Retreat Owner Profiles

your advice! It is a beautiful area, far enough away from the big cities to be safe, and fairly self-sufficient. JWR: What are the drawbacks to the region? Mr. Zulu: There is a state prison on the west side of town. And the economy isn’t too diverse. Its mainly government employees, plus some logging. It seems like half of the people in the area work either for the Forest Service, the County [Clearwater County], the [Federal] Fish Hatchery, the BLM, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the [Nez Perce] Tribe, the State [Mental] Hospital, or the [Idaho State] Prison. If the government dries up and blows away, there will be a lot of people with no way to support their families. So in a total wipeout, this area would be sub-optimal. But in a 1930s-style long term Depression it would be ideal, since the government payrolls would still be almost intact…




OPSEC Problems for Preppers, by The Lone Canadian

…times after a catastrophie and the daughter’s boyfriend was not like minded and invited undesirables to also come to the property and had no opsec. Things didn’t work so well for that family because of one person that wasn’t like minded and didn’t share the same values. Even though it was a novel it was a good cautionary tale. Prayer and faith in The Lord gives me strength and courage to face what may come. May God bless you and all the other members of this virtual group of like minded people. Mark Would it have killed you to say “unswerving faith in ‘God'”? John of Glenelg Great piece. Living in a rural area, it’s critical to scan your area for the positive (value-add) people and the negative. There are often well established people in an area that are more likely to become a high risk in a crisis. These…




Establishing a Community of Like-Minded People, by P.S. in Virginia

…to do them differently. I found what works the best for me in finding like minded people is to stick around my own age group. People who grew up in the mid 50s to mid 70s are a prime target. People who understand what it was like to work hard for a living and realizing that things are not just given to you but you had to earn them. I think modern technology is great but it is also going to be our undoing in the long run. There is some merit to grow up using your imagination as a child for entertaining yourself than finding it in a video game. As kids growing up and playing Army out in the woods, we were learning how to build forts, set up defenses , working together as a team and forming strategies without even knowing it. When finding like minded people




Rural Land for an Urban Prepper, by J.D.

…should have said, “In 2005 I left a beautiful quiet rural town in Southern California and returned to Montana, because …” ~~>’I like to work!!!’ Me, GGHD, = Living way out in the boonies requires working most of the time. [And yes, I have lived on a farm; for only two years] … People out in the country just seem to Eat, Sleep and Work. When they’re are NOT working, they’re walking somewhere to start working at a new project. The Redoubt Region has some safe spots near towns and cities, where people can watch television, fish all day or just relax a bit more. … Some people (like me) were raised as a City-Man, and just can’t keep up with a Country Raised Man or Woman. … +What makes America such a great country; a lot of people like to work diligently! = God Bless America! ****** ****** 2….




OPSEC and the Dangers of People You Thought Were Like-Minded, by R.S.O. in Arizona

…pertain to our current profession and which ones we like. He starts talking about the television show Preppers and how he thinks it’s a good idea so he’s trying to stalk up on ammo but with the current state of things it’s difficult. Again I start to get that happy felling of finding another like-minded person. Then the conversation from earlier that week flashes to the front of my mind. So I tell him I have about 400 rounds of this so I can practice for re-qualification later this year and 100 rounds of that just to have around and a few .22 LR around. I seriously down played the amount on purpose trying to feel the waters. Then he comes out and says he just wants enough so he can go take more ammo and food from other people he knows that are stalking up. What did I just…




America’s Gun Grabbers Have Accelerated the Mass Exodus to The American Redoubt

…are perfect, but Middle Tennessee is a very practical alternative to the Mountain West Redoubt for all the reasons they adroitly stated. The Cumberland Plateau area of the Appalachian Redoubt is particularly attractive for many homesteaders and preparedness-minded folks seeking a secure, practical retreat location. Real estate pricing remains very reasonable on the Plateau and decent agricultural or forested lands are plentiful. OPSEC-minded sellers appear to avoid the commercial MLS and other Realtor sites, so you’ll probably need to look for unique DIY websites that are becoming more common. Survivalblog archives have several good articles on what to look for. And don’t discount the possibility of finding an aging Boomer family (without like-minded heirs) selling their existing off grid retreat as aging takes its inevitable toll. Tennessee has a lot to offer for self-sufficiency-minded homesteaders; it’s not a bunch of rednecks and porch goobers as some would have you believe….




Finding Like-Minded People in Your Area

I’m often asked: “How do I find people in my area that share my interest in preparedness?” When recruiting for a retreat group, or if you are considering joining an existing one, proceed with appropriate OPSEC precautions, extensive background/reference checks, and prayer. To supplement your own extended family, try to find folks with the same religious background and representing a good mix of skills. My novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse” describes some of the specific skills that would be ideal for a group retreat–like a doctor, a mechanic, a machinist/welder, a farmer, a combat veteran, and so on. If you are already living at your intended retreat, it is probably best to recruit locally. If not, then you should probably recruit regionally looking for preparedness-minded people that have the same long-term relocation destination, or at least people with the willingness to be flexible about where they relocate. I recommend…




