# Mulitple BOL's?



## Aliaysonfire (Dec 18, 2012)

First off I'd like to apologize of there is another thread on this issue- I am a phone user 99% of the time and so it's impossible (for me) to know what's been posted or not. 

So I live north and west of Houston.. Near the suburb of magnolia. It's about an hour away. But not so far that the smog doesn't sit and fill up your lungs and make you wonder why anyone puts up with it. (Seriously what is up with that.) 
Some of our group lives in Houston.. Some live north and east. Some live south west. 
We have access to a BOL that's is south west of Houston. It is far away from Houston and is way out there. 
My question is: do you think we should try to have more than one Bol? Like one to the north?does anyone have this set up? What are the pros and cons of it In your opinion? I am really struggling with the concept- should I bank on just going to the already established Bol (I am assuming that everything is in good standing with the owners) and put all my money toward making that place a piece of heaven so to speak or should I scale back preps on someone else's land and create my own Bol to the north as well for group purposes. I planned on ( if I follow this route) of buying a tract of land (like 10-20 acres) and giving everyone in the group a 1/4 or 1/3 or an acre in a deeded, legal way(with the restriction of they can't ever sell it) - so if they would have control over their lil slice of heaven and feel good about contribution. 
I'm just trying to plan for the future.


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

More options they better if you can afford it. Just my 2 cents. Wish I had a good bol


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

It would be logical to have more than one BOL. It would be logical to have them at different distances and different directions from your current location. Obviously that may not be practical or possible.


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## TexasPatriot (Jun 24, 2012)

We have already done exactly what you are describing. Our group currently has 4 BOL's. Each is owned by different members. 
We are also in the process of setting up a comms network between our BOL's and other groups. 
The more options you have the better chance of survival.


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## its_me_adrian (May 19, 2013)

I am in a group in Houston . Is there another thread you guys know of on this forum that talks about upcoming/current meet ups near Houston ? We are always looking to meet and discuss prepping with other like-minded individuals. We have and are working on our BOL. I am also looking for a possible 2nd option however, I don't know if it is wise to spread out my resources and have a few "less prepared" places or 1 "well prepared" one.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I intend to bug in and have prepared accordingly. But for the sake of having a Plan B, I have one fully established bug out location about 30 miles from my home. For the sake of having a Plan C, I have an alternative bug out location that is really an unmarked police substation out in the county about 40 miles from my home. I considered using my department as a secondary BOL, but am leary about the number of people who would come to the doors looking for helps or supplies. As with everything the prepper or survivalist does you need to have contingencies for your contingencies.


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## TexasPatriot (Jun 24, 2012)

I agree 100% Sentry. Have a backup for your backup for your backup.

Adrian. We are having a meet & greet up in Bryan on the 25th of May. These meet & greets are open to all that want to get to know other like minded folks. We are not located in Houston, but NW of Houston. 
If interested PM me and I will give you the location.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

We believe in multiple BOL's. Like most though, it a matter of finances. Below is a description of how we are set up. We'd like to have better, but it's what we can afford.

Our home is the primary BOL for our "group" of approximately 15 adults and 9 children, but we have three alternate locations. One is approximately 400 miles east and another about the same distance south, and the third being 300 miles to the west. The hope is that distance, in one of those directions, would be far enough away from what ever disaster befalls our primary. It's not ideal in that, depending on the situation, 400 miles could be tough to travel (for many reasons). Two locations would be temporary at best since they won't support growing food for the entire group and are not easily defended, but could hopefully be used for up to six months or until things start to settle down. Each alternate BOL is stocked for about 6 months and has HF radio comms for communicating with the others.


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## seanallen (Nov 13, 2012)

Aliaysonfire said:


> First off I'd like to apologize of there is another thread on this issue- I am a phone user 99% of the time and so it's impossible (for me) to know what's been posted or not.
> 
> So I live north and west of Houston.. Near the suburb of magnolia. It's about an hour away. But not so far that the smog doesn't sit and fill up your lungs and make you wonder why anyone puts up with it. (Seriously what is up with that.)
> Some of our group lives in Houston.. Some live north and east. Some live south west.
> ...


