Homesteading in Oklahoma??

FarmFamily · #1 07/17/14, 02:14 PM

Hello. You have all been so helpful with information in the past. I'm hoping you can offer up some more information for us. I posted in the Real Estate section but wanted to post here as well....

My husband has been offered employment in Southeastern Oklahoma. Hugo. we are not familiar with this area. Can anyone shed some light for us?

We are looking to grow produce for market as well as market meat goats, rabbits, fresh dairy, goat milk soap and raw honey. These are things we do now and hope to expand on. Are there good markets in this area? We are a homeschooling family. Is this area homeschool friendly? How's the weather/climate? Crime? Friendly folks?

We will be looking to buy a 3-4 bedroom house on a min of 5 acres. Farm/homestead ready. We'd also consider livestock ready land to build on with a min of 10 acres. Temporarily renting a house with some land is an option. Or renting livestock friendly land where we could set up our camper while looking for a place to buy. Anyone know where/how we can go about locating a place?? We'd like to be east of Hugo towards the mountains if possible.

Any info you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

We will also be selling our little homestead in TX if anyone wants to relocate to TX.

Blessings!

Allen W · #2 07/17/14, 05:11 PM

My cousin ran a drug store in Hugo about twenty years ago until he couldn't stand it any more and left. I don't know what it's like now, It's about as far away from me as you can get and still be in Oklahoma.

PrairieBelle22 · #3 07/17/14, 09:37 PM

FarmFamily, while I'm not from the immediate Hugo area, I live not to far away. I have visited and vacationed in the area several times.

The people of SE Oklahoma are very friendly to those who show themselves friendly. Oh there is always the individual who will be the exception to that rule, but don't let them bug you.

I think there are farmer's markets in every little town in Oklahoma. Some municipalities require you to get a vendor's license to participate, but it is usually a nominal fee.

Oklahoma is an awesome state to homeschool in. I did it for many years and found that most local school systems will provide support, if you ask it. In the very least, they will leave you alone to do your homeschooling. In a lot of communities, there are home school associations that you can join, if you want. You might acquire at your local library to make contact with other home schoolers.

SE OK is a BEAUTIFUL area. Quite possibly the most beautiful part of the state. Lots of big lakes for boating, fishing, camping, etc. SE OK gets lots of rain each year. You might want to check with your local OSU extension agent to see exactly how much. I have to raise my garden beds to keep my stuff from rotting and I'm sure you will probably have to consider that as well.

I don't have any info on real estate. My suggestion on that would be to do an internet search and see what pops up. That's how I found our little homestead.

Good luck on your move and welcome to the neighborhood!

Belle

mnn2501 · #4 07/18/14, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmFamily

We will also be selling our little homestead in TX if anyone wants to relocate to TX.

What part of Texas?

FarmboyBill · #5 07/18/14, 05:03 PM

When ya get here, don't expect to get to go to any Okla Countryside homesteader reunions. We don't/wont have them here. Although theres likely 3 doz families here in Okla, Ive tried, others have tried to have a get together, with NO success.

Badger · #6 07/18/14, 06:05 PM

Bill, You could spit a side of beef and have us all over

FarmboyBill · #7 07/18/14, 06:31 PM

I could, but I don't have a beef to spit on LOL

FarmFamily · #8 07/18/14, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mnn2501

What part of Texas?

Southeast Texas. About 1 1/2 hrs North of Houston.

FarmFamily · #9 07/18/14, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

When ya get here, don't expect to get to go to any Okla Countryside homesteader reunions. We don't/wont have them here. Although theres likely 3 doz families here in Okla, Ive tried, others have tried to have a get together, with NO success.

I'm not sure what an Okla Countryside reunion is??

copperhead46 · #10 07/18/14, 10:08 PM

I think he means all the Okies on this site.

FarmboyBill · #11 07/18/14, 10:25 PM

Its where as many okies as can make it to a chosen site/farm come together for the weekend, they each bring something for the made up meals, and set around and talk, look at garden/ machinery, animals, buildings, whatever, and have a kinda camp out staying up late around a camp fire, talking, or telling jokes, singing, whatever.

