landfinder that sounds like paradise
Hi all, just wondering if any communities got started. Read through all this thread and can see many different visions going on. All have value and work well for different people. I don't think it matters how you get"there" as long as you do. I'm just pleased to see that others are trying to accomplish this. I would rather know that others have made communities even if they aren't the "style" I would choose. For my family I would prefer a Earthship type community with greenhouses,off grid,solar,etc. I would love to hear of anything fairly close to Edmonton.
Hey all! Haven't posted for a bit. We've been busy this spring/summer. For those keeping up with this topic...I made a effort in the last 12 months to get out there and meet several people interested in making connections with our group or joining our group. It's been interesting. Some folk that were of similar mind, were invited to meet with me for coffee to get to know each other better. Of course, it's going to take longer than a coffee or two to really get a feel if those folk would be a good fit-after all...when dealing with a group of people with different opinions, thoughts and backgrounds, it's not an easy task. The most difficult issue is making the already exsisting group feel safe/trusting about new members. It ends up taking quite some time to set up meetings, especially in between work, keeping up with gardens, animals and recently training up some horses for the homestead. In the end...I'm not in a rush, and if the people are serious about being in our group, they will understand how important a meshed group would be in times of crisis. Worst case scenario-You may end up having to trust this new community with your life!!! I have met some very interesting people in my initial attempts to see who's out there. Some, I think may be a great fit for our group and others that may not fit with the group; but may be a good resource for the group in times of battering/trading. Now that summers cooling and winters around the corner, I'm going to try to meet up with more new people and hope to get together with others that I still want to get to know better. This summer (the growing group) put together a greenhouse and successfully experimented with a fairly large garden. We also worked around the property getting a cabin up. I'm actually looking forward to meeting up with more people who are as serious about preparedness as we are!
so....to those I didn't get a chance to meet up with this year, sorry...it's been a busy year! Hoping to chat with you on line or meet up with you at some of the next few meetings.
Wow, way to try and resuscitate an old and dying thread!
Dakota,
I'm interested to hear about your "success story." I am also in central Alberta and am in recent possession of a chunk of land that I am wondering how best to develop. Some of its strengths / weaknesses have become manifest so far already. Nothing is perfect, and it took me months to find the current site (that at least partially fulfills my requirements), and now I am in the position of trying to decide what is feasible, what are the priorities, and who to share usage with.
Landfinder,
I'd be interested in hearing about your search strategies, or any techniques you might be aware of (other than just randomly lurking on MLS, something which I am sure many of us have done before), to find that "perfect" (or nearly so) site? Although I like my current setup and would like to see it through, if presented with a sufficiently superior alternative, I would not be opposed to relocating...
Everyone,
I read through all pages of this mostly 2012-centric thread. I think it would be very difficult to have a bunch of people throw money (tens of thousands) into a proverbial had and then go into a land purchase together. This is a difficult proposition even with friends and family. A shared interest in fearing the end of the world is likely not binding enough (at least not while this event remains unrealized) to smooth over the inevitable disagreements. I think one person needs to take a risk and be the "landowner," and then create informal agreements with others ... and if things go south, these visitors can be politely requested to leave ... and hopefully would do so respectfully, although there is always the risk that they could go "sour grapes" and become a threat to those remaining. Just as in hiring / employment ... the watchwords should be "Hire slowly and fire quickly" (or something to that effect).
The alternative model of being "a few days ride (what are we talking about horses? Really?) away" in a grid down situation ... is probably fanciful at best. Providing information and "emotional support" might be feasible via shortwave or ham, but the signals could be easily triangulated and traced if there is a residual functioning (and potentially malevolent and more than willing to redistribute your carefully stored resources) government-like entity.
I read somewhere that in midieval times, markets / towns were about 7 miles apart, because this was the furthest that a person could be expected to travel to / from in daylight hours in order to shop or do business. I think if your "prepper friends / neighbors" are more than 10 km apart, and the chips are down, they might as well be on the other side of the globe for what good it does you.
Just one person's opinion though.
🙂
- Rorschach -
Hi Rorschach
Because you asked and because I have done it from scratch ( find a bug out location). I would be happy to give my 2 cents worth.
