Prepping for small town city slickers

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"I'm in the middle of a rural farming area, not a tourist area thats more the south coast 50 miles away, if we see a tourist here they are usually lost."

No real problem with lost tourists in my area. Most know the Pioneer Woman is still an hour west of here.
 
There are far more small towns in the US than there are big cities. Nothing unusual about small town life. The only "chain" store here is the Shell station and the only bank in the county. No fast food, no Walmart and no Dollar store to crap up the area.
 
"Can not think of a lot of what town would have in a SHTF situation that would compel me to make the trip to town."

You have answered your own question. Trade routes.

Not much time today to get into this.

Have a great and productive day!
 
"Can not think of a lot of what town would have in a SHTF situation that would compel me to make the trip to town."

You have answered your own question. Trade routes.

Not much time today to get into this.

Have a great and productive day!

If the various reports are accurate, SHTF, the JIT/BAU system fails, and within the first year there is a 90% mass die off, whom in town am I going to trade with?
Why would I take the risk to hike it all that way?
If I am going to be any trading it will likely be within my immediate area (i.e. half a days walk or bicycle ride).
 
In the 13th century, a bunch of goat herders in Anatolia decided to do something about the chaos they were living in. Their tribe had been decimated, reduced from over 15,000 to less than 1000. So they started with one market and secured it and made sure everyone of any nationality, race or religion could trade there under fair conditions. It wasn't easy because Templars, Byzantines, Mongols, Cumans, and all sorts of Bandits were ravaging the countryside.
Then they secured a small town, called Söğüt, and made it a hub of commerce. Merchants, farmers, artisans, and craftsmen flocked there from all over to do business. Warlords allied with them. Gradually they grew in power until they defeated the Byzantine Empire and became the Ottoman Empire.

They started with ONE MARKET.
 
In the 13th century, a bunch of goat herders in Anatolia decided to do something about the chaos they were living in. Their tribe had been decimated, reduced from over 15,000 to less than 1000. So they started with one market and secured it and made sure everyone of any nationality, race or religion could trade there under fair conditions. It wasn't easy because Templars, Byzantines, Mongols, Cumans, and all sorts of Bandits were ravaging the countryside.
Then they secured a small town, called Söğüt, and made it a hub of commerce. Merchants, farmers, artisans, and craftsmen flocked there from all over to do business. Warlords allied with them. Gradually they grew in power until they defeated the Byzantine Empire and became the Ottoman Empire.

They started with ONE MARKET.

Yes, right you are.
If S were to HTF, we plan on starting our own market here locally, in the one and only church parking lot.
It is centrally located.
I expect everyone, whom is capable, within walking or bicycling distance to frequent the market.
The Amish, I am sure they will be able to come from farther distances with their horses and carriages.
But I do not expect anyone would be willing to make a 30-40mi round trip hike to town for trade.
Aside the Amish, I do not see a lot of people with horses in their garages, know how to ride one properly, let alone the knowledge to care for them, the land to support/feed them.
Especially in town.
 
Yes, right you are.
If S were to HTF, we plan on starting our own market here locally, in the one and only church parking lot.
It is centrally located.
I expect everyone, whom is capable, within walking or bicycling distance to frequent the market.
The Amish, I am sure they will be able to come from farther distances with their horses and carriages.
But I do not expect anyone would be willing to make a 30-40mi round trip hike to town for trade.
Aside the Amish, I do not see a lot of people with horses in their garages, know how to ride one properly, let alone the knowledge to care for them, the land to support/feed them.
Especially in town.
The Amish aren't the only ones that know how to ride and use horses. Almost everyone around this area has horses. Many people still have harness and horse drawn farm equipment. After SHTF horses and mules will be just as important as they have been throughout history. Many people still have the skills to farm with horses. Most will share these skills.
 
The Amish aren't the only ones that know how to ride and use horses. Almost everyone around this area has horses. Many people still have harness and horse drawn farm equipment. After SHTF horses and mules will be just as important as they have been throughout history. Many people still have the skills to farm with horses. Most will share these skills.

I can see that in the area where you live.
I other parts of the country, that may be true.
Those are likely the exception, not the rule.

Down in the near by town where I live, definitely not.
Thinking back on all the places where I have lived, definitely not.
 
I can see that in the area where you live.
I other parts of the country, that may be true.
Those are likely the exception, not the rule.

Down in the near by town where I live, definitely not.
Thinking back on all the places where I have lived, definitely not.
No doubt thats true for now, but after SHTF there will be many changes. Horse breeding will become a critical operation again. Life in many ways will be like it was for thousands of years, prior to around 1900.
 
A lot to be said about rural life and small towns. Back in the 1980's I read Tappen's books and have tried to fashion my life in that format. We live near San Antonio New Mexico a Very small town, 3 restraunts and a small general store. Good place to surive a pandemic! We have good neighbors and a traffic jam is when old friends stop their trucks to visit in the middle of the road. We can buy meat on the hoof and butcher it ourselves. About the only visitors we get is in the Fall when 10000's come to watch the migrating birds. Not a lot of fishing but good bird hunting! Our nearest Walmart is about 11 miles away in Socorro. About one a month we drive to Albuquerque (100miles) to stock up on supplies.
 
I doubt the Amish would travel 30 miles by buggy unless it was an emergency. If they go into the bigger town 15 to 20 miles from where I live to the Walmart, they drive a tractor and pull a horse trailer for the kids and the stuff they buy. Or they hire a driver. I drive my cousins to the Walmart often enough. They do their own small market. Tourists come here. I suspect if things got bad, those tourists would be back. I see them in our small amish salvage grocery all the time.
 
I'm afraid if the SHTF, the Amish will be vulnerable due to their pacifist believes. Unless some gun totin' friendly neighbors step in and protect them. ;)

Actually know of a situation involving the Plain Folks who took in a drifter. After a week or so, they asked him to leave. He refused. The Plain Folks had to ask law enforcement to remove the drifter.

After it was all over, an officer asked the Plain Folks, in case of an emergency, how would they contact others (they had three settlements, each over 50 miles from each other).

The elder pointed to a wagon with cages. Pigeons.

Now I know what an Amish cell phone is. LOL!
 
I doubt the Amish would travel 30 miles by buggy unless it was an emergency. If they go into the bigger town 15 to 20 miles from where I live to the Walmart, they drive a tractor and pull a horse trailer for the kids and the stuff they buy.

A good horse and solid buggy, on today's roads, 15-20 miles for the Plain Folks I used to live nearby was just a weekly trip to the local grocery store.

Horse and buggy was parked out back and they would enter the store from the back door.
 
Yes, they can, and some do. My cousin Harry doesn't ever take his tractor out on the road to use as a travel vehicle, but many around here do. It takes a very long time to travel by horse and buggy. Can't be in a hurry. We have spots in our small town for horse and buggy parking and they are marked for it. And we have a tie out bar and concrete pad in our front yard, too, just for family visiting. Mostly Harry uses it. My favorite cousin lives 4 miles out from me and comes by tractor.
 

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