By the author of The Faithful Prepper and Zombie Choices
The struggle on American soil to access necessities is challenging and will only continue to worsen. I believe there is a workaround to this, though: creating an American Free Market Network (AFMN). An AFMN is a concept for creating a more accessible and resilient community while still enabling you to purchase what you need to purchase. When the world at large refuses it to you, an AFMN will allow you to communicate with others.
We already see this in France, the Philippines, Australia, Canada, and other countries across the globe. Business owners and others are denying people access to restaurants, grocery stores, and other sellers of goods simply because those people don’t have particular papers. Teachers and children are having things forced upon them. Employees throughout those countries are as well.
Here are the components of what an American Free Market Network entails.
#1 Local food free market network
It’s only a matter of time before American patriots can not access grocery stores and other locations. Therefore, I highly recommend getting an alternate food network in place now. Go to your local farmer’s market and pick up a business card from each farmer there. You will now have the address, contact info, and information on products produced from a large swath of your local farmers.
I did this at one of the farmer’s markets in my area this past week and was able to get info on ten different food producers a short distance from my house. I now have information on where to get vegetables, berries, pears, apples, peaches, herbal teas, pork, rabbit, poultry, eggs, beef, mushrooms, and more. In addition, I was able to get contact information on a local herbal medicine practitioner, a few soap makers, some shampoo/deodorant makers, a host of bakers, and other goods producers.
The more you look the more you find
That’s a lot of helpful information that can keep my family well-fed should I not be permitted to enter a store. And keep in mind this was just from one farmer’s market. The more you look, the more you find. There are several other markets available in my area producing a wide range of goods. With this knowledge, I could effectively cut out shopping at major chains altogether.
Don’t overlook the Farm and Garden section of your local Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace either. At this point, homegrown goods are still allowed to be advertised. Make your connections NOW before this changes and get the conversation OFF of social media as quickly as possible.
Adjusting your diet now to make the most of local foods is an important step toward self-reliance.
#2 Dedicated CB radio channel
Let’s say there’s an internet blackout, and the power grid goes down. In addition, peoples’ cell services get shut off because their bank account has been closed, or some other similar event keeping people from getting in touch with others. How will you communicate? In any of these situations, CB radio will still serve as a means of communication. As long as you have a radio and some off-grid means of keeping it powered, you can get and disseminate the information that you need.
Within an American Free Market Network (AFMN), CB radio is the best means of off-grid/restricted comms. While ham radio would be preferable, not everybody will have the time or desire to learn their way around the licensure process or how to use their radio. In my experience, CB radio is much more user-friendly. Anyone can sit down and switch to channel 17 no problem, instantly putting them in touch with those they’re seeking out. Having an emergency communications plan is essential.
Recommendations
CB radios are affordable. For example, right now, you can get a President brand CB for around $200. I recommend getting a CB radio with a single sideband (SSB) that operates on FM mode. An SSB-capable CB radio will give you a host of more channels to operate off. Meaning you can work your way around unwanted local traffic and have a greater degree of security to what you’re saying. If I’m on channel 17, lower sideband, only people who have an SSB-capable radio are going to be able to hear it.
SSB CB radios are a tad more expensive than CB radios without this feature. Therefore, they’re not as prevalent, meaning there are not as many ears tuned in to what you’re saying. I don’t recommend getting an AM CB radio either. FM capable CB radios will give you a much crisper sound than the fuzzy static AM CB radios tend to emit.
#3 Dedicated CB comms window
While you could leave one channel open all day long for discussion, I recommend setting up a pre-planned “comms window.” Let every morning from 0700-0730 and every night from 2000-2030 be established as the time people in your AFMN discuss needs, availabilities, and other news. This better ensures your information can get out to as many people as possible. You don’t have to worry about how you hope enough free market network people are listening.
With a comms window, you know that you stand a good chance of getting the requests and availabilities news out there to as much of your target audience as possible.
#4 Free market network healthcare
I highly recommend collecting the names and contact info of clinics in your area that are the worksites of patriotic Americans and that you do so now. You need to know who is still willing to see you should you lack the necessary paperwork to “legally” walk through those doors. You need to know where you can get treatment, where you can get medication, etc.
Should Americans begin to lose their insurance plans in the future – or should massive spikes in rates for particular Americans’ insurance costs be in the picture – I also suggest looking into clinics with a ‘subscription plan.’ These clinics permit you to access all of their services whenever you need them provided you’re a paying member of the clinic. These may also be called “concierge medicine” clinics.
