R. Ann Parris articles on prepping

 Prepper  No Responses »
Jan 292019
 

Hi,

In case you haven’t checked the PAGES menu on the left of the site, there are now several articles here (written by me) on prepping.

Comments have been left open on these articles, so if you have any questions or would like to comment on them, I’ll reply as soon as is practical.

Here are a few quick links – use the PAGES menu to read the rest. 🙂

Update!
There are now dozens of my articles listed in the pages menu.
All feedback is welcome.

R. Ann Parris on Seeking Out Other Preppers

R. Ann Parris on The Do’s & Don’ts of Internet Contacts

R. Ann Parris on Writing A Good Contact Post

R. Ann Parris on Important Docs & Info Backups

Can’t login? Forgotten your username or password?

 News  Comments Off on
Can’t login? Forgotten your username or password?
May 022018
 

If you have forgotten your username or password to the site send us an email from the email address you originally registered with.

[email protected]

or

[email protected]

or

If you can’t login:

  • If you’ve just registered, make sure you have replied to the verification email sent to you. Without a reply from you (to the verification email) you are not registered on this site.
    (check your spam folder if you haven’t seen the verification email)
  • Login is by username, NOT your email address.
  • Login is case sensitive. So if you created the username John Doe, you can’t get in using john doe or johndoe or JohnDoe. It must be entered as you created it.
  • Make sure your browser is set to enable cookies.
  • If you are still having problems, email john at preppergroups dot com or rebecca at preppergroups dot com – or both of us (we are in different hemispheres, so odds are one of us will be online).

NEW USERS – READ BEFORE POSTING!

 News  No Responses »
May 022018
 

This site has TWO useful areas. A forum (for discussion, opinions and chit-chat) and the main site (contacting or starting a group). You are currently on the main (contact) site.

Through banner ads and links the site gets fees from sales or display and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These earnings keep the site running.

Need moderator help? If you are having problems, email john at preppergroups dot com or rebecca at preppergroups dot com – or both of us (we are in different hemispheres, so odds are one of us will be online).

THE MAIN SITE

is for posting contacts. This is where you are now. If you want to start or join a group, create a post here. In order to do that, you will need an account: you register here. (older posts are deleted in an effort to keep the information and contact details current – we found a lot of older posts were returning emails as user unknown)
More information: R. Ann Parris on: The Do’s & Don’ts Of Internet Contacts || R. Ann Parris on: Seeking Out Other Preppers || What’s proper to post, what’s not || Getting Started || Are you press/media?

THE FORUM

is for posting opinions, reviews, news articles, buying & selling and questions. You can access it here. The forum requires a separate, additional registration from the main site. You can register for the forum here.
More information: Be sure to check in || Having a get-together? || List your blog or site

A WARNING ABOUT INTERNET PREDATORS

The online prepper community is, like the rest of the Internet, the target of scammers & predators. From time to time the admins here are made aware of people posting on the site who are targeting preppers in the hope of selling them places in communities that don’t exist or real estate deals that are nothing more than scams. (There are also sexual predators known to troll online forums – so please, take all care in information you divulge & in agreeing to “meets”) Read more on this here.

ATTENTION Press, Media, Casting Agencies – READ THIS!

 Prepper  1 Response »
May 012018
 

ATTENTION Reporters, Media Companies & Casting Agencies

If you are from the press/media and want to join this site to interview it’s members – DON’T!

If you are from a casting agency and want to join this site to recruit it’s members for “reality” programs – DON’T!

If you would like this sites owner/admin to review a book, dvd etc – email [email protected]

If the people on this site wanted to talk to the press, they would approach the press. Respect their privacy! Media spammers will be reported, IP addresses will be recorded and they will be BANNED!

However, if you would like me to make your contact details available to the preppers on this site, send a message here. List the organization, your contact details and if there is a specific location you represent.

Bomb Shelter Repairs

 Prepper, Virginia  No Responses »
Oct 152019
 

Hi Everyone, I have an underground welded steel bomb shelter that has flooded and is in need of repairs. Does anyone know of an individual or company in the Northern Virginia area qualified to take on repairs to a flooded shelter? Thanks in advance for your help!

