Friday, November 21, 2008

“Junk Land” - Can You Afford It?

Many people talk about buying “junk land” for use as a retreat for a worse case scenario. There are several problems with this way of thinking. Do you want to create more problems for yourself and your family? This can be the end result of a desperate action taken without thinking about the viability and sustainability of “junk land”.

What is “junk land”?

“Junk land” is basically land that has little or no value, hence the reference to “junk”. Although, one man’s trash can be another man’s treasure, it can also be a burden.

Advantages of “Junk Land”

There is only one primary advantage to “junk land” and that is the cost. Most “junk land” is relatively cheap when compared with other types of land when cost is the only factor.
Using this as the only consideration is really only viable as a short term option. Sooner, rather than later, necessity will show you the error of your thinking in this regards. There are other factors that need to be included in the cost of “junk land”.

The other advantage to “junk land” is its remoteness. You will be somewhere most people aren’t. Most people will also have difficulty getting there and this can work to your advantage by keeping undesirable elements away. This is a good thing. It can also be a bad thing.

Disadvantages of “Junk Land”

The disadvantage of most “junk land” is the lack of water or its availability. You will need water regardless of where your “junk land” is located. Will the cost of a water well be so expensive as to make it an option that is not feasible? Is the amount of annual rainfall so low that a cistern or rain water catchment system will be an unreliable source for your water needs? Or will you need to haul water at a cost of high priced fuel, expensive means of transport, and a labor intensive consumption of your time?

Another disadvantage of “junk land” is the food factor. Will it grow crops that may be necessary to feed yourself or your family? Does it have a good source of fresh water? Or will it need extensive soil conditioning and irrigation to produce any type of crops? Or is the soil so poor that growing crops isn’t even an option? Or is it located in an area where temperature extremes and the weather will limit sustainable year-round crop production?

A third disadvantage to “junk land” is its remoteness. Will your primary means of transportation hold up to the terrain? What if a medical emergency required immediate help? Would other family members be alienated by its remoteness? Will the cost of travel to get necessary items to re-supply your family be excessive or time consuming?

There is another disadvantage. Will there be power for utilities such as electric? Or will you need to figure in the cost and expense of going off the grid? Will there be phone service for communication? Or will even wirelees communication be impossible due to its remote nature?

There are a number of factors that must be considered when buying land for a retreat. Don't make the mistake of letting price be your only guide or you may wind up in a worse place than the one you left behind. Unless you stop to consider the actual use you can expect out of the land for your retreat, it may not be that cheap after all. The question you really need to ask yourself is whether or not the viability and the sustainability of land for your retreat are present in a manner that will increase your chances for survival. The cost may not be as cheap as you think!

There is an old saying that fits this situation.

You get what you pay for!


Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Junk land: obviously remote, difficult to acces, therefore; no easily (or difficult to get) water supply; limited food growing ability; out of the way of the horrendous whorde; difficult to reach medical help; even people who know you don't want to go there; good things come to an end.
I can see junk land in a total system breakdown, however, for just those reasons. Which would, to me, be the only reason for having it. In such a situation, I'd relish being
'invisible' to everyone, and in such circumstances making it to a Dr or grocer's would be nonexistant, anyway.
A place to live, limited resources and out of sight of those who would do one harm- good reasons to have some and a shelter of sorts built there, stocked much as possible, of course.

BigBear said...

It depends on what you are doing.

Are you hiding or are you living

If hiding for a certain amount of time it is fine. If you are living there all that you said is true but it is worth it.

Another issue is job availability do you need to work?

riverwalker said...

To: anonymous

In a total melt down of society it may be OK for a while but sooner or later you will need more supplies, even if you are well stocked at the beginning.

RW

riverwalker said...

To: big bear

Good point about the job thing, even though it looks like a lot of people aren't going to have one real soon.Thanks.

RW

BTW, hope the new fireplace is working good, especially with cold weather setting in.

gott_cha said...

I have read many articles over the years about the pro's of "Junk Land".
And it seems to me that they get a little nuttier each time. Not enough thought goes into what they promote.

Any type of survival "land" will have its plus's and its minus's. And a long term plan needs to be looked at from both sides of the "creek" so to speak.

The majority of people who promote the "junk Land" idea seem to be looking at it from an apocalyptic point of view. In their opinion their land is a last ditch, make it or break it place to hide out for TEOTWAWKI.

Honestly I dont see 1 big event coming at us,...but rather many smaller events coming like toppled dominoes. Short of a Nuclear exchange,..life will still go on for most of us.....most of us that can live off of our land that is.

Many proclaim that when TSHTF they will make like Sh*t and beat a trail to their bug out place on a piece of remote junk land in the boonies. Fine! But when all their MRE's and Spam is gone what will they do then?
Most havent even considered a water source or food replacement such as gardens....on junk land how would you resupply your stores?
When its all gone,...will those cases of horded ammo feed them? Not unless they turn outlaw and pillage the countryside.....assuming the rest of us dont blow off their damn heads for stealing.

Sorry but I dont see junk land as a workable option.
And the dreams of Rambo type armchair survivalists, are just that,..dreams.

Survival is hard! Even armed with all the latest new fangled gadgets, mother nature conspires against you at times with drought,..or tornadoes,...or too much rain and floods,...or even wildfire.
Ask our pioneer ancestors how easy it was...when they crossed the Big Muddy they didnt look for junk land,...they sought out fertile grasslands with water and some elevation to avoid floods,.....even then many starved or froze to death.

For junk land my vote is just plain NO!

Mayberry said...

Well, the point can be made that "junk" land is better than no land! I'd certainly prefer it to homelessness......

gott_cha said...

Thats very true Mayberry.
And, if enough time and money can be spent on it, that land may yield food.
It does beat the alternative as you mentioned.
Having land is a lot like gun ownership....just having it is of little use if skill is not developed. Land is little use if ya dont work it a bit.......know what I mean?

If a man knows the lands shortcomings then hey!

riverwalker said...

To: mayberry

You're right of course that it beats being homeless, but you need to try to get get the possible land for a better chance at sustainability. Even good land not worked properly or with little or no improvements could be considered "junk". Gott_cha made an excellent point in that it has to be worked to increase its value.

RW

RW

Anonymous said...

Found this blog after web searching the sleep cell bag. Which works great. I have a 40 degree rated that I use in the house. These are 21.95 Wal-mart.

Junk land works for me. It's a good 3rd choice solution. And you can do all kinds of stuff with it in the mean time, put in berry bushes, camping, build a shed, chop the soil up a little etc. In a SHTF situation, most people (family) will pool their resources and live communually, choosing the best "hardened" residence, if possible. The junk land can be a escape from cabin fever for a few weeks kind of thing. Couples or what ever could rotate out, as it were. If your "staying with friends" this is a out "oh I'm going out to the country for a few days" kind of thing. It adds a layer of diversity.

Internet? Forget it, batteries are for the radio. MRE's and spam will be replaced by scrounging (aka foraging). So get used to it. I got mostly dry goods anyway, to get thru the 1st hard, rough patch.

Tom

riverwalker said...

To: Tom

Junk land as an escape retreat works for me! Thanks.
RW

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