Recent events have made the possibility of a food crisis all that more real. Between the food shortages that happened during the second quarter of 2020 and the shortages of darn near everything we’re seeing today, the idea that our grocery store shelves could be empty isn’t all that hard to accept. We’ve already seen it happen before; so we know it could happen again. But what if it happened for a prolonged period of time, leaving us without food to eat?
Is that possible? The current drought conditions tell us that it is. There has been a drought in Southern California for several years now, ever since Governor Gavin Newsom decided that the Delta Smelt needed the water more than the farmers did in 2019. That left farms in Southern California, which grow roughly nine percent of the nation’s produce without water. We’re still feeling the effect of that in higher food prices.
While drought conditions in New Mexico and Arizona aren’t going to affect the price of bananas, the drying up of our aquifers, especially those under the “breadbasket” might end up resulting in massive food shortages everywhere. As food production drops, prices will continue to rise, forcing those with little money to tighten their belts further. Eventually, it will affect everyone, as the government steps into ration food in some way. That might end up being too little, too late, as we will probably be in a full-blown crisis before they step in.
Related: Classified FEMA Report Confirms Preppers’ Worst Fears
As preppers, we should be ready for this, able to live off of our stockpiles. But there might be a number of different things that make that impossible. What would you do if your home burnt down during a food crisis, destroying your stockpile? What if you’re caught away from home when the crisis begins?
In any of those situations, it will either be necessary to live off of what we grow or live off the land. With that in mind, it would be a good idea to know which states offer us the best opportunities to find or grow food. Each of these states provides certain advantages, even while none of them provide all possible advantages. Still, any one of these states could prove to be a game-changer for us.
Alaska
Of all the states in the union, Alaska has to be the hardest to live in, thanks to it being so far north.
With winter lasting from October through March, the cold can be a killer. Nevertheless, Alaska has the most wilderness of any state, with the largest population of wildlife.
If you can stand the cold and can properly prepare for it, the chances of hunting to feed yourself and your family are greater in Alaska than in any other state.
Florida
While there are a lot of reasons why I wouldn’t pick Florida as a place for a survival retreat, especially hurricanes, it has one thing going for it; the best saltwater fishing in the country. I’ve long stated that fishing is probably the easiest way to live off the land, as it is easier to find fish than it is to find wild game.
Florida is surrounded by oceans, making it the best place to go saltwater fishing there is. While hurricanes are an issue, at least the weather isn’t so cold it will freeze you in your tracks.
Minnesota
I’m adding Minnesota to this list for the same reason as Florida – the fishing. While I’m sure that you could catch more fish in Florida; that would require a boat with deep-sea fishing capability. The Land of 1,000 Lakes, on the other hand, can be fished from a much smaller boat. Cold is still going to be an issue though, even though it’s not as cold as Alaska is.
Nebraska
If you don’t like fish, Florida and Minnesota probably won’t work out too well for you.
In that case, it’s probably going to have to be beef. While you can’t just go hunting for some rancher’s cattle, you can probably make a deal to buy a steer outright and have it butchered.
One would think that Texas would be the state to do that, as there are about 4.8 million cattle in Texas, but if you want the best ratio of cattle per population of people, then Nebraska is a much better choice.
Related: How to Slaughter and Field Dress a Cow for Year-Round Meat
Iowa
As I’m sure you’ve already noticed, the states I’ve listed all have one thing in common; they are states where animal protein abounds. That may have something to do with me being a confirmed carnivore.
But here in the prepping community, we usually talk about growing vegetables to eat, rather than growing animals. Besides, I really wasn’t talking about growing any animals there, but rather hunting or trading for them. If you want the state where you can grow the most, it’s best to move to Iowa.
They have the best, most productive farmland in the country. Iowa’s soil is probably the most fertile soil in the country.
Kansas
Another state that’s really known for its farmland is Kansas. If you’ve ever driven across Kansas, it’s nothing but 500 miles of farms, once you get out of Kansas City.
There’s a good reason for that, as Kansas is one of the nation’s most productive farm states, with 54.6% of its land dedicated to crops. While it is most known for growing grains, if you can settle where there’s good water, it’s good land for growing vegetables as well.
West Virginia
If you’re really determined to live off the land, then West Virginia might be the place to go. A full seventy-nine percent of the state is covered by forest, amounting to some 12.2 million acres. This includes six national parks and 37 state parks, with the Appalachian Trail running right through the state.
There’s bound to be plenty of game, as well as edible plants growing in all that forest land. Besides, it’s a beautiful state to just lose yourself in as well, with nobody being able to find you.
Foraging
The trickiest part of coming up with the best states to outlive a food crisis is picking the best states for foraging. As you’ve probably noticed, the states I’ve mentioned above either provide a good environment for foraging edible plants. While some of us might like to, it’s really not a good idea to try and live on a diet of meat alone.
