# Communes? Why not networks?



## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I've always heard about a bunch of friends who gather together in a defensible location and set up a little small town. Why aren't we thinking bigger?

There are many differing weather related areas in the USA, and with ham radios it would be possible to form a larger network.

Let's imagine that Prepared just had a bumper crop of rhubarb but he's out of 22LR ammunition. But several states over I just looted a gunshop but food is pretty scarce. Wouldn't a prepper's version of "The Underground Railroad" be an option?

Consider this. All of us members here chat everyday--as a hobby. Why couldn't this network be used for barter, even if we had to create a simple code?


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## RedLion (Sep 23, 2015)

Of course that is possible and in some places, likely to happen. I am on book #5 of the "Green Fields" series by Adrienne Lecter. A plague turning most people into zombies SHTF series that centers strongly around groups of settlements, scavengers and traders. Your thread reminded me of the similiarity. You may enjoy the series if you are into SHTF books like I am.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Great idea, let us know how to sign up when you get it set up. Certainly a lot better then taking chances with total strangers.


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

The Tourist said:


> I've always heard about a bunch of friends who gather together in a defensible location and set up a little small town. Why aren't we thinking bigger?
> 
> There are many differing weather related areas in the USA, and with ham radios it would be possible to form a larger network.
> 
> ...


I think there is a website American Prepper Network or something similar. Right now I don't see too much happening after shtf then yeah people will gather for barter and trade mainly local though.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

The primary problem would be logistics.

Your scenario involves multiple states. How does Man A in need of .22 acquire and trade with Man B who has ammo but needs rhubarb?

In the times we live in now, we could mail things, or we could hop in the family wagon and start toward each other. Gas tank getting low? There's an Exxon around every corner. Getting hungry on your two state trip? "Hey, there's a Cracker Barrel, let's stop in and have pancakes!"

In a time when disaster has decimated the infrastructure and any semblance of law enforcement is spread razor thin, how would one make such a journey? Gas stations are all dried up. Food is more valuable than diamonds and goes bad quickly. Gangs will be watching for that juicy haul coming up the road.
This two state journey now has to manage enough fuel for the trip there and the trip back, enough food and water for the adventurers, protection for all involved, and all has to be worth the cost of the trade.

I love the idea, don't get me wrong.
Having a support group that is reliable is always a good thing.
Having them less than a few hours away is simply more preferable.

Perhaps you're thinking of instituting this plan pre-SHTF.
If so, it could work. However, I can't see it functioning in any other scenario.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Kauboy said:


> Your scenario involves multiple states. How does Man A in need of .22 acquire and trade with Man B who has ammo but needs rhubarb?.


Maybe we should get ahead of the curve.

What if Prepared is out of .22LR ammunition because he just hardened a shelter for his family *now*. I have a friend who sends me sausage he makes from hunting. I have a drawer full of knives.

Perhaps the answer is to do an inventory check, post your shortages, we're supposed to be helping each other learn the craft, but also support our friends.

Two examples. In the MC, all I had to do was pick up the phone--guys with wrenches and bolts showed up.

Oh, and this brand new, fancy Dell computer I'm on--the Kimber guys bought it for me when mine blew up and my wife needed dental surgery. In the old days we called that "brotherhood." I'd just like to see it come back.


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## Lowtechredneck (May 7, 2018)

Maybe I am paranoid, but even in my local area I would naturally distrust people. Surely a stranger would be suspect. I don't tell the people I do trust exactly what I have. Now I will help people if they ask, but they don't need to know what I do and do not have. The way I see it, the best security is if no one knows you have something they want.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Some of us dont make friends easy or play well with others. Whats a mother to do?


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I'm hoping that people have better angels. Look at our soldiers, all ages, all walks of life, haling from all over the country. They might not know each other, but they begin to rely on each other.

If I saw a man and woman running from an urban area, and he was toting a 10/22, I'd toss him a box of rimfires. Might not tip the balance in his favor, but the times I've "paid it forward" came back to me with kindness.

Odd coming from an old biker, I know. But even we have had to set our differences aside for a common good. Do you think all the bikers who ride to Washington DC "love" each other? Probably not, they've set their club affiliations aside for a goal. We should do that, too.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

I think the barter system will work very well and from what I hear, Prepper Forums and others like this have members who have already connected with each other to share info, etc.

Or so I hear...:vs_smile:


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## maine_rm (Jun 24, 2017)

I have pot.... a lot of pot... what-Il you give me? Lol


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

What kinda tote the note plan are we looking at here?


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

This all sounds great and I am all in. But!!!! I ain't got nothing I am trading for rhubarb! :vs_no_no_no::vs_smirk:


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## maine_rm (Jun 24, 2017)

Prepared One said:


> This all sounds great and I am all in. But!!!! I ain't got nothing I am trading for rhubarb! :vs_no_no_no::vs_smirk:


...I do like rhuba


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## maine_rm (Jun 24, 2017)

Kauboy said:


> The primary problem would be logistics.
> 
> Your scenario involves multiple states. How does Man A in need of .22 acquire and trade with Man B who has ammo but needs rhubarb?
> 
> ...


African swallows!

.. Monty Python?


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Prepared One said:


> This all sounds great and I am all in. But!!!! I ain't got nothing I am trading for rhubarb! :vs_no_no_no::vs_smirk:


AND it would depend on where you live. AND who it is. @Prepared One, you are a person I like and respect and if you were in my area, I would help in the blink of an eye.

See, I wouldn't ask you to come to the metromess (I'm a little north of there but still in the mess) because not only would you have that to contend with but Austin and a few others places to boot. In the same respect, I wouldn't care to come to Houston. Between work and family, I've spent a fair amount of time there. I know that if the S does HTF then I'd just as soon stay out of Houston.


