Seeking likemindeds for a prepared community

Hi villager,

my own family has always had close working relationships with the local collonies, and the growth and number of new ones that are taking place in alberta and sask are amazing, I personally know of at least ten new ones that have been bought and started over the years, its wonderful to see them start out smaller and then grow and expand and watch them and their land thrive.

While I am personally not that happy at the idea that they use everything they can in the sense of bought chemical's for max growth, the amount of the local markets in area's that are supplied by their extra's is very positive however, like in my mom's home town, its gone far beyond them selling off the colony and the local farmers market, they supply local stores and the places folk eat and even now do CSA to your door deliveries. My mom is on this, she just calls in by a certain date for this or that or this and its dropped off on the front porch..

The main one that she deals with has even listened to the folks who don't want the chemical crap, and are doing floating row covers one some crops etc

My dad's neck of the woods, they not only do the same but they also can be hired as work crews for a number of different jobs etc. They are a very good model in many ways, because they do have some new folks come in and fit in, they do have some leave of course but so many of them do come back later on in life.

My mom went she was 16 went to live at the local colony along with her classmates for a full week (back in the day, it was their outside their world trip), and after the week was over, a few girls were selected and asked to come to a room, my mom included, The elders new my grandfather well as he also had a farm and 11 kids not far from them etc.. The hot young men where lined up and the ladies were asked if any of them had caught their eye..

To this day, my mom likes to tease if she had not already been going with my dad, that it might have turned out different, as there was a gent she thought the cats meow LOL.. two of the girls that were asked had in fact gotten interested, only one married her guy after courtship etc, but I have meet her and her lovely children, I know a girl from my own home town that married in and loves it..

Best of luck

Farmgal,
That's hopeful about the awareness of the chemical use that the colonies have somehow been duped into accepting all these years. One wonders what the conviction is behind that decision. Certainly vast tracts of land-mining lends itself to the "convenient" water-soluble "nutrient" regimen and its mechanized application...and there's the slippery slope..to profit in the market as it's been designed to serve the greater profits of all the middlemen and the prevailing supply-control entities.
Small-scale,"Non-Chemical" growing is one of the criteria of our community-to-be.
In any case, it'll be harder for the addicted "stewards" of the soil to get a fix , and it's long way back to micro-organism readjustment. ....but it has memory,fortunately.

I think villager and DvntMstr has a great discussion going here. Its certainly something that I think most people who Prep think about. No one wants to face uncertain times alone. So the challenge is to find likeminded people and more importantly define a framework for going through uncertain times as a group. I think villager and DvntMstr posts show that they have spent some time reflecting on how they would like to do this. I would like to contribute with a few observations and personal preferences for this scenario.
I think the idea of relocating either permanently (as in my case today) or to a Bug Out Location "somewhere" up North away from dense populations and far enough away that you do not end up with half of Toronto's population in a bad situation is good. Purchase a piece of land and divide it between the shareholders (be they families, single people etc). Each shareholder gets a similar size land. One poster was mentioning that houses should be limited in size. I disagree with setting up limits like this. Some shareholders may want to live at their BOL permanently so why restrict them to a house size limit. Its important that we continue to live life as we know it with as many conveniences as possible. How we prepare to do that living independently off the grid defines us from non preppers. So each shareholder has a responsibility to build a structure which meets their needs and setup Off the Grid living to support this. You may have a group of friends buying in as shareholder and building a structure which they plan to use as a BOL and you may have single people or families buying in as shareholders and living at the Retreat all year around living a self-sustaining lifestyle.
Each shareholder also has a responsibility to prepare for the people he/she or they may want to share their house with. I do not buy into the socialist idea of each person gets equal etc. That to me would imply that you would ration supplies and redistribute my Preps. I think its important to share the vision that each person is responsible for themselves and any people staying at their house.
I am sure by now you are thinking what is the benefit by getting together as a community if each family lives in their own house and you are being asked to be responsible for your own supplies and ability to live a self sustaining life ?... Well you would have the reassurance of knowing that your neighbours are all believing in prepping and living self sustaining off the grid just like you. There will be a group of people to draw on in case of intrusion or pressure from outside the community in a bad situation. Individually people may raise chickens, rabbits etc but as a group you could purchase and manage 3-5 milk cows producing milk and cheese. Beer brewing 🙂 etc. You could have community hall build as a group project ensuring school continuance for the kids, group meetings, First Aid station, weekly lunches and other social activities that bind the community together. A joint community Industry kitchen would ensure that meat processing from hunting could be done and shared after each hunt. Shareholders who live away from the BOL could have arranged for livestock being with shareholders living permanently at the BOL so they can live like other members. The community may pool together and build a well and water distribution instead of each shareholder building their own well.
For me prepping is leading towards living a self sustaining lifestyle which puts me less at risk in a bad situation. However I am also a big fan that we do not have to live like people did 100 years ago. We have experienced modern conveniences and continuing enjoying these makes my family more willing to live a self sustainable lifestyle and so prepare us for the unknown.
What is the common goal here ?. To me its to survive as conveniently as possible (and with as little disturbance as possible to our previous lives) through bad times until civilization around us has been restored. It would be a lot safer to go through as a group versus with my family alone which is why I am a fan of the prepared community idea. We just need the right framework to do so.