Yet there is no one state which is the foraging capital of America. Rather, different states are good for different things. The trick then is to find states which are good for foraging a variety of things.
Related: The Map That Shows You The Edible Trees In Your Neighborhood
Texas
Yes, believe it or not, Texas is a great place for foraging. Of course, that depends largely upon what part of Texas you might be in. By and large, the eastern part of the state receives more rain than the western part. Pecan production is primarily in the middle and eastern parts of the state.
The mid part of the state is also the most productive for other types of produce. That indicates that the best areas would be rural areas in the middle part of the state.
New York
New York is another surprising state for foraging, but once you get out of the major population centers, there are a lot of forests, growing a lot of edible plants and berries.
I’ve personally gathered bushels of wild raspberries, as well as currents, blackberries, and other edibles.
The dense woods hold a large variety of foodstuffs and if you get tired of those, there are a lot of farms, with a lot of orchards. Some of those are abandoned, making them an ideal location for foraging fruit. New York is also a great place to find edible mushrooms.
Louisiana
Louisiana is one of the wettest states in the nation, making it a prime place for mushrooms to grow. But there’s a lot more than that growing in the Louisiana bijous. From alligators to edible plants, the Cajun people of Louisiana have long made taken much of their living from nature, eating what naturally grows in their state. While it might take some time to learn the good from the bad, it would be hard to find a better spot to forage than Louisiana.
Honestly, there is no one state that is ideal for everything. Each one of the states I mentioned above is good for certain things; but not for others. Alaska, for example, is great for game; but the growing season is incredibly short. Kansas provides great farmlands, but since the great buffalo herds were killed off, there really isn’t a whole lot of game in the state, although I know an old farmer that gets three deer every hunting season, providing all his meat for the year.
The real trick is to find what there is in the state where you live. That’s going to take a bit of research, as well as spending some time in the field with a good guide on edible wild plants. You’re going to have to become your own expert, as it’s rather hard to find someone else who already is. But once you do, your family will enjoy a level of security that others don’t have.
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Seems like the bizaro article like normal….. i would say unless your in some desert part of the country you should be decent. Water / food and decent soil.
The author did NOT take state laws into consideration nor the political climate nor population densities or land ownership!!!!!!
Especially the basic police state condition for permission to fish in salt or fresh water in Florida.
Charles: What happens after SHTF? What police? niio
TA: True because that would mean detailing every municipality and county. So, the idea is, be a prepper and research the area. I missed one small detail here, in a place perfect for me, the village doesn’t allow chickens. Weird, but true. The wealthy libs do not like roosters waking them up early in the morning. But, a lot of people have small flocks of turkeys and many are raising rabbits on pasture (letting them run free). niio
Red; police acting under color of authority. Assuming powers that they do not possess. Remember, since 9/11, the federales have even busily shipping military grade weapons to Mayberry and every other 6-man p.d. that applied for the military largesse.
I have already related what I was told by one cop. He wasn’t bright enough to have thought of that himself, so he heard it from somebody else in his department.
T A Spencer:
No, the title says “best states to outlive a food crisis.” It is talking about if you can find food in the state, and which kinds of food might be available.
It isn’t talking about laws, politics, population densities or land ownership.
For those topics, pick a title mentioning them.
Oh, one with his head buried in the sand! Umm, do you watch the realnews that isn’t fake?
This article is great for getting us thinking of other states that we might not have considered. Places such as Kansas… a friend of mine moved there from Washington state. She and her husband were very happy there because it was so open feeling. They found an 150 plus year old home made of sandstone block – very massive. It wasn’t very speedy because it needed a lot of rehab but the end result was a very secure home.
LOL! Most states have areas of toxic wastes. We don’t.
Plenty of mines around and if you need water, you’ll likely find it in them. Upper part of the canon, wells are 50 feet deep. Under that, bentonite clay. If someone wants an artesian well, they drill thru that. but, one very good thing here, no man-eating beaver 🙂 But, need copper? there are mines all over. Gold, silver, and so on. Need solar in an emergency? The state wants people to go solar and is adding it to all signs and lights. And, of course, city water pumps, city sewer works, and ranchers are doing the same. Need hot water? Throw a hundred foot hose over the roof and hook it up to the cold water and end it in the hot water tank.
We also have solar quality crystals. But, for the finest crystals, right over the border in Mexico, they found crystals over 6 feet thick and yards long. Mexico was the second nation to go electric, right after Wilkes-Barre, Penna, did. Now they’re solar. The world’s biggest copper mine is near Hermosillo, and going solar to combat pollution. My ex in the Sierras lives miles from the closest power lines and loves her computer. all solar. Our son put a dish on top of the canyon. It’s painted ponderosa pine green and is attached to a tall pine.
Wow. What region do you live in?
I’m looking to relocate.
Fabi: Arizona
For every positive attribute of the states listed, all of them can be found in Idaho.
