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How to Grow Wheat-Grass-in-pots


Image by Barry Gourmet and Raw
Takes only 7days to make for beverages to cleanse the Blood, support your Immunity, & Lose Weight

How to Grow Wheat Grass in Pots?

Barry’s introduction for Wheat Grass methods and uses:
Written by Barry Gourmet & Raw © Copyright September 13th 2011

This article is one of the most important health and wellness tips that I am putting on the table for you to date. Many people do not know what wheat grass is , or how to make it, or tasted it , or what it does for your body. Many people I can say are really missing out on a Liquid Mineral and Vitamin supplement that goes directly into your blood stream to support your internal environment in such a positive and profound away. Many people including myself, having embraced this Superfood into our lives have obtained a long grocery list of positive health benefits from its use.

I can say that in the first half of my life ,I never even heard of this deep green liquid beverage called Wheat Grass ,until I tried it one day at my local health food store back in the middle 80s.
No one will ever forget that first gulp that really can stay with you for the rest of your life, and it can send you either way in the taste department . You either LOVE it or you HATE it, because the wheat grass is loaded with Alkaloids,and is a powerful Bitter Sweet tasting, Green Tonic that awakens all your senses in one shot.

Wheat grass is a gift from nature , and can be used in so many different ways to make it more palatable to ones sensitive taste buds as I will demonstrate in this writing.

My first fateful introduction to Wheat Grass happened very innocently as I stood their one early Sunday morning in Sherman Oaks California , waiting for the stop light to turn green .
It was one of those rare days that I actually walked , with my car abandoned at a nearby hospital parking lot,to just escape for a moment from my working life.

As I crossed the street a big sign in front of a store window caught my attention like a magnet drawing me to it with more curiosity.

The words of the sign read, ORGANIC FOOD SOLD HERE , and with no words about wheat grass but I was still compelled to check out this store anyway. Little did I know that my whole life was about to change , and it was like some subconscious force in my mind encouraged me to forge ahead, to find the TRUTH,to discover one of Natures many powerful natural foods, that would help eliminated all the symptoms that I carried around with me inside my body.

What really struck me about this store was first the vibrancy and freshness of the huge selection of produce, and then the smaller section of what I thought looked like the typical processed food illes that I was used to seeing in the other grocery stores that I shopped at.
And then with more careful inspection I soon realized that I was looking at bottled and packaged foods of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements, Super Foods, Herbs ,Tingsters, Herbal Teas,natural personal body care products and food based nutritional extracts to just name a few. After the stores knowledgable clerk kindly explained to me what each product item was, and what it could do for me , I have to admit that at the time ,I was very overwhelmed with information overload, and headed over to the checkout counter with these new strange novelty health items in my arms.

Waiting patiently with other customers inline in front of me, I noticed several racks of free health pamphlets on display and I was again distracted with my curiosity taking in all this material with new strange names that where not part of my vocabulary. Not waisting any time

I quickly gathered up every health pamphlet on display that I could fit into a nearby shopping cart with my purchased items as the rest of the customers where already long gone by then. As I filled my cart up, I noticed out of the corner of my eye,an impressive library of health books in the far corner of the store, but the boat load of freebies will have to do for now, was all I could think.

I can still remember to this day the way my Cashier Lady friend smiled and looked at me knowingly like I was her first Newbie Customer of the day but friendly just the same.
Little did I know at the time that I possessed a Wealth of Health information even though it was condensed down ,and to the point.I had so much of it, that I could have easily wallpapered my small apartment with much to spare.

It was noon now and before I got to my car,I stopped off at my first health food eatery and ordered my first Avocado Whole grain sandwich with herb tea. I really must have lived a sheltered life I thought to myself .Needless to say my first taste of health food was delicious and since then, Avocado the good fat , has been a key ingredient in many of my recipes.

Have you ever seen the movie Forest Gump staring the actor Tom Hanks? If you haven’t it is a must see movie as this main character in the film would innocently stumble upon new situations in his life with out giving up. Back then I had no idea what I was doing, I had no idea that I was later detoxing myself with all the information found in my self help pamphlets.I did not know or understand that I was doing the right thing for my body at the time.Like Forest Gump, I just knew that I was feeling better with time , and my excess weight just dropped off of me.
It took months for me to connected all the dots together ,and to realize later that I was on the right course and later adopted my new found life style, and embraced my discovered Health Freedom.

You have to realize that back then the internet was not so popular, I did not have a computer and everything was in print .As I turned over the bags of health material across my dinning room table, a few spilled out and over onto the floor, and I picked up one pamphlet closest to me.

“It read How to grow your own Wheat Grass authored by Dr. Anne Wigmore.”

For any body that does not know Dr. Anne Wigmore she is and will always be acknowledged by her followers as the “Wheat Grass Lady” and co founder of the Hippocrates Health Institute working with Viktoras Kulvinskas located in, Boston Massachusetts. Anne Wigmores movement opened up centers around the world and her name still lives on today for her research work regarding this powerful wheat grass body cleanser. Hippocrates a Greek Physician living thousands of years ago is the founding father of modern medicine today, and it is his oath that all interns today resit at graduation to become licensed Medical Doctors. Of all the famous quotes made from Hippocrates that speak the Truth for myself and I am sure for many others ,his words would be as follows………..
“ Let food be your medicine,and medicine be your food” …… When I first read this powerful message years ago I naturally carried the thought with me and later adopted the concept ,simply as “Connect with Nature and to do no Harm”.

I felt that Wheat Grass Juice was a powerful element coming from nature , and I started to use it in a complementary fashion with other cleansing whole foods in my life style.

Wheat Grass Juice at a Glance:

Fresh Wheat Grass is extremely Alkaline and Cleansing to your body ,which can help nutralize toxins in your internal digestive environment.

Fresh Wheat Grass juice is rich in natural Chlorophyll (the blood of all plant life) It is the green Chlorophyll that is rich in Oxygen and Enzymes that go directly to your cells minus the fiber that slows down digestion.

Fresh Wheat Grass will improve digestion and help to increase your metabolism and is a good appetite suppressor for people wanting to lose excessive weight.

At one time all grasses used to be fed to our live stock, which produced higher levels of the essential omega 3 fatty acids in there meat and the cuts where more lean. But now this Sustainable Agricultural practice is a rarity these days with more family owned farms being forced out of business. Now today much of our live stock is fed with factory farmed corn . Much of this corn grown today for our beef industry is GMO genetically modified organisms that of course is not labeled for consumer confidence.
Today I elect to eat the cows wheat grass for my self ,and to let the cow have her corn.
“On a nutritional score I will take the Wheat Grass over cows corn any time of the day, Thank You.”

Fresh Wheat Grass is loaded with bioavailable nutrition and very high in the minerals Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium ,Iron and high in the vitamins Beta Carotene (Pro Vitamin A) and C.

All living foods such as Wheat Grass will help feed ,and support our living Bacteria cultures about 5 to 6 pounds of this complex friendly flora bacteria residing in our stomach ,and intestines to support our immune system from invading organisms.

The molecules of Fresh Wheat Grass Juice is very similar to our own human blood chemistry. The only difference is the hemoglobin in Human blood, containing (FE) Iron gives our blood that deep red color.
And the Magnesium molecules (Mg) in the plants Chlorophyll rich blood provides the green color that we see so readily in nature. It is just amazing to me how humans, wild life,and the plant life on Earth share similarities respectfully , and structurally we are so connected with nature.

Wheat is a product that is used in so many of our foods including baked goods , proccesed foods,the supplement industry,beverages,medication,restaurants,fast food outlets you name it.
Wheat Berries are very high in the protein Gluten, that people with Celiac Disease ,or people that have allergies to Wheat consumption cannot not tolerate.

Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes a persons internal environment in the small intestinal tract to be damaged ,creating problems of malabsorption of nutrients that could lead to malnutrition, and whole list of unexplained symptoms in the body.

Other people could simply have an intolerance to Gluten or just have allergic reactions to the offending protein.

The problem with wheat and related Gluten grains are simple. The symptoms are so varied that they can mimic other ailments in the body and never get diagnosed, or even worse the chronic damage to the small intestines could go on with out exhibiting any symptoms at all in the person.
The good news is that Wheat Grass has no Gluten at all as the protein is dissolved into the wheat berries itself and is not found in the grass blades. So it is safe for all to drink Wheat Grass with out the risk of Gluten intolerance or to experience allergic reactions from consuming this liquid sunshine beverage.
To get around this potential problem , I eat a varied diet with some days having no grain at all.
It really is not difficult as there are so many alternative recipe ideas out there that do not include grains of any kind and I make many of them every day in my garden kitchen and they are very delicious. The Gluten grains to eat less of or to eliminate from your diet is Wheat Berries ,Spelt, Rye ,Triticale and Kamut.