Since you are close to the Gulf, you might want to scout out a little getaway in some of those coves up close to La. One of my potential BOL's is boating down Mobile Bay and easing over to the Miss delta.


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## its_me_adrian (May 19, 2013)

Being so close to the gulf, I always worry about hurricane damage. ( both flooding and high winds)


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

There are advantages to having more than one bug out location. Depending on what happens and when you might be able to reach one location but not the other.

The downside is that you have your resources divided between locations. To me, that's a deal breaker. I have a year's supply of food and water. I don't want to have 6 months in one place and 6 months in another.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

BillS said:


> There are advantages to having more than one bug out location. Depending on what happens and when you might be able to reach one location but not the other.
> 
> The downside is that you have your resources divided between locations. To me, that's a deal breaker. I have a year's supply of food and water. I don't want to have 6 months in one place and 6 months in another.


In our particular instance, we look at it as an upside. our entire "group" (which is spread out over 5 states) could survive a minimum of 6 months at any of the alternate BOL's, and even longer at one. If any of the members couldn't reach the primary, they'd be in good shape for quite a while. With our primary being located within the New Madrid Seismic Zone, if it were destroyed we would still have resources available at the alternates.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I'm not much into bugging out. If I was setting up a BOL I would want it to be mine. If I had a good friend with a BOL I might make some kind of reciprocal agreement. 

A quarter acre that I can't sell? A quarter acre is like fifty-five feet by eighty odd feet. There would be enough room to put a motorhome, or travel trailer, or tent, and a car. I like people but living in a campground for an extended period would not be my first choice. Your idea sounds too much like a time share for my liking but I do see some real possibilities. 

My parents live in an area that gets tourists every summer. They put up four trailer spots around their place and rent them out for the entire summer. The same people would often come back for ten years or more and became trusted friends. Some made arrangements to leave their rig and/or boat there all year. Most of them left at the end of the season with a freezer full of seafood and untold cases of salmon.

A place near hunting and fishing would have a certain draw. If you had a small tractor and could till up a garden area where people might rent a patch to grow their garden or include that in the space rental. I could see seniors, or preppers that wanted a weekend getaway, being a ready market. Prepper meets would be an ideal place to market something like this.

Excuse me for running with your idea and twisting it around so much but the concept really does intrigue me.


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

Consider with any location how are you going to get there. Living near a major metro and Houston sure fits that description you have to know that traffic will come to a stop in a real SHTF experience. I would say never plan to go through Houston as your route of choice. 

In our situation we now plan to move to our BOL with our family. The biggest problem you have with multiple BOLs is where do you store your supplies? I like the idea of having alternate sites to go to. 

As part of a group we do have multiple locations. When we lived on the coast like you we began to Use a two trailer plan. We had one 19 foot travel trailer and one 16 foot enclosed trailer for supplies. We do have two well suited pull vehicles set up to haul the load. In fact we have three so that one is a back up. 

If you plan to travel to a location with supplies go ahead and do it under two circumstances. One is in real off traffic times like 3 AM and the other is during peak commute time. You have to have a time to plan and then a time to test your plan. Test time is not during SHTF. Best wishes to you. GB


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## Boomy (Mar 17, 2012)

seanallen said:


> Since you are close to the Gulf, you might want to scout out a little getaway in some of those coves up close to La. One of my potential BOL's is boating down Mobile Bay and easing over to the Miss delta.


Not a good plan. Under perfect conditions that is a two hour drive to the LA border. On the way she would have to cross three major exodus interstates (I-45, 59, 10) and two large enough cities atleast (Bueamont decent level of crime to risk post SHTF).

Alissononfire- as you already know, I think that you are on the right track. You have a plan A,B,and C. I would look at a solid plan D(yesterdays conversation) that replaces your B. Better to own it than to count on the future generosity of others.


