If you're like me, you're probably unfamiliar with country living. But I've been learning. The fact is, if there is an attack, a plague, or a need to lay low, having a farm or ranch to live on could extend your survival chances, and that of your family because you'll be away from crowds, threats and tactical attack targets. And your neighbors will most likely be good trading partners for supplies you will need when SHTF. The time to investigate this option is now.

If you can't afford to buy a lot of acreage alone, consider bringing in like minded people to join you in the project for a shared purchase. If you can't afford one with a home and barn already built, at least try to find a good piece of land. You can always build later as you can afford it.

The price for land in the country is way, way cheaper the further away from the nearest city that you go. It may not be practical to move there permanently yet, but you could at least start working on it as you have time.

Water is an immediate need. If you are fortunate to have a pond or creek, all the better. You can stock a pond with local fish and just let them multiply. Make sure the pond is large enough for the fish to thrive, or if it is small, add aeration from a fountain so the fish can breath. Put plants in and around it that will feed the fish, give them places to lay eggs and attract water fowl like ducks. Deer and other wildlife are also attracted to a pond or creek. A pond or creek could feed you and provide water continuously.

Digging a well is also a need to have fresh water. The country doesn't typically have sewers and running water. So you must provide it yourself. Digging a big hole and obtaining a septic tank will handle all waste. Thus, you have no water or sewer bills for when money gets tight.

As long as you have a backhoe rented or borrowed to dig a hole for your septic tank, you could also use it to dig holes for gas tanks, underground bunkers, hidey holes, tornado shelters, storage, root cellars, smoke houses, whatever you may want. Cement is cheap to mix yourself for floors, or you can have it delivered.

Fencing is next. A heavy duty, tall metal fence at the entry to your property will give you privacy. So will ditches, trees and bushes. Fencing for cattle includes barbed wire and stakes. Fencing for horses includes molded plastic or wooden rails. You will want to fence all of your property for privacy and post signs saying, "private property", "no trespassing" and so forth. You can make a cheap road or driveway with gravel once you tire of dirt roads.

A barn of wood from your property, or an aluminum one from a kit will provide a place for your supplies and animals. Make it tall enough to store things in the rafters. Put stalls in it for animals, hay, troughs or buckets, tack, whatever you need for the animals you want.

Cows don't have to have a barn, but they do need a paddock for them to enter with metal fencing so that you can attend to them. If you put troughs in them and train them to get fed sweet feed when they see you come to the paddock or barn, they will be easier to handle and run to you, not away from you. Since they eat grass for the most part, they don't require you to feed them but once or twice a week. In winter, they also need hay to eat. And they need access to minerals or a salt lick. If your pond is within their fencing area, they can drink water from it and cool off in the heat without bothering the fish. They really are pretty self sufficient. They can even give birth alone, with little to no help. One bull and the rest cows will get the ball rolling. Get a donkey to protect the herd. They will keep predators away, and are happy to hang with the cows.

Horses are more needy, and they need to be separated from cows, with their own fencing, and they need a barn for sure and prefer fresh water. They're great for transportation, you can make money breeding them, they eat grass, feed, hay, minerals and they could be used to plow like our ancestors did if there was no access to gas.

For all of these animals, you must deworm them and give them annual shots from a vet.

A chicken coop full of hens and one rooster will keep you fed, and their daily eggs are nutritious. Each hen needs a roost to lay her eggs filled with hay. Coops with chicken runs, or just a section of the yard fenced with chicken wire for free range living work well. They eat feed, minerals, need shots and fresh water. If you put a chicken run around your garden, the chickens will eat insects that try to get to your plants. The chicken run also keeps them safe from predators.

Owning a two seater ATV with a bed to carry tools or feed bags and so forth in is helpful on a ranch or farm. They can go anywhere, even places trucks can't go, they don't use much gas and they are easy to operate. A tractor will help you farm. A truck will carry loads. Of course, the all require gas.

If you are able to get solar panels attached to batteries for electricity and really go off the grid, all the better. Then you could use electric vehicles and power your tools and home.

None of this stuff is all that difficult. There is a learning curve, just like everything else. But if you break it down into consecutive tasks, you can get it together over time. Then you can decide who joins you when SHTF rather than you trying to find a place to go last minute in a panic.