What are your plans for the meltdown? (homes, snow, property)
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Since my younger years, I've watched my area go from a primarily rural/small town setting to urban sprawl. I'm looking to get out soon. It's not because I'm convinced it's all going to blow up tomorrow. I don't like the city anyway and prefer rural or small town living. And, yes, I'm AM convinced that survivability would have improved odds in a small town/rural setting if something bad did happen.
I've been looking at/researching different areas for a couple of years. It's getting to the point I feel I really need to get my butt in gear now and do it. I just haven't decided on which of the several areas I have in mind would be best. Originally, it was just "where I would most like to live." Now it's more along the lines of which area would have the best resources to sustain life and which would I best be able to handle nature/climate/etc possibly without all the modern conveniences.
There are some very sparsely settled areas fairly close to me in western Utah/eastern Nevada, but they are mostly barren desert (which is a challenging setting with hardly any water except for a few natural springs here and there, plus I have a hard time with really hot weather). I've looked into the UP Michigan area (beautiful and lots of hunting/fishing, but the growing season there is so short). I've looked at northern Maine (it’s so far from me and I’m a bit worried about the denser population of the east coast). Looked into Montana and northeastern Washington (land prices are out of my league for the most part). More and more, I've been drawn to the Midwest, specifically northwestern South Dakota (land prices are low, you can grow things, and it is sparsely populated) or North Dakota. To tell the truth, I’d like it a little greener, but you can’t have everything.
So... the main thing for me if the SHTF would be to be away from big cities and in a place that one can grow food/hunt/gather wild plants/hold a good stock of supplies that won’t be stolen/own a firearm or two without everyone crying like babies about it.
... I've looked at northern Maine (it’s so far from me and I’m a bit worried about the denser population of the east coast). ...
LOL
Lots of folk do that.
Yes the East coast does have some huge population centers.
Don't confuse that with Maine.
If [when] things fall apart the population of NYC is not going to march for a week North to find Maine.
They simply can not make it this far.
And why should they even try North?
We are 'cold'
The 'snow-belt' protects Maine. Everyone East of the Great Lakes gets blasted with lots of snow, from the snow-belt. So they 'know' that going North is only going to mean more snow.
Corn cobs will fill up an outhouse much faster than catalog pages.
I the olden times there were no/little outhouses in the olden South (not sure about North), olden people just went to designated corners of the woods thus recycling nutrients , that's what I call environmentally friendly.
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Then consider the family. Are everybody's dental needs up to date. Have YOU ever extracted a tooth with no anesthetic?
No need to extract, it may hurt but nature is not that cruel, in the worst case tooth nerve will disintegrate in 3+ days thus stopping the pain (for that tooth) forever.
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Do you have meds for several months for family members on maintenance meds? What about other supplies such as disposable contact lenses, spare glasses for everybody?
Seriously, I'm not quite sure what you are preparing yourself for. A sneeze like disruption of flow of goods and services at the end of which Wal-Marts will open their doors wide for eager customers? Meds for several months, sounds you are preparing for an extended boyscout trip Even if it's for several years, it doesn't make a difference. If you feel that the end is near, learn to live as though the end is here, stockpiling meds will not cut it
No need to extract, it may hurt but nature is not that cruel, in the worst case tooth nerve will disintegrate in 3+ days thus stopping the pain (for that tooth) forever.
Infections from bad teeth can spread to the rest of the body, threatening your life. Nature is that cruel, sometimes...I've had a toothache (possibly an abscessed tooth) all weekend, and am on penicillin now because of that danger...going to the dentist today to see what needs to be done to the tooth...
Supply disruptions can occur for a variety of reasons, but a supply disruption is not the sort of silly "meltdown" people are talking about on this thread. Nor are people talking about war time events...
I think you're splitting hairs. Whether you call it a meltdown or a "supply disruption" it's about the same as far as the effects on people...those prepared will generally get through it okay, the unprepared may or may not get through it...
No need to extract, it may hurt but nature is not that cruel, in the worst case tooth nerve will disintegrate in 3+ days thus stopping the pain (for that tooth) forever.
Being somewhat hard-headed with medical matters, I tried this out a few years back--just let nature do it's thing. You're right (assuming the infection doesn't get really bad), the nerve dies. However... I was not aware that the body was capable of generating that intense level of pain. Took maybe five days. Nights were worst. I hardly slept. During the days, the pain mellowed a little bit, but not much. I was nearly unable to function. Truthfully the pain was so intense, I thought it might kill me or send me permanently insane. (maybe it did ) I won't try that experiment again. The next time that happened I went to the dentist...
Bottom line is: don’t try this at home unless you’re up for some REALLY horrible pain. It makes a broken bone, etc... into child’s play. Seriously.
I got my pension, bought land way out rural alongside a river. And started organic farming.
No mortgage.
We produce eggs, mutton, garlic, ginseng, maple syrup and veggies.
In a few years it will be apple cider, and an assortment of nuts.
This area has a lot of wild turkey, deer and moose. A few fish in the river.
And very low taxes.
I am with 'ya BeeKeeper. Currently looking for spot with other family members and looking to hit it and git it. East Verde River area in northern Arizona looks promising. And Oh, 1)Freeze dried food supply (lasts 5-20 years, not 18 months like cans), 2) guns and AMMO!, 3) some small denominations of gold coins (pre-1933) 4) generator, 5) water supply and purification items - not necessarily in that order.
Last edited by Xanga; 11-02-2009 at 10:36 AM..
Reason: Wrong area
I am with 'ya BeeKeeper. Currently looking for spot with other family members and looking to hit it and git it. East Verde River area in northern Arizona looks promising.
Different folks look for different things.
I really do not like drought, so for me I wanted regions that never go without water.
But hey, anywhere that has cheap land and low taxes.
If you look around you can find land that is available for under $400 an acre, in areas where taxes are low too.
Around here woodlots cost around $1.05 per acre each year for taxes. 100 acres = $105 annual taxes.
I have seen land in my travels that was being marketed for homesteading and the annual taxes were $1,000 an acre.
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... And Oh, 1)Freeze dried food supply (lasts 5-20 years, not 18 months like cans),
Yeah, we have freeze dried. I keep having to replace gaskets and hoses though. It is a pain, but it works.
It does store real good.
Our real problem with freeze-dried is that if power goes down for long-term than our chest freezer will be down and my compressor will be down. So suddenly your stuck with only the stuff that you have previous freeze-dried before the SHTF.
We also have this desiccant that changes color. It goes red when it has absorbed humidity and blue when it is 'dry'. I have a few drums filled with grains that have desiccant sealed inside. Sucking the moisture out of the grain helps to keep the grain much longer.
And the desiccant is re-useable. In fact all the desiccant I am using now has already been used twice before. A long slow bake and the red desiccant turns blue again. Ready to be used again and again.
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... 2) guns and AMMO!,
Shhh
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... 3) some small denominations of gold coins (pre-1933)
If you beleive in it, great.
Not everyone does. My family has had gold, but then it was confiscated.
And our nation does have the habit of confiscating gold.
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... 4) generator,
They tend to consume fuel.
For long-term usage you would need a LOT of fuel.
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... 5) water supply and purification items - not necessarily in that order.
Yeah well by avoiding areas that experience droughts it does help with availability of water.
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OK, THAT's my plan!
