LAND is key

[oldmarinesgt]

John Seymour discusses the issue of how much land it takes to provide for a family in his book "The Complete Book of Self Sufficiency". I used to have the hard copy of this book but I lost it in a fire. It is now available free online at
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8794366/Co...elfSufficiency Great resource.

[cbprice797]

The Homestead Act LIVES!!!!

My damn links won't work but I found a great place to go if you can afford to move.

Canada still has a Homestead Act!!! It is 600 acres of land. Often near small towns. Almost always on the grid( for those that want that). You can also opt to get the other three 600 acre blocks, forming a rectangle of 2400 acres. The land taxes are absurdly low and in some places non-existant if it is Crown Land. Land is available many places like Nova Scotia, Quebec( I would not choose there due to the independence movement), Alberta, Saketchewan, British Columbia, well you ge tthe idea.

The requirements are easy to meet as well.

You should be able to find out all about it by searching Canadian Homestead Act or some such.

[pathfinder3081]

Good info sarge.. Semper Fi

[Long_Hunter]

I am sorry, but you could not drag me to Canada. It already has draconian gun laws, and it could shortly ban most, if not all private ownership. Private ownership of full autos was banned a long time ago.
If I did go, BC is the place to be. The further west you are in Canada, the less the legal authorities are willing to enforce the gun registration act.
My two cents...
LH

[Loshali]

So the question is how much do you REALLY need, and where should it be?
Criteria for me is a mix of field and woodlands, and MUST have year round running water on it i.e river/stream

The question is how much is too much.. how much is not enough to sustain a familly... and where in this country would be safe?

Remember too, that natural water sources can be poisoned or spoiled upstream from your location, and then you'd be in big trouble if thats your main source of water. You really should consider an in-ground rainwater cistern. With NC's rainfall, you could potentially catch 15-20,000 gallons per year from a single 1000 sf roof (add a barn and you double that intake). A 1000 gallon cistern (cement, in ground, hard to identify if you dont know where it is) will probably keep your family with plenty of water if you conserve it intelligently.

I've seen these at several old historic plantations I've visited over the last few years, complete with terra cotta-type guttering and downspouts into the cistern. Amazing how much our forefathers knew about conservation!

Loshali

[pathfinder3081]

Cesterns! I had some freinds with a home in the Abaco Islands. Cesterns are the only way they could have water. I am wanting to incorporate one on my new wood shed with a standing seam roof. Here is a link if you want to get some ideas.
http--www.uaf.edu-ces-publications-freepubs-HCM-01557.pdf Sorry to get off of the "land is Key" post with my Cesterns feed back. Forgive me and carry on.

[oldmarinesgt]

Here is the link to the Texas Manual for rainwater harvesting in PDF format. It is common out here in West Texas to use rain catchment systems.

http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/publicat...3rdedition.pdf

[Loshali]

Here is the link to the Texas Manual for rainwater harvesting in PDF format. It is common out here in West Texas to use rain catchment systems.

http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/publicat...3rdedition.pdf

Using such a system, you just decreased the price you'll have to pay for land by about 60%. Add a well to that and you are pretty much set.

Plastic will degrade, but those cement cisterns have been around 100+ years at the plantations, and still in good working condition.

[Bavarian]

I'm in the process of getting twenty very secluded acres. It's in a hollow with a stream in the middle, almost a story book place. It's mostly woods with steep hills, one way in and out.

I'm getting it just as a place to get away, practice skills and "just in case". It has an area that can be used to garden but I've walked it several times to see what grows there as that is very important to me.

I've found game: turkey, deer, ducks, rabbit, squirrel and raccoon. A variety of fish. Edible plants: Walnuts, hickory and acorns. Various fungi, violets, wild strawberrys, arum, goldenrod, rose hips, staghorn sumac, pine, grapes, cattail, mosses, black berry, mulberry, fern, redbud and ditch lilys. I'm still looking.

I think my wife and I can sustain ourselves on this land if we have to. Due to ice and wind storms in this area, there's enough downed timber to build a good size cabin and anything else we might need plus firewood.

Just trying to say that there is a lot you can look for when you're thinking of a good place to go (in case you have to).

[Stahlberg]

This thread is gold. If I ever get enough money to buy land I will refer back to it. I know it's particularly cheap right now in many places, but my finances went down with the prices, so. shrug

Out of all continental US, what states would be the best choices to look in? Midwest and north, northwest and east? The more remote the better? Or is it most important not to have to travel too far when you need it?
Is land cheaper and more available on the Canadian side? (Because you'd hardly need to worry about crossing the border illegally in any kind of worst case scenario)

[Bavarian]

I'm a hermit type. From what I've read and seen on TV, I think I would prefer Utah or Idaho. In reality, all I know is what I've read and seen on TV. My thinking is to stay with what you know. Family and friends do mean a lot. In your position, I think I would go see and learn about State and Federal Forrest Land in the N. Ga., E. Tenn., N. Car. area. In a bad situation, no one would have "more right" to be there than you. You won't be kicked out. Also, that area is, in my view, a hunting/fishing paradise. Beautiful country. I'd find an area with little or no human sign like car tracks, garbage, etc. and get familiar with it. My .02

[rancher]

Location...

Being able to see others lights etc is not a for sure "Death Wish" You might try a dead end dirt road to begin with. Thus no through traffic. Next in a crisis, blocking said road with fallen trees is a great barrier. The distant sound of a chain saw will mean it is time to lock and load. Go take a hike to see what is up from a pre selected firing position.

Having to go out into the open or hike to get your water will one day be a one way dead end trip for you...not smart.

40 plus acres is roomy. The area around you being empty is better and or backed up to a real near to a national type forest always helps. Going to hide in the national forests is a death wish waiting to happen.

Idaho is a great location. It snows plenty here so the bums and unprepared trying to hang in the woods will be snowed in on the first storm. Only to have their bones picked clean by the wolves.

[oly]

Having to go out into the open or hike to get your water will one day be a one way dead end trip for you...not smart.

I'm in the desert and water is precious so if any group was to try or take control of a watering hole would not be smart, I would burn them out myself to survive.

I would use the cover of night to fetch my water.

[rancher]

Water is life...

Thus we keep 8,000 gallons stored from two wells. Always available in doors or out. Natural spring and 500,000 in a nice fish pond....water is life. Sorry to hear you might need to use nightfall to get it in a jam. PVS-14 NV will bring that to a quick halt... ;-)... or help you get to it?

[waitnc]

Bavarian,
Where you at? PM me. You didn't mention the best thing, the natural springs all around. The best water anywhere.