The second thing that you can do is go for the non gluten grains ,such as Buckwheat which is really not related to wheat at all but classified as a fruit seed, Amaranth and Quinoa are ancient small grains that look more like seeds, plus Corn ( make sure its organic). Millet is a delicious small nutty tasting grain. Brown Rice including all other varieties of rice that are in the hundreds ,plus my favorite germinated GABA brown rice is also a good choice to make. So there you can see that there is a lot of non gluten delicious choises for you to make and I think it just makes good nutritional sense for your health to include a big variety of grains on rotation with even a few non grain days to give your self maximum nutritional support.

When on occasion I do eat Glutinous Wheat Berries , my method of preparation will take some of the gluten out of the Wheat Berries by sprouting for 2 to 3 days then steaming them there after.
It does seem to most people that it is a lot of trouble to do this,but for me it is not because it only takes me a couple of minutes a day to prepare them out of my schedule.
The big thing that I wish to convey here to you,is that many Processed Foods ,mostly from the Food Giants, have the protein gluten as a main ingredient, a secondary ingredient , or even a hidden unlabeled ingredient and I see this all the time. I do not eat processed food in my life style with few exceptions. It is not difficult to do and it can be done.

"I have yet to see cooked food germinate, sprout, and bring fourth life? Let me know when this happens? "

Barry Gourmet & Raw

Barry’s Weight Loss and Nutritional Tips:

Wheat Grass is a known and proven appetite suppressant that will fire up your metabolism .
Other nutrient dense foods that will provide the same benefit for you is pure 100% Dark Chocolate with out any refined sugar or sweetener added(Pure Cocoa)
The Super Green Algae Marine water Spirulina and fresh water Chlorella powders.
Green Tea extract and Green Tea beverages are all appetite sup-resents and metabolism boosters. Ginger herb powder extract and its fresh herb counter part will assist in your digestion, and is a good stomach remedy that will add internal heat to your body.
All of the above mentioned will help you with losing weight. I know this ,from taking these powerful herbs and super foods myself as my appetite would be indeed temporarily suppressed ,allowing my stomach and digestive organs to finish their job.

Also taking in nutrient dence nutrition this way will send a signal to your pituitary gland at the base of your brain that will send messages to your other glands that in-turn regulates your metabolism. By eating nutrient dense foods like this, will help replace the empty calorie foods found in most man made processed packaged foods including heavy starchy cooked meals lacking in enzyme nutrition.

Barry’s Wheat Grass Experience Overseas:

The method for growing Wheat Grass in pots is really easy to do, as any person can learn to do this wonderful act of producing living foods. The great part of this is you do not need a traditional garden ,just a dark area of your kitchen or bath room that takes up a small space.
The important thing to have of course is a reputable ORGANIC seed supplier that has a good track record for delivering seeds that can sprout consistently . If the Wheat Barrie grains don’t sprout for more than at least 80 % of the seed planted then I would reconsider looking for another company for better sprouting results. Also it is important to note that if you see a lot of grains floating on the water surface that this is not a good sign.Wheat Berries that float normally do not sprout. Not all grains of wheat sprout at the same consistency so it is a good idea to start with grains locally to see how it goes with a small batch , and try another. I have had success and less successful results this way.

A good time to start is just before bedtime so allow yourself a few minutes for this.
Once you have your wheat berries then decide how much you would like to sprout ?and store the rest of your grains in airtight glass mason jars in a cool dark storage place.For the first time you may want to start of with a smaller amount of grain to cover ,lets say the estimated surface area of two clay pots 12 inches across? Or for what ever is available for your first time out.

Day 1:Place your wheat berries in a large ceramic or glass mixing bowl, (Never use Plastic) . Then fill with pure filtered water 3 to 4 inches above the surface level of your grains and stir with large spoon mixing the whole mixture. You will probably notice a lot of sediment and coloring in the water. It is important to rinse off all the gray sprouted water by taking a pail and placing a metal colander over top to pour your grains into it as the water collects at the base of the pail. Keep repeating this process until the water is crystal clear to the eyes. It should take about only 3 rinses to achieve this result. This is important because for best results you want to release all the protective enzyme inhibiters that surround each wheat berry grain that has a membrane coating , keeping the grain dormant indefinitely until the right conditions are presented such as water , air, and darkness.

Note about the collected rinse water: The water collected in the pail is excellent nurishment for your house plants or garden outside .

Then fill your bowl of Wheat Berries once more again ,with enough water ,about 3 inches above the grains surface. Lay a kitchen towel loosly over the bowl to create darkness ,turn off all the lights and then go to bed.

Day 2: In the morning check up on your bowl of submerged wheat berries, you may notice a difference in the way they look? Like looking more plump,thats a good sign as they soaked up some of the water.

Repeat Day 1 of rinsing until the water is clear again. Then inside of your metal colander spread a thin layer of all your Wheat Berries using the bottom round side of your big spoon to form a punch bowl shape of grains spreading up and around the colanders insides. You may need 2 stainless steel colanders to finish the job.

NOTE:Why I believe my colander method is a better, than the jar method? First you only attend the sprouts once per day and not 2 times like the jar method. And secondly I find that one day is saved in the total sprouting process, because my method exposes more circulating air and less moister , helping the grains to sprout faster.
Third there is no chance for the grains to spoil or grow mould from having too much moister and not enough air circulation. So in my opinion this method is more efficient and you get faster,and better results.

Put a dinner plate under the colander to collect any residual water ,with your spoon ,again spread the grains across and up the sides walls of your colander. Then cover the colander with a loose towel to put your sprouts in darkness again ,but also they are allowed to breath. Move everything to the darkest part of your kitchen or bathroom with the lights out. Or you can even put them in your kitchen cupboard with the door slightly open for air circulation using any object as a stopper.

Day 3 : In the morning inspect your colander of sprouted wheat , what do you see?
This time your Wheat Berry grains will be even more swelled up, but also a small stem like growth may have appeared and this indicates that your grain is starting to germinate and sprout for planting later.
I still get goose bumps with excitement , even today when I see this miracle of nature happen and I have been doing this for more than 25 years now. I sprout almost everything from different grains,seeds,legumes and nuts and it still fascinates me.

Repeat the rinsing process from day 2 until the water in the bowl is clear again then place a ,spread the grains as you did before along the insides of your colander , Then place a towel over the colander of grains to put into darkness again.

The next step is to go to your local nursery garden shop,where they sell a bag of dark rich organic soil.
And you would need a couple of clay pots with the holes at the bottom and also around the sides if you can find them but don’t worry a normal caly pot will do as well. In the photo you can see that the Wheat Grass roots have actually done by spreading deep through the soil ,and even out through the pots many holes. More air circulation in the soil helps faster growth from using these kinds of clay pots.

Buy a bag of medium size stones or you can even use discarded broken pieces of pottery as a drainage layer placed at the bottom of each clay pot.

The reason that I do not use plastic pots is in the fact that environmentally they are hazardous. Plastic is made with petrol chemicals that leech by product toxins into our eco system. I know we have plastic all around us it is not avoidable, I just think it should not be part of our soil and in the foods that we eat.Did you know that the largest land fill on our planet is not even on land. No its out in the Pacific ocean between the continental United States and the islands of Hawaii. This plastic land fill is the size of the state of Texas. Our unsustainable love affair with plastic pollution cannot be contained , and the marine life such as large filter feeders and smaller marine life is being adversely affected in that area.
Besides I think natural clay pots ,or ceramic as well just look better in the garden.And they look better on your window sill or any place in your home much more then plastic pots.

Day 4: Repeat the procedure again of rinsing and storage of grains in your colanders, and this time have a good inspection of your wheat berries.If you see some good stem growth on most of all your wheat berries at least 80 % of them, then it is a good time for planting.
If not then cover your colender with a towel and store them in darkness for planting the next morning.

Asuming that your wheat berries are all looking good,then bring out your clay pots, and make sure there is about 2 inches of stones ,broken pottery,marbles, or any hard subtances to allow good drainage.
Next add your Organic soil into the pot to leave at least 2 to 3 inches of space between the rim and surface of soil. A good 5 to 6 inches depth of soil is good.

Your wheat berries at this stage should have soft but firm bodies that can be easily sqeezed between your fingers .
Whet the soil down a little with pure filtered water , but not too much to form any puddle.
Spread your sprouted wheat berries in all directions over the surface of the soil,so that the grains are touching next to each other but not piled on top of each other.

Then place a dry news paper on top to cover the surface.
Then using a spray bottle wet the news paper down and you can drape a loose towel over top for darkness. Any seed, grain, legume or nut that is exposed to water and kept in darkness all the time like this , will think that they are actually in the ground ,and will start to sprout.
Your potted grains need to be still inside for the warmth of room temperature to encourage sprouting. Later in the day or just before you go to bed if you see that the news paper has dried out just give it another spray of water to wet the paper down again. No peaking!

