Would You Change Your Homestead Location?

#21 09/07/08, 10:38 AM

I'm in a triangle surrounded on 2 sides by NC wildlife land, and across from the house it's about 500 ft from my property line to a good flowing creek. If I could talk the guy that owns those 50 acres into selling or leasing me a strip involving as little as 2 or 3 acres and access to the creek, I'll be perfectly set. I've been told that I can cross the property and use the creek(for irrigating) but have nothing in writing. Its a little hot here from time to time, but, on the other hand, it's not brutally cold in the winter.
ETA: Its only about 2 miles to "town", there is a drugstore, a feed store, a dollar store, and a grocery store. Everything I need. I get out every couple weeks.

Cornhusker · #22 09/07/08, 01:52 PM

I'm pretty happy right here, but sometimes I wish we lived down in the valley ways where the goose hunting was better.

deaconjim · #23 09/07/08, 01:59 PM

Real estate prices are a little high, but I guess they're worth it. I love this area. The land is great for homesteading, there are a lot of like minded people here, lots of Bluegrass music to set the mood, and there is some absolutely beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain scenery. What's not to love?

Kelly · #24 09/07/08, 02:58 PM

I love our place here in NC but our property taxes are quite high.

We have four seasons which is great! Summer does get hot and muggy but the winter makes up for it. Snow for a while, and then it melts. Snows...melts. I do wish we were set in just a little more from the road. But once we are in our back yard it is pretty much private.

Someone mentioned a pond....that would be nice. At least we can see our neighbor's pond from our place.

The city is coming more out to the country. More traffic on the roads. But I guess we'll just use it to our advantage and put up a little stand and sell extra produce and eggs. But that's in the future....too many projects going right now!

We are a few hours from the mountains to the West, and just a few hours to the Ocean to our East. Less than 10 miles to 4 different towns. Yep, pretty happy where we are. (and I should add we have the best neighbors too!)

alpacamom · #25 09/07/08, 04:46 PM

We're in a farming community and there are so few trees, but trees and crop don't really go hand in hand. I would love to have more trees on our property and have more land...LOTS more land. We have just under 12 acres, but I'd love to have hundreds, especially a lot of timber, so we could have our own firewood to heat our house in winter. Also, sometimes I curse that we have 2 miles of gravel before the closest paved roads. Our roads wash out in heavy rains and were a big mess in the spring thaw. I worried we'd get stuck and don't have a 4x4 vehicle to get us out if we would get stuck.

Otherwise, I love that we live on top of a hill and have a small creek running through the north part of the hay field. I love that our neighbours are all 1/4 mile away or more except the people right across the road. I do love that we can see for miles here and if I had the timber that I want so badly, we probably couldn't, so I'm kind of torn, I suppose.

lonelytree · #26 09/07/08, 05:07 PM

I live in Anchorage for the money/job. Would prefer to live in Wasilla or Palmer. They grow alot of great veggies just 35 miles away and have livestock. My buddy lives an hour away and grew an awesome garden this year. Almost 1/2 acre plus the greenhouse. He plans to double next year.

Ravenlost · #27 09/07/08, 08:00 PM

I miss Texas and would trade Mississippi for it any day.

big rockpile · #28 09/07/08, 08:30 PM

Nope but have thought I rather have my house down by the spring down in the holler.

big rockpile

Alice In TX/MO · #29 09/07/08, 09:07 PM

Coastal Texas is too flat and has too many hurricanes, but that's where my main homestead is. Winters there are wonderful, as you can garden year round and wear shorts at Christmas (most years.)

Southern Missouri has ticks, but the weather is better in the summers. Winters are too cold.

vegascowgirl · #30 09/07/08, 10:44 PM

I agree that there is no perfect homesteading location. However, I think I'd go back west again. Maybe Northern Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, or even Montana. Having lived in AZ for quite a few years, I'd be willing to move back there as well. Though it's more conducive to livestock than veggies.... areas like Safford, Wilcox, etc. are good farming areas however.
People out here in So. MO. just don't seem to "get" me or my family. The way of thinking around here is just way different. Plus people love to dump all their trash/junk on everybody elses land around here.
I have to admit though that the area here is mighty pretty. It's rocky... but it's rocky out west too. Nothing a good raised garden bed can't conquer. If I could just get some more rodeos around here and a few more folks that use horses for more than yard deco. I'd be more happy.
I guess my biggest problem is the people. The land can always be manipulated to suit my needs

mayfair · #31 09/07/08, 11:19 PM

Nope--I love my location- but its very expensive and so we don't have a very big place. I love the deep black soil and nice garden I have. I like the people and the smell of the sea. I don't know how long it will remain rural, but I'll enjoy it as long as it does.

