The main thing, as I, a 68yr old lifetime farmer/homesteader/gardener see it, is that wherever you settle, AND Im giving this information, assuming your a white city person coming out into the country, regardless of the fact that your not those things.
Blend in from the start. Don't do chores in baggy burmudas, and flip flops. LOOK LIKE A FARMER. That will cover ALOT of mistakes you will make. IF you went to a banker, you wouldn't expect to see, or particulary want to see a guy in his early 20s in burmudes, flip flops, handling your business. I would think youd want to see a person who looks matured, and dresses consertivitly. IF you happened to see a septic tank sludge remover setting in a bank in a suit, you could be forgivin if you assumed he was a banker. Its all about perceptions. You want people to perseve you as a homesteader. They , if you look the part will have no reason to believe otherwise, unless you give it to them, and they will accept you MUCh quicker.
Where I lived before, was a ranch that was chopped up into 20 acre lots. A few people had bought there earlier than I< But they had only moved their household stuff, vehicles, dogs, ect and were living there doing nothing as yet. When I moved there, I moved farm machinery there first. People driving by could see that, and know that I was a dedicated farmer, IF NOT a rancher, and I was accepted MUCh quicker than most of them.
Keep your place neat and tidy. Country people are so used to seeing people buy land, come out from whever they are, squat down, and live till they lose the place, THEN leave a whole buncha crap behind, making the neighborhood an eyesore, to the oldtimers who live there. Being neat and tidy will give you a lot of points in your favor. As I said, I moved ALOT, a full line of machinery and 3 tractors to my place. But they were all placed neatly, and the grass was mowed around them. It was easy to perceive what I was going to do with the property, and since the old timers had farmed, or lived on farms way back, it was reassuring that they could put a handle on me while worrying about the rest of the new neighbors.
DONT START OFF BORROWING STUFF from your older neighbors. that MIGHT go OK with new neighbors, but they don't have anything more than you likely. IF you need something, BUY IT. IF you ever get to the place where an old neighbor wants to borrow something from you, OR you know you have something he needs and can lend it to them, You've come over the top.
Don't set around waiting for things to happen on your new homestead. The neighbors are all watching you with dread, and if you aren't doing something they can see to develop your new homestead, they'll assume your doing something else, like making and selling meth. Let the neighbors see you in progression. They can value your work to suit themselves, appricate or deprecate what your doing, but respect the labor your putting into doing it. Good luck in whatever or wherever you go. My next door neighbor to the N of me then was a black family, and we got along great. The neighbor S of me was a white guy who borrowed everything he needed from people, but forgot to bring it back, cabbaged onto some of my land, and after that even moved the boundry fence. Hated him,
I just don't see moving to a place where there is absolutely no one there who looks like me. It would be just me and my 2 teenaged daughters, so I don't feel that I could feel safe there (if I get the vibes that I have gotten from some places). And my girls are nearing dating age (16 and 13), so who would they date? I love my lifestyle and don't want to give it up. Can someone tell me where to go to find friendly, open minded people and at least a few Black folks in the mix? I am at such a loss right now. I just don't know where to go.