 Posted by at 4:36 pm

Calling CO Front Range Preppers

 Colorado, Group seeking members, HAM Radio, MAG, prepper network  No Responses »
Oct 152019
 

We’ve recruited on here in the past and met some great people but it hasn’t worked out for a variety of reasons.

I’m interested in two things:

  1. Meeting representatives of other functional groups around Colorado.  I’d love to setup some semi-regular coffee talks to compare notes and get to know each other.  Regardless of what part of the state you’re in, there’s a good chance I could refer people to you, but I have to first know what kind of people you’re looking for.  A basic radio network would be useful as well.  Coffee is good, networking is almost as good.
  2. Meeting people interested in joining our group specifically – one that actually works together (shooting, ham radio, hiking…).  If you want to learn more about becoming a member of our group, we require a willingness to learn basic security techniques with us, our way (or even better, if you have a lot of experience with this, to TEACH us), basic security equipment, 6 months of food storage, and various other odds-and-ins as we’ve laid them out.  Email me at johnhartnj at outlook dot com for more info.  If you feel like you have no skills whatsoever, which I’m sure isn’t true, but you can afford your own gear and you honestly want to learn and have fun, we’ll take care of you.  We do have some pistol/rifle/physical fitness qualification standards and we’re here to help you pass them… but you also have to want it.  The standards aren’t difficult unless you have no experience at all or have extreme physical limitations.

I’m not anti-government, we aren’t a militia, and I have little interest in yet another meeting about bug-out bags.  But we do need to take this seriously.  We meet regularly and our on-boarding process is fairly lengthy.  Our location is south of the greater Denver metro area, off the beaten path; the details are private but we offer some/many advantages to staying in the city.  We aren’t a commune, we aren’t selling chunks of our land, and your stuff will forever be your stuff.

My wife tells me that trying to recruit good people from the internet is futile and maybe she’s right.  But here I am.  You have to want to assimilate into the clan and that means building frith and kinship; without that, there is no group.  Best of luck to you all, and I sincerely hope all of you can find a good group to join or have success starting your own.  And I hope none of us ever needs to actually use anything relevant to any of this.

Rocky Mountain Montana

 Montana, Prepper  No Responses »
Oct 082019
 

We have been here 15 years and really like where we are. Headwaters of the Missouri, lakes and forest. Interested in chatting with others who read this type of material. We are active in the outdoors and preparing. We have knowledge and resources and know the lay of the land and the people around us. Since it is hard to contact one another try my email at montanabill, then the numerals, 08 at gmail.com.

 Posted by at 7:18 am

Wichita Kansas

 Kansas  No Responses »
Oct 062019
 

Korgath79 here out of Wichita also looking for likeminded people. Retired Air Force and I’m trying to stockpile skills and knowledge. Working on Prepping for 5 years now. Trying to get gardening and food production under my belt. You can contact me at [email protected]

S/E Oklahoma Site Seeking Individual, Couple or Very Small Group

 Arkansas, Group seeking members, Oklahoma, Prepper, Texas  1 Response »
Oct 012019
 

Existing Site in SouthEastern Oklahoma seeking individual, couple or very small group

What I’m all about:

I’m a male in my mid-40’s living off-grid in much the same fashion I would if TSHTF. If the end of the world occurred tomorrow, I wouldn’t know about it until I realized planes weren’t flying overhead anymore. I’ve been doing this in earnest now for about a decade, though my scheming and plotting started in the late 90’s.

I don’t really anticipate a calamity that can be marked and commemorated on some future calendar, instead I feel the continued decay of ethics, morality and dependencies/ entitlements have already put us square in the definition of living post-apocalypse. And all it seems likely to do from here is continue to degrade. I am not a ‘gun nut’ praying for something terrible to happen so I can live out my fantasies based on being ‘done wrong’ by the world. Unfortunately, too many of our ranks seem to lean that direction.

My life is without dependency on the outside world, economy, medical care, etc… I train pack/ draft animals, raise food(though not as much or as well as I could), devise methods to contend with my needs based on what’s onhand, etc…

I’m on a rather small piece of property(6 acres) adjacent to a river, lots of ‘feral’ land and few neighbors. It’s very rural, off the beaten track, but not so far from ‘town’ or resources to have to worry about having enough gas to go get gas. That said… I might make a trip to town 6 times a year.

