IMHO, I think you would find remnants of some religious orders. In Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, approx 450 A.D., you have small clusters of religious that maintain reading and writing until the time of the First Crusade, 1096, when Europe can reach out beyond it's borders. Once trade starts with the Moslem world and beyond, scientific growth ensues, and Europe grows past the need for the monestaries of old.
In USA post BANG, I could see some small communities based upon a religious order rising out of the ashes. I know of one community in rural Maryland that could serve as an example. These priests had a good size farm, growing corn, beans, and herbs. They had mostly small livestock. Pigs, chickens, rabbits, etc. The community was far from any blast zone and far from any large city. (Baltimore, MD was 60+ miles away.)
This type of community MIGHT survive if there is enough time to fortify the community and gather enough people to make it all work and survive.
My $0.02
Mike
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