The Post-apocalyptic Commune

[Tarrel]

I'm intending to read his book, which comes out on Feb 12th. According to the advanced reviews on Amazon, it is as much an exploration of his mental state as it is a practical description of the experiment. I'd like to know what happened in the guy's head.

I'm interested because the location is just up the road from me. The Scottish Highlands in winter certainly have the ability to chew you up and spit you out without a second thought. It's a learning process, getting used to coping with it.

I think many would-be relocating preppers, off-gridders and down-shifters seriously underestimate the psychological impact of their move. A lot of people trying this sort of experiment set their sights incredibly high, and set themselves up for failure. Expecting to be self-sufficient in your own grown crops, from an area of previously neglected land, is a complete non-starter for example. That's why we have food stores. There is also the added issue of the fact that the rest of the world is carrying on as normal, and this will impact on you in various ways, from the council busy-body checking if you've got planning permission, to the nagging doubt that you've made some incredibly stupid error of judgement when you see all the smiley, happy people in their Audis in the Tesco car-park carrying on as normal. You can never really simulate a post-SHTF situation.

We've learned this lesson. When we first down-shifted to Scotland, I got a bit "hair-shirted" about the whole affair and probably made life more difficult than it needed to be. We've now taken a more laid-back approach, celebrating the individual, progressive steps we've taken to insulate ourselves from the economic turmoil to come, and not panicking about the things we haven't yet done. This frees us to work on those extra things with a good heart and freedom from worry.

Not sure I agree about the yurt. A yurt's biggest benefit is that it is easy to take down and re-erect. As temporary, movable structures go, it has a lot going for it; usable space, vertical walls, easily insulated, etc. However, for a fixed-location, commune-based set-up, I'd have built a cabin. Easier to insulate, more robust and psychologically more "house-like", especially in winter. Easier to build on to (e.g. a wood store, or extension). Easy to sub-divide and attach things to inside. Easier to defend against pests and vermin. More secure. More storm-proof.

This guy made the classic mistake of moving 600 miles to a new location and blasting in with his own ideas, rather than taking time to see what the locals do, and how they have adapted to their surroundings and climate. There are plenty of examples of traditional agricultural dwellings, shepherd's huts, bothies, etc. up here. They're built in different styles and from different materials, but I'm afraid yurts don't figure among them!

I also disagree with the comment on location. The Black Isle has a lot of advantages. It has a relatively benign micro-climate (its name comes from the fact that snow rarely lays in winter, rendering the landscape "black" compared to the surrounding snow cover). The climate is set to become even more benign as climate change accelerates (see the chapter on "The New North" in Jorgen Randers' "2052"). The soil quality is excellent; some of the best in Scotland, if not the whole UK. It is by the coast, giving fishing / foraging opportunities. It is relatively well forested. There is a strong transition-community present, with an established network of local community markets and small food producers. It is easily defended, being a peninsula. If you're going to go to Scotland, I can think of a lot worse places than the Black Isle.

My twopence worth..