Very true. Water, wood in abundance, fishing, game, all manner of livestock, lots of grasses for feeding livestock, great growing due to mostly lower altitudes (in the mountains there we were still below 3000 feet), wild food to forage. It was a well kept secret, but now Kali’s are over running one of the most beautiful states in the West. We had to bale because it was getting so crowded though.
Best part is that spring time is on its way….
Get off your back side and start that garden. Whether it is just one pot or a massive plot of land. Try and grow all that your area can grow. Grow more then you ever have before and then share all you can afford to give away to help others and if you can help the one’s around you that don’t know how to garden and learn them as well,. more the merrier they say.
There is still time to geather up a mess of food to store away.
“You can do this”, you and your family needs you to stand up and be the Head of the house and get your home in order.
Time will wait for no one.
The bible is very clear about this. “A Wise man will fill his house full in time of plenty”,
There is still plenty out there, But it is fading fast.
Please just try and grow anything that you can and will eat.
Helps you and helps others,
The shit hasint hit the fan yet… It’s close…
PS: help feed the animals also. it’s hard on them as well.
Good luck out there.
Hey, go vote. I know it probably won’t help, But it won’t hurt eather. Just go VOTE…
“Vote out the American Haters”. They have destroyed to much. I know, I know. just do it. VOTE VOTE.
Which ever state you live in, NOW is the time to learn what grows specifically in YOUR area. How to recognize, process it and store for use. All stored foods will eventually be consumed – then what ? Whatever grows in your area that you already know how and when to harvest will be valuable information. While you have your computer to research, this is vital information. Not just food either, plants with medicinal properties will also become vital knowledge.
It doesn’t matter which state you’re in if you have a self sufficient homestead and the means the defend it.
“As preppers, we should be ready for this, able to live off of our stockpiles. But there might be a number of different things that make that impossible. What would you do if your home burnt down during a food crisis, destroying your stockpile? What if you’re caught away from home when the crisis begins?”
This article is a good “heads up” piece. What DO you do if you are no longer able to live in your chosen area? You may be aware of areas in your neighboring state, but if SHTF has already happened in your area, just how long will it be before a convenient location is overrun also? Your backup plans need to address not only hunting/gathering potential of an area, but also safety and feasibility of setting up a long term camp.
The Gulf Coast states would be my recommendation due to fishing, hunting, and foraging capabilities, and also due to a friendly, helpful culture. (Run if you hear banjo music :p) I am more familiar with the southern states than I am with the east and west coasts, so I am also showing my bias. I think it would be hard for me to be accepted in California as a prepper, just as I think it would be hard for someone from D.C. to feel comfortable in the swamps of Louisiana.
Red Ant suggests to grow more than you ever have, and share the food with others when possible. This is a good suggestion, but definitely has the ability to cause unwanted problems. Just stay aware of where those people came from and how many others may be with them. A one year supply of stored food, and a garden could be destroyed fairly quickly by desperate people.
Stay safe and pray that our “leaders” don’t cause more damage than they already have.
And yes be very careful and be ready to run if you hear Banjo music! lmao,,,
If you call the powers that be your leaders and they are destroying things for good living, then they are not your leaders, not leaders AT ALL
@Prepper in Training
You are right on point. There will be those kind of people that will destroy all that you have. yes I agree…
But I was saying, if you can help, then help and if you wish not to help, you can do that as well.
But if you can learn them on how to grow food from the ground. It betters your odds that they at least won’t be the one’s destroying everything.
There will be “swift action” to those that wish to destroy. just because they can….
Stay safe and watch your garden…
Red Ant:
Nice to see you back!
The only problem with the type of help you suggest we offer others is that unless the people you want to teach are willing to learn and do the work, the only thing that they will learn is that you have a garden and some food stored. There’s an element that believes that they deserve to benefit from the fruits of YOUR labors by any means necessary.
It’s lovely to think of teaching a person to be self sufficient, but I would urge extreme caution in how much access this person has to your home base, and in sharing your location. Also extreme discression in deciding who you share information with.
One possible way to go about this might be to offer a gardening or prepping class at a public venue, such as your church. That way, not only can you reach more people more efficiently, but your home location is somewhat shielded, discouraging unwanted visitors.
Just a thought… maybe I’m TOO paranoid.
@ Miss Kitty
O, Yes so good to hear from you to.
Hope you didn’t get to cold last week. you lost power for some time. did you not…
But yes we deffilnty need to watch out who we try and learn. Yes most people are so so very lazy and will not help them selfs at any part of there lives.
They will be delt with swiftly.
I think most won’t last a week before they lose it or they get took out. It’s what’s left over, is what we should watch out for. O, and the one’s that say, come to us and we will help you. Then you will be delt with swiftly, by them. Death Camp…
Stay safe. spring time is gardening time. my toes can’t wait to fill the dirt under them.
