Part of preparing for bad times is building community. When a hurricane is heading our way, once I’m all ready for it, I check on the family in the area, and then my neighbors. The family is located far enough away that they are on their own, at least until everything clears. My neighbors are right here. We deal with each other every day, and lucky for me, we all get along. Nothing makes a house into a bad place to be like a neighbor that is hard to deal with.
My neighbors cover a wide range of ages and lifestyles. Toddlers to widows, blue collars, white collars, retired and unemployed, my street is a true melting pot of America.
But we get along. At least with me, though I can’t recall any abrasive issues in our area. We each accept the others as part of our lives. We work together when we have to, and our lives are better for having done so.
I’ve also developed another community, one on the web. Each of you reading this is a part of it. Like a good neighbor, you listen to what I have to say, and when you have advice or comments to offer, you let me know. As I continue to write here, your input has become a driving force.
I also contribute on other sites, some as a writer, others simply as a part of the “local community”. Each site offers me something in return for my interaction.
At Homesteading Today, I discuss meat rabbits, a topic dear to my heart. In sharing thoughts, ideas, and problems there, we each are able to take more away than we bring to the discussion. I love that.
Then there are my writing friends, Brian & Stephanie at the Wannabe Homesteaders, and James, the Survival Punk. All of them are friends I’ve developed as I started writing, and all are around the same stage in the game of their websites. We share thoughts, ideas, and sometimes lunch, when the opportunity arises. They push me to be better, and I hope I do the same. I’m not sure how they feel about my efforts for them, but I can promise you I”m a better person for their efforts with me.
And there are other sites that are mostly forum-based, a free-standing online community. The one I find myself spending the most time reading, writing, and interacting is In The Rabbit Hole, a site that is based around a regular podcast I’ve listened to for several years. Here is their “About” blurb:
ABOUT
Some people actually like living in the city; crazy we know. In the Rabbit Hole is geared towards Urban Survival for modern survivalist and preppers that live and work in the city.
We are an Urban Survival Blog andUrban Survival Podcast dedicated tourban survival, practical preparedness, survival gear reviews, survival book reviews, and more.
Based in Texas
Whether you call yourself a Urban Survivalist, a Prepper, or just a concerned citizen, come join us and be part of the community.
They are the folks that made me start to actively think about community, and how it is a valuable part of being prepared. So, in the spirit of building community, I’d like for each of you to share a site or two that you’ve found helpful. No need to list your name, if you chose not to, anonymous is fine, but share any link you’ve used that has made your life easier, be it a prepper site or otherwise.
Together, we can improve our community, and that helps everyone involved.
Peace,
db
http://www.instructables.com has always had good information.
Yes, I am on the mailing list and get to see projects daily. Sorry I forgot about that one. Thanks!
I use http://www.amazon.com to do product research before I buy something. They sell so many items and have so many reviews on them that I can get a good idea if the product if the junk I buy is really going to be junk.
Sometimes I even buy from there
Good idea! Thanks!
We have our own network of people that we have made friends with through groups. These people help us to become better prepared. Sometimes your family isn’t on board but, you know these friends are and they have your back.
Great article thanks 🙂
Not agreeing on everything is how new ideas get passed around. I’d call that a good thing, as long as the ideas aren’t forced down your throat.
Thanks for the input!
the sort of I’m likely to face is power loss, we lose it two or three times a year. In
the winter we face not only the small chance freezing to death but the more likely possibility of frozen pipes….. Thankfully my small neighborhood of 20 or so hoises is made up of folks who help each other out, whether it be dropping off firewood, loaning a snowblower, or moving furniture during a flood.
In a zombie apocolypse I plan to go to a friends farm. But for the most sorts of trouble, having cordial, if not great, relationships with your neighbors is important. Sometimes you need to put effort into cultivating that relationship, but its a good investment.
One of the better investments, if you ask me.
Thanks for the comment!
Community is a big part of the puzzle. When or if times get tough due to economy or natural circumstances that is who can be the most helpful. Like you said they are right there. Luckily, even though I live in an urban area now, are neighborhood is very tight. Right now we are trying to use a food co-op and to get more people gardening. One way we communicate is a website called nextdoor.com. It creates a private chat room for people only in our neighborhood. We are about 50 people strong!!! Another way is that we have almost monthly get togethers just to enjoy each others company. I know it makes me feel safer knowing there are friendly helping hands nearby if ever it was needed.
THIS is a perfect example of what I was trying to say. Thank you!
And looking over the http://www.nextdoor.com, it looks to be a great asset! Thanks for that as well!
For me, YouTube has been one of the best sources of information. It’s great for learning how to kill and butcher various animals, how to set traps, how to make bows and arrows, lots of permaculture stuff, really good gardening stuff, how to construct things, etc. I do often end up sucked into the tin-foil-hat areas of YouTube, though! (you know, footage of UFOs, new world order conspiracies, reptilian reporters caught on tape, etc)
It’s not really a single site, but another source of really good low-tech DIY information is to Google for Peace Corps, FAO and other aid program booklets in subject areas you’re interested in (e.g. “peace corps rabbits”, “humanitarian vegetable gardens”, “developing nations chickens”, etc). You can get a lot of ideas for projects you can cobble together yourself for very little cost, out of salvaged materials.
For example, here’s a great rabbit handbook: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED241783&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED241783
And here’s a simple low-tech drip irrigation system: http://www.chapinlivingwaters.org/bucketkitoct.pdf
MORE great resources! And yes, Youtube is fantastic!
(BTW, thanks for distracting me for 30 minutes trying to figure out what “reptilian reporters caught on tape” is all about 😛 That was a new one on me!
And I snagged that rabbit handbook, thanks!
db