My Tree Farm as a Retreat

I bought my rural tree farm about 11 years ago with the intention of eventually building a house and moving out there. While I still like that idea, the effort of actually getting an acre re-zoned, working with the county and getting the permits, putting in septic, putting in a well, putting in utilities, and finding a builder has stalled a move. The discomfort of living in the suburbs minus the ease of commuting doesn't exceed the building effort minus the comfort of living in the country plus the discomfort of the rural commute. In any case, I love my 39+ acres and am keeping it no matter what. After (or during) the SHTF, will my tree farm be a good retreat?

I haven't read Rawles' book on retreats but he does have "Criteria for Choosing a Retreat Locale in the Continental United States" available on his website. Let's see how my property stacks up.

Plentiful water: Yes, from both an year-round, artesian spring coming up ~20' on other side of property line and from a good sized year-round creek. Upstream of the creek are other tree farms and some houses. Tree farms don't fertilize much nor are there many livestock, so my guess is that the creek is probably not polluted.

Good exposure for gardening and photovoltaics: Yes, many acres are actually sloped towards the south. Some of these acres are planted in timber, but numerous acres are covered in worthless brush.

Not on a flood plain: Check.

Southern exposure: Yes.

Hilltop location with open fields of fire and defendable terrain: Yes on the hilltop location and defendable terrain, but I'd have to say no on the open fields of fire because of the timber.

A diverse and healthy local economy: No. The property is in a poor county.

Minimal noxious weeds: Probably, there is some thistle but I have no idea if it's noxious.

Not in the path of real estate developers: Yes. Real estate developers have "jumped" past this area because it isn't suitable for subdivisions. On flatter ground, 10 miles up the highway, though, development is rampant.

A house with fireproof/ballistically-protected construction: There are no buildings.

Low housing costs: Yes.

I think Rawle's criteria here is a bit light because it doesn't point out some of the shortcomings of my property.

Good soil: No; heavy clay.

Not likely of being swarmed by SHTF escapees: So-so. There are 2.5 million people within 35 miles and some percentage will come my way. Fortunately my property doesn't stand out as any different than any other tree farm. The primary and best access is via a neighbors long gravel driveway off an increasingly crappy dead end road.

Privacy and seclusion: Totaling all of the houses visible from every point on my property yields about 15 houses. There are about 7 houses on the dead end road with reasonably easy access. Because of trees and brush, a good portion of my property is hidden from any house. Any large noises (e.g. chainsaw, gun shot, hammer) are heard by all 7 houses.

I think that even though my property was selected for entirely an different purpose, it will suit as a retreat. Even if it didn't, I'd still rationalize the faults.