PS: they are painting the sky with the chem trails here all so, big time…
GOD WILL DEAL WITH ALL OF THEM, IN DUE TIME… just set back and watch GOD do his thing,. JUDGE………
Will be a great day. AMEN…
Prepper in Training: Yes, your bias IS showing. I would NEVER go to the gulf states: reason: yearly hurricanes.
But MY bias for the PNW is showing as well. I was born and raised here, and here is where I am most comfortable. I would be relatively ok with a few other states in my general area: Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona (but a bit more hardy weather than I like both summer and winter), Utah, Colorado (where my grandmother came from).
You should pick somewhere that you are familiar with regarding weather patterns (hurricanes? Tornadoes? Earthquakes? Extreme winds? Extreme snowfall?) Yes, clearly ANYwhere can have these weather issues, but places that predominantly have them would be clearly, for me, out.
Also, know the bugs and other pesky animals, reptiles, etc. that are deadly. I personally, wouldn’t go where there are ‘gators or lots of deadly snakes that are on land and in water. For one reason: I would be totally out of my element and would most likely die from lack of knowledge.
Your other points are well taken and valid.
one gauge you can use for a state’s or area habitability is its statehood admittance to the country >>> needed a population that survived to get to that statehood status ….
one state mentioned that I disagree on is Florida – it was a virtual swamp and left to the Seminoles and escaped slaves for decades >>> took electricity and AC to bring on an entire state of livability ….
if it goes grid down and no transportation >>> Mother Nature will be coming back hard and fast – no way does that retirement population begin to be self-sufficient…
Slight correction for MN. 10,000 lakes which would soon be fished out of game fish. Walleye, pike, bass, crappies, etc. soon gone. If preppers are willing to eat carp, buffalo fish, eel-pout, other rough fish, they may survive, as these sources of protein are in abundance in MN lakes, rivers & streams.
Being from Minnesota it’s the mercury in the rivers that keeps me from the fish. That being said smoked Carp is pretty good!
And then there’s all the copper dumped in MN waters to stop algae bloom. But, smoked is about the only way I eat fish. Donno why people here don’t like carp. thick white meat, easy to catch, easy to raise for that matter. Suckers are good, too. niio
Well the charter members of the Dip Shit Brigade are up and at it early today.
If you put the total knowledge of the Illini Weirdo and Raven Idiot on the tip of a needle there would be a lot of room left over.
As LCC says this freedom of speech is the most important.
They give two southern states. LOL Well I live in MS. and I can tell you this I would not swap where I live for any other state for multiple reasons.
1. Population
2. Southern Attitude towards helping one another.
3. Foraging is not that hard here.
4. Fishing, lots of lakes, streams and rivers.
5. Hunting, lots of hunting land.
6. Farming is also here so there is lots of farmland too.
It is not any one thing that makes an area a good bug out state but a lot of things that has to be put together.
And i wondered why TN is not listed! There are great hunting fishing, farm land and mountains to make shine under cover!!! lol
I have wondered about TN snapping turtles. Have you heard of very many people eating them? I saw that processed snapping turtle meat for sale on-line is super expensive. A relative of mine out there has some in her pond.
I have not had turtle or frog legs since i was a young whipper-snapper, But there are plenty to be had! And like fish i would not recommend pond fish or turtle!!
Don’t forget, y’all, turtle fat tastes funky.
https://www.realtree.com/timber-2-table-articles/how-to-skin-a-snapping-turtle-the-timber2table-way
Thank you Victor and Judge for the advice. I sent the link to my relative. For those of us who love our fish, if it’s in the form of pickled herring, the turtle seems pretty daunting.
Enough with the banjo stuff !
Guitar, Fiddle & BANJO will “still the soul” & bring a peace that only music can bring, especially during trying times.
God, music, good neighbors, healthy garden and a helpful family will see you through just about anything.
I’d rather have a banjo picker by my side than a “SnoopDog, Dr. Dre, etc., etc,.
North Carolina/Tennessee border IS NOT the place to bug to !!
Good Luck . . . . Ya’ll !
To those looking at just the article and not the included map at the top, All states have sources for food, just one or two at most listed. So, your state isn’t listed in the body of the article, it IS listed on the map.
My problem is all the states mentioned are either in the East, or central southern areas. In almost all articles about things like this, not just this site, either, the PNW is rarely mentioned at all. Yes, there ARE Washington, Oregon, California States!! Maybe I should say Washington and Oregon. California is mentioned quite a lot, as if it was the ONLY state in the PNW…(and really it ISN’T in the PNW…….PSW.
Has anyone else heard about the government finally admitting to chemtrails containing aluminum that will leach into our soil and contaminate it so that it makes it harder to grow food and what you can grow is questionable as to whether it is safe or not? How are we supposed to grow food if our soil is contaminated? More government control.
where did you see the government discloser on geoengineering. I’d like to see that. Get the to Dane Wiggington… http://www.geoengineeringwatch.com
Akamsroberts:
What I heard a while ago about the chemtrails is that it’s either mind controlling drugs to keep us calm OR to stimulate violence OR to numb us to what’s going on. Either that or to control the weather.
