Differences of Rural vs. Urban Prepping

[Gazrok]

Guess the best way to start discussion is to go here....the differences (by category of preps).

WATER - One key difference is likely to be the source of water. In the city, you're hooked up to city utilities. In the country though, typically a well. These days, these are typically powered by an electrical pump. But, you lose power, and then you lose water too.

Solutions - Could go with a solar powered pump. Expensive, but a good option. Could also have an emergency manual pump (they make ones that can be used in tandem while your electric pump is still in play. However, in a rural setting, you will probably have a lot of opportunity for rain catchment also, so this is another good alternative. Personally, I also like to store water as well, just for any outages.

SEWAGE - Another difference is most rural households have a septic system and drainfield vs. hooked to utilities. Downside, you need water for the system to work, but this can be managed as above. However, having an ample supply of the bacteria needed can be a good idea too, to keep the system working.

FOOD - Perhaps the biggest advantage of rural prepping, land to grow food. In addition, many rural households are more exposed to prepping their own grown food, so more familiar with it in general. The ability to have livestock is also a plus with land. In the city though, most are limited to what is in stores.

PROTECTION - Rural households typically have (at least in my area), fences, dogs, and guns. Simple as that really. I learned this when looking for my lost puppy one week (we did eventually get her!). I think nearly every neighbor I have anywhere near me has at least one or two very large dogs.

In a SHTF crisis, we're also likely to have TIME, at least a little time before those in cities venture out looking for other resources. That means we'll have time to prepare some defenses that pre-SHTF would be a bit much, or even illegal otherwise.

For all the bonuses though, some challenges too.

Anything you can't make or grow, is going to be HARD to come by. (and far)
Medicine will be tricky (though feed and farm stores may have vet equivalent meds).
By this time, any marauder/s would be more desperate, so more dangerous.
Without a lot of buildings around, open ground, and ways that vehicles can penetrate your perimeter.

Given these challenges, fortification is key. Whether planting trees or installing anti-vehicle posts, these measures could prevent (or at least delay) vehicles from ramming your fences and gates. The creation of firing positions (that can stop even high caliber rounds) is also important. Likewise, those that are in exposed positions outside doing tasks, should have some kind of basic protection (vest, helmet), even when no trouble is indicated. Would be tough to instill, granted, after days or weeks of no such attack, but one mistake could be fatal post SHTF.

 

[bgoldstuff]

Gazork, I agree, water is and can be the key difference, I am very fortunate to be located in a rural area. I do have my own well and septic.

My shallow well is down 21 feet and my deep well 65 feet, water for me is very simple, old time wind mill or hand pitcher pump or hand pump jack, No electric needed!

I plan on having a shallow well in my safe room/ root cellar, with a little hand pump. The cylinder that pumps the water is down below in the water and every time you stoke the pump handle you move a metal rod inside a cylinder with leather cups that pulls the water up the pipe, ( not well casing ) to the hand pump. Very simplistic old time design and still works fine today. Yes it has its draw backs, but in a time of no power, you will always have drinking and wash water.

Not saying it can't happen, but it would be pretty tough to contaminate that ground water. It would take some catastrophic activity to stir the ground formation up and make it unsafe to drink. Then there would be all kinds of filters etc. after that to keep it safe to drink.

I have hand dug shallow wells for years and always enjoyed playing with them and the free water they can produce.

 

[Brent S]

Guess the best way to start discussion is to go here....the differences (by category of preps).

WATER - One key difference is likely to be the source of water. In the city, you're hooked up to city utilities. In the country though, typically a well. These days, these are typically powered by an electrical pump. But, you lose power, and then you lose water too.

Solutions - Could go with a solar powered pump. Expensive, but a good option. Could also have an emergency manual pump (they make ones that can be used in tandem while your electric pump is still in play. However, in a rural setting, you will probably have a lot of opportunity for rain catchment also, so this is another good alternative. Personally, I also like to store water as well, just for any outages.

SEWAGE - Another difference is most rural households have a septic system and drainfield vs. hooked to utilities. Downside, you need water for the system to work, but this can be managed as above. However, having an ample supply of the bacteria needed can be a good idea too, to keep the system working.

FOOD - Perhaps the biggest advantage of rural prepping, land to grow food. In addition, many rural households are more exposed to prepping their own grown food, so more familiar with it in general. The ability to have livestock is also a plus with land. In the city though, most are limited to what is in stores.

PROTECTION - Rural households typically have (at least in my area), fences, dogs, and guns. Simple as that really. I learned this when looking for my lost puppy one week (we did eventually get her!). I think nearly every neighbor I have anywhere near me has at least one or two very large dogs.

