I found some maps...

[conuly]

They're not all that easy to read, but NYC seems to get fairly swamped.

Well, the beauty of New York is that now that we don't depend on the port, we're actually a pretty portable city. Unlike New Orleans, which would just fold if the need for that port vanished. (And which is probably only hanging on because of that port - otherwise, even the token help they've gotten doesn't seem likely mihi.)

At any rate, it seems to me like now is the time to move inland, or at least as soon as I can possibly manage. Preferably inland to some area without fuel reserves - I like to make my safety nets free of hidden snags. Best to get while the getting's good, I always say - move now, and avoid the rush.

So, here's my plan. Pick a spot, probably (unfortunately, due to their oil) in Canada. Move there - maybe for college. Stay there. Become a citizen, stat. Buy up lots of land, pretty far inland. Cheap land - as long as I can substinance farm, I'm good. Plant lots of fruit trees - that fights global warming and makes fruit. Build a castle to defend myself against displaced invaders. I like castles. Include many secret exits and passages, why not? Invite others to come, pool our resources. Buy more land (and fruit trees). Repeat as necessary.

It'd have to be a castle that can also withstand massive storms, no? I can do that.

Comments

[conuly]

Medicine would also be a useful discipline to learn, but I think I'll stick with education and learn medicine... unreliably... on the side.

The temperature would be warming, right? So... longer growing season? I plan on being close to the US, anyway - I know we've got fruit trees all the way upstate, and that's bumping right into Canada!

Okay, so I live without my castle. Unless I can have one out of concrete....

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Well I'm not an expert on things like growing seasons here YET. I guess yeah it would be longer, but you know what? That square foot gardening book, even on a large scale would probably be a good read for you (or even the site) because it is like smaller scale crop rotation and augmenting soil and all that stuff. (I also compost like MAD.)

You can have one out of concrete, precast or poured molds. They really have been quite innovative both in the structural integrity and beauty of concrete, I used to read Concrete Construction every month, and still discuss things with Dan.

Concrete castle from early 1900s:
http://www.concretedecor.net/Abstracts/CD203_Mercer.cfm

Precast homes:
http://www.cement.org/homes/ch_lc_us_illinois.asp

Really I would bet concrete/precast would be the way to go for durability and economy and safety. You'd have your castle but more energy efficent and pretty strong too. And cheaper.

You ever hear about CSAs?
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml

Community supported agriculture. It's sort of like a farm co-op, personal farmers market almost. A bit pricey to get into, you pay the farmer for a years worth of stuff, but the real fun part is some of them let you work on the farm, which can be very educational. I know you don't drive now but I would imagine at some point in all this you'll have to find some form of long distance transportation. Until you move inland, the CSA could be a good learning experience and a good way to support local farms.

Me, I hope within a few years I can turn this house over to a farmette just outside of town (not too far out to avoid the tornados, being by the river and in the bluffs has kept this area tornado free), and want to start with chickens. I think that's the most economical to start off with. I'm still struggling with figuring out what grows well here, the soil has a lot more clay than in NYC, where I actually did ok growing stuff.

This year I am here before growing season so I'm planning better. I should have more success now that I know better what its like.

Have you seen Lehmans catalog?

http://www.lehmans.com/

Best to look at the goods there, and then find them elsewhere. Thats where I got the idea for the Wonderwash hand washer, which works fantastic.

[conuly]

I would imagine at some point in all this you'll have to find some form of long distance transportation.

In the long run, a horse is a better investment. When a car breaks, you have junk that you have to pay to haul away. When a horse breaks, you at the very least have leather. If you need a new car, you have to buy one. If you need a new horse - well, horses build new horses all the time, wink wink nudge nudge.

But yeah, learning how to drive would probably be a good idea. And bike - that may also come in handy sooner rather than later.

Thanks for all the advice - it really *is* good advice, too.

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

Heh if you decided Iowa instead of Canada, maybe I'll have my 'hobby farm' by then. (And maybe I will know what I am doing!)

You'd need acreage for horses, not so much for running but for feed, unless you network with people. I used to ride down in Prospect Park, I miss it. But I know the kids would love if we had horses, and honestly they're on the 'to buy' list, when we have the room. Bikes we have, I'm good at walking, and my dream is a hybrid SUV if I have something farmlike. SUVs make more sense here than in cities, IMHO. Imagine a hybrid pickup truck! That would be cool.

Tractors seem to live FOREVER. I'd imagine if I was raising larger livestock (horses, and maybe sheep) I'd need more acreage to be self sufficient for hay or alfalfa or something.

Glad you like the advice, it's so nice to have someone to talk to about this, I feel like I am bursting. ;)

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

BTW its because of Dan that I know the precast and concrete stuff. Ironwork includes installing precast. And he sold concrete stuff for a while.

He has done complete home renovations/builds, with the exception of electric (which he hates), we could probably build our own home, with labor. It's a thought if the acreage we want doesn't have buildings on it already.

[xianghua.livejournal.com]

Yes and no. Keeping that horse running can be REALLY expensive. And you still need to learn how to drive. :P

[xianghua.livejournal.com]

PS: Ifn ya want to do this in say, MO, I've got land there already. :P (For sale, unfortunately, because despite a decent school there, there's no jobs if you're a computer person.)

[conuly]

I'd suggest keeping at least some of the land. You always keep land, especially when said land is inland.

[xianghua.livejournal.com]

I wish I cuold, but I can't afford to keep it and live somewhere else, at least right now. I think I'd actually buy further west, were I looking for someplace refugey, partially because although it's decent soil, it's not great- it'd be a tough, tough living to make.