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## Aliaysonfire (Dec 18, 2012)

Caribou said:


> I'm not much into bugging out. If I was setting up a BOL I would want it to be mine. If I had a good friend with a BOL I might make some kind of reciprocal agreement.
> 
> A quarter acre that I can't sell? A quarter acre is like fifty-five feet by eighty odd feet. There would be enough room to put a motorhome, or travel trailer, or tent, and a car. I like people but living in a campground for an extended period would not be my first choice. Your idea sounds too much like a time share for my liking but I do see some real possibilities.
> 
> ...


Revisiting the "give em 1/4 acre" is so that if things got shitty between us (while things are good with the world), they'd still have it. Their mind would probably forget whatever they were all butt hurt about in a real shtf situation- survival in groups will be a blessing. I wouldn't care if they made a "spite fence" out of cars around their piece...
They wouldn't feel as if they are investing in something that could be taken away on a whim.

The plan is that they own that piece but have the freedom to roam the rest of it and plant gardens and shoot (need over 10 acres in my county). I'd prefer that we all went in together on a large un split piece and then before purchase agree on who gets way and break it up that way after the purchase.
But I know it's likely that I'll be the only one that's able to purchase a piece of land that big- that's my expectation anyways, I will have a piece of land big enough to sustain us on- one way or another. And the help (with movement toward an incorporation as others were financially able) to keep it secure and safe- hopefully ownership in that small piece would make them more inclined to help in the beginning, and with time, the more good, reliable people that are found that want the same things as the rest of us will step up and purchase more-from me- at cost, or the fair price if its been improved with a building.
I am not planning my BOL to really be the piece of land that I will eventually buy to pass on to the kids. (Yes, I love to buy stuff and spend money.) I think land is the best investment ever. 
I started with a small piece that's 50x150 in a flood plain in a failed neighborhood- I bought it out right for 500$. I love it! It's even near the dump-I don't care- it's a piece of land and it's mine. I am for all intents and purposes addicted to land purchasing. Lol. It's in my blood. Eventually, I will do neat things with the land. 
Now you've read my rant about land. 
I fully put hope and trust in people who I bring into my inner circle. My friends are family. I was adopted and don't have really close ties to anyone except the people I've hand picked and that have picked me as well.  I believe in the inherent goodness and reason of people.


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## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

This is interesting what people think about both land, and having others occupy portions of it. I'm interested as I own my own home and its on 5ac. its rural has its own well and septic its fully paid for and is at this point my BOL. However 11 miles away I also own 56 ac. of land, at this point undeveloped, almost all wooded, good hunting and have right of way to two rivers. I'm thinking about making it a compound type area with like minded, serious people. I'm not sure yet how to set this up.


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## Aliaysonfire (Dec 18, 2012)

It is so hard for me to figure what I want to do actually do when I get to purchase the big piece o land.  
I do know I'm going to get some more lots where the yearly tax is 5.31- and if I'm late it'll be owing 5.41. Breaking the bank...


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## Aliaysonfire (Dec 18, 2012)

So back to owning mulitple pieces of land. 
Finding land that is cheap has been a lot of fun. I've been blessed to have friends in my bug out group that feel that land purchases are with in their budget and their own family prepping needs, so we are buying up this defunct neighborhood for ourselves and are all excited about owning property with like minded neighbors. Land buying is addictive. Now I am going to look for a western bol, much like our eastern one. 
My question to you is where would any of you look for a Northern BOL from houston? I really liked the idea intially of the stuff between huntsville and bedias- but looking on the map shows a lot of cleared area vs. wooded areas. Also, do you think huntsville area (or even riverside) would be "too close" for the out pouring of the masses
What would you look to get out of a 10-20 acre property as a BOL? What about 40 acres? 100? I'm talking about plant food production/ animal husbandry, a metal workshop? how many people would you roughly estimate need to work these areas? 
I also have a lot of questions on how many people a 20-40acre property could support. If you had a property of however many acres- what would you have on it?


