Based on comments from yesterday's post - most were anonymous - I want to discuss our thoughts on building community.
We are the new kids on the block and will be, this fall, one of six other families on this road which stretches about 3.4 miles. Eight months of the year our road is a dead end road. A two-track road does continue on, making a loop back out to the main road but it has seasonal homes until the last mile. In that last mile stretch, the homeowners must maintain their road, which means they must plow it! We are the first year-round home, 1.6 miles off what is considered a main road. However, even that road is sparsely populated 8 months of the year.
Without telling you exactly where we are, suffice to say we are 22 miles from the largest town; we live on what is called a peninsula but is actually an island; and we are near the tip of another peninsula. It's our belief that most "golden hordes" would be fanning out toward the southern and western reaches of Michigan's Upper Peninsula - not the remotest areas.
From what we've gathered, all year-round residents are either retired or will soon be. I don't think there are any school age children on the entire road and half the year round residents must plow their way out to THIS road from two-track access roads. In other words, you have to be a hardy bunch to stay here year-round - or slightly off cue! Five of the families have either snow blowers or plow trucks. One family plows for the sixth resident.
At age 56, I am the youngest year round resident. The oldest is in his mid 70's. I am including the neighbor I mentioned yesterday in these stats. Our year round people are pulling together on his behalf. Come what may, he doesn't want to leave and no one wants him to! So....accommodations are being arranged. He will simply move into another building nearby.
To us, this is a fine example of "community" and proves that we all need to develop one, preferably within the area we presently live. Without a network of people willing to help others, our lives would be more precarious and less meaningful.
Granted, we don't all socialize with one another but we're a community none the less. Each of us full timers has made a conscious decision to stay here despite distance, weather, road conditions, finances, other people's opinions, and access to services and shopping.
At first, the thought of a neighbor having a store of food was considered "strange", "silly", laughed about, or otherwise misunderstood. After a few encounters where someone mentioned "forgetting the catsup" or eating peanut butter sandwiches for supper because their money ran out before the month, we spoke up and about having extra if anyone LOCAL needed it. Word has already spread that we helped our neighbor yesterday and now, initially at least, attitudes are changing.
In the final analysis, we've made a decision to let neighbors know of our food storage. WE are the ones who will have to live with the consequences. Of course, there are occasional remarks from outsiders who say they "know where to come" in an emergency. We doubt it would happen because "in an emergency" they likely wouldn't have the means or money to travel this distance. They are more likely to head for the nearest neighbor, store or agency for help.
However, ANYTHING is possible and only time will tell.
In the meantime, we're becoming a valued member of this little area and that's an accomplishment in itself. We've "cleaned up the place" and have a tractor, snow blower and tire changer that have already been useful to others.
For most new people, fitting into a community is often a challenge. We believe we're at least accepted as serious contenders for full time status. As with everything else under the sun and stars, time will tell.
Have a great, productive day and keep prepping.