| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Jun 27 2011 : 2:38:28 PM
I thought this would be a fun thread to talk about what it is about the state/region we live in that makes it such a great place to be a farmgirl. If you're planning to move soon, maybe toss in some positives of where you're at now with some wish lists for your future homestead region?
I'll go first (makes sense since I'm starting the thread, huh?)
Arizona/rural Phoenix is a great place for a hobby farm.
The growing season is second to none and lasts pretty much year round if you employ typical "fall" and "early spring" cold season practices during winter. With strategic shade and diligent watering you can even get veggies and fruits through the very hottest parts of summer, plus you can grow any tropical variety of produce you fancy.
Acreage is pretty inexpensive outside the metro, and you never have to look at a snow shovel again.
We have very long days, and the warm weather is easy on aging people, and animals. (I have elderly horses and a dog that are a lot more vigorous here than I think they'd be in a colder place.) That said, it's pretty health friendly if you are sensitive to dampness.
Cost of living is quite low, cost of livestock is quite low.
There's a lot to do in the Phoenix metro area, and both Vegas, LA and Mexico are less than 3 hours away if you want more travel and excitement (or more options for shopping animals/vehicles/whatever)
Banks are anxious to get houses sold, so I hear it's pretty easy to buy property in the area too.
For the future, I really miss rain. I hope the next place I live will also have a good gardening climate, but quite a bit more rain. I'd also like more rural neighbors into "neighboring". There's no reason for anyone in my zip code to come together, and as a result we all live isolated on our 5 and 10 acre plots. Which I suppose is also a "pro" in many ways! :D
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
| 21 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| FG Vicki |
Posted - Jul 27 2011 : 2:35:45 PM
Hello,
I live in Scott Valley, CA the very north of the state. The valley is about 2800'and we are surrounded by the Russian, Trinity Alps and Marble Mountain wilderness areas. To say it is beautiful here is an understatement. My great grandparents emigrated here from Portugal well the Azorr Islands.
My husband and I met when I moved back her to live with my grandparents and have been together ever since, 39 years+. As we were growing up we always talked about having a home where we could be self sufficient. We've worked hard and were able to purchase 52 acres and we have almost completed our log home, from scratch not a kit. We have a large garden, chickens, rabbits' 3 cows, a steer and we raise Foundation Appaloosa horses. We live off the grid and our closest neighbors are a mile and a half in one direction and 3 miles the other. At night we see no lights, just the heavens and we hear only nature except for an occasional airplane. I love where I live and I love coming home from work and just sitting on my porch with a glass of ice water. Getting up on Saturdays cooking breakfast on the front porch and having a cup of coffee while I look across the valley at the Russian Wilderness is like heaven, I feel blessed to live where I do. :)
"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything"
Vincent van Gogh |
| mickib |
Posted - Jul 13 2011 : 12:45:47 PM
I live in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I moved here 20 years ago because my brother got a job in the area and I was ready for a move (divorce, job ending). Although it's beautiful, at first I wasn't that crazy about it - it's a lot different than southern CA and I was much younger! My parents moved here and my brother stayed in the area. I met my husband and we remained in Coeur d'Alene. And now - I absolutely love it here. I've learned to love the four seasons - even winter. I love being outdoors and there are so many places where I can enjoy nature without crowds (as long as you stay away from the lake in the summer!). Although it's not the home of my childhood - it's home. |
| camiesmommy |
Posted - Jul 11 2011 : 6:43:27 PM
I live in Stagecoach, NV. Moved her to be close to family after I divorced. Found a wonderful man and married him. I never really saw snow growing up and am still excited everytime we have a good storm. The Sierra Nevada mountians are absolutely beautiful. They take your breath away during the winter. The summers are alittle too hot for me, but we have been able to have a decent garden even though we have a fairly short growing season. I love the wide open space and being able to see the stars at night. I never knew there were so many when I lived in CA. My only regret is that there are not a lot of trees where I live, however, my DH and I are changing that one tree at a time.
A.J.
Work is love made visable. ~ Kahlil Gibran |
| Tall Holly |
Posted - Jul 10 2011 : 5:32:08 PM
We live at the end of a half mile dirt road. Our nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away. I love having no one within earshot or eye range. We have a farm pond that we had cleaned out last year. It has three springs and stream runoff to keep it filled and cold. It is 15 feet deep and big enough for the children to paddle around in the kayaks. I hope to put a micro hydro plant at the base of the runoff pipe when we save up enough money to do that.
We have an amazing view of the Green MOuntains. From our bedroom we have a 30 mile wide view. We can see from Sugarbush ski area in Warren to Elmore MOuntain north of here. In the spring the hills get a faint reddish purp;e hue just before they burst into the brightest most welcoming green. Over the course of the summer the hills grow darker green and then in the fall the birches turn yellow, the sugar maples turn brilliant orange, the red maples turn red and then the oaks turn shades of brown. the earth gives us a taste of the beautiful colors before everything turns gray. then in less than a month the skies open up and beautiful snow falls down to make the earth look so fresh and clean.