Day 5:On this early morning day,all your TLC should be bringing you sure signs of LIFE as you slowly peel away the news papers.

What do you see? If you see most of all your grain sprouts reaching for the sky with longer stems then you have succeeded . They will be a color of pale cream and light green.

Give them some pure filtered water ,just enough to saturate the soil ,with out puddles.
You can leave them uncovered for good air circulation but still in darkness.
Before you go to bed you can give them some more water. “Good Night”

Day 6: On this morning, again inspect your juvenile wheat grass . You should see a lot of pale colored greenish hair growing upwards peaking over the rim of your clay pots.This is a good time to take them out side if it is a sunny summer day . If it is a cold winter then put the pots beside a big window for lots of sunshine . It is still important that the temperature around the wheat grass is still warm or room temperature. Water them, and water them again before bed.

Day 7: In the morning you should see a dramatic difference in your wheat grass by now!
The grasses are now long and green all bunched together ,maybe 5 to 6 inches tall? You can still let your grass grow another day all the way up to 10 days as you harvest what you need for your juicing pleasure. Always water once in the morning and once in the evening. You may have noticed that I purposely had you tend to your growing wheat grass either early in the morning and later in the evening only because this would not interfere with your daily schedule and in this way the program can be fitted in even for the busy person.
To harvest your wheat grass ,just use some scissors,and cut near the roots for the best nutrition.
Cut as much wheat grass as you need to make 4 ounces of juice.

I use a manual hand crank juicer that does a good job and they are affordable.
A slower revolution of the blades preserves more of the nutrition and with less oxidation.
The fibrous pulp will come out one end and the dark green juice will be collected in a container. I compost the fiber or if you don’t have a com-poster then you can mix the fiber in with your potting soil deep as it will all break down eventually and add aeration to the soil.

The Tray Method:
Another popular method among Sproutarians is to us a larger surface area using a shallow square or rectangle shaped tray.

It is the same method as the pots, but this time you just spread only about inch thick of organic peat moss. Another option is using some organic rich dark loamy garden soil .Sometimes I make a soil amendment of adding some pre soaked seaweed ,such as Wakami ,Kelp,or Chinese to my blender with a little pure water and blend into a liquid. This can be added and worked into the soil with a simple kitchen fork for extra fertilization to the soil but don’t overdo it as the wheat sprout is a hardy grain. Water the soil with out forming puddles.Then spread the germinated wheat sprouts across to the edges of the tray,so that the grains are touching but not piled on top of each other.Water the sprouts with out forming any puddle. And with a spray bottle wet them down. Cover them with dry newspaper , and wet the news paper down with out puddling.
Keep the trays inside in a dark room lightly covered with a towel for smaller productions and a bed spread for larger productions. Your trays of sprouts can also be stored in your cabinetry with the door slightly opened for air with darkness for the next 3 days . One time in the morning and one time in the evening give water to your sprouts and on the third day of awakening you should see a forest of pale green colored wheat grass. First move your trays to indirect natural sunlight . Then over the days ,the trays can be further moved to fuller sun light for maximum effect for photosynthesis of your grass blades, to collect energy from the sun.

It was just a matter of time , when after days, then weeks, then months of experimentation I started to see positive results in my health. And during my transition time ,my new way of thinking about food changed dramatically. I was no longer eating food off the canteen truck like I used to ,and instead I was bringing in my clearly marked bagged lunches and green smoothies into work. Looking inside the large studio refrigerator every day, I could not help notice how different the diets where of most of my colleagues in comparison to what I was eating.

I had realized then that I had become a Fruitarian,Vegetarian,Rawtarian,Sproutarian,Medtarian,(Mediterranean)
Macterian,(Macrobiotics)and Vegan days all rolled up into one and my lunches reflected this change in my life.

You have to understand that I was working in a Cartoon Studio in Hollywood California for Hanna -Barbera Studios at that time ,animating the cartoon feature film production ,entitled “Once Upon a Forest” a film about the environment of animals in the forest.
I was drinking so much carrot juice at the time , that my skin was actually taking on an orange color mostly in my hands ,but it was only temporary and it disappeared when I cut back.

I remember it was in 1990 when I got that telephone call at work , from Walt Disney Company to work overseas in Korea for the next 2 years.I know that this may raise a few eye brows among some of you, but I was actually practicing Agriculture in my business hotel room in down town Soul Korea. I had everything covered up in darkness so the maid was non the wiser.I was using the Matt Method,colander staining method ,hidden away in dresser drawers, closets, and under the bed. I had many of my sprouts in jars hidden under several card board boxes as well.

It was usually on the third day,that the gig was up and my secret was out because of course my sprouts needed fresh air and sunlight to grow and prosper.

During those 2 years It was not just the wheat grass growing in the various hotel rooms (the later ones had balconies)with stacks of trays everywhere ,it was everything else too like , Mung, Alfalfa, Pumpkin, Sunflower,Basil,Barley and others.

Eventually I moved into the privacy of my own flat to grow my food, and to live my Sproutarian Life in more privacy. Some times I would go to a nice restaurant , where the management new me, and accepted my patronage for some of my favorite Korean dishes like Brown Rice Bi-Bi m-Bap ,a Salad,with Miso Soup and some Herbal Tea. Occasionally I would slip some of my home made sprouts into my dish served.

But this was a good way for me to supplement my Korean diet and I enjoyed the Korean Red and White Ginseng that was on offer by the store box fulls, and the traditional Kimchi. (Fermented vegetables) Since then I moved around a lot living in different places all over Asia and Europe .I discovered different ethnic ,and cultural cuisines that up to this day has profoundly influenced my way of thinking about food, and the recipes that followed.
For the serious Wheat Grass Grower that happens to live in a tropical climate all year round like myself, an interesting option became available to me. Growing wheat grass outdoors in raised garden beds by the boat load was possible even living here in Phuket Thailand !
I hope that you have enjoyed reading my experience with food ? Especially about growing wheat grass ,as much as I have enjoyed writing about my experience for you.

Nutrition and in this case, more interesting Earth Recipe choices can be easily created by you with color and incredible good taste directly from Nature. Delicious recipes can come from Nature , it does not have to be processed.
For seed companies ,when you are happy with a company then stay with them but always keep your eyes out for competitive offers as well. I use my own supplier in Thailand for now so I do not have any experience with the suppliers on my short list. But I did review their websites and many have good information to give you,for sprouting of living foods. I enjoyed visiting them all. “I wish you all the success for your new healthy lifestyle as a fellow Sproutarian.”

" The blood of plants is green in color , the blood of humans and animals are red in color, this is where the difference ends."

Barry Gourmet & Raw

Barry’s Gourmet Sprouting Tip:
When you prepare your recipes using Organic or Heirloom produce,you have a wonderful option to save yourself a lot of money and to put more food on your table for your self and your family and it is all for FREE.

Save your seeds for later use. You can sprout with them, grow fruits and vegetables in your existing garden and a lot more. I don’t know why I did not think of this years ago? I have been practicing this seed saving good for the environment habit for about 4 years now from this writing.
When you think of it our forefathers and family owned farms for generations have been saving their own seeds for the next generation of harvest. So why cant we do the same thing even though it is on a much smaller scale? In my teens I used to work for a grocery store, and it just amazed me how much expired food was being dumped out along with the seeds to our land fills. What a waste of resources.

“Seeds are a gift from nature to be used over and over again, and not to be discarded for ever.”

Seed saving is easy and practical when you schedule in the time to practice this important way of living green.

First you want to save seeds that you grow, and that your garden naturally grows as your existing soil will already be suited for this purpose. For example when I compost my kitchen scraps then later distribute the green manure around my garden , I see in time hundreds of little Papaya trees growing everywhere so in this case I do not have to save seeds for this tropical fruit,as nature does it for me.

It is important to use organic heirloom seeds ( Original seed that has been saved by generations before the industrial revolution)from your produce , as hybrid conventional produce has been denatured and treated by the biotech industry to make the food insect resistant, and like I have been saying all along that plants are systemic meaning that their root systems absorb everything including the pesticide and herbicide chemical applied.

It is important for me to note here ,that you should consider what local foods are grown best in your area as these seeds will do well, and should be your first choice. For example I would not save seeds of apple because they are not grown in my area, but Papaya is. This could be the opposite case where you happen to live?
When you have formulated a list of fruits and vegetables plus herbs that grow well in your area then it is time for you to save seeds of that nature.

