Category: Retreat Architecture

Mobile Choices for Survival Retreats by T.D.

Our family lives full time in our camping trailer and have found out there would be many advantages to keeping one in any situation. I am not talking the big 5th wheel or the ones with a motor, just a plain travel trailer [with a traditional vehicle hitch]. Our trailer is 27 feet long and weighs in at 9,500 lbs empty and almost 11,000 lbs full. It is a bunkhouse model and can sleep up to 11 people. It has a 40 gallon fresh water tank, 40 gallon black water tank (waste) and a 40 gallon gray water tank (drain …


Gardening and Seed Saving, by Carolyn W.

I see some people making choices that concern me because these choices may cause them problems if they really have to survive on the food supplies that they have stored for TEOTWAWKI. I am no great expert, but my husband and I have been concerned about the possibilities of having an economic disruption since the early 1970s when a friend let us borrow some tapes by Robert Preston. We have learned quite a bit, but still have a long way to go. If this article can at least encourage people to actually try to grow a garden and save seeds …


Three Letters Re: Advice on Sources for Sandbags and Sandbag Filler

Jim: Here is a very low cost supplier of new-manufacture “poly” sandbags: eSandbags.com. Regards, – TinCan   Mr. Rawles, Here in Ohio, (and other places, I suspect), the feed stores formerly bought back used feed bags for 50 cents a piece. They no longer do. (If a used bag got bugs while on the farm, the bugs ended up going back to the mill.) All those good, heavy, plastic weave bags are now being thrown away. For those of us wanting cheap or free sand bags, just ask farms and stables on your area to save them for you. – …


Letter Re: Advice on Sources for Sandbags and Sandbag Filler

Mr. Rawles, You mention about mass and the wisdom in buying sand bags stating ‘they are cheap’. I guess that is relative to ‘something’. I can not find them for less then $2.50 each and that is empty. Have you priced sand lately? Where we live (midwest) it is not cheap. You would need a huge pile of it to fill enough sandbags to do much good for any purpose. So, am I missing something here? Maybe I do not understand the ‘sandbag theory’. Please advise. Thanks, – Polly JWR Replies: In the U.S. there are several good sources for …


Letter Re: The Afghan Walled Courtyard Design for Retreat Architecture

James, My daily internet traipsing brought me across a photoset of Afghan walled compounds. It seems that the basic unit of Afghan country life is the extended family, all of whom live within a 12 foot walled compound. Since Afghanistan has lacked real sovereignty for centuries, this seems to be the logical endpoint of the evolution of retreat/farms. Note that they are not unlike the early spanish missions in the American Southwest. – Isaac R.


On Rural Retreat Safety and Secrecy, by E.I.D.

A major worry for many urbanites considering maintaining a rural retreat is their ability to, from a distance, ensure the secrecy and security of their property. Many of us cannot afford a full time retreat-sitter, and must use other legal methods to ensure the security of our property and supplies in both grid-up and grid-down scenarios. First, county roads running to or through your property are always a liability. I set my retreat as far back off of the gravel county road as possible by clearing my own road, with the help of friends, through thick pine forest. My road …


The Summer Kitchen, by Boltlady

Reality set in when I received a copy of JWR’s novel “Patriots” from my sister. I was hooked. I could see not only the possibility, but the likelihood of what could happen. The sheer realization of how pitifully unprepared I was for any type of disaster launched me into high gear. I organized the bug-out-bags, bought the camo & the ammo, and stocked an emergency medical kit. You know the drill. But now that the basic preparations are in place and the panic has subsided, my thoughts have turned to the retreat. What does happen when the world as we …


Letter Re: Remote Rural Retreats Versus Living in a Small Town

Dear Jim: I found an interesting article that argues against a remote, rural retreat for an urbanite. He reasons: 1. local kids with time on their hands will sniff out your retreat in their exploring 2. Any road to your place will get checked out eventually by kids, a utility employee, a hunter, etc., etc. 3. A remote place gives a thief all the time in the world to break into a cabin or recreational vehicle, pre-disaster. 4. When you are at a retreat, post-disaster, you are on the defense, the offense (potential looters) gets to choose the time of …


Letter Re: Thoughts on Static Retreat Defense

Mr Rawles, Before I start, I must congratulate you on your remarkable and down to earth approach to informing your audience of both the practical ins-and-outs and theory of preparedness. I’m a mid-20s town planner with a minor in building design, living in Western Australia. I share many of the same concerns regarding the status and direction of society as your audience. I came across your site in the last four months, and have then spent a great deal of time searching your archives. I recently ordered your “Rawles on Retreats and Relocation” book, and await it eagerly. My town …


After 10 Years–Some Observations and Lessons Learned by a Y2K-Era Prepper

It was June, 1998. Y2K was a salient topic of conversation. It got my attention. When the electricity went off and there would be no water to drink, and no fuel to move food to the JIT grocery stores, I could see things getting very ugly. I had been willing to fight for this nation as a member of the US Army. Now it was time to fight for my household. I bought a Springfield Armory M1A. I bought a safe to store it in. I bought another M1A (for the spousal unit of course!) I bought ammo. Lots of …


Letter Re: The Northwestern US as a Retreat Locale–the Downwind Issues

Hello; We are on board with what is coming. Regarding location, my concern for the Idaho and Montana areas are the Yellowstone caldera – should it have a massive eruption and being downwind from the Seattle area should there be a nuke attack there. What are your thoughts, please? Thank you – John JWR Replies: All of Idaho is upwind of Yellowstone except for during the most unusual weather conditions. Ditto for any parts of Montana where you would likely want to live. This is because anywhere that is east (downwind) of Yellowstone is also potentially downwind of the Montana …


Letter Re: EcoBeam Construction for Ballistic Protection

Hi Mr. Rawles, I read your reply reharding “EcoBeam Construction for Ballistic Protection”. Three years ago, a friend of mine and I shot a concrete wall until we made a nice size hole in it. This was just to see how much small arms fire it could take. [We used handguns.] Here is a web page I made about it with photos. Readers will get a idea what you meant about sand and and gravel being better at stopping small arms fire than even reinforced concrete. Take care, – Wes


Letter Re: Advanced Medical Training and Facilities for Retreat Groups

Mr. Rawles, Last month I wrote to SurvivalBlog about what do one would do medically in TEOTWAWKI, when all systems are down. I had received three very good replies, and have ben thinking about what was said. I want to thank those people for their valued replies. Now, I have more questions and concerns. From what I’ve read concerning medical advice leaves me wondering. All of the advice given has stated to get a good quality Field Surgical Kit, and two books: “Emergency War Surgery”; and, “Where there is no Doctor”. Then these articles went on to [imply that] when …


Letter Re: EcoBeam Construction for Ballistic Protection

Mr. Rawles, I recently stumbled upon a magazine article highlighting a new home construction technique for people living in some of the most impoverished lands of Africa. It’s called EcoBeam. The system uses very little lumber or concrete and gains most of it’s structural support from sandbags. Since the walls are essentially stacks of sand bags it has great mass (read: it will hold up in adverse weather conditions – doesn’t require a foundation) and has anti-ballistic properties. Since the bulk of the structure is sand and sand bags little if any heavy equipment is needed to build it . …


From David in Israel: Peace Corps Remote Area Development Guide Available Online

I have finally found one of my favorite books available as a PDF. This Peace Corps Remote Areas Development Guide is just what anyone would need to jump start a agricultural settlement and everything else the small town would need. Unfortunately the [photo reproduction] quality [of the PDF file] is low, I have packed my hard copy of this practical pocket guide with me for many years from my college Bugout Bag to here in Israel.