[Cashmere]

'allo!

[kpeavey]

its about time

[Daniel_Plainview]

Welcome, Dawn. This is an excellent website, with many brilliant posters ... & loads of knowledge to be gained.

Wow, you've been registered since early 2005! A belated welcome.

Having been registered since April, 2005, Dawn should be welcoming me!

[Dawn]

Having been registered since April, 2005, Dawn should be welcoming me!

LOL! Welcome to the forum!

Thanks everyone for the welcome! I would have been active sooner, but running a business and taking care of kids while my husband was deployed kept me very busy. I'm surprised I have any hair left.

Things have slowly settled down, so now I can finally participate.

[ClassicSpiderman]

I know we had a meetup group here in Chicago, and all we did was bitch about things, but that become old really fast.

There was a Ron Paul 'meetup' group in Calgary, believe it or not. All we did was argue while getting drunk at a downtown pub, it lasted about 2 meetings. It was fun, though.

Might be fun to just shoot the sh*t while discussing doomer pr0n. Any excuse to get out of the house to have some beer & wings, is a good thing.

[MonexFRAUD]

My brother called to ask what I knew/thought about Monex. I referred him to this thread. Thanks!

You're very welcome! Every time I keep someone from doing business with Monex somewhere an angel sings!

Actually I don't believe in angels I just thought that would sound funny!

[bluebirdlady]

I just saw the documentary "Escape from Suburbia-Beyond the American Dream". Unfortunately, I got into it about 30 min. in, so had to try to fill in some blanks. But one thing I saw made me sad, then mad. It showed the 14 acres of community garden plots that over 300 poor people depended on to help them survive, and how it was bulldozed to make room for yet another warehouse. I immediately got online and found this website, and plan to utilize it and spread the word.
I am a Master Gardener, working with a community garden in our small town in central Indiana. We rent out the plots, and the money raised goes to a local food bank. We also give produce to them. So I guess that is why it hit me so hard that a government could be so cold, and people don't really matter. Just like Suze Orman says, "People first, then money, then things."
This has been an eye-opener...I will get involved.

[aldente]

I didn't mean 'ripped away' literally, eventhouh I guess I used these words. But It gives one a good idea of extreme weather conditions.

[Drakes]

Hello!
I am a college student in the Grand Prairie ecoregion of central Illinois. I grew up in a small town inhabited largely by people with New-Age beliefs, where I worked (and still work) on my parents' 230-acre commercial organic livestock farm.

My interests include organic gardening, soil science, botany, livestock raising, and all aspects of low-tech living. I am an opponent of human destruction of the natural environment and strongly believe that humanity must take only what is necessary for our survival from the earth and no more. Taking too much has again and again resulted in the collapse of civilizations, and it is rapidly leading to our collapse as well.

I intend to establish a self-sufficient community based on a combination of low-tech agriculture and hunting-gathering. This is not an idle statement. It is, I believe, the purpose of my life. I hope that this can get going within a few years, or sooner if needed. Depending on circumstances, it will be on my family's land in central Illinois or, as I would prefer, somewhere near large tracts of public land for hunting and gathering. However, as the economic picture gets darker in this country, I doubt I will be able to make enough money after college to buy land for the community myself. My intent is to grant free land-use to those who wish to live in the same low-tech way that I do.

Any comments, questions, ideas on the above?

[dunewalker]

You're a beacon in the wilderness. Given the present state of affairs globally, I'd suggest moving forward with your plans by assembling like-minded folks, but leap-frog the land acquisition stage, as it may become a fatal distraction to survival. It's not possible right now to choose a safe haven geographically, but maybe your parents' farm could serve as an assembly stage at least. Purchasing a land base is rapidly becoming an obsolete notion. Soon your options will morph into just finding and defending sustainably habitable terrain. It will be critical to have your community with you in this search. Best wishes.

[Cashmere]

Any comments, questions, ideas on the above?

You sure you want my comments? I'll give you a pass if you don't.

[blukatzen]

Welcome to the list young man. (Oh, for a son like this one!)
I am a horticulturist in the Chicago area just north of you, and run garden centers.
You are not in Stelle, IL, are you? (you don't have to mention the town you are in, just what "part" of the State, since we are up in Zone 5, and you can be in Zone 6, almost into Zone 7 in Southern Il.) So, that is what I am referencing, since that makes a lot of the difference.

Good luck with your projects, can you tell us a bit more about what went on this past Summer and the successes you've had?

Blu

[blukatzen]

Any comments, questions, ideas on the above?

You sure you want my comments? I'll give you a pass if you don't.

Cashmere, leave him alone, let him explain himself first.

Sheesh.

Blu
there's enough time for the "doomer welcome mat" later on...

[threadbear]

Way to go, Drakes! You give me hope for the future. I'm not in the US and am an old coot, so I'm not interested, in personal involvement, but wish you all the best in your great adventure. You have a strong sense of destiny and that is such a GOOD thing, when it's for a higher purpose. Bless you and all of your kind!

[Narz]

Sounds great (and welcome) Drakes! You have a website or anything (with pics of the farm)?

[Crazy_Dad]

I'm finally facing up to it, after over 10 years of worry.
Let the adventure begin, I'm big enough.

Suggestion for the site - like facebook or something, put like minded realists together in 'clubs' so that they can prepare together, locally. I'll find an approprite thread and expand on this.

Take Care and prepare,
Crazy_Dad

[wisconsin_cur]

Welcome crazy dad,

If you have any questions please let us know.

Cur

[Snowstorm]

Drakes, I sent you a PM (Private Message) the other day, if you're unsure where to check them, when you're logged on there is a link to them on the top below the search function and and on the left of the screen.

[wisconsin_cur]

Welcome! I grew up on the southern edge of the prairies region and did my undergrad right in the middle of it.

oh the memories...



Well welcome! If you have any questions please be sure to ask!

[Devin]

Give him time, maybe he'll come back.