It’s the frontier out here… riff-raff, cowboys and indians, other assorted ‘wild’ inhabitants… the weather is equally wild and so are the innumerable quantities of wildlife that we share the region with. I wouldn’t trade this spot for the world… I was very lucky to have found it and appreciated it’s potential so many years ago.

What I’m looking for:

I took all this on by myself and understand how difficult it is to even conceive of it as an individual. Ideally, I’d like to find a person or couple or even a very small group that was looking for an optimal location as I was when I located this one(I am not from here, I sought it out based on a long list of criteria). Learn what it’s all about and what you’re made of, and put yourself or yourselves in a secure position come what may. Making space for a camper, yurt or other temporary accommodations, if needed, would not be a huge ordeal.

My personal experience has lent me the opinion that large groups are too inherently flawed… and too prone to failure- Too many heads to bang together and it always seems money is the root of the greatest number of issues.

I’m not concerned about ‘your skill set’ or what you might bring to the table. In my opinion, most of us under-estimate some and over-estimate even more of our own abilities, needs, etc… without having them put to the test. Having ‘mad canning skillz’ while Walmart’s still open is one thing. Figuring out how to preserve food without an infinite supply of lids and rings is entirely another.

It doesn’t matter how much money you have or how much ‘stuff’ you’ve acquired. Everything you ‘need’ is in your head and heart. That said- you would need to be able to provide for yourself or do what’s necessary(like working, hah) at least long enough to get your head around things.

I’m not interested in ‘making money’ off anyone. It would be essential that you help around here, and of course you would be helped as well. But I can’t ‘take care’ of anyone. You’ll have to be resolved to take care of yourself or yourselves.

Criminal records, drug use(including pot) and alcoholism cannot be tolerated- occasional drinking doesn’t bother me, neither does smoking as long as you can provide your own tobacco or learn to grow it.

If you’re interested(and still reading)… feel free to contact me at:

sustainabill at gee male dart calm

or contact me here.

Let’s set up some dialogue and see if we can find a mutually beneficial situation.

 

Good luck out there.

I’m looking to start a new group (Athens/Augusta area)

 Georgia, Prepper  No Responses »
Sep 162019
 

I have a small parcel of land here in Wilkes County which is located midway between Augusta and Athens.
This is a small rural area which is ideal for this sort of thing.
I am located out in the county which is where you want to be, far enough from town and isolated enough to provide the preferred security yet close enough to town that it is no problem making supply runs when necessary.
I am not looking to create a large group as the larger the group the greater the risk of being noticed.
I am only looking for maybe a maximum of 6 people (5 + myself).
Because this will be a very close nit group I will be very picky about who I allow to come here.
The more skills and knowledge you have, and the more you bring to the table, the greater your chances.
Slackers and lazy people need not bother contacting me. If you want all the benefits of a group without putting in the effort then you are definitely not what I’m looking for.
Interested parties PM me and let’s talk.

 

Southwestern Oregon Preppers (SWOP) will be holding its monthly meeting at Noon PM on Saturday, September 21, 2019

 Gatherings, Oregon  No Responses »
Sep 132019
 

Southwestern Oregon Preppers (SWOP) will be holding its monthly meeting at Noon PM on Saturday, September 21, 2019 at the parking lot at Sixes River Grange Hall, 44556 Hwy 101, Sixes, Oregon 97476. Come rain or shine.

The main topic is “Prepping Skills and Drills”. Bring your bugout bag and something to sit on. Your knowledge, skills and equipment will be tested. You will learn your strengths and weaknesses. If you missed these sessions before, here’s another chance! SWOP meetings always start with a question and answer period before the main topic so all in attendance get a chance to participate.

This is a free public meeting to get to know fellow local preppers in southwestern Oregon counties and to exchange information and ideas. It is important for individuals to understand that they will be “on their own” in the event of a disaster and not to depend on receiving outside help.

SWOP banner

How Long from November 3, 2020 to Venezuela?