There are just so many wild stories out there about what they actually are, the only ones who really know are the scientists who are packing the chemicals into the dispersal mechanism . Any way you slice it, it’s still not good for us to have unknown chemicals or drugs raining down on us all the time, and getting into the ground water and soil. Unfortunately, there’s little we can do about it at the present time.
The author is out in left field!!!!!! He NEVER took population densities into consideration nor state or local laws nor political climates nor land ownership or anything else that any TRAINED SOCOM / military intelligence analyst type would take into consideration!!!!!
oh your sf ….. cool story
I don’t think either FL or NY belong on the list, because of their massive populations
NYC is about 500 sq miles sitting off to the bottom of the state. NYState!!! is huge. It has tons of fresh water, lakes, rivers and streams and a state park that is 6 million acres and in the NYS constitution to remain ‘forever wild’ Theodore Roosevelt was in the heart of the highest mountains when he found out McKinley was assassinated and he was now President. Ulysses S Grant home where he passed away is just below this park, outside ‘the blue line’ If you look at a map of NY STATE not NY CITY you will see large population areas but agriculture is one of the top money makers in the state. Wines and apples for sure. The forever wild park I am talking about is the Adirondacks. It is the only one of its kind in the country a mix of public and private land, 6 million acres larger that yellowstone and the grand canyon combined. Large parts of this park are state owned. Its not for everybody though. Winters can get down to -30 even -40 below in the winter and the summers are short growing season but can be done lots of hunting and trapping…but people get lost and not found , or underestimate the forest and mountains because ‘it isnt the rockies’ but world class climbers and hikers have died by underestimating it. NY is NOT NYC. Just saying…they mention the city and write off the rest of the state as ‘upstate’ that is the whole fricken state. Unfortunately it has a lot of libs that want to tell natives how to live, natives dont listen.
T A Spencer:
No, the title says “best states to outlive a food crisis.” It is talking about if you can find food in the state, and which kinds of food might be available.
It isn’t talking about laws, politics, population densities or land ownership.
For those topics, pick a title mentioning them.
IMHO, this article is far from being well researched. It is a fluff piece to attract clicks.
I live in North Central Kansas and have plenty of water from a deep well so I’m able to grow plenty of food on my small 5 acre agricultural property far from the nearest town.
I’m a vegetarian and have a hoop house where I can grow vegetables well into the fall and can start planting very early in the spring. Being able to can and dehydrate my harvests is a God-send.
Along with hoop house food I plant potatoes. They store well along with my apple harvest. I’ve been building up a teeny, tiny apple orchard that is enough for me (I’m a widow and live by myself) and also for my son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. We’ve planted berry bushes along the fence line (it gives them something to grow along and the rancher next door doesn’t mind since he uses his land for cattle grazing) so fresh berries are a wonderful addition to our diet. They can also be canned and dehydrated.
My front yard is a dandelion paradise. Every time I see a dandelion puff ball I kick the heck out of it so the seeds spread. It’s made the entire area lush with those little beauties. They also crowd out other weeds which is a nice side effect.
With all the shortages and rising food prices the past few years I’m making sure that I have a good store of food for myself and my family. I’m so fortunate and give thanks everyday.
I really appreciate this website and all the tips. Thanks and God bless all of you.
J Jones I hope you have a hand pump when not if the grid power to your deep well fails.
Water is life. Everything else can be worked with but lack of safe water cannot.
Agree. Kansas is pretty good, but only with preparation. Having lived here for 20+ years, I’ve managed to dig in and know what works. The plains would be very difficult for a new transplant without the needed infrastructure. We also have geese and ducks all winter, at literally every pond, lake, even creek.
I doubt the laws will matter much in a shtf situation. Except for the preparation part. We have great laws for 2A, community concerns and a still have a friendly population, outside of Wichita, Topeka and Kansas City.
The weather is a killer. Deep dry winters in the southern half, lots of blowing snow in the north. Temperatures that can rival the high northern states during the winter, and heat and humidity similar to the deep south during summer.
No foraging, but plenty of hunting and fishing. We also have enough room to happily welcome people who want to join us and enjoy the lack of crime, high cost of living and insanity of the big cities. But only if you leave the liberal viewpoints elsewhere.
Far enough to be left alone,
Close enough to the New Super Store, the farmer’s market.
every article can be criticized. But the way I see it is if you get one shred of information that works for you then you have won. I have yet to see an article that would go from Jan- jan with food. you wont be finding berries in Jan around me anyways. Like i have fruit trees, the problem there is they nearly have produce at the same time. The way I see it is what are you eating in Jan, March, June and so on. Each person has to come up with their plan for where they are and what are they willing to eat.
