SHTF Groups

[Wiggity]

When I saw the title, i immediately thought of groups of S after a chunk had HTF

[HoneyBadger]

When I saw the title, i immediately thought of groups of S after a chunk had HTF

[xring]

This would undoubtedly lead to the "compound" assertion from the neighboring public. They'd look at that neighborhood as a cult or something. That's not exactly an appealing selling point. I think having a close group of friends and family in the 5-6 couples (10-12 adults and their kids) range is about as good as it can be... any more than that and you'll definitely have an outcast couple or two who will feel undermined or less valuable, and divisions will follow. The fallout may not be to life or death levels, but it would be emotional, especially for the women...ever seen a mid-season episode of survivor?

In a SHTF scenario, I plan to team up with friends from church and family, as well as a couple close neighbors. We'll help each other get supplies, barter amongst ourselves, and share intel and observations, but that's probably about it. The event that triggers the shtf would have to be huge in order for it to go further than that. I have zero intent to move in with anyone else, or have them move in with me... bugging in is still the plan. They should too. If forced out, it's off to western Nebraska to the in laws section.

I know a woman who is trying to start greenhouses in housing communities. She says hell they have a community rec room and pool why not greenhouse. Her vision is for everone to put in a little time and she can provide instruction how to grow. No cult. no time invested no vegetables. not everyone uses the rec room. People want self reliance. People want healthy food. Not everone wants to be a full time gardener although its certainly theraputic, but if the community is sharing the weight and getting bulk discounts... Wouldnt it be worth a half hour of your time a day for fresh vegetables? Wouldnt that institution augment property values?

[Omicron]

Seriously though, apart from being viewed as a cult, I have been thinking of a way to organize such a neighborhood for a few years now. The conclusion that I've come to is that you would either need hundreds of people on board to include every house in the neighborhood (which would be nearly impossible to control if things got bad unless you really were a cult), or you would have to be out in the sticks somewhere. It seems that there may be some people with this idea along highway 94 on the way to Kansas, but they are pretty far out there... A bit further out there than I could convince my wife to live.

I could however see this working especially well with a little mountain community of say, 5-10 houses and everyone would be very self-sufficient: Wind or solar power, wells, septic, well-fortified houses. They could be off the grid as much or as little as they want. Personally I would love to have a backup source of power and a well. If only I had the money to buy some property in the mountains right now...

Exactly the kind of thing I envision.

[Omicron]

I know a woman who is trying to start greenhouses in housing communities. She says hell they have a community rec room and pool why not greenhouse. Her vision is for everone to put in a little time and she can provide instruction how to grow. No cult. no time invested no vegetables. not everyone uses the rec room. People want self reliance. People want healthy food. Not everone wants to be a full time gardener although its certainly theraputic, but if the community is sharing the weight and getting bulk discounts... Wouldnt it be worth a half hour of your time a day for fresh vegetables? Wouldnt that institution augment property values?

Sounds like a great idea to me.

[Goodburbon]

I'm in a "group", and while I won't get into specifics I can say that it just developed naturally through conversation with close friends.

Here are some issues we've encountered.
1. Family members "cool, we're coming to your house when SHTF. We won't contribute anything because we don't believe S will ever HTF, but if it does we'll be knocking on your door.
2. 2 members seem to be financing the entire operation. It's quickly become a "from each according to his ability" operation.
3. Settling on standards. When we formed, the springfield XD was the chosen pistol, but as time wore on everyone somehow acquired HK USPs. Now 3 people are in a situation where they have the "group standard" but the majority of the group has moved on to bigger and better things (as the group expanded and took in family members). Ammunition? 55gr, 62gr....etc.
4. Distractions/finite resources. Most acutely seen with energy choices. Should we go with Solar? 20k+ longer term viability.. Propane generator run intermittently?$3k (we have the generator, this would be an extra 1000 gallon tank and fill) Mid-term (up to 1 year) Coal heating? Wood? Propane? etc. These debates have cost a lot of time and energy.