These are few and far between, so find them now. I recommend discussing such options with doctor friends of yours as well. There will be a host of doctors leaving their positions in the next few months due to mandates, and this idea gives them the means to continue producing an income for their family as they continue practicing medicine for their community.
#5 An educational free market network
Figure out what you need to do to get your children started with homeschooling. While you may not be able to stay at home to teach your kids yourself – and similarly, your kids need tutoring on the material you’re no expert in – there is always the option of hiring a tutor for such.
We’re seeing – and are going to continue to see – a massive let-go of American teachers. These people will still need income, and your children will still need teaching. Consider getting together with a group of other parents in similar situations, hiring a few tutors for various subjects, splitting the cost amongst yourselves, and having your children being homeschooled with professional tutors assisting them along the way.
This necessitates getting the contact information of tutors now. It requires getting your homeschool materials now. And likewise, it requires discussion with other parents now.
#6 Do NOT use social media to network
Social media networking is a foolish idea, and given future globalist legislation is liable to blow your AFMN to pieces. I would keep this on something of a need-to-know basis. If you do use social media to make initial connections, get the conversation off of there and in-person as quickly as possible.
Personally, I’m a fan of people using Signal to form messaging groups.
Signal is an app that utilizes end-to-end encryption, meaning only people within your group should be able to read the messages. Such a message group provides an extra layer of comms, gives you a more secure means of comms than CB, and should be your primary comms channel under “normal” circumstances. It’s the app recommended by whistleblower and internet privacy advocate, Edward Snowden.
Here, people can ask questions, request assistance, provide pertinent info, and the like.
FREE information printable
I highly recommend collecting all this information in a free market network printable handout to give to future members of your AFMN. Below is a link to download a printable to use for this information. Consider a monthly newsletter for your members as well. For instance, the newsletter would provide tips on where to get seeds, what to plant when, where to buy livestock, etc.
What do you think of creating an American Free Market Network?
It is time for Americans to take back their economy from those who use financial means to destroy our nation. It is time for us to create more resilient economies and more disaster-resilient communities. Now is the time to increase our levels of personal freedom, protect the minds and character of our children, and remove our dollars from businesses that do not support American values.
I believe that an American Free Market Network is an easy, grassroots method that we can implement virtually anywhere on the planet.
What are your thoughts? Are there other factors you believe could be included? Are there suggestions you would like to make? Let us know in the comments below!
About Aden
Aden Tate has a master’s in public health and is a regular contributor to TheOrganicPrepper.com, TheFrugalite.com, PewPewTactical.com, SurvivalBlog.com, SHTFBlog.com, ApartmentPrepper.com, HomesteadAndPrepper.com, and PrepperPress.com. Along with being a freelance writer, he also works part-time as a locksmith. Aden has an LLC for his micro-farm where he raises dairy goats, a pig, honeybees, meat chickens, laying chickens, tomatoes, mushrooms, and greens. Aden has two published books, The Faithful Prepper and Zombie Choices. You can find his podcast The Last American on Preppers’ Broadcasting Network.
What do I think? Its great in theory and some folks will be able to pull it off. But a lot of us are going to be floundering around grasping at trying to live in a high fractured society. Just recently I tried to get face to face support group type meetings for our changing world going with people whom I thought were mostly on the same page. I got 2 people out of about 9 that even responded to me. Our family is severely socially isolated, long story and not for a lack of trying to not be. I’m thinking as things get worse more folks that we are even loosely connected to will wake up and form connections but for the most part we are stuck.
One thing to not count on is local meat production. Here pork and beef have to be processed by usda butchers. Most of the farms selling locally outsource this as it is cost prohibitive to become usda certified meat processors. Once we get banned from being able to shop, most of the beef and pork farms are either going to be banned along with us and not being able to process their meats or they will be required to not sell to us if they want to stay in business. People need to stop and think old school when it comes to food choices. Historically meats were seasonal or for some classes of people only really available for holidays or multi family celebrations.
Will medical professionals who refuse to be vaccinated be able to maintain their license to practice medicine? Food for thought.
There was already a shortage of medical care in rural areas, COVID-19 is acerbating this situation.
There is one alternative that some people I’m familiar with have been doing. Housecalls rather than working in an office. And no prescriptions or procedures, basically passing along health advice using OTC products and nutrition. No, it’s not complete medical care as we know it, but it does keep some of them earning an income.