In a SHTF crisis, we're also likely to have TIME, at least a little time before those in cities venture out looking for other resources. That means we'll have time to prepare some defenses that pre-SHTF would be a bit much, or even illegal otherwise.

For all the bonuses though, some challenges too.

Anything you can't make or grow, is going to be HARD to come by. (and far)
Medicine will be tricky (though feed and farm stores may have vet equivalent meds).
By this time, any marauder/s would be more desperate, so more dangerous.
Without a lot of buildings around, open ground, and ways that vehicles can penetrate your perimeter.

Given these challenges, fortification is key. Whether planting trees or installing anti-vehicle posts, these measures could prevent (or at least delay) vehicles from ramming your fences and gates. The creation of firing positions (that can stop even high caliber rounds) is also important. Likewise, those that are in exposed positions outside doing tasks, should have some kind of basic protection (vest, helmet), even when no trouble is indicated. Would be tough to instill, granted, after days or weeks of no such attack, but one mistake could be fatal post SHTF.

One thing I learned a while ago, with a septic system, you don't need to add any bacteria. Mother Nature does it all on her own. All those products like riddex don't hurt anything, but aren't needed. I had to get a septic contractors license to put my own system in here, but it was still cheaper than paying someone else to do it. There's been lots of studies, and most that say it helps were buy the companies that sell the stuff.
As far as increasing the odds of surviving any disaster, living in the country wins hands down. Being able to eat and sustain yourself is a big benefit, but being away from crowds of desperate people is the biggest plus.

 

[bgoldstuff]

One thing I learned a while ago, with a septic system, you don't need to add any bacteria. Mother Nature does it all on her own. All those products like riddex don't hurt anything, but aren't needed. I had to get a septic contractors license to put my own system in here, but it was still cheaper than paying someone else to do it. There's been lots of studies, and most that say it helps were buy the companies that sell the stuff.
As far as increasing the odds of surviving any disaster, living in the country wins hands down. Being able to eat and sustain yourself is a big benefit, but being away from crowds of desperate people is the biggest plus.

I agree with you 100% on being far away from the numbers of desperate people, sad situation. Unrealistic to think one smart prepper has the resources to provide for all those desperate people, when our own Government has been trying to do so for years and has failed. ( health care )

A septic system does have its own natural bacteria without having to buy any snake oil for it. Not many people know or realize that there is two different types of bacteria that can live in a septic system environment.

First being the natural aerobic bacteria, second being anaerobic bacteria, meaning with air to live.

There is a little more science behind how septic systems work then people realize. A standard tradition septic system will last under normal operating conditions and service for 25-30 years, before you need to move your leech or drain field.

Bio-mass build up is what kills a natural aerobic bacteria working septic system over years, doomed to fail from day one. An anaerobic type septic system with air will eat the Bio-mass build-up and keep your drain field open and draining properly.

Just a simple diaphragm type air pump with an air line running into your holding tank will solve this Bio-mass build-up issue.

This isn't anything new, city water treatment plants been using this type of anaerobic bacteria process for years. It wasn't all that many years ago, that the people with their own rural septic systems started using this process to keep from expensive repairs. This has been a proven process that works.

 

[Gazrok]

Will definitely look into that. We need to add bacteria after heavy rain periods. That's the only reason.

 

[bgoldstuff]

Gazork, This link should be very helpful for you. If you have am questions about this type of system, please ask, I built my own system VS the ones sold in the stores.

http://www.aero-stream.com/septic-sewage.html

 

[Gazrok]

Intriguing. I don't really want to hijack this thread on the subject, but would you be willing to post what you did in another thread?

 

[lonewolf]

the further away you are from the big cities and the large urban centres the better off you are, I would rather be out in the middle of nowhere and not have the resources the cities have than be in a "concrete canyon"....especially post SHTF.

 

[jontte]

just hope I get a place in that school I applied for..and hope to make it in 18 months and say bye bye to Helsinki,ok will propably miss something in the beginning but the pros out weigh the cons...

 

[realisticdude]

The difference is................ some peace of mind ... VS ... the always wondering .

 

[Cerberus]

I think the some big disadvantages are:

Rural:
- Less danger = Complacency
- Gets flooded with people looking for food
- Less people to defend with

Urban:
- Possible hostile behind every window
- Suburbs = certain death (group of people holding 1 stone/concrete apartment building together stands a reasonable chance against large mob, can't say the same for a normal house.)
- Easy to lose people

 

[jimLE]

another advantage of being where i am in the country..i can see a reasonably good distance in every direction..plus going out and collecting fire wood,water and hunting is better then in the city.but yet.the 1 draw back on that.is there's at least 30 to 50 ppl within a half mile of me..and a good part of them hunt dureing hunting season.and that means everyone is on their own if they dont work togeather after tshtf ...

