# Just finished "Survival Theory" by Jonathan Hollerman... basically we're all dead?



## molon_labe (Nov 23, 2012)

*Just finished "Survival Theory" by Jonathan Hollerman... basically we're all dead?*

A well written book, that paints a pretty bleak but accurate depiction of what we'd face in a long-term SHTF scenario (EMP, Economic collapse, etc.) and basically his premise is if you don't have a well prepared farm retreat to bug out to you're toast. Bug in? DEAD. Bug Out? DEAD.

I am fit, and well trained but with a family. I live in a small suburban neighborhood in a small town 90 miles away from a large metropolitan area with a small arsenal and a pretty good and growing cache of food water etc. So without the six-figure farm to retreat to or a really good buddy with one... what strategy do you go with? Hunker down until forced to hit the road? Or hit the road first as "it's only a matter of time until you're dead bugging in". Thoughts?

Link to book: Robot Check


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I have no doubt he is correct. 90% of us will be dead within a year or two of an EMP-like SHTF. I plan to sell my life expensively, to give some others a better chance at survival. It's the best I can hope for.


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

I agree! Even if you do have a farm or can get to one it's a matter of time before you get
overrun by hungry, thirsty, and at that point desperate folks!

I prep to try to get by for a year and through the process evaluate what the heck is going on. There
must be 20+ scenarios swirling around what is going to happen and I can't prep for them all but
I keep trying!


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

For an urban disaster novel that realistically allows the prepared people to survive read "The Jakarta Pandemic" by Stephen Konkoly.

Not an EMP but a Pandemic with power out, neighbors turned against neighbor for food and meds.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

this guy went into the woods in Maine and lived there for 27 years... yes he broke into a few cabins and stole things... but to survive for 27 years in the northern Maine woods - good job

Many people have survived in the past in america

overall... the largest die off will be the first 18 months...starvation, illness, murder, lack of meds, pandemic.

If you can prepare to survive that first die off - you will be in a much different american...and I think a better america. chances are the drug dealers will be gone as will the lazy. Most gangs and robbers will be dead..as will many good people, but the gangs and bad folks will be all but wiped out. The survivors will not put up with a lot of crap and justice will be like back in the old days... swift and sure.... Nobody will be able to afford to feed a rapist, murderer, theft, etc.... they wil be killed or expelled from a community...maybe even branded. 

Those with farms will have to be helped by the local people and the farmers will have to help them.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

John Galt said:


> For an urban disaster novel that realistically allows the prepared people to survive read "The Jakarta Pandemic" by Stephen Konkoly.
> 
> Not an EMP but a Pandemic with power out, neighbors turned against neighbor for food and meds.


I second this- it is a great book - I have read it three times....


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

I happen to live on a farm surrounded by farms.. After an initial die-off (first 12-18 months) those remaining will either have been well prepped, or total cut-throat murderers! I believe those in my farming community (10-15 mile radius) will need to band together for security and advanced warning. Also somebody needs to work the crops!


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## mickbear (Aug 26, 2015)

ND_ponyexpress_ said:


> I happen to live on a farm surrounded by farms.. After an initial die-off (first 12-18 months) those remaining will either have been well prepped, or total cut-throat murderers! I believe those in my farming community (10-15 mile radius) will need to band together for security and advanced warning. Also somebody needs to work the crops!


 people dont think about little things like that. i too live in a rural farming area. so many things people dont think about when it comes to food production. every billy-bob hodo wanna be rambo self described survivalist is gonna be roaming around shooting anything that has fur,hops, runs, jumps or fly's . cattle, deer, chickens and pigs will be wiped out in no time. every body knows that "out in the country" there's plenty for everybody.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

You don't need a big farm. You only need to be able to grow food for your family and should be doing that now anyway. A few rabbits and ducks or chickens will round out your food supply. I don't want the excuse of "I live in apartment" You can have a couple of rabbits and still grow some food. Believe me when I say, some fresh food is better than no food. You should be learning how to can and preserve food now!


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

If/when the time comes we will move our rabbits indoors and our chickens will be housed closer to our home. We have the supplies to build a new smaller coop for them between the garage and the house.


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## SittingElf (Feb 9, 2016)

Every prepper should also be learning what wild plants in their area are edible. You can survive on foraging if you know what's safe to eat and good for you.


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

the 20k bushel of grain already in the bins won't hurt either....


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## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

Do you think the wolf packs won't come to the country farms?