First, hold steadfast to the things you feel are priorities for your specific wants and needs; such as isolation, water, wildlife, etc.
Once you know a general area you want to be at, its a matter of putting on miles finding potential bug out locations. Then walking on the land and perimeter of it to get a feel for it. If it doesn't meet your requirements or doesn't feel right move to next one till you feel right. You will know it in your gut when you find it.
As far as how to find it. Realtors who have lived in the area and are hunters themselves are the ones you want to get advice from. And obviously keep it on the low down and don't tell them much. Just say you want to get away from the rat race and be left alone.
Another good source is to stop and talk to some local farmers or ranchers or hermits in the area you want to be at. Often they know of places that will never be listed or advertised. If they are bachelors get your wife to bring them baking and develop a repore with them. Once they trust you they will sing like a canary and tell you everything.( where the private springs are etc.) We must of looked at 10 places and drove many miles before we found our place. We probable have enough land to share with a few others but that's another can of worms. I am just trying to stay afloat because I blow my wad on all the infrastructure and cabin and land. We spent most of our salaries and savings instead of mortgaging ourselves to death. Even though we are preppers my wife has expensive taste. but sometimes having the comforts as well as the guns and ammo etc is nice in case TSHF never happens.
Take care.
No problem Rorschach...spent about two years seriously looking for 'that' property. We found one originally, but lost it after a conditional sale didn't go our way-due to not being able to sell our home. We were heart broken-almost put off. I should probably add we walked thru about 30 properties before we found the one we're on. Finally six months later, our agent took us to a property that hadn't been listed yet, we fell in love...the rest is history. In retrospect, I'm glad the first property didn't work out. Know the area's your looking at-like land finder stated. Get a feel for the types of people in the area, bodies of nearby water, growing limitations and match (as much as you can) the property to what types of animals you want to raise. I would also add that it should also be- your piece of heaven(what feels right). We knew the area's we were interested in. We knew what areas have good water or a reputation of poor water. We wanted some livestock, but love the bush, so the property had to have a mix of pasture and forest. We also wanted to have some crown land near by. We experimented the first few years with gardening. First, with a garden directly into the properties soil (ph testing and the whole bit)and then progressing into raised beds, composting and a greenhouse. Yes, our property too also has its pro's and cons. Never mind...some of the restrictions we had with employment commuting concerns. You can't have it all! We started the first year planting a edible landscape where ever we could. Berries, fruit tree's as we wanted to give them time to mature. We also wanted to practice our animal husbandry skills for this area. Over the years, we have made mistakes but had many more successes. Feel free to PM me if you want to swap more info. As far as a "days ride" comment I made a while back. Yes, it most definitely was on horse back. We have friends that come visit us on day long rides. Alot of people out here do week long rides regularly in the mountains and area. Though, of course there are limits with distances.
Again, would love to chat and help in any way I can, if you have some questions.
Landfinder,
A very useful "aide memoire" for people still in the acquisition phase. Thanks for that. (Dakota, your points nicely dovetail and expand upon LF's also). My main challenge in Alberta has been finding the right terrain. Some of this is purely from an aesthetic perspective.
The problem is that arable land is ... next to other farmland, and also right in the open. And when you aren't actively growing crops, it's kind of boring and austere (no offence against "Prairie People" ... but as somebody who grew up in Ontario and fell in love with places like Algonquin and the great lakes ... most of Alberta is kind of bland to me from a "geographic perspective.")
The concept of "enjoy it now, when life is good" AND "be able to use it to help you survive if things ever go bad" is doubly important when you are spending tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. My current place has some important failings re: survivability and raising crops. Not insurmountable, but still. However, it is largely bush, and reasonably picturesque (again, relatively speaking), and enables me to "take my kids camping" and just enjoy nature also.
Thanks again for the responses...!
- Rorschach -
Congrats to y'all on acquiring your lands! Hope your strategies work out in terms of screening participants.
The land i have in sight is also challenging for food production, but forest gardening , huegel beds, niche crops, and all...will do the trick ..with goats, rabbits and chickens ,fish, and not out in the open. It's encouraging to know you guys are that far along....regards