 

[lonewolf]

URBAN: power goes off no electricity or water or sewage, filling stations shut down, no food in the shops, hostile behind every corner and every window. Rural: less people, open country, can hear people for miles, plenty of wildlife and farm animals, wild plants and water.

 

[jontte]

if you can't get out early,lay low,wait for your time,then get out quietly,avoid crowds,move only when dark

 

[Gazrok]

Rural:
- Less danger = Complacency
- Gets flooded with people looking for food
- Less people to defend with

Not so sure I agree with those.

On the complacency issue, why? Post SHTF, we'd definitely have folks on sentry duty. Plus, we'd be outside DOING things (farming, tending animals, etc.)

On getting flooded with people, rural areas are typically BIG...and those folks have to get here. How? On foot? Limited gas for vehicles? And you can bet a lot of us are going to make roads leading to us downright impassable by vehicle. (and we have farm equipment that can move cars/trees into such positions).

On less people to defend with...we tend to be more neighborly (and know, and have worked with, our neighbors). Plus, we'll likely have family members and friends (not likely for us, as it is already the plan for them to come) come join us (bringing their guns, supplies, etc.). We have a core group of folks that know they can come here post SHTF (or when one is inevitable), and they bring skills and equipment to the party.

Heck, a few months back, I broke down on the side of the rode just a little ways away from the ranch, and within 15 minutes, had two different people call me and asked if I needed help! LOL. I even got a free tow and ride home to boot. That's country livin' for ya!

 

[Cerberus]

Not so sure I agree with those.

On the complacency issue, why? Post SHTF, we'd definitely have folks on sentry duty. Plus, we'd be outside DOING things (farming, tending animals, etc.)

On getting flooded with people, rural areas are typically BIG...and those folks have to get here. How? On foot? Limited gas for vehicles? And you can bet a lot of us are going to make roads leading to us downright impassable by vehicle. (and we have farm equipment that can move cars/trees into such positions).

On less people to defend with...we tend to be more neighborly (and know, and have worked with, our neighbors). Plus, we'll likely have family members and friends (not likely for us, as it is already the plan for them to come) come join us (bringing their guns, supplies, etc.). We have a core group of folks that know they can come here post SHTF (or when one is inevitable), and they bring skills and equipment to the party.

Heck, a few months back, I broke down on the side of the rode just a little ways away from the ranch, and within 15 minutes, had two different people call me and asked if I needed help! LOL. I even got a free tow and ride home to boot. That's country livin' for ya!

Yeah, at first there is barely anyone ever passing by, and so your sense of danger dulls, it happens to soldiers in combat situations too, they get complacent when nothing happens for a long time.

As soon as the early leavers from the city got out, and after the food runs out in the urban areas, yeah they'll come there on mass, on foot if they have to, anything not to starve to death.

Well, getting a network going with your neighbors is essential but if you're really located in a rural place, it can mean there is maybe 5-6 houses near each other in several miles either way. Farmers also tend to be stubborn, none of them will want to leave their homes, they'd all rather have the rest come to theirs.

I'm located in a rural location too when I'm not in Uni. It rocks but in my case I got few people living near. the ones who do all help each other out ofc. its part of our culture. they'd even go to the other side of the country or the neighboring country to pick you up if you need it. That's something that happens in smaller places most of all something you are likely privy too as well. but I doubt any of them would come over to my place if SHTF regardless of what I have. They love their homes and lands

 

[DrHenley]

There's rural and there's the boonies (boondocks). Our BOL is in the boonies, as in surrounded by swamps and other natural barriers, way off the beaten path and not visible from the nearest "public road" (a river levee a mile away). If you come by road, well that's easily defended with only two ways in. The road has choke points at bridges and culverts. Otherwise it does not lay in a path of least resistance no matter which direction you come from. Marauding hordes would most likely be diverted by the the lay of the land and miss it. Zombies would have a tough time getting to it as it would require intelligent circumvention of the natural barriers.

"Security through obscurity"

We'll still have patrols to make sure no marauders come our way, and we'll probably build some sort of fallback shelter back in the woods just in case.

Water is free (comes up out of a pipe sunk 1600 ft into a pressurized aquifer) and the land can provide ample food even without planting anything.

 

[jontte]

been wondering here,if you have alredy made plans for shtf,that there's a place where to go and ride the storm out,why would you stay put and risk everything??
I wouldn't...definately not..

 

[Gazrok]

Often, it's a job thing. I mean, I live an hour away from work. I commute there and back each day. Sucks, but the price I pay for living where I do. It's what actually started me on more serious prepping.

