Five acres, what would you do?

[mos19k]

You have 5 acres to do with as you like. On the property there's a small pond, a natural spring, a 1000 Sq.ft. cabin and garage 20x20. The cabin has no appliances or electricity, water is provided via the spring using a hand pump. The soil is rich enough to grow most plants. The landscape is gently rolling hills.
How would you set this place up as your BOL? What animals, if any? What crops, if any?

[tommy]

leave it natural and the anmals will come to you.

[damage855]

I would stock the pond with some fish and have plenty of firewood around but that would be about it.

[Dan22]

MOS, Interesting scenario but I'd like to know the climate, what state?

The State would also let me know what kind of game would be a danger or available.

If it's a colder climate I'd be interested in digging out an underground room for storage.

My first thought would be to build a shed or smoker house for preserving meat and a covered area to keep wood dry. Maybe some pens for animals.

A lot depends on where it would be.

Some chickens would be great for an ongoing supply of eggs and an occasional chicken dinner.
Even that depends on animals that prey on chickens.

[N2914J]

Climate, like Dan said, is a big one here. The idea of stocking the pond sounds smart and safe.

How far is this land from your town/city? The problem with having chickens, goats, hogs, ect if you're to far away, is regular upkeep, feeding, and cleaning.

I would plant some perennial low-maintenance crops, such as asparagus, brocoli, perpetual spinach, onions, and potatoes, during the warmer portion of the year, and have some canning equipment to get you through the winter months, plus some non-perishable food already in place. A few apple/cherry trees would complement this nicely.

If I didn't have access to some source of freshwater, like a stream or river, I would have a well dug.
A generator of some sort, propane or diesel maybe, will come in handy for occasional use.

In the garage (I hope it's attatched) I would keep an old reliable Jeep, such as a CJ, or some other reliable low-maintenance vehicle, perhaps a diesel, with its tank empty. Fuel for this vehicle would be stored ahead of time, and would be able to sustain a medium-range trip. A sufficient supply of my most commonly used ammunition would find itself somewhere in there ("sufficient" has different meanings to different people). I would also keep a familar SKS in case I didn't have access to my guns for some reason, and a reliable handgun of some sort. I would keep a reliable 7 Mag, or .30-06 up there at all times for taking game.

In no particular place, I would desire to have the following:

1. • A collection of reliable TopoGrahipc Maps pertaining to the area in a 100 mile radius
   • Long Distance Radio with an abundant power source (handcrank, hordes of extra batteries)
   • A plethora of miscellaneous clothing, including boots and gloves, in various sizes to accommodate the family (Everyone needs good boots, and good gloves, right?)
   • Decent amount of fuel source.
   • Moral sustaining material, such as board games to play with the family, periodicals that I've already read (provides recollection of a positive time)
   • A huge amount of flexibility, since there is no way to predict how any one event will turn out.

I've come to the realization that no comprehensive bug-out-location would be created overnight. It must be constantly improving, and adaptive. It will take me several years to reach this. On a side note, your Bug-Out-Location could also serve as a weekend getaway for you and the family. It would be a valid excuse to check on your supplies, on a somewhat regular basis.

Just some of my thoughts,

Jeff

[mos19k]

We'll say it's in Arkansas near the Ozarks, no city over 10,000 within 50 miles. The location is within an hours drive of your current home. No the garage is a separate building, not attached. The spring is active year round with no history of ever running dry.

[Deersniper]

Sounds like good property. Just never let some conservatory group talk you into letting them tell you how you can use your property. Get your water tested by an independent lab. A clean concrete septic tank would be a good emergency shelter. An earthen house would be good and smoke your meat at night. Try this for ideas:
http://www.inhabitat.com/2006/06/03p...ay_adam_kalkin

[gunney_m]

Just Kidding

[Dan22]

Seems to me there are many things you could do, depending on how heavy your wallet is before you start.

I'm assuming this place is out in the "boonies" and you don't need a building permit or permission to do anything on your property.

That Cement septic tank with some cement tubes would be a great underground bunker with escape tunnels but it would probably cost a bundle and you'd need a good backhoe to dig a hole for it.