I am going to be really general here as the plant kingdom offers many different ways of saving seed that is appropriate for each plant and area. It is best to pick your best looking , plant that is ready to eat for example a tomato. Any fleshy plant with lots of small seeds will be difficult to save so a method of separating most of the pulp and skin by hand must be done first. Then place the flesh and seeds into a glass of water and wait for the seeds to settle to the bottom. Depending on the plant it could take hours to days. Then place the seeds in a colander straining basket and wash off the remaining pulp thourouly. You can now place your wet seeds on a natural fiber towel or floor matt.(a towel that has not been bleached white with the chemical dioxin)

Spread your seeds across half of the towel or matt ,then fold the other half over your seeds, and then again fold again to the size of a quarter of your original matt or towel size. You can also role the your matt loosely into a burrito for air circulation.
The moister from the seeds will be absorbed into the matt or towel and left this way for half a day or more. Uncover the matt or towel, then place your seeds on glass or ceramic dish ware, or on a large window screen that has been converted into a table for drying out your seeds in indirect sun light. When your seeds are perfectly dry and clean with out any moister to the touch, then the seeds can be packaged in non white natural paper envelopes, Next of course it is important to write the date and the name of the seed on the envelope.

I like to put my envelopes in air tight mason jars and store them in my refrigerator or even my wine cooler. Seeds age well under these conditions and they are good for up to 2 years or more.
For a longer time put your stored seeds in the freezer that can keep for up to 10 years or more before use.
In some cases you can go right into food production. For instance the the King of all fruits the Durian fruit which is one of my favorites has a different approach.
A good durian is when you shake the fruit violently close to your ear, and you can hear the bods rattle back and fourth,then you know its a good one. Just make sure you where your heavy protective mitts as the hard spikes of this fruit is fearsome and dangerous if not handled carefully.
Cut the pungent Durian length wise and remove the fleshy meat from the seeds by hand.
Its the Fruity meat that is so offensive to so many people , in the smell department but I feel different about it now as my taste buds and nose has changed over the years.The seeds are large like the size of a golf ball,but of course my garden coconut is the king in the size department.
Soak the Durian seeds in a large bowl of water for 3 days or until you see a growth tip at the end ,then plant them in a pot side ways and cover with soil so that you see just a bit of the seed .In one or two months you have a durian tree about 7 to 12 inches high.
Seeds for sprouting,gardening and saving is a great way to connect with nature.

“Saving seeds is a gift from nature that should not be ignored.”

Barry Gourmet & Raw

ARIZONA BORDERS AND CITIZEN SAFETY…


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The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Its 20,200 Agents[1] are primarily responsible for immigration and border law enforcement as codified in the Immigration and Nationality Act. Their duty is to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States and to deter, detect, and apprehend illegal aliens and individuals involved in the illegal drug trade who enter the United States other than through designated ports of entry.

Additionally, the CBP enforces federal controlled substances laws (as codified in the Controlled Substances Act) when violations occur or are found during the enforcement of federal immigration laws, via delegated authority from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Note that there are two personnel segments of U.S. Customs and Border Protection that people often confuse with each other, the CBP Officer [1], who wears a blue uniform and the Border Patrol Agent [2] who wears a green uniform.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Strategy
2.1 1986: Employer sanctions and interior enforcement
2.2 Inspection stations
2.2.1 El Paso Sector’s Operation Hold the Line
2.2.2 San Diego Sector’s Operation Gatekeeper
2.2.3 Tucson Sector’s Operation Safeguard
2.3 Northern border
2.4 Border Patrol moves away from interior enforcement
2.5 The new strategy
3 Capabilities
4 Expansion
5 Special Operations Group
5.1 Other specialized programs
6 Border Patrol organization
6.1 Border Patrol Sectors
7 Training
7.1 Uniforms
7.2 Border Patrol (OBP) Ranks and Insignia
7.2.1 Border Patrol Shoulder Ornaments
8 Awards
8.1 Newton-Azrak Award for Heroism
9 Border Patrol Uniform Devices
10 Equipment
10.1 Weapons
10.2 Transportation
11 Line of duty deaths
12 Armed incursions
13 Ramos and Compean
14 Criticisms
14.1 Ineffective
14.2 Allegations of abuse
14.3 Corruption
15 National Border Patrol Council
16 National Border Patrol Museum
17 In popular culture
17.1 Books
17.2 Film
17.2.1 Documentaries
18 See also
19 References
20 External links
21 External Video
21.1 GAO and OIG Reports

[edit] History

Immigration inspectors, circa 1924Mounted watchmen of the United States Immigration Service patrolled the border in an effort to prevent illegal crossings as early as 1904, but their efforts were irregular and undertaken only when resources permitted. The inspectors, usually called "mounted guards", operated out of El Paso, Texas. Though they never totaled more than 75, they patrolled as far west as California trying to restrict the flow of illegal Chinese immigration.

In March 1915, Congress authorized a separate group of mounted guards, often referred to as "mounted inspectors". Most rode on horseback, but a few operated automobiles, motorcycles and boats. Although these inspectors had broader arrest authority, they still largely pursued Chinese immigrants trying to avoid the National Origins Act and Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. These patrolmen were Immigrant Inspectors, assigned to inspection stations, and could not watch the border at all times. U.S. Army troops along the southwest border performed intermittent border patrolling, but this was secondary to "the more serious work of military training." Non-nationals encountered illegally in the U.S. by the army were directed to the immigration inspection stations. Texas Rangers were also sporadically assigned to patrol duties by the state, and their efforts were noted as "singularly effective".

The Border Patrol was founded on May 28, 1924 as an agency of the United States Department of Labor to prevent illegal entries along the Mexico–United States border and the United States-Canada border. The first two border patrol stations were in El Paso, Texas and Detroit, Michigan.[2] Additional operations were established along the Gulf Coast in 1927 to perform crewman control to insure that non-American crewmen departed on the same ship on which they arrived. Additional stations were temporarily added along the Gulf Coast, Florida and the Eastern Seaboard during the sixties when in Cuba triumphed the Cuban Revolution and emerged the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Prior to 2003, the Border Patrol was part of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), an agency that was within the U.S. Department of Justice. INS was disbanded in March 2003 when its operations were divided between CBP, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The priority mission of the Border Patrol, as a result of the 9/11 attacks and its merging into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States of America. However, the Border Patrol’s traditional mission remains as the deterrence, detection and apprehension of illegal immigrants and individuals involved in the illegal drug trade who generally enter the United States other than through designated ports of entry. The Border Patrol also operates 33 permanent interior checkpoints along the southern border of the United States.

Currently, the U.S. Border Patrol employs over 20,200 agents (as of the end of fiscal year 2009),[3] who are specifically responsible for patrolling the 6,000 miles of Mexican and Canadian international land borders and 2,000 miles of coastal waters surrounding the Florida Peninsula and the island of Puerto Rico. Agents are assigned primarily to the Mexico–United States border, where they are assigned to control drug trafficking and illegal immigration.[4] Patrols on horseback have made a comeback since smugglers have been pushed into the more remote mountainous regions, which are hard to cover with modern tracking strategies.[5]

[edit] Strategy
[edit] 1986: Employer sanctions and interior enforcement

Border Patrol Agents with a Hummer and Astar patrol for illegal entry into U.S.The Border Patrol’s priorities have changed over the years. In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act placed renewed emphasis on controlling illegal immigration by going after the employers that hire illegal immigrants. The belief was that jobs were the magnet that attracted most illegal immigrants to come to the United States. The Border Patrol increased interior enforcement and Form I-9 audits of businesses through an inspection program known as "employer sanctions". Several agents were assigned to interior stations, such as within the Livermore Sector in Northern California.

Employer sanctions never became the effective tool it was expected to be by Congress. Illegal immigration continued to swell after the 1986 amnesty despite employer sanctions. By 1993, Californians passed Proposition 187, denying benefits to illegal immigrants and criminalizing illegal immigrants in possession of forged green cards, I.D. cards and Social Security Numbers. It also authorized police officers to question non-nationals as to their immigration status and required police and sheriff departments to cooperate and report illegal immigrants to the INS. Proposition 187 drew nationwide attention to illegal immigration.

[edit] Inspection stations
United States Border Patrol Interior Checkpoints are inspection stations operated by the USBP within 100 miles of a national border (with Mexico or Canada) or in the Florida Keys. As federal inspection stations are also operated by the Mexican government within 50 km of its borders where they are officially known as a "Garita de Revisión." or Garitas, they are known also by that name to Latinos.

[edit] El Paso Sector’s Operation Hold the Line
El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent (and future U.S. congressman) Silvestre Reyes started a program called "Operation Hold the Line". In this program, Border Patrol agents would no longer react to illegal entries resulting in apprehensions, but would instead be forward deployed to the border, immediately detecting any attempted entries or deterring crossing at a more remote location. The idea was that it would be easier to capture illegal entrants in the wide open deserts than through the urban alleyways. Chief Reyes deployed his agents along the Rio Grande River, within eyesight of other agents. The program significantly reduced illegal entries in the urban part of El Paso, however, the operation merely shifted the illegal entries to other areas.

