Part 2 of below: depending on the situation, dressing down or up has its advantages and should along with language be practiced. Unless you have new and old vehicles, you will likely be driving the car you have now to a store, gas station... and for those who do have a nice looking ride, you can tone down the impression of being well off or comfortable by how you are dressed, get out of the car, wash the windows, tank it up etc. standing there admiring it or looking about to see who is looking at it isn’t wise when trying to blend in. You can keep it a bit dirty, add some decals, stuff on back window ledge if a car, maybe some old wood if a pickup... “tone it down”

Cloths for the region or time is a must, looking a bit grumpy, tired after a long hard day are also good ways to look like others. Some oil stains on dirty pants, dirty boots with mud or chainsaw dust, work gloves with wear and tear, a plain cap or wool beanie works, avoid the expensive watch. The same applies to your partner or children. Not much point if they all look shiny and your dressed like a blue collar worker struggling to get through the day.

Try and mimic the language of the are, avoid trendy words, put some money in the swear jar in advance and without exaggeration, drop a few words but never over do it. If people are sizing you up, you can look pissed at something like the price at the pump and mumble something about those cash grabbing blood sucking aholes...

a few years back, I recommended when new to an area or even wishing to learn more about how to fit in, go to local restaurants or a bar and listen and observe what is being said and how, the reactions of others to some comments etc. learn some of the local issues, terms used and get a good feel for how the true local people live, work and play. but again, never “try to hard”, it must be natural.

Part 1
interesting angle, dilemma or tool?

The perimeter of our property ( well over 4000 feet long ) is maintained. ditches mowed, property fence lines pretty decent however, once on and down the graveled and well graded thousand foot long driveway, the setup is pretty immaculate. I cant bring myself to let things look run down or unkempt. Wife and i live here and while I most certainly see the advantages you mention, i and I know my wife would never be able to do it. at least not now.

things turn sideways, I wouldn't be mowing the lawn every three days or trimming along the lane way etc anyways. so in maybe a few months things would look recently un-cared for, i could drop a tree or two to make driving harder and show some degredation but till then, i will keep things looking fresh and very neat.

Local folks know i do not put up with trespassers and they do hear my family practicing with multiple slingshots throughout the year so there is that deterrent but yes a stranger looking for plum pickings would indeed be drawn to "explore" things further and that's when my country charm may need to be used. Its my compromise between living in the open and trying to hide in plain sight.

But if you can do what your doing, i think that is the optimum way to live in ugly times.

Hubby and I figure we will do a mix of both.. it will be very hard to not see some of our "improvments" and i am sure that folks will get their chins wagging but I have a couple things to play in mind..

Plan A- SIGNAGE.. a very nice sign that everyone from the road can read that states that this yard is part of the eco friendly native bees and butterfly program.. its is.. so that's true.. but then I can get away with a good mix of "Wild/Native and my extra yard improvement in regards to creating a "vistor" garden working with my local rain garden group..

Its true.. 1 time a year for around 30 min or so on a garden tour, the local garden ladies and gents on a day of touring will pour out, ohh.. ahha and then get back on the bus..

Second.. new fencing/big new gate.. Easy.. that one.. Gotta keep those driveway alarms in properly.. and the sheep and such.. at the same time in that upgading.. signs.. smile you are under camera goes up.. can put in the new driveways that I want.. under well we had to build that to get the equipment in to take down the old barn and put up the new barn.. (true but the extra wide area.. well that's being set up so that if need be.. moterhomes or tiny homes can set up, hook in and go!

The new small plain garage will go a long way to keep the newer vehicle out of sight, as it will keep the new workshop area locked up tight..

Struggling to figure out what or how to come at the geodome greenhouse.. it will be visable from the road and the driveway.. I WILL Not junk that puppy up for a good number of years.. so I am open to idea's.. can I tie it into my garden seed contract somehow? can I link it to my eco-friendly yard in a way.. the good news really, is that i doubt that many peaple know them well enough to even grasp the cost investment in it..

Not sure if I have posted about this here before or not. Look into "go away green" paint that Disney uses to blend service buildings etc into the background.

Hubby and I figure we will do a mix of both.. it will be very hard to not see some of our "improvments" and i am sure that folks will get their chins wagging but I have a couple things to play in mind..

Plan A- SIGNAGE.. a very nice sign that everyone from the road can read that states that this yard is part of the eco friendly native bees and butterfly program.. its is.. so that's true.. but then I can get away with a good mix of "Wild/Native and my extra yard improvement in regards to creating a "vistor" garden working with my local rain garden group..

Its true.. 1 time a year for around 30 min or so on a garden tour, the local garden ladies and gents on a day of touring will pour out, ohh.. ahha and then get back on the bus..