Guest Article: Strategic Relocation: Are You Missing Out? by Kit Perez

…Traffic/Long commutes Nosy neighbors Inability to become truly sustainable Lack of room for storing preps or other necessities Higher prices and cost of living Draconian HOAs and suburban “beautification” organizations Gun laws Overregulation, ordinances, taxes, levies, and all the related idiocy Wanting to get your kids out of public schools Lack of like-minded attitudes or political/religious ideals Another thing you might be dealing with in your area is the locale’s natural disaster type. Everything is a trade, and while preparing for natural disaster is somewhat the same regardless of where you live, each area has its own specific challenges that you might not be okay with. If you live in an urban or even suburban area, you might also find that you’re having a hard time finding people who believe as you do, whether that be your worldview, politics, or religious belief. Like it or not, harassment is a very…




Countering The Retreat Freeloader Meme, by Caroline B.

…I feel it is my duty to the Lord to be a good steward over the all of blessings that He has placed in my hands. And so… I prep. I “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.” And I invite you to do the same. Here is where I can start helping you: 1. Find like-minded people. If you are in my area, are already my friend or family member, or even if you live an Internet based life, feel free to contact me, befriend me, and share your thoughts, concerns and questions with me. Having like-minded people surrounding you can be encouraging, uplifting, and provide excellent resources in your efforts to meet the challenges ahead. 2. Make a list of what you have, and what you know. You may already possess materials and skills that will be useful for your family’s safety, or provide a valuable…




Letter Re: Finding Like-Minded Folks

…that I live in! (Sorry to be so circumspect , but I ‘ve made solemn promises to family members that I can only mention that I live in TUWS, somewhere west of the Rockies, on the bank of TUR, on a ranch in TUROM. All this dissimulation might seem odd to some readers, but please put yourself in my shoes. We had some odd stalking incidents when we were living at our previous ranch, so when we made or last move we took some unprecedented OPSEC measures. I even have cousins that don’t know where I live. Your situation, feeling unable to link up with other that share your preparedness goals, is fairly typical . See my static web page: Finding Like-Minded People in Your Area. The advice there will probably be very helpful. May God Put You in the Right Place, at the Right Time, with the Right People….




Planning For Success During And After The SHTF- Part 1, by Old Bobbert

…is talking. How to balance OpSec with finding like minded people? I like the suggestion of taking canning classes, first aid classes, etc. Once a Marine… I ask an innocent question, like: What would you do if an ice storm took out the power supply for a week? Other followup questions help me discern someone’s level of awareness. Still looking for folks who are paying attention. Although I have been able to find out several neighbors who have firearms. J.T. This article got me thinking – which makes it good! The more I read and rationalize all that I have read (the facts and fiction) the more I believe in the skills of leadership. In our neighborhood, we likely have 5 of 30 that could assume a strong leadership role, the rest will follow and most will be able to contribute something, and a few will reguire our immediate support….




How To Prep For … Throwing In The Towel- Part 1, by DR in Tennessee

…members are you planning to support at your bug-out location? How many like-minded families have you recruited to come together in defense of your rural lifestyle, if there’s an emergency like never before? Off-Grid Lifestyle A Handful If you’re like some aging preparedness-minded folks, you may be thinking that the labor-intensive off-grid lifestyle of remote retreat living is getting to be a real handful every day. Severe winter months in some locales can really accelerate this thinking. Maybe you’ve been living the retreat life for 15 or 20 years and you know firsthand that it isn’t anything like reality television would have you believe. You know full well the average aging homesteader won’t make it on “Mountain Men.” How long do you intend to be able to pursue off-grid retreat living before you, a) get some live-in help; b) injure yourself and cannot continue with the manual labor routine you’ve…




Letter Re: Finding a Like-Minded Spouse

JWR – I have read through all of your archives, and your Finding Like-Minded People in Your Area [static page]. From a recent personal experience, I thought maybe it might help to note that the site www.FarmersOnly.com is an online dating-type site that caters to: “Farmers, Ranchers, Ag Students and all of Agriculture Horse, Livestock Owners and all Animal Lovers Cowboys, Cowgirls, Rodeo Fans and Country Wannabes” I recently signed up and, unlike the mainstream sites, they give you a three day “try it before you buy it” period. Also, unlike the mainstream sites, their membership fees are reasonable for anyone who is just casually “looking” and can’t justify sacrificing their logistics budget on a $200+ per year subscription. The really impressive part is that by the last day of my three-day trial period I had already met four women who were really into survival and survivalesque activities. One of…




Letter Re: Networking With Like-Minded Individuals

…difficult at best. We have skills to offer, we are rapidly building up our preps and we are studying all we can – but we realize now the need to align ourselves with others who can help us learn and grow and work together if/when the Schumer hits the fan. Do you have any suggestions for us on how we might locate/contact groups in our area (North Texas) who may be looking for members? Thank you for any assistance you can give – and thank you for your book and blog. – Matt W. JWR Replies: I get one or two e-mails like yours every day. They all ask, in essence: “How do I find like-minded people that I can team up with, in my area?” I usually offer two suggestions: 1.) Wear a SurvivalBlog logo T-shirt or hat around town, or on trips to the shooting range and gun…