane is inherently
more dangerous than electricity because of the flame and potential for leakage.
NM does have dust that blows when windy. NM has chemtrails just like all the
rest of the contiguous USA. For information on chemtrails see: www.carnicom.com
or www.rense.com and look for the sections about chemtrails.
61. Visitors and Community Candidates. To visit here, arrangements must be
made in advance with John or Fe. People who suddenly turn up in this general
area, perhaps saying they were passing through unexpectedly, will typically
not be allowed to visit. It hurts to say this, but we cannot always make an
advance commitment to provide you with lodging here while visiting. Sad but
true: It is impossible to determine via phone or email if someone s personal
cleanliness or other habits are inappropriate; sometimes people can give others
the creeps for no identifiable reason. Additionally, we may not have space
available or we may be dealing with an unforeseen problem. Should an alternative
be needed, there are several motels in Portales. After your early contacts
with John or Fe, you will need to make contact 2 or 3 days before your arrival
to be sure no unforeseen problems have arisen.
61a. Before you visit. We have told you much about us. We expect the same
from you prior to your first visit. You want to be comfortable and safe. So
do we.
61b. Available campers as of the date at the top of this document. All are
presently used for storage of garden tools and a variety of other items. All
need thorough cleaning and curtains if desired. All need some degree of rewiring,
refitting, fixing, etc. None are particularly beautiful. None have water leaks
that we are aware of. All but one are under our roof. All but one are sheltered
from the sun during some part of the day. We bought them all well-used to
serve as places to store our household goods while we transitioned to NM.
All have ice boxes, but electric refrigerators could be installed instead.
All will need to be heated with small portable electric heaters. All can be
cooled with electric fans. All cooking will need to be done with portable
electric elements. You will need to provide your own portable electrical cooking
elements and heaters. None have air conditioners. All have a small kitchen-type
sink with running water or they can be gravity fed. We don't want propane
to be used for anything in campers we own because of the potential fire dangers,
and the health hazards of breathing minute but inevitable propane leakage,
and the close proximity of our own campers to items that we don t want to
endanger. Candles, fuel-burning lanterns, incense and similar items cannot
be used in campers that we own for 2 reasons: safety and consideration of
those with chemical or environmental sensitivities. Most campers are nearly
8 ft wide. Those with built-in dinettes can often be made into an additional
bed. Interior lengths: one trailer is 12 ft with a double bed; one trailer
is 18 ft with 2 single beds and a bathroom that may or may not be feasible
to repair. It's best to expect no interior bathroom facilities in any camper.
Porta-potties can be purchased by you for under $100 if desired, or you can
make a simpler device at no cost. We do have an outside potty. Availability
of the campers, if any, is naturally subject to change. If you live in one
of our campers, we will expect you to provide as much labor as you can for
its renovation in addition to your regular help-hours per week per adult.
If you are living in one of our campers and you are out of the area for an
extended period, you will need to make an arrangement with us regarding your
helper-duties.
62. Visitors. All visitors of people living on the property are expected to
adhere to all guidelines.
63. Deleted.
64. Changes. Guidelines are subject to change without notice at the discretion
of John and Fe if circumstances require.
65. Agreement. A written agreement between John/Fe and guests residing on
the property is required. It will communicate clearly all expectations. It
includes these guidelines and a little more&.. no surprises. This will
reduce potential for conflicts.
65a. You. If you have a serious interest in SunToads Community, please tell
us more about yourself and others (if any) in your group. We rarely have time
for lengthy email or postal correspondence. Please phone us to ask questions
or go over details.
66. Contact.
SunToads Community, PO Box 153, Elida NM 88116
Phone: (505) 274-6440 (John and Fe)
email: jfeb@yucca.net
67. Free or cheap calls. These companies have no hidden tricks that we know
of. This is FYI. We have no commercial interest in any of this. We no longer
use long distance companies that have charged us up to $13 per month for taxes
and user fees.
www.bigzoo.com Phone to phone in US, 3.9 cents (or less) per minute,
sound quality excellent. Very reliable company.
www.onesuite.com Phone to phone in US, 2.9 cents per minute, sound quality
excellent. Very reliable company.
68. Web sites with local information
http://www.yucca.net/ Internet provider
http://www.plateauwireless.com/wireless_about.cfm Plateau wireless phones
(works
well in Elida)
Roosevelt County Telephone Coop
http://www.portales.com/ Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce
http://www.4u-lord.com/coupons/home.html General area information
http://www.roswellnm.org/ Roswell Chamber of Commerce
http://www.state.nm.us/ NM State Government
http://www.state.nm.us/hsd/mad/Index.html NM Human Services Dept, Medical
Assistance Division
69. Updated Info. This document is an ongoing thing and is updated frequently.
Ask for the latest update of our Community Info whenever you need it.
We would be delighted if you would like to send us your thoughts concerning
items we may have overlooked.
Please forward this entire document to good folks who may have an interest.
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