Am I a complete nutter, or do I have a plan? Your opinions.

[eatyourveg]

It seems to me, and others here have said the same, that the general population are not going to wake up until there is a pretty big shock of some kind.
I have an uncomfortable feeling that things are even less right than usual, and something is lurking out there that could be it.
Am I alone in feeling this?
I mention it because I do have a plan to mobilise my local community but frankly, I wouldn't mention it anywhere but here for the moment. Transition Towns are a part of it, the remainder is thus:

I own 23 acres of woodland, with which I have commenced a 15 year coppice rotation plan. The aim is to use the product for sale/barter as a heat source to the very local community, but not yet (building stocks).

I also own 22 acres of pasture, part of which I intend to use for a 'fleet' of working horses (hauling timber, delivering it, transporting goods/people to the local market town), and the remainder which I intend to turn over to raised beds for food production. I do not intend to farm the beds personally. I intend to build them then to 'rent' them out to locals who do not have enough space to grow their own at home. I will not be asking for money. I intend to tithe the produce that the locals grow, keep what I need and trade the rest. This just isn't going to work until people become desperate.
An intended side effect is that these people will become very defensive towards my property, I will be able to supply them with heating fuel, and the means to feed themselves, I think they will be quite agressive towards anyone who feels they have a right to come and take something that they regard as theirs.

These are some of the reasons I bought this property, there were other considerations, such as being close to a market town in a very low (for the UK) population area.

Am I off my head with all this or is it a reasonable way forward? Your opinions will be valued.
I am just waiting for the shock, whatever it is.

[Totally_Baffled]

Sounds like you are million miles ahead of most , and probably most on this forum (including me)

You lucky bastard!

I still maintain if we get the total breakdown scenario we are all totally f***ed (regardless of preparation levels) but if we do maintain any sort of society you sound in a very good position indeed?

Can I put my name down for a plot please? I have allotment experience and grow wicked potatoes!

[RenewableCandy]

Can I put my name down for a plot please? I have allotment experience and grow wicked potatoes!

The commute'll be a pig. Particularly by horse!

[snow hope]

Greg, what will stop "these people" or even a small group of them from deciding to take over your property and own it themselves? Otherwise the plan seems quite good.

Of course you only need to be shot once to be dead...... seems like you will need to watch your back?

[Neily at the peak]

Hmmm Lord Greg I presume??

[UndercoverElephant]

It seems to me, and others here have said the same, that the general population are not going to wake up until there is a pretty big shock of some kind.
I have an uncomfortable feeling that things are even less right than usual, and something is lurking out there that could be it.
Am I alone in feeling this?

No.

But now I'm not sure it is going to take a Hurricane-Katrina-like event to wake people up. I think the financial markets and the media will do it. The financial sheeple are a different breed to the Joe Public sheeple. When there is money at stake, they take notice. They ignored climate change, but they aren't ignoring peak oil (anymore). And if it is happening on the front page of the WSJ, then there's only so long until the rest of the media and eventually the politicians will pick up on it.

[eatyourveg]

Greg, what will stop "these people" or even a small group of them from deciding to take over your property and own it themselves? Otherwise the plan seems quite good.

Of course you only need to be shot once to be dead...... seems like you will need to watch your back?

That is a good one, and first brought up by Mrs Rambo*, the other half.
I have given this considerable thought. Divide and rule is the only possible answer. I see this as a business plan, and am factoring in mechanisms, nothing sinister, this is a human nature thing and can be catered to as such.

As for Lord Greg, don't think so by quite a long shot.
Like I said, this is a business plan. As I see it business can be defined as an agreement between two or more parties that is equitable to all the parties, and can remain so for a very long period. It's the old adage, 'a new customer costs more than an old one'. And don't forget scratching of backs. These things are universal and count for much in all our dealings, business or otherwise.

God I 've just read the above and it sounds like George W Bush.

[eatyourveg]

Oh yes, Mrs Rambo*.

Top woman. After she went out this evening for a charity type thing (I was delegated to finish another raised bed), I got a phone call:

"Oh, forgot to mention, went shopping today and I've left something on the back seat, could you take it out please"
"Yes, sure, what is it"
"A box of 250 shotgun shells"
"Ok dear".

[Andy Hunt]

I think it's a damn good plan Greg and I reckon it's the best chance you have.

Life is full of risks and nothing is guaranteed, but what else is there to do but GO FOR IT??



Not sure if divide and rule is the way, you might find that divisions naturally arise and if you can balance them out as reasonably as you can but have the casting vote as it were, you might find that other people watch your back for you.

Or you might not. Such is life . . .

[Neily at the peak]

Greg, I am sorry I couldn't resist the cheap lord Greg jibe, I think it sounds like a good plan and one that I have had go through my mind, although we don't currently have the resources to carry out. It reminds me of one of the communities in Kunstler's "world made by hand", the farming community of the magistrates who's name escapes me, I have lent the book out so can't look it up.

Neil

[skeptik]

I intend to tithe the produce that the locals grow, keep what I need and trade the rest.

Excellent, My Lord. Thou seemst to have re-invented feudalism. And with natural gas in the UK rising at 30% per annum, coppiced woodland looks like a good bet too.

[Totally_Baffled]

Can I put my name down for a plot please? I have allotment experience and grow wicked potatoes!

The commute'll be a pig. Particularly by horse!

[Andy Hunt]

A cunning plan . . .

[MacG]

I intend to tithe the produce that the locals grow, keep what I need and trade the rest. This just isn't going to work until people become desperate.

Do you have any ideas about what to do if the locals decide to abandon their part of the agreement? By keeping all the products for themselves that is?

[Keela]

I intend to tithe the produce that the locals grow, keep what I need and trade the rest. This just isn't going to work until people become desperate.

Do you have any ideas about what to do if the locals decide to abandon their part of the agreement? By keeping all the products for themselves that is?

I think folk might be happy for the tithe to feed you and yours - but they might get a bit upset to see you get rich from trading their efforts. Afterall you are hoping to gain some security from their loyality and I don't see this trading helping to buy that.