All great points, Jensen!...some of which we have addressed in previous meetings . There is room for all kinds of variables in lifestyle priorities within the agreed parameters.

Having a location not so remote as to discourage family engagement is a significant factor in getting the project off the ground. I agree it's not our goal to live primitively, but if we had to we could much more easily do it. Some may choose to, or must do because of affordability. In that sense, we have a broad spectrum of situations which can be accommodated in a way which is not do-able in today's social norm.
Besides many helping hands for common projects, another benefit of signing on in community is the implicit obligation/assurance of caring for our immediate fellow neighbors in emergencies and in general.
The level of potential creativity in all areas can also be amazing .
The great commons space is a luxury in itself as its benefits continue to be respected/enhanced by all.

The eco-capacity of the land itself determines the scope of what level of conveniences it can afford for the number of folks involved ...also for the future....7 generations.
We'll have a better idea of this range when we do our scheduled visit/walk the property in early Oct.

Wow get busy with work and things explode on this topic 🙂 a lot of great comments so far.

Quote = You will attract far more qualified and genuinely interested individuals/families with a $15K-$20K buy-in and a solid plan that justifies the costs, than you will with an ill-formed dream and a $2000 buy-in.

This one l disagree with.Simply because it indicates that people with money are more intelligent and/or better community citizens. I personally know some very good people l would be thrilled to have as part of my group even though they struggle financially. People first money last. This in itself is why l will pay for my property in full by myself so that l can invite people who are a benefit regardless of their financial position and refuse those who hold themselves on a higher plane because of what they have. You may have lots now but when SHTF you wont be much better off eating your money than those trying to eat bullets. I don't believe wealth indicates the value of a person.

Quote = One poster was mentioning that houses should be limited in size. I disagree with setting up limits like this. Some shareholders may want to live at their BOL permanently so why restrict them to a house size limit.

This was me 🙂 and the simple reason for it is because the area being proposed has no access to the electrical grid or gas lines therefore a smaller home is easier to run via solar/wind etc and also easier to heat - regarding the post about wood and forestation. By finding those who agree with this thought process you engage in a more minimalistic approach to life and make your imprint on the local area less intense. And realistically, how much space do you need to live comfortably ? I have designed my house to fit my life, it is 500 sq feet and is more than enough space although l admit if l still had kids at home I'd need more. Perhaps people need to rethink need versus want . . .

just my 0.02

So, the house needs are rightly individually varied, but the commons wood/energy needs have to be efficiently justified by family/unit size. Also the case for any wood-dependent cottage industry. Again, a well-built rocket-mass water/ heater is most efficient ....being able to use small twigs/branches without needing to split trunks only.
In suburbia, i have so many tools in the house/basement because of the rust factor in a garage, but in the bush, sleeping/living space is a premium to heat. I reckon though that it's more efficient to have an adjacent-almost-attached shop with heatsink, which can have more consistent residual heat siphoned off from the house to keep moisture/cold from doing damage over time. An additional benefit is the shared carbon Dioxide with the greenhouse(s).
It would also then, take less warmup time for work-sessions in the shop. I would have an attached "greenhouse" around the entrances of both, and for aquaculture by the shop.