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

Urinal Cake said:


> Do you think the wolf packs won't come to the country farms?


maybe you missed my first post..... "*I believe those in my farming community (10-15 mile radius) will need to band together for security and advanced warning. Also somebody needs to work the crops! "
*
yes the wolves will come.. but that is where they will find the taking much more difficult... farm.. by farm... eventually you run out of troops... the inability to haul all the food away makes it easier for us farm folk to stash much and abandon the fort in the event of a large force incoming. pick off 1 or 2.. and fade into the prairie... repeat at the next farm.. make their victory cost more than it's worth... I know every person in a 15mile radius. their kids... and the names of some of their dogs.. to say we won't know what is going on in the neighborhood and be able to hit incoming invaders miles away from our families and supplies at the location of our choosing is a bit of a farce.. will it go according to plan? likely not.. but I like our odds better than most.... lots of farms between me and any town with a population over 2k.....


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## Urinal Cake (Oct 19, 2013)

ND_ponyexpress_ said:


> maybe you missed my first post..... "*I believe those in my farming community (10-15 mile radius) will need to band together for security and advanced warning. Also somebody needs to work the crops! "
> *
> yes the wolves will come.. but that is where they will find the taking much more difficult... farm.. by farm... eventually you run out of troops... the inability to haul all the food away makes it easier for us farm folk to stash much and abandon the fort in the event of a large force incoming. pick off 1 or 2.. and fade into the prairie... repeat at the next farm.. make their victory cost more than it's worth... I know every person in a 15mile radius. their kids... and the names of some of their dogs.. to say we won't know what is going on in the neighborhood and be able to hit incoming invaders miles away from our families and supplies at the location of our choosing is a bit of a farce.. will it go according to plan? likely not.. but I like our odds better than most.... lots of farms between me and any town with a population over 2k.....


Set up a good defensible kill zone, you'll stand a better chance....
and a few of these won't hurt neither.


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## ND_ponyexpress_ (Mar 20, 2016)

Urinal Cake said:


> Set up a good defensible kill zone, you'll stand a better chance....
> and a few of these won't hurt neither.
> View attachment 19497
> 
> ...


have 800 yds of 360 visibility...... as stated in threads in the past. if it is an incoming force of 5-10... we can hold them at bay for a while... if a convoy of a dozen armored vehicles comes over the hill... GTFO and snipe at em from safe overlook positions.. either draw them away from the farm, or pick several off from all sides.. the key is to not have all your food/supplies in the one location... it is likely they would just burn the whole place down out of spite.. and we have to be prepared for that as well.. farming communities across the country all know their neighbors.. they have passed down the land for generations... and most are already prepped beyond the basics (power outages, blizzards. etc..) and most have hunting rifles and other weapons and kin who can use them... we know the land... we know the people.... we are not unbeatable... but we will make em fight tooth and naif for every inch and thin their ranks in the process... and I am confident the next group of farm folk in every direction beyond my AO will do the same..


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Auntie said:


> You don't need a big farm. You only need to be able to grow food for your family and should be doing that now anyway. A few rabbits and ducks or chickens will round out your food supply. I don't want the excuse of "I live in apartment" You can have a couple of rabbits and still grow some food. Believe me when I say, some fresh food is better than no food. You should be learning how to can and preserve food now!


Ok, I admit I don't keep animals for food unless you count the donkeys in my pasture but I do can some food with plenty of jars. Too much work to keep more meat animals when I've already got enough work but.... I hope to be able to trade with neighbors like you (I have several) for things like meat, honey, and grains. I have the basics for a while but if needed I suspect my neighbors will be willing to trade a few animals for a few lighters ect. The neighbors (excluding the coyotes) are good neighbors.

Saw two nice does this evening in the lower field so there is a little local meat; lots more deer when the apples are dropping.


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## C.L.Ripley (Jul 6, 2014)

That nice survival garden in your backyard will not supply enough food for all your needs. You would need to farm about one half to one full acre of land just to produce a yearly diet for one person. And that food, growing in the fields, is very vulnerable to theft. The only viable solution is one at a community level. You band together with enough people to do the work of producing and guarding food for the community. But such a plan would take up a lot of resources: time, labor, seed, arable land, machinery, and so on. And your group will always be in danger of losing that food or those resources. It’s a problem without any good solution for most of us. This is the hard, sobering, unpleasant truth.


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## SittingElf (Feb 9, 2016)

Wish I could go down to my local gun store and buy Claymores!! Perfect home defense!

On the other hand...as a lesser alternative is Tannerite, strategically placed within rifle range around your property. When the gangs approach one of the locations, you don't shoot the gangs... you pop the tannerite...lots of tannerite!


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