“Let us assume that, for whatever reason, you have decided to begin making reasonable and prudent arrangements so that if you choose to, or if circumstances make it necessary, you can live self-sufficiently, relying completely for your survival upon yourself, whatever inner strength you are in touch with, your natural environment and your skills. Your first consideration will probably be finding a safe place — a personal haven.
Obviously, the location you choose should afford an environment which is not hostile to life; the climate should provide a reasonably long growing season and not be excessively demanding on you physically. Look for an area with sparse population and determine that you will be far enough away from major metropolitan centers so that you will be less likely to be intruded upon if civil disorders should occur. Conspicuous farms in well-known food-producing areas should be avoided since they would be target areas for looters during a crisis, but make certain that your safe place has abundant water, plant and animal food, fuel, and raw materials for constructing shelter.
Depending upon how seriously you are concerned and how safe you want to be, you may want to build and stock hidden storage facilities for food and supplies, and, possibly, a dwelling, as soon as you can after you acquire the property.” – Mel Tappan, from his book Survival Guns