Growing a Sustainable Off-Grid Community
On May 13, 1607, 104 English men and boys, mostly upper-class people of wealth, arrived at their chosen location for a settlement—a small peninsula nestled on the north bank of the James River in what would later become Virginia. It was everything they hoped it would be. The depth of the river allowed them to moor their ships along the shoreline. The location was not inhabited by natives, but was a part of their hunting grounds. And the fort they planned to build would be easy to defend against Spanish attacks from the sea.
By the beginning of 1610, as much as 90% of them had died due to starvation or disease after having spent a winter eating leather from the soles of their shoes, snakes, rats, and other settlers who had recently perished. The Jamestown settlement would forever be known as the example of what not to do when establishing a community.
There were a variety of issues that led to the demise of so many. One major issue was the relationship between the English and the native Powhatans in the area. Their relationship seemed tenuous, at most. The Powhatans tolerated the English presence on their hunting grounds, and even made gifts of food for a while after the English arrived and started to grow sick from drinking the salty, slimy water from the James River. When the English began demanding too much food, and the Powhatans requested a trade for guns and ammo that the English were not willing to relinquish, relations took a turn for the worse. By late 1609, when Winter had set in and the English began to starve, they were too afraid to leave the fort for fear of being attacked by the natives.
Another major issue was a lack of preparedness. Many of the English gentlemen were not equipped for the reality of the environment, and many had no idea how to survive in the wilderness. Of the 104 settlers, only a few were hunters and fishermen.
In considering the state of society in the US these days—with wars and threats of terrorism, natural disasters, and a weak and vulnerable electrical grid—the lessons to be learned from the Jamestown settlement are essential. To be prepared for whatever this world throws at us, we must consider the possibilities, stock up on provisions, and have a plan of action. We must also consider the community in which we may be stuck living. Going outside of that community to get provisions may be impossible, just as it was for the English at Jamestown. Having those within the community with needed skills is a must.
Consider how much more successful the Jamestown settlement would’ve been if they’d ensured that the majority of the English were from the working class—farmers, blacksmiths, hunters, fishermen, builders, and other tradesmen. They would’ve known how to get food from the water and the land, how to plant seeds, grow them, and harvest them. And consider if they’d brought with them a botanist who was skilled in using plants and herbs to heal those who were sick.
All of these skills are ones that are vital to the success of a small community. So as we draw closer to what seems to be an inevitable downfall of society, it’s time to look at the people around you and consider what each of them might lend to the community.
What follows is a list of trades that will be needed within a community to allow it to flourish and grow, despite the crumbling society around them.
The Lawman
While it should be up to the people, in a majority vote, to establish the new laws of the community, it is important to have at least one person to carry out those laws.
The Lawman will be tasked with keeping peace within the community. He or she will have to settle disputes so that tiffs don’t escalate into knock-down-drag-out fights or even death. If the community is very small, each person and the skills that he or she brings to the community are imperative. The death or injury of one person could mean that the community as a whole loses a vital skill.
The Lawman will also be tasked with patrolling the area to keep out anyone who might try to sneak onto the community land to steal provisions. As such, the Lawman would have to establish patrol lines and a schedule, which may require the Lawman to have a deputy for assistance, and to take shifts so that both can be on high alert at all times.
The Lawman will also need to be willing and able to punish those who have broken the law. Punishment will require a secure place to hold prisoners, and may require the community to either exile or put to death the offender, since an exiled member may leak information to outsiders, making the community vulnerable to raids.
Having experience in law enforcement is helpful, but more important is that the Lawman is humble, just, fair, can shoot a gun well, and has a high attention to detail. So choose and elect your Lawman wisely.
The Hunter
The role of the Hunter may be shared by two individuals in a small, self-sufficient community. One may serve as the big game hunter, and the other may hunt only the small game. Or, ideally, you will have two or more hunters who are willing and able to kill both small and large game. In rural parts of the country, many people know how to hunt, but some will specialize in hunting one type of animal, while others will hunt more.