I live in WV and for one, feel that I’d just as soon out-landers” continue to think we don’t exist Keep them “infernal ferners” in Virginy, we don’t need the ones we/ve got, much less more.
Why is Idaho white? What does that mean?
I agree Idaho is one of the best places. We have huge garden every year, hunting, fishing and foraging is good here too.
Why white!??!?
Glad Idaho wasn’t mentioned. Too many people moving here as it is!
Last summer Idaho had limited water availability in the southern part of the state. This year, the forecast is for some of the same. You might be paying for the season’s worth of irrigation water but you might not get it. Last year they limited it for a while, then cut it off completely a full month early in the season. The weather was still super hot and drying so many people lost some of their plants and even trees..
Idaho is white because it snowed there just before they made the “map”. 🙂
Maybe it is white on the map because more than half of Idaho is controlled by the state and the feds. It you decide to venture out there onto public lands, you have to ready for the state and fed employees plus the big city “do-gooders” enforcing their will.
Dana J:
I think it means that it’s a good all round choice for hunting/foraging/farming.
Massachusetts is too, but aside from the climate and proximity to coastal/fresh water fishing, I wouldn’t recommend it simply because of the population density and urbanization of most of the state. Also, Massachusetts is a blue state, with the government micromanaging and controls that go along with it. It’s also extremely expensive to live here; with property prices grossly inflated, it’s difficult to find a place to live that you don’t need every adult in the family working full time to afford. A one bedroom apartment rents for over $2000 monthly in most locations, and a tiny house on a microplot of land will start at $350,000 minimum and will likely get into a bidding war.
Alaska is great for fishing also. If you live along the coast, the food from the sea is endless. BUT you need to prepare for winter really hard and fast during the short summers. Hunting is not as easy as this article claims. The animals are there…but not easy to find in areas where hunting has been going on for generations. I hope this article doesn’t get people taking off for Alaska…(we used to live there)…because we knew a couple who did and got lots of unwelcome surprises. Most of which are due to game laws, scarcity of land ownership, severity of winter, lack of supplies, darkness of winter, etc etc. I assume this article, from its general atmosphere, is talking about times when the govt is gone and people are on their own.
I agree with the post that you need to find what grows in your own area. Especially if you are up in years, like us, and don’t have the money to relocate to a huge fortress surrounded by farmland and forest. Especially important is a water source…which, after spending much time in the Third World, seems to be on the top of my list.
You make a good point about lands limited by government regulations. In Alaska and also many western states, the bulk of the land area is owned by the federal government. While some feel that a SHTF situation would leave these lands available for bug out shelters, I am cynical enough to believe its highly likely they would actually become more regulated than they are now. This is an unfounded suspicion on my part, of course. But given that there has been an aggressive push from the feds to re-acquire western land, especially any with water, I can’t help but think certain politicians are thinking of special privileges for themselves in a SHTF situation. There are also indications that some are going along with these actions at the behest of foreign corporations that want to develop businesses of some sort in the west. Massive wind farms were planned by several foreign companies in western states, represented by Senator’s sons, for instance, until the FBI blundered enough in their strong-arming to get too much publicity. I can’t imagine those ideas were permanently shelved, though. So when planning to be able to forage/hunt/farm BLM lands, be aware you just might get very aggressive state-sponsored opposition there at some point.
Hiai,
The state and federal workers out in the public lands have been issued a lot more firepower than in years past, so I agree with your assessment that the elites will carve out special places for themselves in the public lands. It will go back to the old serf and lord of the manor mentality with the same harshness toward “poachers”.
Our Alaska guide said there were only two seasons in Alaska: winter and road repair.
He also said that ravens and crows are very similar birds but ornithologists have determined the one sure way to tell a crow from a raven: a crow has six pinion feathers and a raven has seven. So it is really a matter of a pinion.
He also said he was keeping his day job.
I forgot to mention the billions of mosquitoes and other flying machines in Alaska. Living in the wilderness in post-civilization times can be a living hell between buggy summers and subzero dark winters. Even the caribou and moose go insane from the mosquitoes, moose ducking their heads in water for vegetation but also avoiding the feasting bugs. Caribou run berserk sometimes. I have seen grizzlies napping on patches of leftover snow just to get some respite. Bring bugnet hats, mosquito nets to sleep under….etc.
Yeah it’s 10,000 lakes not 1,000. Being in Minnesota, for now, I can tell you there are many more reasons not to be here then there are to be here.
I had a rare thought lol. The thought is these prepping sites all have one thing in common. They are here to make money. Now yes there is some good info on these sites I am not saying there is not. But I see a lot of people saying they did not research the subject matter enough for a full review. Which I agree with whole heartedly. But I do not think the writers of most of these sites including this one is really preppers. What I think is the comments lead more to the real info then what is posted.