Started with me considering that should the SHTF while I'm at work, and I can't drive home, I'm probably looking at a four day hike home (I'm older than I used to be (early 40's), so giving that extra day). So, it started with hurricane prep, and my get home bag.

Plus, living on the ranch, just realized it is a lot easier to simply have a stockpile of things we need, rather than go to the store so damn often. Plus, we have the land and facilities to become a lot more self sufficient (like my chickens which really came through today). I got 8 eggs out of 8 chickens today, but probably only about 4 of them have started laying yet. (they are just getting to that age) Awesome stuff.

 

[firewallsrus]

We're 100 miles from the nearest large city and nearly 50 from the nearest freeway, so we expect problems to be slower coming than for some less fortunate. That said, mobs are not what I'm worried about. Our small town will have some troublemakers that will unfortunately be hanging around after SHTF. Most of them from light poles.

By the time we get troublemakers from the city, it isn't going to be mobs. I expect it to be criminal gangs who's skills and tactics will have been honed in the inner city during the first days after a collapse. By the time they reach my area, they will be good at what they're doing. I doubt they will come marching down the farm road like an army of crazies from (pick your post apocalyptic novel). Those gangs will exist, at least in the early days, but it takes quite a bit of food to supply such an army even if you make efficient use of it. I doubt looters will be very efficient with resources.

What I expect to find in my neighborhood is likely to arrive well after we have decided the worst of our problems are past. Having a bit of spread between your homes can work for you or against you in a situation like this.

Widely dispersed homes present an opportunity for your opponent. An organized and successful gang like this is going to approach from an unexpected direction and spend time looking things over very carefully before picking off homesteads one at a time.

These same widely dispersed homes can also work to your advantage. You can pick an abandoned home in good condition between you and the likely approach path. It should be close enough to be within range of an inexpensive handheld HAM radio (a Baofeng BF-888 runs around $15 delivered). A bit of clever wiring between a motion detector and the external microphone/PTT port on the radio can result in an alarm system for a "honey pot" house. Stripped down, the radio could probably run for more than a week on an old car battery. A couple of solar yard lights tossed in to offer a warm "candle lantern" glow from inside during the early evening hours might make such a house look like an easy pick. If it succeeds, you and your neighbors are alerted to the presence of interlopers.

http://firewallsrus.blogspot.com/2014/07/inexpensive-handheld-transceivers-in.html

 

[realisticdude]

By the time we get troublemakers from the city, it isn't going to be mobs.

http://firewallsrus.blogspot.com/2014/07/inexpensive-handheld-transceivers-in.html[/quote]
I agree , and any abandoned buildings or "gathering places " should be ...........................................

 

[realisticdude]

BURNED

 

[alabaster]

If you can survive in the wilderness, you can do well in rural settings, most likely.

Urban settings... You should be good at networking. Having a solid ground of people is paramount since you'll be facing down other groups of people, some with not-to-good intentions.

 

[realisticdude]

Better if your facing down................ apposed to facing up .................. from a snipers view ............... Happy , I'm finished with urban prepping ...... living on a hill.

 

[Maverick]

The town I am in is a ranching and milk producing community, it's small, in 1 mike I am already on the road heading to the farm (property), since this town is a little distance from a city 35 miles, giving me a little time to evac if the need arises and/or more time to assess the situation.

 

[jimLE]

same here mav..mostly farming and dairy..mainly dairy....and quite a few folks have their own gardens each growing season..but yet..i know that i'll have to get out while the getting is good.and when the time comes..

 

[jontte]

somehow the level of worry seems to get higher the closer we come to spring and summer,could it be that the russkies don't love a winter campaign and prefer to move in late spring,early summer...as the news from Ukraine still isn't what it should be,admit that it's a lot easier to scout my surroundings now and make plans for an exit...perhaps I'm just the type who worries...

 

[jimLE]

worry all you want..but control the worry,instead of it controlling you..i check out my surroundings every time i go outside..even then.i do so as if im looking around,just to be doing so..

 

[jontte]

that's the key thing my friend,keep it under control,sometimes I thank God I'm this old...don't run around like a scared chicken which I might have done younger

 

[Rob Painless]

Definitely glad we are rural, 7 miles from the nearest town which is around 6000 people. Next largest town 40 miles away and about 250,000. Probably will have some walkers out here, but we'll be able to see them when they are still a couple of miles away and they'll be 'in range' half a mile away. Hopefully it will never come to that, but.....
At least out here, if we see anyone else that we don't know we are able to be sure that they aren't supposed to be here, as opposed to being in a city or town where they might be in their own neighborhood.