Whatever the case, the role of the Hunter should be carried out by someone who is experienced in killing and field dressing the animal. Experience with hunting is important, since the ability of the community to consume meat depends on the ability of the hunter to find the game and kill it. Also, the hunter, if using bullets, will have a limited supply of them and cannot waste them under any circumstances.
The method of hunting is also something to consider. Since the supply of bullets is limited, having someone skilled at bow hunting or at hunting by other means (think slingshot or spear) is even more valuable. And those hunters who aren’t skilled at hunting without a gun may have to practice hunting by other means.
Livestock Keeper
If your community has pigs, chickens, rabbits, or other animals raised for consumption that do not need to be hunted, then someone will need to have the role of feeding and caring for those animals.
This would be the role of the Livestock Keeper. The Livestock Keeper will maintain the living quarters for each type of animal, feed the animals and provide them with water, change out bedding for the animals, and ensure that the animals are secure from predators.
Livestock is an important asset for any small, off-grid community. Goats can clear land for tilling and farming, as well as provide cheese and milk. Chickens will provide meat and eggs, as well as keeping control of insects like ticks and fleas. Pigs can provide a lot of meat in a short period of time, some species growing to butchering size within six months. They also have large farrows (produce a lot of babies). And of course, cows can produce meat and milk, as well as other products derived from the milk, like cheese, creams, and butters. The tallow rendered from cow fat can be used as a substitute for cooking oil and lard, as well as for making candles and soap. Cows do, however, require a lot of land to graze on, land that the community may not have. And while not every small community may have cows, if you can get your hands on one, you won’t regret it.
You may want to consider getting a pair of mules, as well. Mules have the strength and endurance of a horse combined with the intelligence of a donkey. They can be vital for moving heavy items and pulling plows. And let’s not forget the importance of beekeeping, another task that could be handled by the Livestock Keeper.
The Meat Handler
There are some hunters who know how to butcher their kill, but not all of them are willing and able to take on this role. And during the fall, when it’s vital that the hunters spend as much time hunting as possible to stock up for the coming winter, it’s important to have a separate person to carry out the role of the meat processor/butcher and distributor.
The processor/butcher will be able to take the freshly killed game and prepare it for butchering, then butcher it. This should also be the person tasked with dividing up the meat and distributing it among the community members.
This person will have a small facility set up for butchering the animals, and the facility will need to be secure to avoid being broken into by nefarious individuals or by predatory animals. The facility may need to have a cold storage area for storing the fresh cuts until the Meat Handler has a chance to distribute them.
Another role that this Meat Handler may carry out is to reserve and tan the hides of the animals that are killed. The hides and other parts, like organs, can be used in many other ways. Bladders can be used to store water. Sinew can be used as thread, cordage, or bowstrings. And hides can be used for bedding and for making apparel.
The Seamster or Seamstress
The Seamster or Seamstress will be tasked with making clothing as well as fabrics and woven items such as baskets, often using the hides, furs, sinew, and plant-derived fibers that are provided to them. And while those in this role in modern times have a sewing machine, these require power that may not be available. A Seamster/Seamstress who takes on this role using natural materials, and even needles made from slivers of bone, will have a bit of learning to do in order to get good at it. However, he or she would be the one most qualified to take on the role.
The person in this role wouldn’t require much to do his or her job, but an old spinning wheel like the one shown would help. And certainly having a good stock of needles and threads when taking on this role would make life a lot easier.
The Herbalist
Another vital role within the community is that of the Herbalist. In modern times, we would call a doctor, but off-grid communities of less than fifty people may not have the benefit of a doctor. Instead, they may aim to have an herbalist who can treat wounds, viruses, broken bones, and other illnesses.
The Herbalist will have the task of identifying herbs and other plant materials in the area, harvesting those plant parts at just the right time, storing those plant materials, and preparing those materials for use in making medicinal teas, salves, balms, and tinctures. The Herbalist can provide many other items, as well. The Herbalist can show others how to make spices for their foods, and which plants can be harvested for consumption, like pokeweed leaves, which require cooking to get rid of toxins before you can eat them, and the curly tops of fiddlehead ferns, which taste a lot like asparagus. The herbalist can also provide the seamster or seamstress with plant materials that can be used as thread, like the stringy parts from a Yucca leaf, or black walnut hulls, which can be used to dye clothing.