 Prepper  2 Responses »
Sep 112019
 

For my family and me, election night will be a decision point to accelerate our bug out plans. We live in the mid-Atlantic, too close to Mordor. We don’t want to wait around for things to devolve. So, we are looking for real estate in very remote areas, and would prefer to be in a group of Christians/Western values with as sustainable a mix of skills and resources as practical. 6 of us: 50’s and kids centered about 10yo. We’d like to start planning and organizing now with a go/no go decision Nov 2020. Please consider getting a Librem 5 phone and a protonmail email address for now.

Looking to connect in Mass/RI/NH/Maine

 Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island  No Responses »
Aug 212019
 

Looking to connect in Mass/RI/NH/Maine. Would love to start a network of like minded and hard working folks so that we might work together. Safety in numbers as it is said.

A Christian new to prepping, but hard working, medical background with good gardening skills and great organizational skills. My husband is great at carpentry/woodworking, auto repair, plumbing, welding, and ridiculously handy. Our 18yr daughter is pre-med and will be our group physician if society can last that long… I am also looking to complete some surg tech and para training to be of more value to my family and hopefully a group. I also have great connections for these supplies.

We have begun our stockpile of food, resource manuals, ammo, med supplies, etc and I would love to connect with other like minded folks. We are in southcoast of Mass, but we are thinking NH/Maine would be a it great place for a retreat. Looks like there are more of us around that I thought. feel free to email me rmpratt76[at]gmail[dot]com

New to Colorado

 Colorado  No Responses »
Aug 192019
 

I am new to Colorado and want to meet up with group of like minded people/individuals – if you are in the Pueblo or Pueblo West area, hit me up.

 Posted by at 8:56 am

Openings at Survival Sanctuary near Mt. St. Helens, SW Washington/NW Oregon

 Oregon, Washington  No Responses »
Aug 192019
 

We are a little Sanctuary in the foothills of Mt. St. Helens east of Kelso, WA. House at 300′ elevation, 5 forested acres (alder, maple, cedar, fir, blackberries), directly adjacent to millions of acres of uninhabited forest land where we can freely roam (deer, elk, wild turkeys, coyotes, cougar?) We are wilderness-based, not city, town, or farm-based.

We plan to keep the Team small for many reasons, including that our fallout shelter only holds 6. We are prepared for nuclear war, disease plague (by self-isolation), climate disruption (although our weakness is forest fire), and general financial/commercial/political collapse (by self-sufficiency). We are also in fairly good shape for most Black Swans (earthquake, etc.) The Sanctuary is prepared to make the transition to complete and permanent self-sufficiency if necessary (gardening, hunting, fishing, herbal medicine).

Current members include a mental-health therapist, a mechanical engineer, a medical pathology assistant, and a plant nursery worker. We have many other skills among us.

In new people, we are more interested in maturity and good values than any certain skills, but you must be fairly well educated, open to learning, and willing to teach what you know. Emotional stability, intelligence, patience, respect, cooperation, and intuition are highly valued. We are NOT interested in control freaks, politicians, chatter boxes, or the judgmental, impulsive, lazy, or defensive.

Excellent health and mobility, and strong immune systems, are necessary. No drug dependencies (including recreational), significant food allergies, or claustrophobia. Politics and religion must be kept strictly personal. No costs (other than your own gear), but you must have reliable transportation.

The Sanctuary may or may not be a residential situation for the new members during normal times. For some members, it is a retreat location where we gather about monthly to explore, work, learn, and play. All members stay ready to dash to the Sanctuary if/when “something” happens. We have 2 openings, suitable for individuals, a couple, or parent and youth. We only consider youth who are capable of completely grown-up behavior whenever it is needed (minimum age of about 8), and we would look at the youth’s qualities and motivations, just as we would with an adult.

The Sanctuary is strictly private, not associated with any government, business, or religion, and we will keep all communications confidential: zimindrixli [at] yahoo [dot] com.

looking for potential candidates to our humble group, Denver metro area.

 Colorado  1 Response »
Aug 162019
 

Hello my name is jack. i’ve been prepping as long as i can remember. we have a humble little group always looking to expand. our name is CDRT or Colorado disaster readiness team. we do have baseline requirement to join, but nothing crazy. we pride ourselves in being knowledgeable in many categories including food prep, water prep, fuel prep, pro 2A, pro constitution, knowledgeable in ham radio and basic CPR, and most of all pro judaocritian values. if this sounds like you please let me know and we can exchange info. times are tough, best we stick together.

