For those who live in Missouri...

[AshleyB]

We are thinking about moving to southern Missouri, more specifically, around Ave. We would like to eventually make our living on the farm. Goat's milk and cheese, vegetable/CSA, eggs, chicken, etc.

For those who live there, or have lived there, what do you love about Missouri? I have done some research and it seems the laws regarding selling milk are beneficial to the farmer. Is there a big interest in good local small farmed food in Missouri? There is a huge interest in Virginia where we are now. Also, are there good farmer's markets in the bigger cities, like Springfield?

Thank you for your thoughts.

[CGUARDSMAN]

I love MO and specifically SW and SC I hunt in Douglas county and have for 30 years. About 2 years ago I moved from the Kansas City area to Galena an area just NW of Branson. The only reason I would move from where i am now is if I won the lottery and bought my dream property of 500 plus acres down the road from me. I think people here like what the rural folk have to add to the local farmers markets and from what i have seen they just get busier. Around Ava land is reasonable and you be be able to find whatever you are looking for house wise.

[linn]

I love Missouri because the people are still friendly and willing to help a neighbor. To me, Missouri has just about everything but the ocean; although we do have some wonderful water recreation areas. MO has rich farm ground, beautiful hills in the south, lakes, streams for fishing and canoeing. Livestock and dairy operations as well as grain and hay farms are still plentiful in Missouri. St. Louis and Kansas City offer cultural as well as employment opportunites. Branson is just about the entertainment capital of the U.S. We joke about the unpredictable Missouri weather; but it could be worse. Winters have been relatively mild the last several years. I have done some traveling to other countries and found that the U.S. is the best place in the world to live; and good old MO is one of the best places in the U.S. to live.

[Batt]

I think you should look at the milk sales regulation a little more. As I understand there is not 1 dairy (goat or cow) authorized for on farm sales in Mo. Sales to a milk coop only for processing.

There is a regular Farmers market in Springfield and perhaps one in Ava. I could type for quite awhile about all the good things about this area, and some of the not so good. But, I agree, even if I won the lottery, I wouldn't move very far.

[Callieslamb]

I love Missouri - especially Ava. If I could live anywhere, it would be Springfield - we have to have a paycheck. I lived on dairy farms no more than 15 miles from Ava all my life. I graduated from HS there, my BIL teaches school there (he would love to buy goats' milk!) and sister teaches in Theodosia. I left a while ago, but I would imagine that you would have to go to a larger town/city to do an adequate farmer's market business if that is your only business. You will have to listen to others with more experience in that area for better info. You also might consider Lebanon, West Plains, & Mtn Home, Ark along with Branson as other possible profitable Farmers' Markets. Rolla would be another but it is 2 hrs away.

I can't say that my information is really of much use to you. But I have noticed that in my parents' church there have been many people doing just as you want to do. They buy 10-20 acres and then struggle. It either just isn't enough land or they decide it is too much work or something. Usually, they seem to be totally inexperienced in farming. They just want to live the "life" and get away from the city but don't understand what it really takes. Many end up getting jobs around the area and no longer farm. But they stay!

The people are very friendly. Be prepared to lift your INDEX finger in a salute to all other drivers you meet on the road. Don't bother driving very fast on the roads. Be prepared for roller coaster rides on the country roads. There is probably much, much that I am missing here.

There is a lot of outdoor recreation. Canoeing was our favorite as kids - the rivers have rock/gravel bottoms, not mud, nice clear water all the way down! Great swimming holes. Hodson's Mill is close by. They grind all kinds of grains and have yearly sales that my sister and mom never miss. The growing season is good. Cool enough for cool crops and warm enough for warm crops. My dad's soil is acidic and he has to put down lime every year. St Louis is near if you want some culture or sports events. There are lakes everywhere. Hunting is good. Watch for the black bear they are trying to repopulate. Think Green, Green, Green. Great trees. Lots of rocks - especially where you decide to plant the garden....Oh if I had a dime for every rock I threw out of a garden! They breed over the winter!

Ava has both a Sonic and a McD's; KFC/Long John Silver joint-eatery - my nephews work there. It is a quiet place and folk like me are still considered "heathens with their city ways"- even though I do have chickens! My family members don't use debit cards ANYWHERE. They can - they just don't. They used to let school out for a couple days during deer season. My mom says there are hippies moving in, but I imagine it is closer to the truth to say they are trying some kind of sustainable living - rather than the communes of the '60's. Cell phones work in town but not always at the 'farm'. The national(?) fox troters trials are held there - fancy arena and barns.

I have a sister in Spfld- I can ask her about a farmers market there but I doubt if she knows what a fresh green bean is - city folk! Have you checked with any of the Chambers of Commerce ? They would be able to tell you about the Farmer's Markets.

Good luck! Let us know what you decide.


.

My MIL was born and raised in Nixa/Ozark.

But I'm sure all of the bad mojo for the area was used up on her the day she was born........ :1pig:

[FourDeuce]

Actually there are some hippies(or would that be neo-hippies? ) not too far away. Eastwind is over near Gainesville.

[sgrmtndrone]

We live in the northwest corner of Douglas Co and love it . I reserve a spot in Ava for the farmers market ($25 per year) it is every Saturday from April - October . There is lots of small swaps in the area as well . Norwood has one on the 2nd sunday of each month . There is one in Fordland on the last Saturday of each month as well . There is one in West plains . A person can stay busy doing the local swaps lol .