The Herbalist may also have to work with the Crop Farmer to grow herbs, if the community has seeds for herbs that are used often, but not always plentiful enough in the area to harvest.
The Crop Farmer
In addition to foods gained from hunting and livestock management, the community will also need access to vegetables, grains, fruits, and tubers.
The Crop Farmer will have the role of establishing and maintaining crops during the growing season, as well as storing and distributing those crops to the community. Since seeds cannot be wasted, the Crop Farmer should be someone experienced in agriculture and/or gardening. The fruit of some plants will need to be harvested for consumption, while others of the same species will be allowed to go to seed. Timing is essential for success, and only those with experience will be able to carry out this role.
The Crop Farmer, as mentioned above, may also assist the herbalist by growing plants that are needed for medicine, as well. But the Crop Farmer will need to have a good supply of seeds on hand. A store of various fruit and vegetable seeds that won’t go bad quickly is something every prepper should have on hand.
The Handyman
When something breaks, an off-grid community needs someone who can fix it. This is where the Handyman comes in. The Handyman may have to fix a faulty spout on a rain collection barrel or fix a homemade irrigation system for the Crop Farmer. The Handyman will have to fix barn doors when they become weak, or locks on the door to the butcher’s facility. There are hundreds of things in an off-grid community that can break, and having someone who can fix these things without having to Google how to do it is important.
The Handyman may also double as a carpenter and assist others with constructing shelters, livestock pens, fencing, and other structures within the community.
Other Roles
There are other roles that are not quite as vital, but which would be helpful.
The Blacksmith - It would be wonderful to have someone who can melt down scrap metal to make needed objects like knives, nails, axes, etc. These are objects that are common, but will be hard to find if the grid goes down, because everyone will be hoarding them. They are also items that will eventually break, so being able to make new ones is essential.
The Moonshiner - Alcohol isn’t just something for entertainment when you’re living off-grid. Alcohol is used by the Herbalist to clean and disinfect wounds, as well as to make medicinal tinctures. It’s also great to get drunk on when you’re about to have a wounded leg amputated.
The Minister - A Minister can offer spiritual advice, which everyone may need when thrust out of out material-driven lives and into the dark ages of a post-apocalyptic world. There will be those who will break from the pressure, commit suicide, or at the very least suffer from extreme stress. These people will need some guidance, since therapists will not always be around. The Minister could also serve to marry people or to hold a Sunday church service.
The Midwife - There will certainly be babies birthed within a community. And the production of babies takes on a new value when trying to support a small community. People with certain skills will get old and become unable to carry out their roles. Children can be taught the skills of the elderly to ensure that skill is not lost. And birthing a baby is not something just anyone would want to do. So, having someone with experience at it and the desire to do it is vital.
The Teacher - A teacher is more important if there are many children within a small community. A few children, and the mothers of those children, may be able to teach them basic reading, writing, and arithmetic.
While it isn’t always necessary to have one person to carry out each of the roles, it is important to have at least someone carrying out these roles. For instance, the Crop Farmer will not be busy through the winter, and could double as a part-time deputy or as the Minister. The Midwife may also be your Seamstress. And the Handyman may be able to make a little ‘shine on the side.
Whatever the population of your community, it’s imperative that more than one person is trained in each of the roles. People drop dead. You don’t want that person’s skills to be lost with them. Just after a major disaster or other apocalyptic event, children in the community will no longer be able to remain glued to iPads and cell phones. They will need to spend some time each morning learning the basics, such as reading and basic arithmetic. The rest of the day, the children will need to be assisting adults and apprenticing with others to learn the skills that are vital within the community.
And if you haven’t watched the show “Little House on the Prairie,” you should. Find it on Netflix or Amazon Prime while those things still exist. Study it. Watch how the people interact and what roles they take on, because at any moment, we could all be living it. And only those with mental strength, vital skills, and a strong body will be able to survive.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please check back. Future posts will contain lists of the most important tools, seeds, herbal remedies, and other items to stock up on in case of societal collapse. You will also find more information about homesteading, herbal medicine, and other information that will be helpful to know.