Our planned walkabout on the proposed property this next-coming sunday is postponed because of weather, and several interested here who couldn't make that date.
A few others from our website would also prefer another day.
(Would those who PM'd me from here please indicate their interest in another date ...possibly for 2-3 weekends from now?)
Yes, there is plenty of room for shareholders, but the prerequisite includes having read on our site, the proposal and features, and then sufficient communication around issues.
There is also a meeting planned in TO which will be posted on the site shortly.
Looking fwd to more input around any common vision of this potential!

Quote = You will attract far more qualified and genuinely interested individuals/families with a $15K-$20K buy-in and a solid plan that justifies the costs, than you will with an ill-formed dream and a $2000 buy-in.

This one l disagree with.Simply because it indicates that people with money are more intelligent and/or better community citizens. I personally know some very good people l would be thrilled to have as part of my group even though they struggle financially.

Nope, you misinterpreted. It doesn't hinge on how much money the buyers have. It's an old salesperson adage that points out success begets success.

If you plan well and prove you've accounted for everything reasonably possible, people will be FAR more comfortable and confident in investing their future to your hands/vision. It doesn't reflect on the buyers' intelligence at all... it reflects the seller's intelligence.

In an age of scams and failed ventures of every scope and magnitude if you haven't crossed every t, dotted every i and proven beyond all doubt that you're trustworthy and knowledgeable, people are not going to buy-in, no matter what budget price you offer.

If l misinterpreted l apologize. Perhaps l didn't make myself clear enough in earlier posts leading to confusion. But in reference to your remarkregarding scams l agree fully. This is the primary reason l choose not to seek investors.

l have property, in 6 months it will be paid off in full. Within 6 months of that date there will be enough in the trust account to cover property taxes for 10 years. Construction will begin within weeks of the final mortgage payment. I have solar panels, batteries, etc in storage along with my other preps.

The point of the above paragraph is to demonstrate that investors are not needed but citizens who can help would be welcomed. The reason for a proposed buy in isn't to cover the cost of their parcel (l already own it) its to be invested in wind and solar generators for the community above what l have installed for my own home at that time. My reasoning behind a lower investment is not that l havent considered all the possibilities it is to ensure that not only would someone get a parcel of land to build on but have the funds to build.

Asl said l agree there are scams and false buy-ins and ill planned dreams which is why l am doing it myself and only open the idea to interested people rather than seeking them out.

l dont need your money. l have money, other than 6 months remaining on my mortgage l am completely debt free, I have the land, l have most of the alternative energy needs, l have seeds, l have preps, l have weapons, l have skills, l have construction materials and 30+ years building experience. What l dont have is every skill l will need, enough hands to do everything or the time to do it all. Thats why the possibilty exists for others. Because it would make it easier for all involved.

Ive crossed my ts and dotted my i's, my girlfriend is a lawyer and so is my ex (who l am still on good terms with) and thats why l did it so l dont need anyone to buy in, as l said earlier intersted people will respond more to an idea that is in existance before one that is in the plans

Im also looking to pool resources its been a long awaited plan took early retirement to live off grid on the land with a small footprint ive hunted and fished my whole life im great with security and have a good cash of preps and gear and a good cash of tools generator chainsaw hunting and fishing gear personal protection ect .I took as many courses as possible through work cpr first aid,fall arrest working with ropes and hieghts and have been in the construction all my life.My plan was to build alone off grid 12x14 cabin to sustain a better life but after a dry run test 3 months off grid alone on crown land in a hunt cabin lanterns for light wood for heat and only ate what i hunted or foraged i did have emergency food reserves but i did cheat ate my reserves the last 3 weeks so i didnt have to portage it 24klms back out. The toughest part was the mental fatigue being alone no Comradery only friend was racoon living in the loft of the cabin but he was a good listener lol. Im also a licenced ham radio operator this has been a hobby since i was a teen and have coached many on getting there licence if interested im more than happy to help drop me a email.There is a large amount of radio operators worldwide that are prepers these guys know when SHTF before main stream media CNN and most national weather networks count on these guys for accurate info canwarn canadian weather warning system is setup and run by these guys and has great info heres the link http://www.ecoa.ca/canwarn.shtml . Basically looking to pool knowledge resorces with others who also want a better way of life grow are own food live free they way man was meant to