One of those double 50 gallon drum stoves would be a neat item to provide heat in your out building and you could wrap copper tubing around the upper drum to provide hot water. A simple pump driven by solar charged batteries would be enough to move the water. Coils of black plastic pipes on the roof would also provide hot water during the day, all you need is a simple pump to move it.

Solar power and wind generators would be a good idea, but then again, there is the cost factor of how far you want to go with it.

Fuel for a jeep in an underground fiberglass tank would also be a good idea.

I'd like to have about a 100cc trail bike that was very quiet for covering distances or possibly carting out a deer.

Make sure there are plants or trees that would attract squirrels. A hot house could also be made to provide food for extended growing seasons and guard your plants from the bunnies.

For guns, my first choice would be a couple of reliable .22's, a 30-30 and a couple of pistols with 4" or longer barrels. A .22 and .357 would be enough for me. A shotgun would also be a good item to have if you have birds worth shooting. Plenty of ammo for all the guns.

The fish pond stocking sounds good. Catfish, Bluegills and Crappie for sure and you might want to make sure it's deep enough for both hot and cold weather protection for the fish. I love trout but they usually need cold running water and I don't think you'll find them much below Tennessee.

Ahead of the big disaster day I'd lay in supplies of soap, toilet paper, extra clothes, canned goods and have provisions to do canning once things go bad.

In my hot house I'd also read up on Hydroponics and make sure I had enough nutruiants for a long spell.

This is all off the top of our heads and once we settled in on the property I'm sure many details would come to mind and making sure any underground space would not be in a water zone.
Everything should be water-proofed as it is planted.

[billy]

since i dont beleive in s.h.t.f. i would insulate the cabin.
get a gas furnace.
a satellite dish for computer/tv/radio.
get solar / wind generated power.
sell my house and move in.

[tommy]

is there any hills that you can get to the top of and see a tower from??? if so i can tell you how to build a dish to pickup a wi-fi signal . some dishs can get a range of up to 125 miles but thats in the prime location.

[billy]

i get my hi speed internet from my tv dish

[tommy]

yes but in a emergency and they shut the system down that internet feed is gonna go but that internet signal that is being sent out from the tower is for all the emergency people to have internet and for local and state people to keep in touch but all you have to do is make the dish and point away and walla you have internet . you see your internet and tv has to be sent from here to there and if that signal is killed"no power" you have no internet and tv. just like down here when the huricanes come the cable is the first to go because the main company looses power and they don't send up the signal to be sent back down.

what size dish do you have ?i got 3 up right now one 33"dish and two regular old dtv dishs. i'm workin on a 44"dish i got out the dump it came off the top of a store.here's my dish farm.lol the one with the stand is the lastet one i got i'm working on putting a few satellites on that one dish.

[billy]

just a small dish.
if it went out .
i would go without.
i did just fine for 40 years without a comp.

[ArkansasHunter]

You will need a septic tank. You can put out a Deer feeder to attract wildlife.
You'll need to have a garden spot pre and kept broke up. Seeds.
Sinse were dreaming I would use solar panels because you may run out of trees to burn on 5 acres.
Buy a cow too for milk or goats...BAAAAA...A.H

[billy]

well in this hypothetical world i would have a house in town .
selling that would give plenty of funds for the modest upgrades on the cabin.
spending about $75,000 on that cabin and you could have a real cozy lil place.

with the nicest shooting range i could devise. (thats my dream)

[Dookiebutt]

I would do some scouting . . . . get to know my neighbors if you know what I mean.

[billy]

id leave them alone just like i would want to be left alone.

[GLS_okie]

One suggestion for food that you're growing. Use Heirloom varieties. That way the seeds tehy produce will grow the same plant you've just grown. Many of the Hybrid plants don't, corn coming front most to mind. Same thing for animals. a large number of food animals have been developed for agri-business and not for on going procreation. Again it's chickens that come most to mind. Hogs are not a good choice. They eat what you eat and will tear up your garden.

[snuffysmith]

Don't forget your fruit trees, depending on your growing zone. I'd also plant hedges of blackberry and other berries around my perimeter(jams & preserves). Look into raised platform gardening. Ditto on the smoke house, include a solar dehydrator, other solar devices. I could go on for days. Mainly, count your blessings that you have a nice piece of land that you can work with. Lots of potential there. Good Luck with it.

Snuffy