Wonderful ideas! Thank you!
Great ideas. Thank you.
I think this is a great idea, but don’t limit yourselves to farmers markets.
There are a lot of independent gardeners, farmers and such who give away or sell on Craigslist, Offer up and other places, that you might want to get to know better.
They might even want to be associated with something like this.
This is similar to the Food Co op movement and might grow into something like that.
Hey there!
This is a concept that, to be honest, will ease a lot the things if the current scenario keeps gravitating to the present direction.
I read once that in the future, small communities would be a huge network of independent, reliable food producers, while technology and complex manufactured goods production centers would be limited to specific areas in the cities. The USA has enormous advantages, like a train network and a first-class postal service. I translated this article to my dad, and he said that there has been a similar group working on since years ago, but the typical human condition and animosities between the members (mostly Spanish migrants) makes the task much more difficult. However, US society is much more homogeneous and doesn´t have the complexities we have to combat in order in South America and specially in Venezuela, to achieve a common goal.
+1000! I’ve been looking for information like this! Of course, this is just a brief overview, but the idea is solid. I’m currently involved in 2 groups, one of which is more active (weekly meetings, Signal chats, etc.), and the other I’m still trying to get going. Thanks for the article!
I’m sure local producers are worried about how they will harvest their products should there be a fuel shortage, etc. This is a great time to feel them out, and if they voice concern about the future and what they’ll do “IF”, and let them know that you’d be happy to help out to see them be able to put food on people’s tables.
Farmers have always taken care of their own. They know the amount of work that is going to go into planting, weeding and harvesting if they have to go back to human and animal power.
I’ve been floating this very idea around in my head for weeks! So glad to see this article. I’m working up the courage to present it to my Church. The people saying it won’t work, or throwing out roadblocks bring up good points, but I say that we’ve got to try. If further restrictions come along, such as unvaccinated doctors losing their licences (Which could very well happen), then we’ll just have to adapt further. But to not try and sit there helpless is not an option. It’s true that there are people who won’t get on board. I feel that this is due to normalcy bias and TPTB are boiling this frog somewhat slowly, causing many people to be waiting for their own personal final straw. The way I see it, there’s nothing to lose in trying this out.
Check out the web site FreeMarketCurrency.com for a decentralized method of exchange. Please contact me with any questions or comments about the site or the method. [email protected], Jerry
Excellent ideas, but you might want to look a little deeper at how things are really going to work when all the Vaccine Mandates & Laws are fully in place.
Consider the probability that being Un-Vaxxed will be a crime. Consequently, you will NOT be able to drive or travel in any manner. Likewise, the Un-Vaxxed will not be able to work – at all. So for example, health care providers will be arrested and imprisoned for attempting to practice without a license.
The Government will provide financial incentives for people to turn in anyone who is Un-Vaxxed. My point is the paradigm we are facing is from the same old playbook used many times in history, such as with the Jews in WW II in Germany. The bottom line is if you are Un-Vaxxed, you won’t be able to leave your home without putting yourself at extreme risk of being arrested.
Against that backdrop to include an economic crash and supply chain destruction, it is highly improbably that anyone will come to your house to “deliver” health care or food. Gas has already tagged $8.50 per gallon last week, and that’s with a mostly functioning supply chain.
I would re-think the paradigm to set up an “AFMN Zone” where the Sheriff will protect the area, to include the streets getting to and from the AFMN Zone. The Zone will be a traditional “free market” where people will be able to conduct business without any constraints such as masks, social distancing, vaccines, ID Papers, and so on. You’ll need to establish a framework for barter, and perhaps create a local currency.
The most valuable part of the AFMN Zone (after food) is a “community desk” where people can connect with each other to purchase or sell services such as health care, construction, home repairs, etc. Likewise, another component of the community desk is the swap market feature, where people can sell their products or place orders for desired supplies, and let capitalism work its free market magic!
The entire concept is contingent on your Village/Town/City and especially County leadership establishing a line in the sand to disconnect from the Federal and State Government’s Jackbooted tactics to “divide & conquer” American into Vaxxed vs Un-Vaxxed people, and then turn the people against each other. Sound familiar?
The process begins with engaging your Sheriff and County Commissioners, and getting a small group of business owners together to design your AFMN Zone and set your plans in motion.