[Mutti]

Don't believe you can sell raw milk anywhere but there are many family dairies...one in Fordland which is in the area you are thinking of...several organic ones up by Columbia. All bottle in glass and sell at their farms/local stores. Morningland Dairy here in Mt. View,Mo makes wonderful cheese and sells all over the state. The local farmers markets are very active...Springfiled is a large busy one and not that far from Ava...one thing in the Ozarks is that you get used to driving to do stuff as you can't just run around the corner for this and that. Most farm folk keep well-stocked pantries,supplies of animal feed on hand and a garage full of nuts/screws/lumber! We used to sell apples/pears/grapes in West Plains and always sold out fast. Fruit and heirloom veggies very popular. We have many friends among "natives"...always found being a good neighbor, keeping our dogs to home and lending a hand when asked keeps you in good graces no matter where you go; more so in the country. DEE

[piglady]

We too live in Douglas County and LOVE it. We obviously raise pigs but no, you won't make a living on 20 acres unless you are retired and can pay cash for your land. Springfield has more than one farmer's market and they are big and well attended. Do a google search for "springfield missouri farmer's market" and you should get several hits. Land prices are relatively low here but so are wages. Lots of McDonald type jobs and Springfield offers lots of medical type jobs but little in between. As every where else, most factories closed up and moved out of the country. I think the land is among the prettiest in the country and most people are friendly. The schools can have problems with clicks, children from poverty or meth homes, and they will spend a lot of time on the school bus. There is no perfect place to live so after weighing in on the pro's and con's, I think it has way more to offer than not. Good luck!

[Splinky245]

My family and I are also looking to move to south western Mo. I was wondering if any one had any information or could point me in the direction of information about flood plains in that area. Is flooding a common problem? Are there many flood plains there? Are there extensive flood plains?

Also, does anyone know of a good real estate company to work with in that area. One that is well versed in rural land.

Thanks,
~Emily

[piglady]

If you are talking Douglas County, it's pretty hilly so you can assume the creeks are going to flood and the hills never will. If you are looking further north west it is more of the plains but there are no major rivers so there is no major flooding. The only flood problem here is trying to cross low water crossing during a flood. If we get a big rain, the water runs off the hills and into the streams very fast. A small stream can become a roaring creek in a matter of hours and they are very powerful. It only takes a few inches of fast water to wash your car off the road. It goes down just as fast as it comes up though and you can usually find an altermative route.

Real estate agents, we used Mrs. Dalton with Jones Lasley Real Estate out of Ozark MO. We found her to be honest, helpful, and very knowledgable about the land and about financing. She raised her family in Douglas County so she certaily knows the area. Hope to have you as neighbors.

[speshuled]

i used to live in the columbia mo. area and loved it . if it was not for family issues i would still be there , also spent alot of time in lebanon mo. , bennett springs state park and the niangua river are exellent trout fishing waters . after 20 years , i still have freinds i keep in touch with and visit when i can .some of the freindliest people i have ever met

[pcdreams]

douglas county is nice. Springfield is well....

Anyway.. Is it just that thinks its to hot here, and to short a winters?

Ah well I'm moving north..sooner or later

[Spinner]

If your looking at the Springfield area, I have a friend who lives up there. Her mother lives north of hiway 44 and she lives south of the hiway. Her mother is often snowed in and she is not. Sounds crazy, but she claims it happens every winter.

[lo6xzm]

I have been very very tempted since 2003 to quit my good paying job in Memphis and start raising honey, cattle and firewood on 160 ac in Douglas county. Now that it's paid off I'm really tempted. But I still have 10 years before I can "retire". I'm sure I would work 20 times harder on the farm. I would love to go there now and live off chickens and rabbits! The land supports 20 cow/calf pairs --so approx 20 calfs per year. I am pretty sure I could put food on the table...The question is the table...It might be a picnic table! Health insurance costs about 8k a year. But waiting to get older is no fun. I guess if I wait, my tractor will be a big and new John Deer, instead of one I would fix myself. My wife and I love the area. The people are very nice.

[CJ]

Ava is a great town! What you can't buy locally, just order via the internet. They have just about everything available that you need however.

You'll find no shortage of the homesteader mentality there, and everyone is friendly. Community support is amazing. They take care of their own. Our kids went to highschool there, then we moved a bit north to Mansfield until we decided to fulltime in our RV for a few years.

We like Ava much better than Mansfield, so we bought land there again to build on later. Boy are prices going up, and it's still one of the cheapest places to buy land in.

On a comical side note, our surname is Tinkle... and our land is on "P" hiway.

[deaconjim]

We nearly bought land in that area a few years ago. It is a beautiful area. Our deal fell through when we discovered that it was contaminated with lead from the local lead mining industry. Before you buy, be sure to have the soil and water on your land tested.

[CJ]

Lead mining, in Ava? Not even in Douglas county. Not that I'm aware of. Further north, up around Iron County perhaps. I forget which area has lead mining. Not Douglas county.

[deaconjim]

Originally Posted by CJ

Lead mining, in Ava? Not even in Douglas county. Not that I'm aware of. Further north, up around Iron County perhaps. I forget which area has lead mining. Not Douglas county.

You're right, it was in Iron County. I wasn't sure exactly where all of the lead mines were located.