Any So Cal Prepper Groups who do Training or Camping together?

 California  2 Responses »
Aug 082019
 

Hello I’m a new prepper in So Cal and started off just kind of following all sorts of prepper youtube channels before I started saving up to purchase gear and I’m really excited about the idea that people around the country are preparing for any kind of SHTF or WROL type scenario and I’d like to be apart of that. To be honest I thought about it and was recently considering joining a Militia since I feel maybe militias are the ultimate preppers. However I also don’t want to sign myself to any organization if I don’t have to when in actuality I’m just looking for a group of people who like to train with their prepper equipment instead of just purchasing it and leaving it all in a forgotten closet.

Are there any such groups near the Inland Empire which is where I live?

 Posted by at 8:25 pm

Like minded Christians near Wake Co NC

 North Carolina, Prepper  No Responses »
Aug 082019
 

I found land for my family and friends and currently getting it set up. NOT looking for others to move in. Just reaching out to see if there are other like-minded CHRISTIANS near me to add another layer of security (numbers). Must have a firm foundation in their faith/relationship with Christ, and have something to bring to the table (survival knowledge, carpentry, mech. skills, farming, self defence, beans and bullets, etc.) If SHTF then it’s good to have help, good to have separate locations to go, STRENGTH IN NUMBERS)

“And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.”  Ecclesiastes 4:12

What I bring to the table: Born-again Christian, Combat Vet, JOAT, etc. (more info provided if you PM me.)

God bless all who this reaches, and for those who this applies to… look forward to see what God has in store.

New East Texas Prepper

 Prepper, Texas  2 Responses »
Aug 072019
 

Hello my name is Lee (aka surplusprepper) been prepping since 1995, but after several family mishaps, I am back in Texas starting over prepping. I am trying to find prepper groups in the Montgomery County area of Texas and try to connect different groups to have connections for when SHTF we can all work in unison to help each other when needed.
I am a US Army Veteran(medical and communications), Volunteer Fire Fighter/Instructor, love the outdoors(fishing and hunting), traveling and cooking.

Ozark prepping

 Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Prepper  1 Response »
Aug 072019
 

I have been on this site a while. I see a lot of potential scams and even more hair-brained ideas, by people who probably know less than you do. Bull shit can get you in a real bad spot. I hear of people taking others in if they”meet Criteria”, meaning you bring in resources, whether it money or material or even your time, and when it hits they can just lock you out. That’s is a serious issue.

Invest your time on seeking a few sites off the path…. Meaning it is a idea to think a fortified home or farm will withstand it if things turn south. People get hungry, and people with like minded ideas.. being hungry… will team up with others to come take what you have… the mobs will scavenge their area and travel further and down the remote roads in hopes of finding a score. You may beat them back but assuredly they will be back in greater numbers and better equipped.

The best thing you can do is stay flexible, learn to tap trees for water or purify a mud hole into clean drinking water. Alternatively learn to follow a stream to it’s source to get to a safer quality of drinking water. Not having water is your number one problem. Lot of ways to make shelters, and with the region warming up noticeable you have more warm weather than not, which of course is a dual sided sword..

Large groups will inevitable fail, inwards fighting and different views, especially religious people vs non religious… get someone thinking the end has come and they may try to hasten your exit. these little things are what people tend to overlook.

Anyone can hunt, learn to snare and fish… Once someone hears a gunshot the hungry hunter is going to come investigate and maybe get your kill. Snares are silent and draw less attention, and done right you can camouflage them well.  Fishing in sheltered areas limit’s the visibility of people seeing you. Little things.. little things. spend all day fishing to be robbed of your family’s meal would be disappointing. But the idea of my family starving and your family starving, people tend to rationalize their actions by thinking you already have some food stocked or you can just catch more.

Learning new skills now with little test projects.. They can really pay off. Did you know less that a twentieth of a percent of the population knows the skills to actually get a decent crop of tobacco to grow? even less know how to dry it correctly so that it is of a decent grade. So for you smokers you are outta luck, but if you learn the skill now you can have tobacco and it will be a great trade item.