[edit] San Diego Sector’s Operation Gatekeeper

A Border Patrol Jeep stands watch over the U.S.-Mexico border at San Ysidro, California.San Diego Sector tried Silvestre Reyes’ approach of forward deploying agents to deter illegal entries into the country. Congress authorized the hiring of thousands of new agents, and many were sent to San Diego Sector.[citation needed] In addition, Congressman Duncan Hunter obtained surplus military landing mats to use as a border fence.[citation needed] Stadium lighting, ground sensors and infra-red cameras were also placed in the area.[citation needed] Apprehensions decreased dramatically in that area as people crossed in different regions.

[edit] Tucson Sector’s Operation Safeguard
California was no longer the hotbed of illegal entry and the traffic shifted to Arizona, primarily in Nogales and Douglas.[citation needed] The Border Patrol instituted the same deterrent strategy it used in San Diego to Arizona.

[edit] Northern border
In 2001, the Border Patrol had approximately 340 agents assigned along the Canada – United States border border. Northern border staffing had been increased to 1,128 agents to 1,470 agents by the end of fiscal year 2008, and is projected to expand to 1,845 by the end of fiscal year 2009, a sixfold increase. Resources that support Border Patrol agents include the use of new technology and a more focused application of air and marine assets.

The northern border sectors are Blaine (Washington), Buffalo (New York), Detroit (Selfridge ANGB, Michigan), Grand Forks (North Dakota), Havre (Montana), Houlton (Maine), Spokane (Washington), and Swanton (Vermont).

[edit] Border Patrol moves away from interior enforcement
In the 1990s, Congress mandated that the Border Patrol shift agents away from the interior and focus them on the borders.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Department of Homeland Security created two immigration enforcement agencies out of the defunct Immigration and Naturalization Service: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). ICE was tasked with investigations, detention and removal of illegal immigrants, and interior enforcement. CBP was tasked with inspections at U.S. ports of entry and with preventing illegal entries between the port of entry, transportation check, and entries on U.S. coastal borders. DHS management decided to align the Border Patrol with CBP. CBP itself is solely responsible for the nation’s ports of entry, while Border Patrol maintains jurisdiction over all locations between ports of entry, giving Border Patrol agents federal authority absolutely[dubious – discuss] nationwide[dubious – discuss].

In July 2004, the Livermore Sector of the United States Border Patrol was closed. Livermore Sector served Northern California and included stations at Dublin (Parks Reserve Forces Training Area), Sacramento, Stockton, Fresno and Bakersfield. The Border Patrol also closed other stations in the interior of the United States including Roseburg, Oregon and Little Rock, Arkansas. The Border Patrol functions in these areas consisted largely of local jail and transportation terminal checks for illegal immigrants. These functions were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

[edit] The new strategy

Cameras add "Smart Border" surveillance.In November 2005, the U.S. Border Patrol published an updated national strategy.[6] The goal of this updated strategy is operational control of the United States border. The strategy has five main objectives:

Apprehend terrorists and terrorist weapons illegally entering the United States;
Deter illegal entries through improved enforcement;
Detect, apprehend, and deter smugglers of humans, drugs, and other contraband;
Use "smart border" technology; and
Reduce crime in border communities, improving quality of life.
[edit] Capabilities
The border is a barely discernible line in uninhabited deserts, canyons, or mountains. The Border Patrol utilizes a variety of equipment and methods, such as electronic sensors placed at strategic locations along the border, to detect people or vehicles entering the country illegally. Video monitors and night vision scopes are also used to detect illegal entries. Agents patrol the border in vehicles, boats, aircraft, and afoot. In some areas, the Border Patrol employs horses, all-terrain motorcycles, bicycles, and snowmobiles. Air surveillance capabilities are provided by unmanned aerial vehicles.[3]

The primary activity of a Border Patrol Agent is "Line Watch". Line Watch involves the detection, prevention, and apprehension of terrorists, undocumented aliens and smugglers of aliens at or near the land border by maintaining surveillance from a covert position; following up on leads; responding to electronic sensor television systems and aircraft sightings; and interpreting and following tracks, marks, and other physical evidence. Major activities include traffic check, traffic observation, city patrol, transportation check, administrative, intelligence, and anti-smuggling activities.[4]

Traffic checks are conducted on major highways leading away from the border to detect and apprehend illegal aliens attempting to travel further into the interior of the United States after evading detection at the border, and to detect illegal narcotics.[3]

Transportation checks are inspections of interior-bound conveyances, which include buses, commercial aircraft, passenger and freight trains, and marine craft.[3]

Marine Patrols are conducted along the coastal waterways of the United States, primarily along the Pacific coast, the Caribbean, the tip of Florida, and Puerto Rico and interior waterways common to the United States and Canada. Border Patrol conducts border control activities from 130 marine craft of various sizes. The Border Patrol maintains watercraft ranging from blue-water craft to inflatable-hull craft, in 16 sectors, in addition to headquarters special operations components.[3]

Horse and bike patrols are used to augment regular vehicle and foot patrols. Horse units patrol remote areas along the international boundary that are inaccessible to standard all-terrain vehicles. Bike patrol aids city patrol and is used over rough terrain to support linewatch.[3] Snowmobiles are used to patrol remote areas along the northern border in the winter.

[edit] Expansion
Attrition in the Border Patrol was normally at 5%. From 1995-2001 attrition spiked to above 10%, which was a period when the Border Patrol was undergoing massive hiring. In 2002 the attrition rate climbed to 18%. The 18% attrition was largely attributed to agents transferring to the Federal Air Marshals after 9/11. Since that time the attrition problem has decreased significantly and Congress has increased journeyman Border Patrol Agent pay from GS-9 to GS-11 in 2002. The Border Patrol Marine Position was created in 2009 (BPA-M). This position will be updated to a GS-12 position sometime in 2010 or 2011. Border Patrol Field Training Officers may possibly be updated in 2010 to a temporary GS-12 pay rate. In 2005, Border Patrol attrition dropped to 4% and remains in the area of 4% to 6% as of 2009.[7]

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (signed by President Bush on December 17, 2004) authorized hiring an additional 10,000 agents, "subject to appropriation". This authorization, if fully implemented, would nearly double the Border Patrol manpower from 11,000 to 21,000 agents by 2010.

In July 2005, Congress signed the Emergency Supplemental Spending Act for military operations in Iraq/Afghanistan and other operations. The act also appropriated funding to increase Border Patrol manpower by 500 Agents. In October 2005, President Bush also signed the DHS FY06 Appropriation bill, funding an additional 1,000 Agents.

In November 2005, President George W. Bush made a trip to southern Arizona to discuss more options that would decrease illegal crossings at the U.S. and Mexican border. In his proposed fiscal year 2007 budget he has requested an additional 1,500 Border Patrol agents.

The Secure Fence Act, signed by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2006, has met with much opposition. In October 2007, environmental groups and concerned citizens filed a restraining order hoping to halt the construction of the fence, set to be built between the United States and Mexico. The act mandates that the fence be built by December 2008. Ultimately, the United States seeks to put fencing around the 1,945-mile (3,130 km) border, but the act requires only 700 miles (1,100 km) of fencing. DHS secretary Michael Chertoff has bypassed environmental and other oppositions with a waiver that was granted to him by Congress in Section 102 of the act, which allows DHS to avoid any conflicts that would prevent a speedy assembly of the fence.[8][9]

This action has led many environment groups and landowners to speak out against the impending construction of the fence.[10] Environment and wildlife groups fear that the plans to clear brush, construct fences, install bright lights, motion sensors, and cameras will scare wildlife and endanger the indigenous species of the area.[11] Environmentalists claim that the ecosystem could be affected due to the fact that a border fence would restrict movement of all animal species, which in turn would keep them from water and food sources on one side or another. Desert plants would also feel the impact, as they would be uprooted in many areas where the fence is set to occupy.[12]

Property owners in these areas fear a loss of land. Landowners would have to give some of their land over to the government for the fence. Citizens also fear that communities will be split. Many students travel over the border every day to attend classes at the University of Texas at Brownsville. Brownsville mayor Pat Ahumada favors alternative options to a border fence. He suggests that the Rio Grande River be widened and deepened to provide for a natural barrier to hinder illegal immigrants and drug smugglers.[13]

The United States Border Patrol Academy is located in Artesia, New Mexico.