[HoneyBadger]

I'm in a "group", and while I won't get into specifics I can say that it just developed naturally through conversation with close friends.

Here are some issues we've encountered.
1. Family members "cool, we're coming to your house when SHTF. We won't contribute anything because we don't believe S will ever HTF, but if it does we'll be knocking on your door.
2. 2 members seem to be financing the entire operation. It's quickly become a "from each according to his ability" operation.
3. Settling on standards. When we formed, the springfield XD was the chosen pistol, but as time wore on everyone somehow acquired HK USPs. Now 3 people are in a situation where they have the "group standard" but the majority of the group has moved on to bigger and better things (as the group expanded and took in family members). Ammunition? 55gr, 62gr....etc.
4. Distractions/finite resources. Most acutely seen with energy choices. Should we go with Solar? 20k+ longer term viability.. Propane generator run intermittently?$3k (we have the generator, this would be an extra 1000 gallon tank and fill) Mid-term (up to 1 year) Coal heating? Wood? Propane? etc. These debates have cost a lot of time and energy.

Thanks for the great insight! If you have time, I'd love to hear as much as you're willing to share about any other challenges your group has faced. What about political differences? religious differences? lifestyle differences?

[Omicron]

I'm in a "group", and while I won't get into specifics I can say that it just developed naturally through conversation with close friends.

Here are some issues we've encountered.
1. Family members "cool, we're coming to your house when SHTF. We won't contribute anything because we don't believe S will ever HTF, but if it does we'll be knocking on your door.
2. 2 members seem to be financing the entire operation. It's quickly become a "from each according to his ability" operation.
3. Settling on standards. When we formed, the springfield XD was the chosen pistol, but as time wore on everyone somehow acquired HK USPs. Now 3 people are in a situation where they have the "group standard" but the majority of the group has moved on to bigger and better things (as the group expanded and took in family members). Ammunition? 55gr, 62gr....etc.
4. Distractions/finite resources. Most acutely seen with energy choices. Should we go with Solar? 20k+ longer term viability.. Propane generator run intermittently?$3k (we have the generator, this would be an extra 1000 gallon tank and fill) Mid-term (up to 1 year) Coal heating? Wood? Propane? etc. These debates have cost a lot of time and energy.

Good insights indeed. Wondering how you've "encountered" these? Do you mean you've discussed them so you're ready for them? Not playing with semantics, just don't see how you could have encountered these situations unless in a real STHF situation.

[Goodburbon]

Good insights indeed. Wondering how you've "encountered" these? Do you mean you've discussed them so you're ready for them? Not playing with semantics, just don't see how you could have encountered these situations unless in a real STHF situation.

Ok you got me. They are problems we've had while making decisions as a group.

[Goodburbon]

Religious differences. Most of the group is Christian, and my wife and I tolerate and respect that. They know we aren't.

Politically, either they are just humoring me or we hold to pretty much the same principles.

Disasters anticipated. There are some differences, I'm a "just prep, stop worrying about everything that might happen", while the other major party head is a "Look what's going on in Europe, what about the solar storms, what about....." This is easy to overcome. Just accept it, discuss it with him and let him come to the conclusion that we're prepared/ can easily prepare/ or that there is no preparation that will work for any such event.


The family issue was a big one. My wife's brother is a "I'm coming to your house" character. So my reaction is to provide basic preps for him. .22, .22ammo, rice, beans, flour. and let him supplement the rest with what he can kill or grow. One of the other hot headed members decided that he'd rather just send him away under threat of death rather than take on a freeloader, ironically that same member doesn't yet have 6 months of food for his family yet and has decided to take up bench rest shooting as a hobby. He may not be a member much longer.

Speaking of killing, everyone seemed to be operating under the zombie principle. That we would just keep a 600m perimeter and shoot anyone that comes closer...I had to point out that you could not identify a friend/foe/indifferent at that range and that just shooting people that cross the 600m mark is not only bad policy, it's murder. We've adapted a more comprehensive defense plan.