Category: Retreat Locales

Letter Re: Amish Populations Bugging Out

Mr. Rawles: I saw the response to your link regarding the Amish and I concur. These folks are wonderful and are very good for a community. Where I come from in central Michigan the Amish community makes pallets. Trucks from far and wide go out of their way to come through the area for these high quality pallets. The pallets are just the base of their community. They also run a store that beats everybody, even Wal-Mart, on price. Sure, they don’t sell all that cheap Chinese stuff, but I consider that a plus. I can’t go past the store …


Letter Re: Amish Populations Bugging Out

JWR- Regarding this recently posted link: Amish populations bugging out, gradually heading west, Southwestern Idaho and Eastern Oregon have been under “invasion” for a number of years, mainly by Amish Mennonites – an offshoot of the Old Order Amish. Unlike the other invaders from California and other urban high populations who bring with them all their problems, attitudes and sometimes rudeness, these are good quality people who bring with them many fine qualities, morals and values. They are respectful and genuine. Most are skilled carpenters or have similar “hands-on” skills. While they tend to keep to themselves as far as …


Letter Re: Prospects for Canada in a Societal Collapse?

Hi Jim, I just finished your book, “Patriots”, (had trouble putting it down…), and am wondering if you could further expand your thoughts on what would happen in Canada under the same circumstances. There are only a couple of references made to Canada in your book – global socialist country (I believe it was), and Mary mentioning that they had “liberated Canada” at the end. Obviously I live up here (Southern Alberta), and am currently prepping for TEOTWAWKI. Based your books, what should I be doing different? Or should be aware of? (Other than the outrageous gun controls we have.) …


The Second Wave: Survivalist Turned MZBs, by Dave in Florida

For many years I have been working towards self-reliance. I like to use the older term self-reliant simply because I feel “survivalist” doesn’t describe the lifestyle properly. I don’t intend to just “survive” but “thrive” – would that make me a “thrivalist?” Yes, I know that was a bit corny. In all seriousness, let’s assume you are an average Joe living in perilous times. What I have to say is speaking to a revelation I have had over the recent years based on my over confidence and belief that somehow I was different than the average Joe just because I …


Effects of an EMP Attack or Severe Solar Storm on Nuclear Power Plants, by B.Z.

It is with some trepidation that I write this article, since what I write will be controversial and will alarm some members of the public as well as your readers. Some of my colleagues have urged me not to bring this subject into the open or to even discuss it in public. However, I think the topic is important and needs to be brought to the attention of the public. The issue is the effect that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, or for that matter, even a great geomagnetic storm created by a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, …


Two Retreat Options Without Buying Land, by Brad in Texas

No one has to tell a prepper that land is expensive, and purchasing suitable retreat property without financing it is difficult or impossible for most. Worse yet, as things continue unraveling a rural alternative seems to become more necessary by the day. Here are two seldom-considered options. Option 1: A Retreat May Be Looking For You Country people, who own and live on vast swaths of rural America, are used to dealing with assorted disasters, ranging from crop failure to blizzards to droughts. That makes many of them closet preppers, at a minimum, and some have gone much farther with …


Letter Re: Ecuador’s Uplands as a Retreat Option

Dear Jim: Amid decisions about planning to weather the storm after TSHTF I see people dangerously narrowing their strategy options. They are putting all their eggs in one basket when conditions could require them to abandon those plans. The typical options are flight, fortress, and community and any of the three could wind up being best… or worst! Let me share a few thoughts on the flight option. Flight usually involves bug-out bags, bug-out vehicles, defensive armaments, haste, maybe stealth, with hopefully one or more pre-stocked destinations. But what if a hazard has affected a huge region, making your pre-stocked …


Getting Myself Home to Bug Out, by H. Billy

If the Schumer hits the fan (SHTF) and you’re at work miles away from your home and/or Bug Out Location (BOL) what will you do?  Have you planned your route to get home?  What if it’s not possible to use your route?  Do you have alternate routes?  Getting home to or to your BOL should a SHTF scenario arise will be trying, slow going and stressful enough unless you plan for it properly.  I’m not talking only about physically planning but mentally planning as well.  Giving yourself more options should you need them will hopefully lessen the stress and get …


Seven Letters Re: Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse

James: Some of the arguments made against J.I.R.’s article reminds me of a scene in Gone With the Wind, in which the southern gentry are talking of coming war and Rhett Butler steps in and tells everybody that the North is better equipped for war; and that all they, the southerners, have is “…cotton and dreams of victory.” Obviously this was met with indignation, but Rhett Butler was right. As preppers we are our own group who thinks we are better equipped for “war” and can also be blinded by our own arrogance. Even amongst the prepper/survivalist groups we must …


Six Letters Re: Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse

Jim, As the author of the article being discussed, I would like to address the concerns expressed by “Rocky in the Midwest” This is a good example of the kind of reactions you will undoubtedly run into if you attempt to confiscate someone’s property. He is exactly right and justified in being indignant. He has worked hard and accumulated his property lawfully and has every right to use it as he wishes. Morals aside, confiscating privately owned property not only causes anger and resentment, it’s just a bad idea on many levels. Doing so will destroy your local economy. I …


Four Letters Re: Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse

I read the article on Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse, by J.I.R. and was reminded by an incident that was related to me by several individuals involved, discussed in the local papers, and is well known . In the weeks after Hurricane Katrina, the State of Illinois sent a convoy of trucks and equipment down to help the citizens in New Orleans. This convoy consisted of dump trucks and low-boys carrying backhoes, bulldozers, boats, generators, etc. The convoy also had a half dozen or so tanker trucks full of fuel. The boats were to be used for search and …


Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse, by J.I.R.

I believe that in a severe crisis, most of the problems are going to have to be solved at the local level. State and federal government are too big and dependent on technology to survive a severe crisis once the grid drops and all services start to erode. Local governments, too, are ill prepared to assume this crushing responsibility, but they are much more resilient because their scope of control is smaller. Most of them have never even considered what they would do. This article is a discussion piece to stimulate thought on the subject of small community recovery after …


Letter Re: Day to Day Survival–From the Perspective of a Homeless Man

It may not be TEOTWAWKI, but the end of “your world” may be closer than you think. Mine came eight years ago with the end of my wife’s battle with cancer. With the down turn of the economy and a mountain of medical bills, we had already leveraged every penny that we could. We took out a second mortgage, maxed our credit cards, sold the boat, the four wheeler, and travel trailer. Since then I’ve sold my pickup, her car, the tools of my trade (I’d been a carpenter), and anything else that could bring in a dollar. I’ve been …


Four Letters Re: The Off-Grid Dream

James: The guys over at TSLRF just mentioned: ” There is a free service on Off-grid.net called LandBuddy that connects you with people who are looking to live off grid, people who are currently living off grid and people who want to help others live off grid.” That sounds useful, for J.S.L.’s situation. Here is a link to the full post. – Hector R.   J.S.L., I’m here in your home of Pennsylvania, and wish you well. Although I wish I had some Arizona property as well, I do not. I have some property away from my home location that …


Letter Re: Equipping my My G.O.O.D. Boat

A couple of points bothered me about Doug W.’s plan to G.O.O.D. with his boat. First, his idea about using logs to keep out intruders in his retreat anchorage has one possible flaw. According to Murphy’s Laws of Combat, anyplace too difficult to get into will be too difficult to get out of! Next, I am no sailor, but I’ve been around the ocean and I’ve seen some horrific storms. I saw no plan for riding out bad weather, unless these bays are very sheltered. Next is that unless tied up close to shore, sitting at anchor in the middle …