Rondah · #32 09/07/08, 11:33 PM

We are planning on buying land in southern oregon. It is the sunbelt of oregon, there is lots of water, there is pasture and forest. Wildlife is abundant (Elk, deer, grouse, pheasant, turkey...) The Rogue river is full of 50# salmon

We've been tracking land prices for a few years, and you can still get a decent size piece of land for a reasonable price.
Our 'plan' is to completely live off of the land, because we think the end is coming, but you don't have to live on the land. There is plenty of big land down there, relatively close to town.

My husband loves hunting and fishing, and if you are into that, it's a dream

Oh it's also one of the few places left in the country (it might even be the only one) where you would be free of nuclear fall out in the event of a nuclear war

(Because of wind currents and it's distance from target locations

)
Of course if you live down there you have to live around survivalist wackos

(Like me and dh) We are mostly harmless

thequeensblessing · #33 09/07/08, 11:49 PM

I love our place. Southern Ohio has an even four seasons, great soil for crops, and very few rocks in the soil. We have plenty of trees for firewood and/or lumber everywhere and plenty of grass for pasture. We live on a 1 lane gravel road about 6 miles from the nearest town. The only thing we don't have that both DH and miss, on occassion, are mountains. We have a lot of hills here, but no mountains. But the lower taxes (especially for agriculture) and the weather and soil and all make this a wonderful place to homestead. We have 21 acres and would love to buy more.

Tiffin · #34 09/08/08, 06:23 AM

This is an interesting post to see where people do like to homestead and I noticed no one from NY. Now me. We have lived in NY for over 40 years but would like to go further south someday. The winters are long and can be a bit rough. We bought 165 acres 3 years ago to stay close to grandchildren but it is the only reason. I love the farm but not crazy about the people. I've been leaning toward NC as I have a brother on the coast. I'll wait until the grandchildren (10 and 13) are closer to adult age and consider a move.

michiganfarmer · #35 09/08/08, 06:51 AM

I have considered it, for three reasons.

1. Michigan is a high tax, gun restricting state.

2. In the south, cattle could graze all year 'round, and a person would never have to buy an ounce of $4 diesel to make a bale of hay.

3.I would love to live in Alaska.

I have seen some nice properties both in Missouri, and in Alaska.

Beeman · #36 09/08/08, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiffin

This is an interesting post to see where people do like to homestead and I noticed no one from NY. Now me. We have lived in NY for over 40 years but would like to go further south someday. The winters are long and can be a bit rough. We bought 165 acres 3 years ago to stay close to grandchildren but it is the only reason. I love the farm but not crazy about the people. I've been leaning toward NC as I have a brother on the coast. I'll wait until the grandchildren (10 and 13) are closer to adult age and consider a move.

The coast of NC is where you'll find the NYer's that left.

manyhorses · #37 09/08/08, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LisaInN.Idaho

Nope. We live in paradise.
Of course if you ask me in March I might like to have a giant shop-vac to hoover up the snow and jump start spring.

Me, too, Lisa! I probably live just across the state line from you, just S of Newport, Wa.

We have plenty of trees, rain, cool evenings in the summer. The soil isn't that great, but that can be fixed!

And the sunsets are the most beautiful ever!

Staci

Tricky Grama · #38 09/08/08, 11:10 AM

N. E. TX is waaaay to hot in the summer...that said, I LOVE our 20 ac. Cost us $40K 6 yrs ago so probably is worth a little more now. Dirt is not good, I think too many yrs of cotton farming maybe. Taxes are $30.00yr until we build a house...then I don't know!
But its beautiful-1/2 trees, some open areas...just beautiful.

Patty

MELOC · #39 09/08/08, 11:13 AM

i would not desire to move from the area, but a few changes would help out a bit. i would spin the entire homestead 45 degrees to get a good southern exposure. i would also flip all of the outbuildings to a different location as it seems no matter what i wish to do, something is in the way. the garden is awesome, but is next to my house and slightly uphill. this means i have a @ 70 ft. x 70 ft. sponge that sucks up rain and feeds it downhill to my stone walled basement.

Wags · #40 09/08/08, 11:47 AM

I like our general area - nice climate, good soil - but wish we had lower property taxes and more acreage. It's taken me 15 years to work my way up to these 5 acres, (hubby is a city boy who used to think a large suburban lot was perfectly fine) and lately hubby has been agreeing with me that it would be nice to have more so maybe a move will be in our future.

I found a place a few weeks back with 20 acres that would have been about an even trade financially, but the house was older and only had two bedrooms and that was a deal killer for hubby, since remodeling to add a room would have bumped it over being an even trade. I'll keep looking - even though I've put a lot of work into this place, I'd sell it in a heartbeat for something a little further out with more (good homesteading) acreage.