Trade partners… Always meet somewhere away, never come alone, and be sure to never be followed home. Basic rules… If you can’t hold on to something you will not don’t need it. This sounds paranoid I agree, but think about not having nothing.. In 6 months 90% of the population would be dead, and not just from hunger.. Disease, disposing of waste properly and not leaving it around will lessen the chances of diseases and infections..

So when you look into a group ask about some of these questions, and Remember a good group needs you as much as you need them. Learn some skills, beekeeping  for honey and wax, hopefully I don’t have to explain why those two are very important, husbandry, gardening, fletching, how to sharpen a knife correctly..

I am setting up a very small group, have two others as of now. Sadly the rule of two does not work well with odd numbers, and we thinking 6 is a perfectly rounded number. 2 for home/ 2 for gathering/ and 2 for the alternating task. the skills we have are pretty well rounded, and some task will be even better with more people having them. We are a mobile group, like the Indians, and want to find people who see the benefit in this. being tied down to a single place makes you vulnerable no matter how tough you think you are or how clever you think you are.

So any like minded people should think about this bit of info and if you see the validations to these issues you should hit me up and we can open a line of communication. Tell us about you and we will do the same…

 

 

 Posted by at 1:24 pm

New Prepper in North Los Angeles

 California, Prepper  2 Responses »
Aug 062019
 

New to Prepping.. here in LA .. North LA county area…
seeking other like-minded – preppers – seeking to belong or start a new-community here.

I have property and AZ, but I am currently working here in LA –

lets talk ( plans and Bug-out options – etc )

creating a small community on my farm

 Georgia  3 Responses »
Aug 052019
 

I am looking for like-minded Preppers I intend on creating a small community on my farm it’s not perfect but it has a lot of things that you would need in a situation like what we could expect in the very short future there ARe Springs three Wells one of them is Artesian in nature I have a very rare in ground Greenhouse over a thousand square feet I have farm animals I have an orchard and Berry trees please contact me if you have any interest thank you

Preparedness group in Northern Virginia and surrounding area.

 Prepper, Virginia  No Responses »
Jul 292019
 

o Established mutually supporting preparedness group with developed bug out location seeking families and/or single professionals of like mind interested in being prepared to confront a wide variety of realistic possible events that could cause significant economic and social disruption in this area.
o We are seeking adult members 18 to 65 years old (no age requirement for children) in good health, moderately physically fit (willingness to be candid about health if there are concerns). Prospective applicants should not have a criminal record.
o Currently all members are located in the Northern Virginia area, Fairfax-Winchester corridor. We want in prospective members a willingness to be part of a mutually supporting team. A willingness to devote time and resources to the group and group activities. Some financial flexibility to contribute to infrastructure at the bug-out location. Most importantly, good people and families willing to help one another that are concerned about realistic regional scenarios.
o If you are interested and feel that you meet the above prerequisites please email us at [email protected] We will respond promptly and begin an email exchange. If we feel you and your family are a good fit for our group we will progress to phone conversations. Then in person meetings. Further details will be worked out in the email exchange.

Survival retreat for your family in NH

 Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Prepper  2 Responses »
Jul 232019
 

Looking for 4 to 10 couples who would like to have an emergency Survival destination set up for their families ready at all times.

This survival retreat will store and provide
Off Gride power
2 years Long term food storage
Survival supplies
Housing
Bunker
Gardens, Fruit trees, and bushes
Water source

In the event of a disaster or catastrophe, all couples will travel to this location for safety and a new start.

All owners will provide work in maintaining the gardens, security rotation, and other life-sustaining duties. (not a holiday set up) in the event of a catastrophe.

I have a military background and will set up and maintain the site full time.

Depending on the number of couples who join there will be a down payment and a monthly fee.

Depending on the number of clients the first initial payment could be around
$100k to $250k

This will be used to purchase the farm, fully stock it and set it up for off-grid life
Each family will be responsible for supply clothing and special items they would like in the event it is needed.

Interested clients, please contact me at [email protected]
for further information.

Greeting folks. Back at it again.