Second.. new fencing/big new gate.. Easy.. that one.. Gotta keep those driveway alarms in properly.. and the sheep and such.. at the same time in that upgading.. signs.. smile you are under camera goes up.. can put in the new driveways that I want.. under well we had to build that to get the equipment in to take down the old barn and put up the new barn.. (true but the extra wide area.. well that's being set up so that if need be.. moterhomes or tiny homes can set up, hook in and go!

The new small plain garage will go a long way to keep the newer vehicle out of sight, as it will keep the new workshop area locked up tight..

Struggling to figure out what or how to come at the geodome greenhouse.. it will be visable from the road and the driveway.. I WILL Not junk that puppy up for a good number of years.. so I am open to idea's.. can I tie it into my garden seed contract somehow? can I link it to my eco-friendly yard in a way.. the good news really, is that i doubt that many peaple know them well enough to even grasp the cost investment in it..

You know if you cant hide the item you want not to draw attention, then give the punters something else more interesting to look at, Maybe something up high, that moves (kinetic yard art of some type). I would suggest something like this. http://unclewiener.com/product/new-400w-12v-3-blade-wind-turbine-generator-20a-charger-518wtc/ No, dont think this is a 400 watt turbine, it will really only be a 30-40 watt turbine, its best use would be for distraction, even better if you could place it opposite your property, would keep eyes looking away from your property. Who can resist watching a windmill when going bye? Or a few of these things at the corners of your property. https://www.wayfair.ca/outdoor/pdp/trinx-wind-spinner-c003198862.html?piid=733416647 or better yet, give a few of these to your neighbours across the road so they are getting more attention and not you.

Dang Peppercorn, I like it.. eye candy.. keep looking here! ..

I do that all the time with my huge bean teepee covered in flowers and such along with the food.. the kids on the bus and everyone else checks it out as they go by.. it and the row of thick spruce keeps them from looking in more lol

Magic haha.. look here.. not there..

Dang Peppercorn, I like it.. eye candy.. keep looking here! ..

I do that all the time with my huge bean teepee covered in flowers and such along with the food.. the kids on the bus and everyone else checks it out as they go by.. it and the row of thick spruce keeps them from looking in more lol

Magic haha.. look here.. not there..

Actually I am going to pop into the city next week for one of those, so long as the sale price is 239, I wont pay more for one. It will be turned into a wind powered yard light. I just want it for driving maybe a dozen individual leds (20 to 30 milliamps each) that I will aim downward and out to maybe 40 feet around the pole.I dont want bright light, just enough light so in the dark I dont trip over a shovel or something in the yard walking to the garage.

I have a friend who has a three story (2.5) house. She planted hop plants on the ground maybe 20 feet from the house. Midway up the house is a deck, and the front door entry. She then ran nylon cord from the hop planter to the roof line of her house, I cant remember how far apart, maybe 9 inches, a foot. It took a few years but now the hop plants have runners going all the way to the roof, from the drive way this house almost disappears in the summer. Going up the staircase to the entry door is like being under a jungle canopy.

I am thinking of doing the same thing for the west side of the house. It would provide great shade in the summer, keeping the house much cooler upstairs, as I think we have a much hotter future coming.

Can you think of other plants besides hops, that would work as well, maybe faster growing, hold their leaves longer, or grow denser ?

Try cucamelons. Grows a very dense green curtain. Made for a solid green curtain on our back porch this past summer. Maybe look into virginia creeper. This is very aggressive so be prepared to trim alot.

I have lots of greenage to cover parts of my property. Hops like you mentioned, covers part of my garage. I also have shrubs hiding my dumpster away. Problem with greenage is that it only really hides anything for 3 months out of the year.

As for “junking it up”, I’m with Clarence. Family is too proud not to show our property under its best light. Yet, I suppose that it would take little effort to make it looked abandoned if it was needed. Sacrifice the front shed to the fire gods, board up the bay window with plywood, a bit of spray paint on the siding, don’t mow the lawn and after a few weeks, it would look like the place isn’t worth stoping by. Clearly, this would be for a true TEOTWAWKI moment. Oh wait, we are in a TEOTWAWKI moment now. (Sigh)

hmm, ok folks.. put your thinking caps on.. what could you let slide in a some way to make look like you were just a little more tired, a little less money.. so not junk it up but just look a tiny bit depressed..

My thought is.. can you lets some area's go into "wild" and have just a touch more we only have the money to keep this much done.. even that could go a long way.. I would match the area. . if your area is still really good.. its not to much of a issue.. if you start to notice 10 to 30 percent not doing it.. might be time to consider letting it go a little longer on the outer parts.. if you hit the 50% or more and you are starting to stand out.. then might need mull that one a little harder..