I believe that the writers do fast research on a subject and just put in the easiest and most verifiable things but those things like the state’s best to bug out to are on the outside appearance seam best but in reality, are not very good due to things not considered. This and other things me to believe the writers are not preppers.
Everybody using the internet is selling something.
Every one.
Opinions, information, consumer products, and so on.
Even the posters.
No one makes you ‘buy’ anything but many people do.
Some parts of it even have a cultish following.
I’m thinking of the very tribal social media specifically.
Good, useable information must be subject to personal discrimination.
This is why you need a expert prepper to give you excellent advice and help filter down the BS.
Hey expert, that may be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen on this site. You’re really ridiculous.
Hey Magpie, do you even know any “expert preppers”?
when you find an expert prepper, let us know.
If you must say you are king, you are no king.
GRRMartin
No matter what you say in an article like this, you get ripped up by the commentors that dont seem to understand that you’re trying to point out pros and cons for everyone, not just them. I’m happy where I am, have thought about the topic and feel ready. That’s the best anyone can do and all you’re trying to do is help everyone in the thought process (as well as get your ads out there).
People should concentrate on helping others with what they should be considering – not addressing what they feel you left out. It would be much more useful.
Hugh, I have to agree, this article and many others that are promulgated are very generalized, but that does seem to generate a lot of posters providing more detailed information, and often about topics not related to the original article. But I always ask myself, how accurate is the information being provided in both the articles and from the posters? Sometimes it’s good information, sometimes it’s not.
Raven, etc.:
Seems to me that the true preppers in any situation are the ones who are living it daily. Nothing else beats boots on the ground experience, and that’s something we all have to gain for ourselves by doing.
Clergylady is one person who has been living the prepper lifestyle for many years, and I for one have a great deal of respect for her always kind and informative posts, as well as her personally.
There are others here as well who are experts in their own prepping experience, and I for one am always grateful for the information they so freely provide to us later comers to the life.
There is no one size fits all solution because everyone’s life is different, with different needs, skill levels and personal challenges.
One thing I think we can ALL agree on is that we all need to be doing something NOW, as well as reassessing our present and future needs and making plans to relocate if we can. Urban and suburban communities are subject to being overrun, as you have pointed out many times, but also to too much interference from local government.
Otherwise, we need to decide how to best deal with the realities of our current locations, especially with the advancing prog/left agendas to further control the lives of the citizens.
As a prepper, you’re already head and shoulders over the general population. As someone who is close to being an intellectual, you should be able to research and follow up on these articles. What you do it up to you, always, but for the sakes of family and nation, do your best. Teach! as well as learn. niio
Kansas has been dissed, parts of Kansas and Missouri have a diverse game population, good deer hunting but large flocks of migratory waterfowl and upland birds fall and spring, and large concentrations of geese in the winter. There is also more affordable land if you want to get an early start with a homestead. Northern Oklahoma, too. One of the best places to live off the land is the Central Texas coast between Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Less prone to catastrophic flooding than the rest of the coast, low population density, combination of bays, grassland, and woodland with big populations of waterfowl, fish and shellfish, ducks and geese, turkey, deer, and wild hogs. From the coast to well north into the Hill Country. Problem is, land prices are high and headed out of sight, no room for the poor prepper here.
I haven’t seen turkeys for the past 2 years. I’ve been looking, and may have to work on repopulating my area.
If anyone has any advice for this, I’d love to hear it.
Kathy: Where you live depends on what you get. You can go to the state fish and game and offer a piece of property to start a wild turkey recovery program. Turkeys love to roost. If there’s no place high enough off the ground, they leave. If you want barnyard turkeys, the heritage breeds are usually very good for pasturing. A hen will set a clutch in late spring and bring the brats home to show off. she might lay 20 in a nest but only bring back 10 or so, abandoning the rest to keep the older hatchlings safe. If you know where the hens nest, you can steal the last of the eggs to put under an incubator. Mark how they lay in the nest and carry them like that, then set them the same. The chicks should be out in 24 hours or less. Most hatchers qre at this time selling poults, and they’ll sell mixed breeds of unwanted poults for a few dollars less than they do first run. niio
Thank you very much. I’d really like to advance the wild population, much hardier than barnyard varieties without a human to care for them.
Kathy: Dad let our turkeys run with the wild birds. That means the wild ones will start to come to the barn for some feed and then adopt you. If you’re interested, get hold of your county fish and game, and ask about sponsoring wild poults. A major winter feed source in most of the lower 48 is chestnuts. White oaks are good, as well. they can fatten on clover, they like mesquite, pine seeds, and so on. Some states actually encourage farmers to raise and release turkeys. niio
Florida is horrible! I’d avoid it at all costs.
Can someone tell me what niio is at the end of a post????
JPup, red enlightened me about niio, it is a Native American greeting and farewell that means “walk in gods beauty”
niio 🙂
Thanks dz, it’s been driving me nuts.