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## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

Aliaysonfire, I too am interested in your last paragraph

"What would you look to get out of a 10-20 acre property as a BOL? What about 40 acres? 100? I'm talking about plant food production/ animal husbandry, a metal workshop? how many people would you roughly estimate need to work these areas? 
I also have a lot of questions on how many people a 20-40acre property could support. If you had a property of however many acres- what would you have on it"


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

I can speak to what can be produced on those acres, but only in a very general sense, there is a huge difference between Texas, the east coast, and where I live
From a food standpoint the calorie needs for one person can be rounded to 1 million calories per year, some adults will use less and obviously children but there is also waste and other factors. In terms of maximum production per acre potatoes are often considered one of the best crops (grains will usually produce significantly less) given good conditions it is not unreasonable to expect 5-10 million calories from an acre of potatoes. So that gives an idea of the potential, though there are many things to consider and drawbacks to every crop.
Trees can produce huge amounts of food, apples for instance often produce many more calories per acre and often with less labour, nuts can be a good source of protein.
For a BOL I would take a different approach than many on here. I would start with a dual purpose milk cow or two, for many reasons primarily because they can take care of themselves for the most part and they only need grass (no supplementary feeding required). Pretty much any location, once fenced can have some cows dumped there and in the present day they don't have to be milked, just let them raise their calf and take it to any auction (or butcher). But in a shtf situation that cow can turn into a way of tilling the land (if a tractor or fuel wasn't available), transportation, milk, meat etc. All from just grass, trees and brush.
After that I would probably get some laying hens but these really need to be taken care of every day.
Then I would look at what trees grow well in that location and find out what typical yields are, the trees need some protection from cattle, especially when small, but then the cattle can graze all the grass in between.

Not sure if this is helpful, just my $0.02


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

A huge bonus of owning multiple small pieces is you have a legal place to put buried caches. As to size, as cowboy hermit pointed out it depends on location. Gorilla gardening on the small patches would also be something to explore.


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

I think having multiple BOLs is an excellent idea. It is my philosophy. I have several places I can go, all but one are friends' places. What I prefer is land I own myself. But I'm not out to make a huge alternative 'retreat' unless it is a working farm with live on site farmer/hands.

But with the options I do already have I want to add a few, what I call 'minimal retreats' that amount to an earth sheltered/CMU empty 'hunting cabin' that is fire and more or less vandal proof, with several nearby caches with equipment and supplies.

Also, am considering a cached Starplate structure, with no permanent structure on the property.

Just a few ideas.


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

I have a spreadsheet I use to calculate land needed for a given set of parameters, including # of people, just what plant and animal foods are wanted in what quantity per person, various self-sufficiency aspects, and a lot more. I can't attach .xls or .xlsx documents to a post or PM. If anyone is interested you can PM me with your e-mail address and I'll get it off to you.

It is pretty complicated and no formal instructions, and is based on very good quality of land, in an area with adequate rainfall, with irrigation when needed, so it isn't much use for the high desert.

Attached are one of the spreadsheets, with _b being the right side off the sheet information and supplemental calculations I used.

Just thought I'd offer.


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## Aliaysonfire (Dec 18, 2012)

Jerry D Young said:


> I have a spreadsheet I use to calculate land needed for a given set of parameters, including # of people, just what plant and animal foods are wanted in what quantity per person, various self-sufficiency aspects, and a lot more. I can't attach .xls or .xlsx documents to a post or PM. If anyone is interested you can PM me with your e-mail address and I'll get it off to you.
> 
> It is pretty complicated and no formal instructions, and is based on very good quality of land, in an area with adequate rainfall, with irrigation when needed, so it isn't much use for the high desert.
> 
> ...


Can you send me a pm Jerry? I don't know how to send you one from my phone with out you sending one first. I know that's pretty lame but it's true.


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

PM on the way with my e-mail address. I will get the spreadsheet off to you when you e-mail me your e-mail.

Jerry


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