The ones I went to were at a Mo state park, or Ark, I don't remember.

am1too · #12 07/19/14, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmFamily

Hello. You have all been so helpful with information in the past. I'm hoping you can offer up some more information for us. I posted in the Real Estate section but wanted to post here as well....

My husband has been offered employment in Southeastern Oklahoma. Hugo. we are not familiar with this area. Can anyone shed some light for us?

We are looking to grow produce for market as well as market meat goats, rabbits, fresh dairy, goat milk soap and raw honey. These are things we do now and hope to expand on. Are there good markets in this area? We are a homeschooling family. Is this area homeschool friendly? How's the weather/climate? Crime? Friendly folks?

We will be looking to buy a 3-4 bedroom house on a min of 5 acres. Farm/homestead ready. We'd also consider livestock ready land to build on with a min of 10 acres. Temporarily renting a house with some land is an option. Or renting livestock friendly land where we could set up our camper while looking for a place to buy. Anyone know where/how we can go about locating a place?? We'd like to be east of Hugo towards the mountains if possible.

Any info you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

We will also be selling our little homestead in TX if anyone wants to relocate to TX.

Blessings!

SE Oklahoma is beautiful with good rainfall. My information is that it is high drug traffic. This may be due to very low economic conditions. There is high unemployment in the area. I wouldn't try to have a homestead income there. I would look at the crime rate before considering moving there. Don't get caught in the wrong woods.

FarmboyBill · #13 07/19/14, 09:41 AM

Hadnt thought of that. Maybe those woods, running into Ark, have there share of meth cookerys in them same as Calif North has theres in their woods.

am1too · #14 07/19/14, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

Hadnt thought of that. Maybe those woods, running into Ark, have there share of meth cookerys in them same as Calif North has theres in their woods.

I think some one said the locals were pretty friendly. Bet their experience is with clerks taking their money. You're darn tootin my experience is everyone who takes my money is very friendly.

greenworld · #15 07/20/14, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

Hadnt thought of that. Maybe those woods, running into Ark, have there share of meth cookerys in them same as Calif North has theres in their woods.

I live in California and I'm sorry to report, we have meth cookers pretty much everywhere rural now. Sometimes even in non-rural places. Go to any lovely looking sparsely populated landscape, be it forest, river, grassland or desert, and if there's anyone there at all, someone is going to be cooking meth nearish to you. It's just a matter of how much meth, and how many of the locals are cooking it/high on it right now, and are any gangs involved. It's very sad, there's some very lovely places I used to think were the kinds of places I'd like to move to one day, that I now think might be too methed up.

Now, I should add when I say this not to be too scared of the state, I think we're the methiest in the west now, but pretty much all of the midwest and much of the south is worse. Sadly I think it's something you have to get used to thinking about any time you buy a piece of rural land anywhere in the states anymore.

FarmboyBill · #16 07/20/14, 02:15 PM

am12. your different than I am. Im rather unfriendly to anybody who takes my money. I just put on a friendly face on it, MOST times lol.

am1too · #17 07/21/14, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmboyBill

am12. your different than I am. Im rather unfriendly to anybody who takes my money. I just put on a friendly face on it, MOST times lol.

I'm talking about the local retailers, not the thieves.

mizlew · #18 07/21/14, 11:14 PM

I also live in NW Oklahoma, but find SE Oklahoma very beautiful. People are people so drugs, etc can be found in all parts if looked for. I would guess that unemployment in that part of the state is a little higher. Oklahoma at present does not have high unemployment. I lived in Houston many years ago and still have family there and in Huntsville. I like OK better.

am1too · #19 07/22/14, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizlew

I also live in NW Oklahoma, but find SE Oklahoma very beautiful. People are people so drugs, etc can be found in all parts if looked for. I would guess that unemployment in that part of the state is a little higher. Oklahoma at present does not have high unemployment. I lived in Houston many years ago and still have family there and in Huntsville. I like OK better.

No doubt crime is everywhere. It is an issue though in higher crime areas. So when someone says its a problem that indicates higher than desired rates. So what ever one is willing to tolerate is the deciding factor. If I were to move there I do my best to be quiet and limit social activity.

FarmboyBill · #20 07/22/14, 02:04 PM

yep, and not indicate that I had much money.