Just posting an update to those who PM'd me for an interest in our project in central Ontario, or those who are more recently aware of the opportunity.
A walkabout of the property is now scheduled for Sat.,Oct.19 . (RAINDATES: FOLLOWING THUR, 24TH.)
This is not an invite for casual curiosity, but for genuine interest in relocation, sooner or later, to a pre-acquired location with vast potential for relevant living community on a more affordable basis than other options. Shareholder/ownership is involved, as are governance parameters.
Transition can be as gradual as desired, used as a bol, vacation/camping/homestead development or immediate building and residence.
Feel free to PM me for requisite details for the opportunity to explore before the snow flies 🙂 . It may not be available afterwards .

Finally visited the property again for the 3rd time, and got 3/4 of the way back via borrowed atv , more or less thru the middle, old logging trail...took about 40 pics which are on my site.
Verified the stream running thru , and the elevated ridges running almost the length of the property. There's a small sand/stone deposit which will be handy for building/levelling, etc.
mixed forest, some small marsh areas, and lots of "shield"rock .It would take more than a day to criss-cross the width also, to locate several beaver ponds. Planning to go back again, with snowshoes....or my own atv.

I could sure use a gps mapping strategy! but out of emf principles i still don't even own a cellphone.
Still looking for more likeminded folks via this thread or PM..... villager

Hey villager this is henry. I hope you snowshoed before in northern ONT. I do it on my property and trust me sometime it is not fun. What I mean I hope you know what you are doing.
Anyway how many people you have committed to your venture so far?
HENRY

Hi Henry!
No, i 've never snowshoed anywhere, let alone up there.,...but i expect it to be part of my next regular life, so i thought i better get some practise.
Any tips, insights you can help with, i'm grateful!
I'm aware that there are a couple of large wolfpacks in the area, and i don't have my license yet .....
And, no we don't have enough paying shareholders yet, but considerable interest as this develops organically. I reckon that the increasing pressure on all social fronts will persuade others to make the shift sooner than later. There is a good number of skills and good will in the group so far.
I'm on the verge of acquiring a 4-season rolling cabin which i would finish in the winter, and have ready to move up in the summer....ready for the next winter.
The intention is to reclaim an unmaintained road for access to the other end where there would be space to settle and extend.
The local folks i've met have all been supportive, without knowing the details of what i feel is possible/necessary.
best regards,.....
...villager

Hey Villager,

I checked out the pictures. Looks like paradise if you're a hunter, but a nightmare for farming. Do you have any plans for the agricultural bent? Maybe they exist and you just didn't include them in the photo series, but I didn't see any pics of cleared fields or sowable meadows.

A mature forest isn't hard to turn into a plot of land, but all that bedrock looks... like a challenge.

Hi again, Oddmott.
Believe me , as an organic farmer/gardener i feel the concern about having sufficient arable soil, and i would miss even a small field.
As i mentioned, i've only gone thru the middle of the place, and have yet to skirt the edges in all directions. I'm hoping to find some niches/micro-climates for specific plantings... berries, nut trees, mushrooms, permaculture . forest composting, raised , compact beds over the rock in countless places, i'm hoping. But , until i see the whole thing in greater detail, i can't do a proper assessment of the level of sustainable nutrient sources onsite. I don't like the idea of having to lease/barter offsite for more and better soil, but it may come to that.
I know there are old farmsteads nearby, and they manage alright.
With the necessary small clearings for cabins, the extra light will foster more growth in those areas ,more suitable for basic veggies.
(I haven't closed my mind to other locations either. Just haven't had the time to do as much in person this year.)
If anyone knows of an alternative great place, i'd be glad to know of it !
Also, any unique tips on bear, deer , etc. setups to dissuade them from eatin up the food supply! I'm familiar with some approaches.