[edit] Special Operations Group

A Border Patrol Special Response Team searches room-by-room a hotel in New Orleans in response to Hurricane Katrina.
CBP BORSTAR canine team conducting rappeling trainingIn 2007, the Border Patrol created the Special Operations Group (SOG) headquartered in El Paso, TX to coordinate the specialized units of the agency.[14]

Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC)
National Special Response Team (NSRT)
Border Patrol, Search, Trauma and Rescue (BORSTAR)
Air Mobile Unit (AMU)
[edit] Other specialized programs
The Border Patrol has a number of other specialized programs and details.

Air and Marine Operations
K9 Units
Mounted Patrol
Bike patrol
Sign-cutting (tracking)
Snowmobile unit
Infrared scope unit
Intelligence
Anti-smuggling investigations
Border Criminal Alien Program
Multi-agency Anti-Gang Task Forces (regional & local units)
Honor Guard
Pipes and Drums
Chaplain
Peer Support
[edit] Border Patrol organization

David V. Aguilar, Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border ProtectionThe current Acting Chief of the Border Patrol is Michael J. Fisher who succeeded in 2010 David V. Aguilar, who is now the Acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

[edit] Border Patrol Sectors
There are 20 Border Patrol sectors, each headed by a Sector Chief Patrol Agent.

Northern Border (West to East):

Blaine Sector (Western Washington State, Idaho, and Western Montana.) – stations; Bellingham, Blaine, Port Angeles, Sumas.
Spokane Sector (Eastern Washington State)
Havre Sector (Montana)
Grand Forks Sector (North Dakota)
Detroit Sector (Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan) – stations; Downtown Detroit, Marysville, Gibralter, Sault Sainte Marie, Sandusky Bay.
Buffalo Sector (New York) – stations; Buffalo, Erie, Niagura Falls, Oswego, Rochester, Wellesley Island.
Swanton Sector (Vermont)
Houlton Sector (Maine)
Southern Border (West to East):

San Diego Sector (San Diego, California)
El Centro Sector (Imperial County, California)
Yuma Sector (Western Arizona)- stations; Wellton, Yuma, Blythe
Tucson Sector (Eastern Arizona)
El Paso Sector (El Paso, Texas and New Mexico) – stations; Alamogordo, Albuquerque, Deming, El Paso, Fabens, Fort Hancock, Las Cruces, Lordsburg, Santa Teresa, Truth or Consequences, Ysleta
Marfa Sector (Big Bend Area of West Texas) – stations; Alpine, Amarillo, Big Bend, Fort Stockton, Lubbock, Marfa, Midland, Pecos, Presidio, Sanderson, Sierra Blanca, Van Horn
Del Rio Sector (Del Rio, Texas) – stations; Abilene, Brackettville, Carrizo Springs, Comstock, Del Rio, Eagle Pass North, Eagle Pass South, Rocksprings, San Angelo, Uvalde
Rio Grande Valley Sector (South Texas) – stations; Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Falfurrias, Fort Brown, Harlingen, Kingsville, McAllen, Rio Grande City, Weslaco
Laredo Sector (South Texas) – stations; Cotulla, Dallas, Freer, Hebbronville, Laredo North, Laredo South, Laredo West, San Antonio, Zapata
New Orleans Sector (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and West Florida)
Miami Sector (Florida East and South)
Caribbean

Ramey Sector (Aguadilla, Puerto Rico) and the Virgin Islands, it is the only Border Patrol Sector located outside the continental United States
[edit] Training
All Border Patrol Agents spend 15 weeks in training at the Border Patrol Academy (if they are fluent in Spanish) in Artesia, New Mexico, which is a component of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC).Those who are not fluent in Spanish spend an additional eight weeks at the Academy. Recruits are instructed in Border Patrol and federal law enforcement subjects.

Border Patrol courses include: Immigration and Nationality Law, Criminal Law and Statutory Authority, Spanish, Border Patrol Operations, Care and Use of Firearms, Physical Training, Driver Training, and Anti-Terrorism.

FLETC courses include: Communications, Ethics and Conduct, Report Writing, Introduction to Computers, Fingerprinting, and Constitutional Law.[15]

The physical aspects of the Border Patrol Training Program are extremely demanding. At the end of 55 days, trainees must be able to complete a one and a half mile run in 13 minutes or less, a confidence course in two and a half minutes or less, and a 220 yard dash in 46 seconds or less. This final test is much easier than the day to day physical training during the program.[15]

[edit] Uniforms
The Border Patrol currently wears the following types of uniforms:

CBP officers at a ceremony in 2007Dress uniform – The dress uniform consists of olive-green trousers with a blue stripe, and an olive-green shirt, which may or may not have blue shoulder straps. The campaign hat is worn with uniform.
Ceremonial uniform – When required, the following items are added to the dress uniform to complete the ceremonial uniform: olive-green Ike jacket or tunic with blue accents (shoulder straps and cuffs, blue tie, brass tie tack, white gloves, and olive-green felt campaign hat with leather hat band. The campaign hat is worn with uniform.
Rough duty uniform – The rough duty uniform consists of green cargo trousers and work shirt (in short or long sleeves). Usually worn with green baseball cap or tan stetson.
Accessories, footwear, and outerwear – Additional items are worn in matching blue or black colors as appropriate.
Organization patches – The Border Patrol wears two:
The CBP patch is worn on the right sleeves of the uniform. It contains the DHS seal against a black background with a "keystone" shape. A "keystone" is the central, wedge-shaped stone in an arch, which holds all the other stones in place.
Border Patrol agents retain the circular legacy Border Patrol patch, which is worn on the left sleeve.
The Border Patrol uniform is getting its first makeover since the 1950s to appear more like military fatigues and less like a police officer’s duty garb.[16] Leather belts with brass buckles are being replaced by nylon belts with quick-release plastic buckles, slacks are being replaced by lightweight cargo pants, and shiny badges and nameplates are being replaced by cloth patches.

[edit] Border Patrol (OBP) Ranks and Insignia
Location Title Collar insignia Shoulder ornament Pay grade
Border Patrol Headquarters Chief of the Border Patrol Gold-plated Senior Executive Service (SES)
Deputy Chief of the Border Patrol Gold-plated SES
Division Chief Gold-plated SES
Deputy Division Chief Gold-plated GS-15, General Schedule
Associate Chief Gold-plated GS-15
Assistant Chief Silver-plated GS-14
Operations Officer Oxidized GS-13

Border Patrol Sectors Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) Gold-plated SES or GS-15
Deputy Chief Patrol Agent (DCPA) Gold-plated SES/GS-15 or GS-14
Division Chief Gold-plated GS-15
Assistant Chief Patrol Agent (ACPA) Silver-plated GS-15 or GS-14
Patrol Agent in Charge (PAIC) Silver-plated GS-14 or GS-13
Assistant Patrol Agent in Charge (APAIC) Oxidized GS-13
Special Operations Supervisor (SOS) Oxidized GS-13
Field Operations Supervisor (FOS) Oxidized GS-13
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent (SBPA) Oxidized GS-12
Senior Patrol Agent (SPA) (Note: Being phased out through attrition) No insignia Currently GS-11 (Will be upgraded to full performance level GS-12 sometime during the 1st quarter of 2011)
Border Patrol Agent (BPA) No insignia GS-5, 7, 9, 11 (Upgrade to GS-12 pending)

Border Patrol Academy Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) Gold-plated GS-15
Deputy Chief Patrol Agent (DCPA) Gold-plated GS-15
Assistant Chief Patrol Agent (ACPA) Silver-plated GS-14
Training Operations Supervisor (TOS) Oxidized GS-14
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent (Senior Instructor) Oxidized GS-13
Supervisory Border Patrol Agent (Instructor) Oxidized GS-13

[edit] Border Patrol Shoulder Ornaments

[edit] Awards
Newton-Azrak Award for Heroism Commissioners Distinguished Career Service Award Commissioners Exceptional Service Medal Commissioners Meritorious Service Award Commissioners Special Commendation Award Chiefs Commendation Medal
No Image Available No Image Available No Image Available

Commissioners Excellence in Group Achievement Award Purple Cross Wound Medal Academy Honor Award Winner Border Patrol Long Service Medal 75th Anniversary of the Border Patrol Commemorative Medal
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[edit] Newton-Azrak Award for Heroism
The Border Patrol’s highest honor is the Newton-Azrak Award for Heroism. This Award is bestowed to Border Patrol Agents for extraordinary actions, service; accomplishments reflecting unusual courage or bravery in the line of duty; or an extraordinarily heroic or humane act committed during times of extreme stress or in an emergency.

This award is named for Border Patrol Inspectors Theodore Newton[17] and George Azrak,[18] who were murdered by two drug smugglers in San Diego County in 1967.