 Missouri, Prepper  No Responses »
Jun 152019
 

This is kinda wordy so bear with me…

Had to take a Sabbatical to bounce back from life’s curves.

The last message I put on here about a year ago ended up in an OPSEC nightmare so I’ll relate some of the details for your edification.  A person I took on at my off-grid location asked if a relative could help out and after some discussion, I agreed.  I split my time between the BOL and regular accommodations elsewhere, so it sounded like a great idea.  I counseled this young man after finding out about his past problems.  He seemed to be onboard.  He learned to run farm equipment, basic firearms use, among other things.  All seemed well until I got a call about being stranded on a back road in one of my vehicles he had no permission to use.  By the time I got there, he had been medevac’d after a shootout with law enforcement, where a trooper had been injured.  He had been shot several times and lost an eye.  He was lucky depending on how you look at it.  To top it off, not only did I lose a vehicle in a hail of small arms fire, but he used a pistol I left in his care. How things can go South in a heartbeat.  Thankfully, God is merciful and I was exonerated after an interview with the lead investigator onsite without so much as a written statement.  As you can imagine as I rolled up wondering what had happened and identified myself as the owner of that vehicle and inquired about my “friend” the driver, it was a somewhat hostile situation.  Take from this what you will.  No matter what you do, you can’t always tell the character of people.  For that matter, especially in a high stress situation where common sense and any cognitive ability goes right out the window.  Taking on help has its caveats, so in large part, it’s a numbers game to find the people who’ll stick and share common goals.  With all the potential for upset during peacetime, I have no desire to see the conduct of people when the SHTF.  It’s a roll of the dice, even with family.  All you can do is all you can do.

That said, I need to continue making progress, not only in outward physical improvement onsite, but personally.  Joined a thousand yard range and bought a rifle and putting together a weapon system to take advantage of that distance. I look forward to it. The weather has been great and putting in seat time on the bike.  Getting back on a motorcycle is a joy I had long forgotten.  Got my DOD ID and look forward to a spontaneous military hop to who knows where.  On top of that and even on death’s door several times, I am back in the saddle, lifting weights, getting on the treadmill and bicycling several times a week.  We perish for lack of knowledge.  In this current culture and lifestyle, it will spell our doom if we go along without great scrutiny.  I haven’t felt this good in a long time, with medical prognosticators giving me little time left.  Glad to prove them wrong.  So, if you are suffering a medical condition, it can be overcome in large part no matter what people say.  Many people including myself have come back against insurmountable odds.  It can be done.  So if you are so inclined, we can talk about that and I can share my methodology. We’re in this for the long haul.

So, back on track.  I have a nice small off-grid homestead that needs the cobwebs cleaned out and brought back to par and operational.  If you are interested in learning about alternative energy, homesteading, husbandry, etc., give me a shout. Especially any particular interests you have and would like to implement.  This sheepdog is still learning, so teach me if you can.

I do plan on getting grid power  to make certain modern amenities available.  I’ve been off-grid several times and for enough years to know what it takes.  I like having certain conveniences to make life easier, like at my other place.  I can tell you this, I’ve been through the learning curve and it wasn’t easy.  Too many people have put up stuff and have not tested nor proven those things in the false Idea, it’ll be there and work when it’s needed.  Bad idea.  SHTF is not the time to have meetings about how to work and do stuff.  Just my .02

I did close up the outside of a small house/cabin and the inside is yet to be finished.  It’s sort of a template of an easy to erect living accommodation for future expansion.  So far, that’s been pretty painless.  I have another solar system that would be installed on that structure, a couple  200+ watt panels, several 200AH AGM batteries.  Switching from lead acid to AGMs to eliminate the need for distilled water and other maintenance.  More expensive but better.  Got a big pretty mule.  16 hands 2. Big and stubborn.  Imagine a thousand pound pitbull. She watches the place. Tractor, backhoe, shipping containers, outbuildings, and plenty of work.  Cleared in the front, mostly wooded in the back.  It’s pretty land and needs people, otherwise, why the heck am I doing this, lol.

I am in South Central Missouri, Ozarks proper.  If you like good coffee and like good stories, I have tons to tell.  Give me a shout.  [email protected]  Let’s see what we can get done.

Take care and good luck,

Steve.

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