Survival UK

I was thinking at after an event most, if not all, of us will end up as farmers. Planting in our own patch of land as well as whatever livestock we have or can acquire after an event. It seems the most sensible choice and the only one which appears likely that will feed us and our families.

Other options available are specialising in items in your area, blacksmiths, doctors, etc. where you can barter your trade for food from the farmers. Many of us are looking at doing this as well as farming then obviously if your trade takes off you can concentrate on the most lucrative or that which is the least work.

Those are not however the only choices. We could, for example, become raiders and steal what we want. After a while though we would likely end up dead in a gutter or swinging from a tree. This seems to be favourite among many people so watch who you are talking too.

I however was thinking along the lines of alternative lifestyles, ones suitable for single people rather than family men, roles such as traders, going around the country and trading for a living, buying salt where it is available and selling for oranges for example where it is not. We don’t tend to consider other options because most of us need to put food on the table for our children.

It is a lifestyle that I think I would like to do if I didn’t have commitments. Travelling, meeting people, building relationships and bartering, not for myself, but for others. It is risky, being robbed is the preferred outcome from many encounters and as you are going around meeting people you can hardly hide. Traders were rich, relatively speaking, in the olden days, despite the raiders and they had a varied lifestyle travelling. Many of them even travelling the globe.

Most of the other similar historical lifestyles are probably a bit risky, mercenary or gun for hire could suit many ex military but you would be without the logistics and backup you are used to. You could also just simply disappear and become a drifter, working for whatever you needed and simply moving from place to place selling your labour.

I’m sure there are many more lifestyles for those without family commitments after an event. However, this will be an issue in the short term future as our children decide they want to have the adventure we had and decide that farming is not for them.

Many of our children will decide they will have a little adventure in their lives before they are forced to settle down and hold a family together. For these people the future will be full of promise and much more than is available now. Despite the dangers, and there are many, it will be the adventurous life that our children will crave, that they won’t get from farming and helping us feed the family. Many will leave the nest to embark on this life of adventure and unlike those that do that now we can’t keep in contact. Many will never return. So, to make sure ours do we need to ensure that they can stand on their own two feet and that if they do chose another lifestyle that they are self sufficient and capable. A bit like you.

For those of us that need to be farmers because of our family situations, we will be happy with our lot. We had our time.