In my neck of the woods, I am trying to stay in the middle.. not the lowest 30%.. I aim for 30 to 50 percent and try hard never really look more then that.. but I am watching with interest as we have a number of new homes that have been built in the last 5 years and three more going in up and over the road.. so they with their new pools, new sheds, new homes, garages and so on.. are the top 30 percentage and are sticking out like sore thumbs..

Of course they are also the ones that have been robbed at least once in the past year lol.. Go figure!

Part 2. See part 1 further below.
To junk yourself down, should when appropriate go beyond the clothing and demeanor. You may wish to create a new person or situation with neighbors.
Let’s say your neighbors know you as being middle income...if things look like they are really going sideways and you don’t care about your reputation and are ready willing and able to pull it off, you could at the right moment and with the aid of the nearby gas bag or rumor spreader in your area, tell them you have lost everything in the stock market, got hit by a hack and lost funds, loaned money to a friend and didn’t get it back. the story needs to be believable and you must deliver it in a convincing manner. That depressed, look of despair, having gave up look can be shown in a gradual manner. Make it a gradual thing, one week you moan about how you needed to borrow money from your friend to get some used tires, your spouse is thinking of leaving you. Then a week or so later and while looking worse for wear, give another sad luck story. Be such a downer that even the gossip that’s always trying to dig it out of you doesn’t want to hear more of your misery.

Never overdue it and you will need to make sure you “live it”. If you can get a bit emotional, then do it, kick a tire, swear, look lost with an absent minded stare, don’t finish a sentence ... If people were envious of you before, they may now laugh at you or “ that should put them in their place” etc. you may get offers of help and you may feel bad about lying but you can turn that into some good by saying thanks and helping them, but stick to the story.

It’s about fitting in, not being “uppity” or oh don’t they think they are special, pays to have a good job, pension....less of an interesting target. When done right,it works! It’s not for everyone and if you slip up, it can backfire on you and make payback worse.

Then there is the need for a spouse or children to cooperate and play their part. They don’t have to act, but maybe just lower the head a bit, say they don’t want to discuss it...

I mentioned before, go to small local restaurants, bar.. and get a flavor for how people dress, what they talk about and how they talk. I realize this may sound snobbish... but it’s all about fitting in. There’s more to it then I mention above but start slow and don’t over sell yourself and practice now by watching the hard luck cases and observe their mannerisms

Part 1
definitely let the grass grow along the property lines, same for entrance to property// gate area, let both sides of the laneway as well as the lawn go uncut.

not remove any fallen trees on lane way.

look at dropping a tree across the lane way. this to stop any vehicle and force people to come in on foot and i know city people who are not keen on doing that. even delivery people accustomed to the country are apprehensive. People we invite often say with a funny land uneasy aught, " i thought i was going to stumble upon a moonshine op" So with a few more trees down to spook it up some more, it should help

stop any annual re staining of front steps and deck. no porch lights on

keep any exterior landscaping lights off/ already started to leave them off when family arrives, wife keeps wanting to turn them on but they can be seen for thousands of feet so not good. With them off, you have no immediate idea a home is back in the bush. just a laneway in the dark and a house over a thousand feet in.

not wash vehicles

dress down when out in vehicle or in town. let a beard grow, wear torn gloves, definitely only wear soiled work clothing, work boots versus other types. simple watch cap, maybe ten dollar bill in visible part of wallet, hide the credit cards. just look like a grumpy old white guy with a headache and down on life.

You're talking about cam and concealment, it's also referred to as being the gray-man/woman . Being invisible is cool if you can do it!

Sometimes its all about layers.. it is as you say .. if you can do it.. harder said then done.. but if you do bits here and layers there and so forth.. add in lots of lingo.. no spray, native habitat, food forest, permiculture, and worm boxes and breeding plants and composting and peaple's eyes glaze over and the amount of things you can do increases massively.. why is she planting things in the ditch lines (o she does eco stuff).. hmmm miles and miles of "hidden food".. Hey, mister farmer, I see you have a couple acres that run the creek side that you can not farm.. would you be open to me keeping it cleaned up and maybe forage in it and plant some natives in there.. I promise you.. NO one has a clue.. but watch it on the pumpkins, those little pie pumpkins can climb and when they start turning organge hanging in trees they get noticed.. lol..

on the other hand to a piont its a risk, I had worked a plot for ten plus years and when it was forclosed on, the new owners clear cut it.. I was able to go in a save lots but still huge loss in many ways.. worth it yes.