The Greatest Retreat Area Ever

Another rainy, windy day is keeping me inside. I been working on getting my tobacco seeds in their starting box and that's about it today. If everything comes together as planned I should be finishing up the last bit of equipment I need to get a viable form of small scale tobacco production worked out soon. The problem has been the fermenting process on such a small scale but I believe by extending out the drying time and then fermenting last years crop in a solar box much like I use for rendering bees wax, I can produce a safe non-toxic, ammonia free tobacco without resorting to electric input.

My endeavor into tobacco as a decorative teaching project only along with my brief musing during yesterday's post got me thinking about Missouri as the Ultimate retreat location today. 

If I thought anyone out there would agree with me I wouldn't be mentioning this topic to be honest. I have traveled in about all the lower 48 states and lived in them from New York to New Mexico, Texas to South Dakota and two things I know for certain.

1. No state out there has the resource, weather, climate and agricultural diversity in any proportion even close to Missouri's and....

2. Not a soul who doesn't live in Missouri already, has anything good to ever say or think about the place anyway.

Because of the second fact I know I can exclaim the virtues of the place until the cows come home and few will ever listen, fewer still will care. That's fine with me, more space for those of us who know and I am used to preaching to a small group anyway.

Missouri can and does produce about anything you care to name. Much like modern day preppers and sustainable lifestyle Homesteaders, Missouri is a jack-of-all-trades. It may not produce the most of any one resource but it has almost all the bases covered. I believe sugar, as in cane or beets is one resource that can't be grown around the state somewhere, I maybe wrong as there could in fact be an area that it can or there maybe another resource or two I am not thinking of but by and large I stand by my claim. From cotton to cattle, corn to cucumbers just about everything is covered. Agriculture to mining, forest to plains Missouri has it all.

Missouri is far enough North that the introduced pests and voracious intruders from the South cannot get a foot hold for the most part, except those damned Zebra Muscles. It is also far enough South that the Winter is not the killing force it can often be for our Northern neighbors and besides it also has the resources to keep warm for those harsh excursions when real Winter makes it this far South.

Politically Missouri has only three problem areas. St.Louis, Kansas City and Columbia. Columbia is not really an issue as most of the people there that are a problem are not native. In times of trouble my bet is it would empty out quick as those there to milk the education cow will return to less surrounded enclaves. St. Louis will look East for salvation in hard times having more of an Illinois political attitude anyway. We may get bands of looters and refugees from St. Louis but once they get very far West and the dark forest land crowds in around them I doubt they will venture far. I am not sure how Kansas city will fare or which way it would turn in a crisis.

The lower half of the State is rugged, hilly and forested. A few miles North of the Missouri river line the land begins to flatten out and takes on a more open large field agricultural feel but even so the large number of streams and rivers would make it easily defensible and isolated if needed. These streams and rivers would assure travel even if everything else was destroyed.

Missouri is far enough West that the population has thinned out to a manageable per square mile ratio yet enough people to assure trade and industry will be able to grow back. Major river access for large trade endeavors and enough rainfall that water should rarely be an issue anyway are other pluses.

In my mind Missouri is the perfect blend of everything to scream long term survival and sustained living.

But....SHHHHHHH Don't tell anyone :)

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!