well Boooooooo,
If you want to look in Humboldt County about 20 minutes south of Eureka I would strongly recommend checking out the Carlotta area. I think it is a homesteaders dream for location. It is in a very mild climate zone that is great for growing most anything. The big problem with the coast areas is the eternal afternoon winds and the summer lack of heat. Carlotta is hidden a bit by hills so the afternoon winds are less of a problem and a bit inland so a little more summer heat. If I was starting over (Lord, protect me from that particular foolishness again) that is where I would start. Count on local support and friendship for newbies and homesteaders...you'll find a bunch in the area.
A bit more exposed but slightly inland and on 4 lane freeway is Blue Lake...about 6 miles from Arcata and hospitals. Then there is Fieldbrook where I started in the '60's. Protected even more than Carlotta and fine homesteading material there. Just a bit further north and slightly less protected is Freshwater.
On the other hand, Weaverville has a hospital so you can consider Douglas City to nearly anywhere in the Trinity River Canyon...Del Mar to Junction City. Hayfork is about 45 minutes from Weaver and much more wide open...its a very nice valley. If you fly they have a 4700 foot county airport. Hayfork will give you four seasons unlike the coast and a dryer climate. Winters often see snow, but not always, summers are hot and dry. Lots of cattle/sheep country but a bit limited for orchards and gardening may require some protections for frost. Still, not a bad place by any means.
Also consider Willow Creek. Fine climate, lots of small parcels, lots of old retirees so no doubt a hopital. And only an hour from Arcata with its three hospitals or an hour to Weavervilles hospital.
If you want it wetter, but still hot summers look up in Shasta/Siskiyou Counties like around Jones Fort. They are quite a bit wetter than Trinity which has its benefits. Can't speak to the issue of hospitals up that way though.
You likely know already that Cape Mendocino is the break off point that divides the "California" weather from the "Pacific NorthWest" weather. This means we can count on longer cooler springs than further south, but still dryer than further north. Where I am in Tinity we see about 48 inches of rain a year and still have water shortages in summer. West of Carlotta and a little south they see 12 FEET of rain in a season. There are NO flat bottomlands...they are all creekbeds.
One other tip is that the Sisters of Mercy hospital in Redding operates a membership air ambulance service. Those of us out here right next to nowhere are all members. Call in an emergency and if a member you get transported anywhere within 600 miles for nearly nothing. On the other hand, Redding is the pitts of hell in the summer and I usually go near the place only at night. Love watching all those cows hiding under the trees at 0600 hours. Do they ever mooove???
I may be the only homesteader up this way that subscribes to Countryside and posts on this board. I know there are others, but likely very quiet about it. You gonna come be my neighbor?????
bearkiller
If you want to look in Humboldt County about 20 minutes south of Eureka I would strongly recommend checking out the Carlotta area. I think it is a homesteaders dream for location. It is in a very mild climate zone that is great for growing most anything. The big problem with the coast areas is the eternal afternoon winds and the summer lack of heat. Carlotta is hidden a bit by hills so the afternoon winds are less of a problem and a bit inland so a little more summer heat. If I was starting over (Lord, protect me from that particular foolishness again) that is where I would start. Count on local support and friendship for newbies and homesteaders...you'll find a bunch in the area.
A bit more exposed but slightly inland and on 4 lane freeway is Blue Lake...about 6 miles from Arcata and hospitals. Then there is Fieldbrook where I started in the '60's. Protected even more than Carlotta and fine homesteading material there. Just a bit further north and slightly less protected is Freshwater.
On the other hand, Weaverville has a hospital so you can consider Douglas City to nearly anywhere in the Trinity River Canyon...Del Mar to Junction City. Hayfork is about 45 minutes from Weaver and much more wide open...its a very nice valley. If you fly they have a 4700 foot county airport. Hayfork will give you four seasons unlike the coast and a dryer climate. Winters often see snow, but not always, summers are hot and dry. Lots of cattle/sheep country but a bit limited for orchards and gardening may require some protections for frost. Still, not a bad place by any means.
Also consider Willow Creek. Fine climate, lots of small parcels, lots of old retirees so no doubt a hopital. And only an hour from Arcata with its three hospitals or an hour to Weavervilles hospital.
If you want it wetter, but still hot summers look up in Shasta/Siskiyou Counties like around Jones Fort. They are quite a bit wetter than Trinity which has its benefits. Can't speak to the issue of hospitals up that way though.
You likely know already that Cape Mendocino is the break off point that divides the "California" weather from the "Pacific NorthWest" weather. This means we can count on longer cooler springs than further south, but still dryer than further north. Where I am in Tinity we see about 48 inches of rain a year and still have water shortages in summer. West of Carlotta and a little south they see 12 FEET of rain in a season. There are NO flat bottomlands...they are all creekbeds.
One other tip is that the Sisters of Mercy hospital in Redding operates a membership air ambulance service. Those of us out here right next to nowhere are all members. Call in an emergency and if a member you get transported anywhere within 600 miles for nearly nothing. On the other hand, Redding is the pitts of hell in the summer and I usually go near the place only at night. Love watching all those cows hiding under the trees at 0600 hours. Do they ever mooove???
I may be the only homesteader up this way that subscribes to Countryside and posts on this board. I know there are others, but likely very quiet about it. You gonna come be my neighbor?????
bearkiller
