Each time I go on a vacation and visit a new area, I’m always amazed at the change of perspective that I get on the world. I have come to appreciate this because, if my only experiences were just from living in the suburbs of Los Angeles, then I would have a very limited scope to be able to relate to people across the world. While visiting the countryside of Washington state once again, I was reminded of the diversity that exists, even across one nation.
It’s in my personalty to make observations and be analytical, and I found myself doing this constantly on my stay in Washington. Now, I’m aware that what I’m about to say it debatable, I’m still going to step out on a limb and make a claim — farmers are the ultimate preppers. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that term, a prepper is a term that is being used to describe someone getting ready for a catastrophic situation by storing food, guns, supplies, etc.
A breakdown in society really will vary widely depending on where you live geographically and what you depend on for your food source. If you live in a small town where collectively as a community you all grow your own produce and raise your own livestock, your worst-case scenario is actually looking pretty good. In fact, in many ways, you are already semi-disconnected from the greater economy.
The business of what a farmer does revolves around sustaining life. Everything they do relating to their core business boils down to the fundamentals that are required for human survival off of the land. This is as opposed to discretionary businesses that are not directly tied to the basics of survival.
So for those of us who are not farmers, there needs to be some sort of emulation of what a farmer does to be prepared for crisis mode situation. These are the three things that we all can learn from a farmer to be better prepared for a breakdown in society:
Have an escape – Farms already are the escape for farmers. Most of them will be already strategically positioned and won’t need to relocate. For the rest of us, we all need an escape route. If you are able to get out of the city and to a farm, this will be your best bet in comfortably surviving a breakdown in society instead of fighting for food on the shelves in a grocery store.
Have a reserve – Having a getaway might not be realistic for most people and they will need to stick it out where they are at. The best way to do this is to have food storage. This will vary between each person’s personal comfort level, but having three to six months of storage is prudent in a breakdown of a functioning economy. I personally don’t see the disruption lasting form more than that amount of time, because realistically, all efforts will go towards getting food back into the grocery stores.
Guns and ammo – This is a no-brainer for a farmer with inventory to protect. They are the most equipped in general to protect their property from outside invasions. In fact, they are a target for people living in the cities flooding their farms for food and they will need protection from potential rioting on their land. This again, is a lesson from the well prepared farmer that we all can learn something from. If you are going to take the time to build your stockpile, it might be worth your time to try and protect it. Own a gun and or multiple guns and know how to use it.
This Could Actually Happen
There are a number of reasons why we should be prepared. Most people assume I’m referring to just the economy solely. But natural disasters are actually much more likely to be the catalyst. Earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, wildfires, and floods are things that could devastate a community and cause people to get desperate to survive. Ethics and common sense courtesy go out the window when people need to feed themselves and their family.
Modern day examples of this include hurricane Katrina, floods of Northern India in 2013, and the 7.0 earthquake in Haiti in 2010.
In the event of a greater tragedy, prepping will not even matter. A nuclear bomb, solar flare, or even a super volcano are events which would wipe out millions of people instantly so there is no need for a back up plan. This sort of preparing in my opinion is futile.
The economic trigger is a big one, that won’t just be a localized breakdown, but will have its reach across the world thus causing a chain reaction of potential social unrest. After you’ve covered your bases for surviving and dealing with an economic breakdown, now you must consider the consequences of these events affecting your portfolio.
Simple principles you learn as a child help put our economic situation into perspective such as, what goes up, must come down; and understanding that all bubbles eventually pop.
I love what changing your scenery and exploring different environments does to my inspiration. I encourage you to read different books and get out of the four walls of your home periodically to travel and get a different perspective on things, because you really never know where it might lead.
Propserous Regards,
Kenneth Ameduri
Chief Editor at CrushTheStreet.com