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## Lowtechredneck (May 7, 2018)

Houston is terrible. I happen to be closer to Beaumont, and it is getting just as bad. There are almost daily shootings there now. I don't even like to drive through most areas of it. Lucky for most of us, I believe the urban gangs will stay in the urban jungle for the most part. To quote a rather famous man, "thank God I'm a country boy!"


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

inceptor said:


> AND it would depend on where you live. AND who it is. @Prepared One, you are a person I like and respect and if you were in my area, I would help in the blink of an eye.
> 
> See, I wouldn't ask you to come to the metromess (I'm a little north of there but still in the mess) because not only would you have that to contend with but Austin and a few others places to boot. In the same respect, I wouldn't care to come to Houston. Between work and family, I've spent a fair amount of time there. I know that if the S does HTF then I'd just as soon stay out of Houston.


Ditto my friend. And for the record, I would just as soon stay out of Houston myself and the shit hasn't hit the fan yet! :tango_face_grin:


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Well, I guess you guys have seen through my intended ploy.

I live in Madison. Except for one plumber on Williamson Street, not one single communist knows how to fix anything. When the balloon goes up, 175,000 socialists, millennials, UW students and former cosmonauts will all attack the last standing falafel seller and beat him to death with a copy of The Capitol Times. I'm going to need friends.

My point is that since "stuff" is sooner or later going to dry up or simply wear out, we might need a bigger circle of allies than the ones we have now.

For example, look at any cover of a survivalist magazine. There's a picture of bearded guy in his twenties with a back-pack, new hiking boots, a stocking cap and a knife I wouldn't pay twenty bucks for. Average life span for said model? My guess would be "dusk."

If the Underground Railroad can function--during a war--we should be able to build that better mousetrap.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

Here's what we need to do: pick a town in a central location, like Kansas, and start buying up properties. If that could happen, we could set up rules and protocols and build on it from there.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

The Tourist said:


> I've always heard about a bunch of friends who gather together in a defensible location and set up a little small town. Why aren't we thinking bigger?
> 
> There are many differing weather related areas in the USA, and with ham radios it would be possible to form a larger network.
> 
> ...


just a suggestion - you ever talk to anyone - under any conditions - that goes around admitting to burglary/theft/looting >>> probably nobody to trust in a trade/barter deal - good chance you're his next notch in the barb wire wrapped bat ....


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Illini Warrior said:


> just a suggestion - you ever talk to anyone - under any conditions - that goes around admitting to burglary/theft/looting >>> probably nobody to trust in a trade/barter deal - good chance you're his next notch in the barb wire wrapped bat ....


I'll agree that this is the situation now. What happens when the food runs out and the water filters are all compost? Sure, a guy might kill to stay alive, but truth be told, he cannot kill thousands who are looking to snuff him.

Treaties are negotiated every day, from nations to bike clubs. There's even a slogan, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." I'm not implying this is going to be easy. But the alternative is that you fight and murder daily just to steal something for breakfast.

Now, in our present day is relative peace and enough "plenty." I'd like to see some form of brotherhood before all of us are down to one, lonely .22LR cartridge.


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## Shane (Oct 11, 2017)

I have to agree with Lowtechredneck. I would not trust anyone but family and the closest of friends and be as secretive as possible. I would like to think I could survive independently in the mountains here in MT, but it would be tough, and eventually I'm sure I would need something I don't have (medical or first aid items, ammo, food staples) and would be forced to interact with other folks to barter for these goods. Due to my location, 'networks' here would be small and close-knit. I would expect that to be a safer alternative than a commune or town I would have to travel some distance to get to. Another member suggested Kansas as a central location for this. Bad idea. For a "safe city" to be a success it should be in a defensible location; such as in the mountains. Let's just hope and pray it never comes down to this.


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## Lowtechredneck (May 7, 2018)

I do believe networks will form at some point. The way I see it, we will all have to sort things out on the local level, and then the circles will begin to widen. Most of history has been pretty close to that. Traders travel to other communities and bring back goods in exchange for other goods. I just don't think it can be prearranged. Could be wrong, could be a paranoid nutjob, but it makes sense in my head.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

If you've read any of Mel Tappan's books you'll remember that he said to move into your new community before everything blows up. His logic was that over time you became part of the community and were trust worthy.

Veteran Bo Grist was attempting to build a town in Idaho (I think) where newbies could be seen coming from miles away, and training was provided for everyone. Yeah, if one of these neighbors saved my wife I would give him .22LR ammunition and rhubarb. _And I know that joke will be on the thread when the moderators finally ban me_.

But we have examples right now of this idea working. Ever hear of an Amish barn raising?


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Actually networking is not a bad idea.

I can tell you there are 2 members here that I have met. Both have my phone number. If either one of them was on their way through, they know they can call me for assistance.

But @Annie, no way I'm leaving Texas unless I'm forced to. Yes we have our liberal cities. BUT most of the rest of the state, which is quite large, has some sense about them. I'm trusting in Texas to be able to the right thing for it's citizens. Unless the major cities grow to each being the size of LA, NY or Chicago, Texas should stay red.


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## BookWorm (Jul 8, 2018)

It's good that people are thinking of setting up a network ahead of time. It could come in handy. But, there are so many of the unknown scenarios that could take place after the event... no plan may work based on what was planned for and what actually went down. And some of those ideas are based on all the roads/bridges being intact as they are now. If a Yellowstone like event takes place, it may have enough energy to bring down a lot of old bridges. 

Whatever happens I think there will be a short time of ciaos (2-6 weeks) immediately afterwards, followed by some time of local rebuilding which may be followed by a local or regional battle over supplies, land, equipment, etc and then after that a time of coming together when regions talk to neighbors about long term survival. 

If you've read "One Second After" this may sound familiar.


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