Having done that already, we were astounded at how well the idea has been embraced by the Sheriff and every elected official in our community! That includes our elected Representative in Congress. They KNOW a battle is coming, and realize this is our greatest chance to survive and thrive during the orchestrated Great Reset. If “We the People” allow our communities to be divided into Vaxxed vs Unvaxxed and turned against each other, we are done as a nation.
History buffs and cultural experts will recognize the divide & conquer strategy’s purpose is to start a Civil War. That’s how TPTB intend to protect themselves from a Revolution as they orchestrate an economic collapse and famine (and more plandemic). It is always, but always, the same old playbook. That’s because in times past it has always worked. Not this time!
Business people particularly like the idea, and it is easy to get a grassroots movement going. Ideally, your entire City or County would be an AFMN Zone, but that isn’t realistic, especially in the bigger cities. However, once you develop an AFMN Zone it is easy to duplicate and create as many as you need for your area or community. The key point is exactly that: develop a sense of community where everyone comes together.
It would be wise to get moving – ASAP. Informed research indicates we’ll have mandatory Vaccination “directives” and criminal sanctions for the Un-Vaxxed in place by the end of December.
Steal this idea
ART WORKS for COMMUNITY CURRENCY
K-TAW = Kindly-Tizing ArtWork :: a kind of funny money
ArtWork backed by community spirit of exchange
MISSION: We are artists banded together in partnership with businesses and community to exchange Art-Works in support of the local economy.
METHOD: Beyuond permaculture currency. Barter. Banter. Build.
De-centralized. Organically local. Open Source.
PURPOSE: Dollar-sized ArtWorks used as advertising and gifted into the local economy. To be used by businesses and citizenry … to trade.
CONSUMER Instructions
1. Use ArtWork as you would cash for dinner, coffee, soda, tips, a massage, health care, child care, & more. Ask the community business if they take the ArtWork.
2. You may receive ArtWork in your change when buying a product locally, as a gift for a birthday, as a tip for a job well done, & more.
3. Closer to the expiration date (find date on the ArtWork), turn it back to the owner of the ArtWork and they will give you cash or more-than-equivalent services or products.
4. The more ArtWork is passed for exchange in the community before it is turned in, the more sustainable the community economy!
Get real…. Spend ArtWork…. Go local.
___________________
OWNER::BUSINESS instructions
Why use ArtWork as local exchange in Advertising:
–Get people talking about what you are doing.
–Use your advertising budget locally.
–Subtract the cost of your ArtWork as advertising.
–Watch people smile & laugh when “playing” with your “funny money”.
How to get started:
–Pay a small amount to a local artist for the ArtWork.
–Set aside an amount of cash to pay the “reward” for the return of the ArtWork. (You also may barter for the ArtWork with services or product.)
–Write or pay a writer to add:
1. Your business & slogan & offerings.
2. Your area of “good within ___miles of your place of business”.
3. Expiration date. Usually 3-6 months.
–Give your ArtWorks away.
1. You can only spend ArtWork other than your own.
2. Offer as a thank you to: Regulars, High pay customers, Bonuses &
Perks, Friends & Family, Lovers.
When the ArtWork is presented back to you
–Give cash or
–Give services or
–Give a product.
Keep gifting it out until closer to the expiration date.
_____________________
ARTIST instructions
1. You may
–Make your own ArtWork to advertise you and your business. OR
–Be commissioned to make ArtWork for someone else to advertise.
–Do one or the other because the Kindly-Tizing ArtWork is Open Source, meaning the ArtWork is not copyrighted. K-TAW believes in a gift society and a healthy local economy.
2. If you are commissioned to produce an ArtWork for someone else:
–You may sell your labor and supplies. Once a business, person, or a not-for-profit owns the ArtWork then the ArtWork totally belongs to them. They must set aside the “reward money” to exchange by the expiration date.
3. If you create the ArtWork for yourself to advertise yourself:
–You are the owner. When you own the ArtWork, you are the one who must set aside the “reward money” to exchange by the expiration date. The Owner must give ArtWork away as a gift to the community economy.
–You may take the cost of ArtWork off your income for advertising.
4. The Owner of the ArtWork must give/gift it away during the time period.
–Because if you sell the ArtWork, you
1. must pay taxes on the sale and
2. cannot deduct ArtWork as advertising.
5. ALL THE POINTS FOR THE BUSINESS OWNER APPLIES.