JPup: Means Walk in God’s beauty. 🙂 niio!
I don’t quite see the point of the article. Every state that supported our immigrant or native ancestors had something to provide them food and water. Otherwise, the states would never have been settled. Seems to me, the challenge is to search out the states with adequate rural areas and supportive attitudes from the powers that be. For example, Arkansas has an abundance of wildlife and crop potential, but also onerous state regulations of harvested rainwater. I’d rather see an article about state regulations that impede our independent choices when it comes to prepping or homesteading.
John: Research. There’s not enough time or space here to post detailed accounts. that’s why you’re here, to provide information. Preppers is reader driven. niio
I’m just so impressed that Gavin Newsom controls the climate in California. Maybe he should change his name to Thor? Spread hate much?
kathryn: In 2008, the libs took over politics in Kali. that was the year the drought began that’s still hurting the state. As for Gruesome Newson, see one nazi and you’ve seen them all. In 1945, the dnc allowed in an unspecified number or Nazis and handed them citizenship. the party is owned by nazis like the Gestapo agent, soros, and his sidekick, wyss. My stepmother, 2 aunts, and a mother-in-law were all Schutzstaffel. They had no choice, join of your family suffers. FDR sent gifts to hitler, like that boatload of refugee Jewish children. Joe Kennedy read Mein Kampf and became a nazi, and joined up with them in the UK Labour Party. Hitler was a vegan, into animal rights, hated Christianity and anything Jewish. He was a New Age elitist communist and exported a half-millon SS and Gestapo around the world to refuges like Spain, and Franco sent them to Hispanic nations. To Muslim nations, most of which were already nazi, and to Stalin, who send thousands to mao, all to stop democracy and destroy Christianity. Yes, I do know. by profession I’m a manuscript researcher via Library Science. Yes, I’d say gruesome is at fault, the state is cursed because nazism is a curse. niio and peace to you.
Just found this channel on YouTube.
Pretty good stuffing there, especially for those that are just getting started or on a budget.
More focus on survival, that mass prep.
WayPoint Survival
https://youtu.be/LvsLzlfSf8I
Exodus: Looks good but I live in a state where heat is not usually a problem LOL! niio
Red
Lol me too.
Biggest thing we have to worry about here is all the new York license plates that have been showing up the past year and a half or so. Just hope they keep their politics up there where they came from
Exodus: Yeah, we only get up to about 110F in summer. That’s not bad; Bullhead City, on the Colorado, can get 130. It hit about 76 today, so a pile more kohlrabi went in, and a pack of red radishes. I’m seriously thinking of planting out the 4 Porter tomato cuttings, they’re in bloom. It might hit 31 next Wednesday, but that’s supposed to be the last frost for spring. The Texas Wild cherry tomato is pumping out berry-sized tomatoes. Eggplants in tubs survived the last freeze and are sprouting. Buds are swelling on the apple, a Golden Dorsett, and the Meyers lemon is still putting out blooms. The fruit looks OK, though. One fig is still in need of a good pruning. 3 stems instead of 1, and all it does is grow, not make fruit. It’s shady all winter where it is, too, and they don’t like that. The sunchokes need to be dug, wow, they hit close to ten feet last summer. And, the mulberry needs a goat to trim it back. We had two years of wildfires plus the drought–in Arizona it’s not a drought till the cactus starts to die, and they lost a lot of leaves/pads. Smoke dirt choked off some of the trees, but mostly they’re all right. niio
Good gosh what a lazy effort this column was/is. How far off base might one columnist be when pontificating on this particular subject? This is atrocious.
that’s family. 20 conversations and extensions all at once.
Why Ideology Is the Ancient Enemy of Civilization
https://www.dailysignal.com/2022/02/11/why-ideology-is-the-ancient-enemy-of-civilization/?utm_source=TDS_Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBell&mkt_tok=ODI0LU1IVC0zMDQAAAGCjHQEvwsGgHcGMC3XtJvawkcewFbLAJYmd8uUkH30cu9KP9_c4TDH5yR4tFDRzzpHEqUoHlwX6jiUL59QTVx4IMWx47iD3-_0LSQLfZ0WYlOTN89n
11 Examples of Defensive Gun Use Highlight Importance of Second Amendment in New Year
https://www.dailysignal.com/2022/02/07/11-examples-of-defensive-gun-use-highlight-importance-of-second-amendment-in-new-year/?utm_source=TDS_Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBell&mkt_tok=ODI0LU1IVC0zMDQAAAGCjHQEv6trEFZXzB_1AEGPS_5lMFxoRBKzIL-hWrs5v8zUKuEl6UFZGzRh2X6w_D-ExHBo8xEjGOn1CDWgvNGabGLji4LC3DufM22KcM6mZYL7iX6y
dz: good articles, both of them! niio