[edit] Border Patrol Uniform Devices
Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) Border Patrol Search, Trauma and Rescue Unit (BORSTAR) Special Response Team (NSRT) Honor Guard Border Patrol Pipes and Drums Cap Badge
No Image Available
K-9 Handler Chaplain Field Training Officer Peer Support

[edit] Equipment
[edit] Weapons

A Border Patrol Agent carrying an M14 rifle.Border Patrol Agents are issued the H&K P2000 double action pistol in .40 S&W. It can contain as many as 13 rounds of ammunition (12 in the magazine and one in the chamber).

Like other law enforcement agencies, the Remington 870 is the standard shotgun.

Border Patrol Agents also commonly carry the M4 Carbine and the H&K UMP 40 caliber submachine gun. The M14 rifle is used for mostly ceremonial purposes.

As a less than lethal option, the Border Patrol also uses the FN303.

[edit] Transportation
Unlike in many other law enforcement agencies in the United States, the Border Patrol operates several thousand SUVs and pickup trucks, which are known for their capabilities to move around in any sort of terrain. This vehicles may have individual revolving lights (strobes or LEDs) and/or light bars and sirens. An extensive modernization drive has ensured that these vehicles are equipped with wireless sets in communication with a central control room. Border Patrol vehicles may also have equipment such as speed radar, breathalyzers, and emergency first aid kits. Some sectors make use of sedans like the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor or the Dodge Charger as patrol cars or high speed "interceptors" on highways. The Border Patrol also operates ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and small boats in the riverine environment. In 2005, all Border Patrol and ICE aircraft operations were combined under CBP’s Office of Air and Marine. All CBP vessel operation in Customs Waters are conducted by Office of Air and Marine.

Color schemes of Border Patrol vehicles are either a long green stripe running the length of the vehicle or a broad green diagonal stripe on the door. Most Border Patrol vehicles are painted predominantly white.

The Border Patrol also extensively uses horses for remote area patrols. The U.S. Border Patrol has 205 horses As of 2005[update]. Most are employed along the Mexico–United States border. In Arizona, these animals are fed special processed feed pellets so that their wastes do not spread non-native plants in the national parks and wildlife areas they patrol.[19]

[edit] Line of duty deaths
Total line of duty deaths (since 1904): 105[20]

Aircraft accident: 14
Assault: 2
Automobile accident: 28
Drowned: 4
Fall: 4
Gunfire: 30
Gunfire (Accidental): 3
Heart attack: 6
Heat exhaustion: 1
Motorcycle accident: 2
Stabbed: 2
Struck by train: 3
Struck by vehicle: 3
Vehicle pursuit: 2
Vehicular assault: 3
[edit] Armed incursions
On August 7, 2008, Mexican troops crossed the border into Arizona and held a U.S. Border Patrol Agent at gunpoint. Agents stationed at Ajo, Arizona said that the Mexican soldiers crossed the border into an isolated area southwest of Tucson and pointed rifles at the agent, who has not been identified. The Mexicans withdrew after other American agents arrived on the scene.[21]

[edit] Ramos and Compean
In February 2005, Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean were involved in an incident while pursuing a van in Fabens, Texas. The driver, later identified as Aldrete Davila, was shot by Agent Ramos during a scuffle. Davila escaped back into Mexico, and the agents discovered that the van contained a million dollars worth of marijuana (about 750 pounds). None of the agents at the scene orally reported the shooting, including two supervisors. The Department of Homeland Security opened up an internal affairs investigation into the incident.[22] See also [23][24][25]

[edit] Criticisms
[edit] Ineffective
In 2006, a documentary called The Illegal Immigration Invasion[26] linked the scale of illegal immigration into the United States chiefly to the ineffectiveness of the Border Patrol. The film claimed that this is due to the lack of judicial powers of the Border Patrol and the effective hamstringing of the agency by the federal government. The film interviews people that deal with illegal immigration on a daily basis, as well as local citizens living in the border areas.

[edit] Allegations of abuse
There are allegations of abuse by the United States Border Patrol such as the ones reported by Jesus A. Trevino, that concludes in an article published in the Houston Journal of International Law (2006) with a request to create an independent review commission to oversee the actions of the Border Patrol, and that creating such review board will make the American public aware of the "serious problem of abuse that exists at the border by making this review process public" and that "illegal immigrants deserve the same constitutionally-mandated humane treatment of citizens and legal residents".[27]
In 1998, Amnesty International investigated allegations of ill-treatment and brutality by officers of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and particularly the Border Patrol. Their report said they found indications of human rights violations during 1996, 1997 and early 1998.[28]
An article in Social Justice by Michael Huspek, Leticia Jimenez, Roberto Martinez (1998) cites that in December 1997, John Case, head of the INS Office of Internal Audit, announced at a press conference that public complaints to the INS had risen 29% from 1996, with the "vast majority" of complaints emanating from the southwest border region, but that of the 2,300 cases, the 243 cases of serious allegations of abuse were down in 1997. These serious cases are considered to be distinct from less serious complaints, such as "verbal abuse, discrimination, extended detention without cause."[29]
[edit] Corruption
Incidences of corruption in the U.S. Border Patrol include:

Pablo Sergio Barry, an agent charged with one count of harboring an illegal immigrant, three counts of false statements, and two counts of making a false document.[30] He plead guilty.[31]
Christopher E. Bernis, an agent indicted on a charge of harboring an illegal immigrant for nine months while employed as a U.S. Border Patrol agent.[32]
Jose De Jesus Ruiz, an agent whose girlfriend was an illegal immigrant, he was put on administrative leave pending an investigation.[32]
Oscar Antonio Ortiz, an illegal immigrant[33] who used a fake birth certificate to get into the Border Patrol admitted to smuggling more than 100 illegal immigrants into the U.S., some of them in his government truck,[34] and was helping to smuggle illegal immigrants and charged with conspiring with another agent to smuggle immigrants.
An unidentified patrol agent who was recorded on a wire tap stating that he helped to smuggle 30 to 50 immigrants at a time.[33]
[edit] National Border Patrol Council
National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) is the labor union which represents over 14,000 Border Patrol Agents and support staff. The NBPC was founded in 1968, and its parent organization is the American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO. The NBPC’s executive committee is staffed by current and retired Border Patrol Agents and, along with its constituent locals, employs a staff of a dozen attorneys and field representatives. The NBPC is associated with the Peace Officer Research Association of California’s Legal Defense Fund.[35]

[edit] National Border Patrol Museum
The National Border Patrol Museum is located in El Paso, Texas. The museum exhibits uniforms, equipment, photographs, guns, vehicles, airplanes, boats, and documents which depict the historical and current sector operations throughout the United States.

