Most people when referring to junk land for a retreat talk about being located in a remote area. While being located in a remote area can have a few advantages, it can also have several disadvantages as well!
First and foremost you will need to remember that a place which is difficult for others to access will also be difficult for you to access. Does it have an all-weather road? If not, you will need adequate transportation to access your own retreat. Will you need a four wheel drive vehicle? If so, do you own one or have the necessary means to obtain one?
Secondly, will you need to make regular trips to and from your retreat for employment purposes or to seek needed medical treatment? If you have a medical condition that may require frequent check-ups or treatment, the level of remoteness of your retreat may need to be looked at closely before making a decision.
Third, are you planning to go off-grid immediately or at a later date and time? Have you taken the necessary steps to go off-grid immediately or will you need municipal services for a short time before you will be able to go off-grid. If you need certain services, are they even available?
The fourth thing you should consider is the level of your skills. Will you be able to survive without some form of help from a nearby community? Will you need a mechanic to fix your vehicle when it breaks down? Can you find one that will be willing or able to come to you if necessary? What about a plumber, a carpenter, or an electrician?
The fifth thing to consider is educational needs. Do you have children that will need to be home-schooled? Can you do it yourself? Or will you need access to some form of learning institution to meet the educational needs of your family?
If you need temporary shelter for your retreat and are planning to use an RV or a trailer, can you even get it onto the property? Or will you need to live in a tent or some other form of temporary shelter till you can build on-site.
While being remote can help in matters of security, it can also create a number of other problems as well. It is best to remember the old saying when making a decision about junk land for a retreat. “You can’t get there from here!”
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker
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22 comments:
A few other item's to think of..is the water available for a well,or do you plan on catching rain,so what's the rainfall there? Windy enough for a windmill /generator? If it's really junk land, what can you do for planting a garden? Grazing critter's? Here in AZ,if you get WAY out in the middle of nowhere,there is some junk land at almost reasonable price's,but lack most of the above thing's.
Dean in AZ
I think the best thing to do is locate near a small town. Property is reasonable, and the code Nazis don't seem to hassle ya too much... Then you're close to the things you need, but away from the cities.... I still say a piece of paid for junk land is much better than homelessness! Properly worked, and prividing there is water available, most land can be made productive. But it does take time....
My brother in law and I found the perfect piece of land, tall pine's, a natural spring, great deer hunting, remote as you can get! Even a good area for prospecting if you'd have the time. Only problem is that it's in the middle of a national forest! I doubt if one were to just go there to camp for a while that you'd be hassled,but if you tried to homestead there,they might be a bit upset. The again,if it were a true SHTF time,then they'd have they're hand's full or too worried about themselve's to bother you.
Dean in az
Something to remember is that an isolated area is an isolated area. Means that if you are attacked, you will get no help...and consider that you might be attacked by a good sized group of about 20-25 people. Can you hold them off? What if they besiege you? Just something to think about.
To: Dean in Az
Good points that were covered in the required resources post I did earlier. The main point I was trying to get across that if you can't get you and your stuff there, maybe it's a little "too remote". Thanks Dean!
RW
To: Mayberry
Ahhhh! Now you're thinking like a prepper! Close to a small rural community but away from a large urban or metropolitan area.....
This is a good thing! Thanks.
RW
To: Dean in az
Just hope and pray that nobody else has their eye on the same spot! Things could get ugly in a hurry. Especially if don't manage to get there first. Great idea though! Sheeple aren't that smart and it would probably take them a long time to figure out a plan of action....call FEMA? LOL
RW
To: Joseph
Great point! If it's too hard to get to and you run into trouble it can also be hard to get out if it becomes necessary (siege, etc.).
Thanks Joseph for some great insight on this valuable point!
RW
Great post as usual Riverwalker. Choosing a "retreat" should match your needs and not some one else’s. My "retreat" is in the sticks but close enough to a small town to be convenient. About 5 miles. I don’t have any neighbors close enough to shoot from where I intend to put my travel trailer. So I am happy. No close
neighbors.
I ain’t worried about zombie bikers or the like, why buy into others unrealistic fantasies. People need to use as much common sense when selecting a place to get away. If it doesn’t hit the fan, I got me a “retirement” place, a mile from a lake.
So my investment performs double duty survival retreat/retirement place. So use your own common sense when selecting a retreat. You have to live there, not some so called “expert” on survival.
To: hilljack33
Agreed! Why limit your options when it can serve as a retreat and a retirement place. Excellent point. The hordes many people speak of probably won't get very far before winding up in a FEMA camp somewhere. Thanks hilljack33!
Glad to see you're still "lurking" around out there. I appreciate your great comments!
RW
BTW, COMMON SENSE RULES!
Hilljack, that's what I'm talkn' about..... Folks know who's agin' 'em and who's not. There's a "sixth sense" about that stuff, and those of us who embrace fredom and self reliance will be welcomed amongst the fold...
Mayberry: You got it. We all got that "sixth sense". Most people can spot a phony a mile away. People will accept you easily enough if you're real. Especially in most rural areas. If they treat you like an outsider, it's because they know you ain't one of them. So simple really, but it escapes so many...
I'm spending a lot of time pondering this these days. Trying to parse out whether to "just get something" to park in a bug-out. Can I plant a garden? Water...water...water.
All your points mentioned are spot-on.
Thanks RW
To: hilljack33
City slickers are easy to spot.
RW
To: Mayberry
You've got to trust your instincts.
RW
To: RV Survivalist
Hopefully the RV parks won't get too crowded too fast. Having an alternate "parking space" may not be a bad idea. Just in case.
RW
To: hilljack33
Great to hear you've got your place working! Or is it working you? LOL
RW
Well stated. A lot of folks who plan on taking their trailer to that 'back 40' should check to see if that trailer will fit all of those gates and roads that lead to it. Might find some of those 90 degree turns are a bit tight for a 20' trailer.
To: anonymous 7:47
Excellent point my friend. I had to use a bulldozer to get my 12X72 mobile home on to my place because the tote truck couldn't negotiate between several large trees in order to spot it. Thanks.
RW
A link to one of Wretha's posts on moving a trailer to remote property - sobering.
http://tinyurl.com/cs9bs4
To: anonymous 7:11
Thanks for the link!
RW
In terms of a piece of land I think Rawles acronym WALLS (water, access, location, light, security) makes sense. However most peoples biggest limiting factor in the need to make a living. Unless you are independently wealthy or retired or have a job that can truly be done from anywhere you need to travel regularly to a place to work or run a business.
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