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Yes, it sure is crazy. The whole concept didn't start out like that...back in the day, everyone pitched in to help others build their homes. It became an actual community of people who lived off-grid, with individual and cooperative food planning. Check out that guy's website...people have their homes built for them now, then sell to those who have the $$, and are looking for "an experience." (I just don't remember the guy's name).
Maybe you could build a home, but I doubt that I could pull it off without a whole lot of help. I've seen "fixer", traditional abobe homes (albeit, very small ones) under $100,000 in the foothills up north which were around 100 yrs old, and which were quite capable of being completely off-grid. I like the independence factor of being able to go off-grid if necessary.
While one still needs to work and have an income ambitions can be somewhat stiffled! And Gunluvver2 has a good point about all of this - if one needs med. help, young or old, living way out in the sticks is not really the best plan.
If the SHTF, there won't be any place to run and hide...we're all going down with the ship! But, I'm still looking forward to my54ford's survival manual.. ~
Yeah, I've read about the earthship homes and that community before. It was supposed to be affordable, self-sufficient, low impact, etc., but they've drifted a bit from some of those ideals.
As I said adobe is excellent in the Southwest. It was popular so long because it's a reasonably good insulator in the hot climate, and with it so dry most of the time it holds up well enough. 100 years ago there really was no grid so obviously the homes could go off the grid again, with some effort. Adobe is easier to work with than the logs I'll be working with, but I can understand needing some help, building a home is quite a bit of work...
Healthcare is the major negative to living far from any cities. It's not going to deter me though. True it's risky, and one bad accident can kill me so far from help, but I'm willing to accept that risk. If TSHTF and I'm on my land in AK, I think I'll be "okay," not perfect but okay. I'll be far enough away from the masses of people down here, I'll have the resources to survive (except for medical resources obviously if something comes up).
One of the issues with that is there would be a heavy reliance on these resources. There is huge population of deer in Pennsylvania but that wasn't the case always as they were over hunted. The only reason its so big is because its managed. There's also a huge population of hunters and they cull a significant amount of the herd every year in a very short hunting season.
The same thing goes for the river I live near, apparently a hundred years ago the river was teeming with fish. I've seen pictures of fisherman with stringers of muskellunge from back then with sizes that simply do not exist today and I'd be lucky to catch one of those fish of any larger size in my lifetime. All over fished and the population was decimated and never recovered to those levels.
Yep, without the regulations controlling hunting now, because of the population and pressure on the resources, the game in most of the U.S. would be gone quick. The population density is too high, and there has been too much development, in most parts of the U.S. to be supported by the wildlife. It'll work in the real low population areas but probably not elsewhere.
Yep, without the regulations controlling hunting now, because of the population and pressure on the resources, the game in most of the U.S. would be gone quick. The population density is too high, and there has been too much development, in most parts of the U.S. to be supported by the wildlife. It'll work in the real low population areas but probably not elsewhere.
THis past weekend was deer firearm opener something like 80k deer were harvested in the whole state They wouldn't last long if it was open season....Lucky thing pigs will eat meat! we're going to feed 'em the bodies of all you city slickers that die on the barricades....CHAPTER 6
One of the issues with that is there would be a heavy reliance on these resources. There is huge population of deer in Pennsylvania but that wasn't the case always as they were over hunted. The only reason its so big is because its managed. There's also a huge population of hunters and they cull a significant amount of the herd every year in a very short hunting season.
The same thing goes for the river I live near, apparently a hundred years ago the river was teeming with fish. I've seen pictures of fisherman with stringers of muskellunge from back then with sizes that simply do not exist today and I'd be lucky to catch one of those fish of any larger size in my lifetime. All over fished and the population was decimated and never recovered to those levels.
Yes I realize this. And I raise and breed my own pigs, turkeys, geese, ducks, chickens, rabbits, vegetables, blueberries, etc. So for me, certainly, I am not going to run into any crisis. I can't even call the deer I take each year hunting. They come down to the pig's pen looking for grain so they are an easy take. But I usually only take one to two a year. My point simply being that I don't see food as ever being an issue.
When I was in upstate New York I noticed that deer there were .... infestuous. They are a smaller breed but considered quite a nuisance. In my area it is my understanding that at present we have an overpopulation but I'm sure the season will take care of that.
What are your suggestions say, if all county/city services were cut off for a lengthy period of time, what sources (heating sources, modes of transportation, stockpiles of food, etc) would you gather? I am referring to the vast majority of the population who live in urban areas.
What would you do if your task were to prepare for a possible grid failure, or what have you aleady done?
I haven't read this entire topic.
I live in a small rural town with a big lot. I have chickens and a milk goat but if for some reason I became unable to obtain their feed, it would be rough. The goat can live on weeds, but the chickens would be a difficult problem.
For us people, I am stockpiling water, beans, rice, etc.
We have some alternative stoves: a hobo stove that burns anything, a military field stove that burns denatured alcohol or sterno fuel, and a coleman stove.
We have kerosene lamps, and going to try to get some solar lights.
We're experienced at canning our own food, and if the electricity goes off for more than a few days, we'll try to can stuff out of the freezers (we're going to start canning some of that stuff anyway).
I'm not really as prepared as I would like, but working on it all the time.
Depends on the city, I suppose. I'm in Jacksonville Florida in the Deep South - nearly everyone is armed here - city and country folks - so we're on an even playing field with arms. Who does and doesn't have a good stock of ammo is another story and that would play a factor in our hypothetical situation .
Florida is about the LAST place I would want to live when TEOTWAWKI hits.. Hot humid temp, WAY over populated, gun happy foreigners, on a penisula with everyone wanting to head north to escape... NO WAY!!!...lol Those that have guns w/o supplies are going to rampage those that do after they riot all stores and businesses first.. So why would I want to live in a city?.. Close to other people? Seems like out in the country far away from outsiders but with a closenit extended family would be the only way to go.
Self-sufficiency dreams can come true with determination and persistence, with one of the best "shortcuts" being long conversations with Depression-era and World War II oldsters in your community. Most will welcome the opportunity to describe what farm living entailed and will be happy to share their stories and offer advice.
A second goldmine of information specific to your community is your local county Extension Service. Experts can provide soil testing, water testing, crop advice, small-animal husbandry techniques, and endless seminars, brochures, and online resources.
Lastly, Google "survivalist forums" and you will find a range of discussion groups composed of every type of "prepper" from gun nuts to hippie permaculturalists to tinfoil-hat-wearing conspiracy freaks. The differences in their approaches to self-sufficiency will help solidify the best approach and plans for your specific area and personal situation.
Everyone would do well to remember that any breakdown in our "Just-in-Time" national distribution system will make believers out of the most skeptical THE HARD WAY. An ounce of prevention here truly will be worth a pound of cure. Learn, plan, and take action while you can.
One of the biggest obstacles to self-sufficiency in this current recession/depression is not having the resources or capital to claim a space of your own. Having control of your own living space is paramount, but yet, far-flung for many of us.
Real estate prices can be the biggest obstacle, that's certainly true. I realized years ago I could never afford to stay in Vermont...a move to a state 5,000 miles away comes with its own set of obstacles too though.
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But, I'm still looking forward to my54ford's survival manual..
~