[edit] In popular culture
[edit] Books
Border Patrol by Alvin Edward Moore
The Border Patrol by Deborah Wells Salter
EWI: Entry Without Inspection (Title 8 U.S.C. § 1325 Improper entry by alien) by Fortuna Testarona Valiente
Tracks in the Sand: A Tale of the Border Patrol by Kent E Lundgren,
On The Line: Inside the U.S. Border Patrol by Alex Pacheco and Erich Krauss
Patrolling Chaos: The U.S. Border Patrol in Deep South Texas by Robert Lee Maril
The U.S. Border Patrol: Guarding the Nation (Blazers) by Connie Collwell Miller
My Border Patrol Diary: Laredo, Texas by Dale Squint
Holding the Line: War Stories of the U.S. Border Patrol by Gerald Schumacher
The Border Patrol Ate My Dust by Alicia Alarcon, Ethriam Cash Brammer, and Ethriam Cash Brammer de Gonzales
The Border: Exploring the U.S.-Mexican Divide by David J. Danelo
Beat The Border: An Insider’s Guide To How The U.S. Border Works And How To Beat It by Ned Beaumont
West of the Moon: A Border Patrol Agent’s Tale by D. B. Prehoda
The Journey: U.S. Border Patrol & the Solution to the Illegal Alien Problem by Donald R. Coppock
Border patrol: With the U.S. Immigration Service on the Mexican boundary, 1910-54 by Clifford Alan Perkins
Border Patrol: How U.S. Agents Protect Our Borders from Illegal Entry by Carroll B. Colby
In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America’s Border and Security by Tom Tancredo
[edit] Film
Border Patrolman, a 1936 film in which a Border Patrolman Bob Wallace, played by George O’Brien, resigns in protest after being humiliated by the spoiled granddaughter of a millionaire.
Border Patrol, a 1943 film starring William C. Boyd, Andy Clyde, George Reeves, and Robert Mitchum
Borderline, a 1950 film noir starring Fred MacMurray about drug smuggling across the U.S./Mexico border
Border Patrol, a 1959 syndicated television series, starring Richard Webb as the fictitious deputy chief of the U.S. Border Patrol
Borderline, a 1980 movie starring Charles Bronson about a Border Patrol Agent on the U.S./Mexico border
The Border, a 1982 film starring Jack Nicholson
El Norte, a 1983 film portraying Central American Indian peasants traveling to the United States.
Flashpoint, a 1984 film starring Kris Kristofferson
Last Man Standing, a 1996 film starring Bruce Willis and Ken Jenkins as Texas Ranger Captain Tom Pickett who is investing the killing of an unnamed Immigration Inspector (played by Larry Holt) across the border in Mexico.
Men in Black, a 1997 science fiction comedy action film starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith and Vincent D’Onofrio. The Border Patrol was portrayed as Immigration Inspectors
The Gatekeeper, a 2002 film by John Carlos Frey about the struggles of migrants at the Mexican/US border.
The Shepherd: Border Patrol, a 2007 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme
Linewatch, a 2008 film starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., as a Border Patrol agent defending his family from a group of Los Angeles gang members involved in the illegal trade of importing narcotics into the United States.
[edit] Documentaries
Border Patrol: American’s Gatekeepers A&E with former United States Attorney General Janet Reno
Investigative Reports: Border Patrol: America’s Gatekeepers A&E Investigates
History the Enforcers : Border Patrol History Channel
[edit] See also
Border Protection Personnel
United States portal
Law enforcement/Law enforcement topics portal
List of United States federal law enforcement agencies
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Border control
Ignacio Ramos
Illegal immigration
H.R. 4437
Minuteman Project
MQ-9 Reaper
No More Deaths
Office of CBP Air
United States Mexico barrier
United States-Canadian Border
la migra
[edit] References
^ "Reinstatements to the northern border". CPB.gov. US Customs and Border Protection. 2008-05-19. www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/border_patrol/reinsta…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/border_patrol/border_…
^ a b c d e f "Boarder Patrol overview". CPB.gov. US Customs and Boarder Protection. 2008-08-22. www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/border_patrol/border_…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ a b "Who we are and what we do". CPB.gov. US Customs and Boarder Protection. 2008-09-03. www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/border_patrol/who_we_…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ Gaynor, Tim (2008-01-23). "U.S. turns to horses to secure borders". Reuters. www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSN2323280820080124…. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
^ www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/border_security/border_patro…[dead link]
^ Nuñez-Neto, Blas (2006-010-25) (PDF). Border security: The role of the U.S. Border Patrol. Congressional Research Service. p. 35. digital.library.unt.edu/govdocs/crs//data/2006/upl-meta-c…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ Coyle, Marcia (2008-03-03). "Waivers for border fence challenged: Environmental groups take their complaints to Supreme Court". The Recorder.
^ Archibold, Randal C. (2008-04-02). "Government issues waiver for fencing along border". New York Times. www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/us/02fence.html. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
^ "Conservation groups call for an immediate halt to construction of border fence in San Pedro National Conservation Area". US Newswire. 2007-10-05.
^ Gordon, David George (May 2000). "A ‘grande’ dispute". National Geographic World: p. 4.
^ Cohn, Jeffrey P. (2007). "The environmental impacts of a border fence". BioScience 57 (1): 96. doi:10.1641/B570116. www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1641/B570116. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "Expansive border fence stirs fights over land". Tell Me More. NPR. 2008-03-03.
^ 2007 State of the Border Patrol video[dead link]
^ a b "FAQs: Working for the Border Patrol-basic training". CPB.gov. US Customs and Boarder Protection. 2008-05-29. www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/careers/customs_careers/border_career…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ Spagat, Elliot (2007-08-16). "Border Patrol uniform gets first makeover since the 1950s". North County Times. www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/08/17/news/sandiego/18_64_3…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "Border Patrol Inspector Theodore L. Newton Jr.". The Officer Down Memorial Page. www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=9933. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "Border Patrol Inspector George F. Azrak". The Officer Down Memorial Page. www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=1368. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ Rostien, Arthur H. (2005-06-09). "Border Patrol horses get special feed that helps protect desert ecosystem". Environmental News Network. www.enn.com/top_stories/article/1731. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "United States Department of Homeland Security – Customs and Border Protection – Border Patrol". The Officer Down Memorial Page. www.odmp.org/agency/4830-united-states-department-of-home…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ Meyers, Jim (2008-08-06). "Mexican troops cross border, hold border agent". Newsmax.com. newsmax.com/insidecover/mexican_troops_border/2008/08/06/…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "Glenn Beck: Ramos & Compean – the whole story". The Glenn Beck Program. Premiere Radio Networks. 2008-07-29. www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/196/13098/. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". Ramos-Compean. ramos-compean.blogspot.com/. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "2 Border Patrol agents face 20 years in prison". WorldDailyNet. 2006-08-07. www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51417. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "Ramos and Campean – court appeal". www.scribd.com/doc/219384/Ramos-and-Campean-Court-Appeal. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ (Google video) The illegal immigration invasion. October Sun Films. 2006-04-06. video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1451035544403625746. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ Jesus A. Trevino (1998). "Border violence against illegal immigrants and the need to change the border patrol’s current complaint review process" (PDF). Houston Journal of International Law 21 (1): 85–114. ISSN 0194-1879. www.hjil.org/ArticleFiles/21_1_10.pdf. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ United States of America: Human rights concerns in the border region with Mexico. Amnesty International. 1998-05-19. web.amnesty.org/library/Index/engAMR510031998. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ Huspek, Michael; Roberto Martinez, and Leticia Jimenez (1998). "Violations of human and civil rights on the U.S.-Mexico border, 1995 to 1997: a report" (Reprint). Social Justice 25 (2). ISSN 1043-1578. findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3427/is_n2_v25/ai_n28711…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
The data compiled in this report suggest that law enforcement in the southwest region of the United States may be verging on lawlessness. This statement receives fuller support from announcements emanating from the INS. In December 1997, John Chase, head of the INS Office of Internal Audit, announced at a press conference that public complaints to the INS had risen 29% from 1996, with the "vast majority" of complaints emanating from the southwest border region. Over 2,300 complaints were filed in 1997 as opposed to the 1,813 complaints filed in 1996. Another 400 reports of "minor misconduct" were placed in a new category. Chase was quick to emphasize, however, that the 243 "serious" allegations of abuse and use of excessive force that could warrant criminal prosecution were down in 1997, as compared with the 328 in 1996. These "serious" cases are considered to be distinct from less serious complaints, such as "verbal abuse, discrimination, extended detention without cause.

^ June 23, 2005 "Border agent accused of hiding an illegal entrant". Arizona Daily Star. 2005-06-23. www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/81082.php June 23, 2005. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "Border agent pleads guilty to harboring illegal entrant". Arizona Daily Star. 2005-09-22. www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/94491.php. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ a b "U.S. border agent indicted". Arizona Daily Star. 2005-03-11. www.azstarnet.com/sn/border/65117.php. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ a b "Boarder agent said to also be smuggler". SignOnSanDiego.com. Union-Tribune Publishing. 2005-08-05. www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/tijuana/20050805-9999-…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ Spagat, Elliot (2006-07-28). "Border agent gets 5 years for smuggling". The Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/28/…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
^ "About NBPC". National Border Patrol Council. 2008-08-14. www.nbpc.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&a…. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
[edit] External links
Official US Border Patrol website
US Border Patrol history
National Border Patrol Strategy(PDF)
Border Patrol official recruiting page
Border Patrol Supervisor’s Association (BPSA)
Border Patrol agents killed in the line of duty
Large Border Patrol site
Border Patrol Museum official site
National Border Patrol Council official site
National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers
Friends of the Border Patrol
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding the U.S. Border Patrol
Civilian Border Patrol Organizations: An Overview and History of the Phenomenon by the Congressional Research Service.
Border Patrol hiring forums and information for potential agents
National Border Patrol Museum
Pictures of Border Patrol vehicles
Crossing Guards in Training LA Times report on Border Patrol training.
The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration
Border Patrol unofficial Auxiliary NOT a Government Agency and not affiliated with the federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
[edit] External Video
Border Stories
[edit] GAO and OIG Reports
GAO Report: Border Patrol – Southwest Border Enforcement Affected by Mission Expansion and Budget August 1992
GAO Report: Border Control – Revised Strategy is Showing Some Positive Results December 1994
g96065.pdf GAO Report: Border Patrol – Staffing and Enforcement Activities March 1996
GAO Report: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – Southwest Border Strategy Results Inconclusive; More Evaluation Needed December 1997
USDOJ OIG Report: Operation Gatekeeper July 1998
GAO Report: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION – Status of Southwest Border Strategy Implementation 1999
GAO Report: Border Patrol Hiring December 1999
GAO Report: Southwest Border Strategy – Resource and Impact Issues Remain After Seven Years August 2001
National Border Patrol Strategy March 2005
GAO Report: Effectiveness of Border Patrol Checkpoints July 2005
DHS OIG Report: An Assessment of the Proposal to Merge Customs and Border Protection with Immigration and Customs Enforcement November 2005
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