I love that the animals come to visit good or bad. It was fascinating when the goss hawk came and ate two of our meat birds. It was exciting when the moose walked across the field and down the road. The white tailed deer were so graceful. the two hawks that circle on the summer thermals calling to each other brings a smile to my face each day.
I love that I can allow-tell the children to go out and play and I donot have to worry about a stranger hurting any of them.
I love waking up in the morning in the winter to three feet of snow on the ground. I love the beautiful flowers in the summer.
If we had an ocean near by it would be perfect but this is close.
Holly
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| grace gerber |
Posted - Jul 08 2011 : 5:25:17 PM
Ladies I have been so fasinated by your posts. I love your ideas and I got to tell you I picked up a TV series at the library but it is set in Wales - a tiny little village call Hope Springs - I highly recommend it if you can find it - lots of small town giggles, murder, and twists and turns. The reason I bring it up is the country side was amazing. They even had speckled face sheep in the show. I could fit nicely into that place...
We had two storms back to back so I could not do some computer searching but still up for more ideas... Love them and it also let's me peak into what makes you lovely ladies tick... Might help this confused gal...
Grace Gerber
Larkspur Funny Farm and Fiber Art Studio
Where the spirits are high and the fiber is deep
http://www.larkspurfunnyfarm.etsy.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.blogspot.com
http://larkspurfunnyfarm.artfire.com
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| gypsy goat |
Posted - Jul 06 2011 : 06:18:57 AM
attica michigan
i absolutely love where i live! first and foremost because it was my great-grandparents farm bought during the great depression. my gram was raised here and moved back in after she married my grandpa and they lived here the rest of their lives. my great grandpa had wonderful taste the property is absolutely beautiful and produces food for my family and animals. there is always a breeze blowing in the summer which makes the warm days bearable and even enjoyable. the winter here is amazing, beautiful and white. i am smack dab in between two towns 1 small 1 larger and close to the e-way if my heart needs to wander farther then the mailbox! but i do love visit north carolina-it is very beautiful there especially the maggie valley area. but i think my heart will always be here
farmgirl#1362 whatever you are be a good one-abe lincoln |
| Tea Lady |
Posted - Jul 03 2011 : 11:41:51 AM
I live ~ 60 miles SW of Chicago. I've lived in this area most of my life - its home. We built our house 14 years ago and have an acre lot in a country subdivision. We've done a lot of landscaping utilizing native plants/trees/shrubs and its wonderful. We've also planted a few fruit trees and a large garden. I have great neighbors.
We live close enough to Chicago to enjoy it whenever we want - and far enough from it to be considered "down-state" by some city dwellers. We live near a couple state parks with lovely walking/biking/snow-shoeing trails that I thoroughly enjoy. I appreciate the four seasons and realized a long time ago, it doesn't do any good to complain about the weather. It is what it is.
With that said, my husband can retire in a couple years and we've been talking about making a move - more land and less house. It takes us forever to make up or minds - so who knows what life adventures we might pursue. But I'd be just as happy if we stayed here - then I would add that sunroom to the south-side of my house without caring if I got my money back out of it.
Lorraine
(aka Tea Lady)
Farmgirl #1819
www.birdsandteas.com |
| walkinwalkoutcattle |
Posted - Jul 02 2011 : 5:05:35 PM
I live in central Kentucky, and weather is NOT a bragging point. LOL. But the scenery is beautiful, and the people are so nice! The rolling hills, thunderstorms, and fireflies-Just a few of the things I love about KY!
Farmgirl #2879 :)
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com
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| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Jul 02 2011 : 10:56:45 AM
Annette, the "money" in Oregon is around either Salem (government) or Portland (trade and business) Since you're looking at buildings for fun I'd suggest anywhere within 1 hour of those locations for searches, or along the coast. The Willamette Valley is wine country so that'd be my suggestion!
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
| Heartbroken farmgirl |
Posted - Jul 01 2011 : 9:27:39 PM
This is such a great topic!! I love California. My family is all from Tulsa Oklahoma, and I love to visit, but California has everything!!! (Except snowy winters, which I couldn't live in. ) the summers are hot, but there is a beach every where you turn. We can garden all year round. We have beautiful forests to camp in, and very few poisonous bugs and snakes.
I want to retire with DH in Oregon. My dream is to start a B&B there. My DH dredges, and 3 out of the 5 dredging companies are located there. We are looking into the move, but he also just found a perfect building for a B&B in Sacramento of all places! So Oregon may never happen...*sigh* oh well, if I'd only learned one thing from all of you on mjf, it would be to bloom where I'm planted!!!
The tears I shed then, watered the flowers I harvest now.
www.broken908.blogspot.com
http://forums.familyfriendpoems.com/broken908
"The aim of education is the knowledge not of facts but of values."-Dean William Ralph Inge |
| Blessed in Colorado |
Posted - Jul 01 2011 : 07:42:59 AM
Florissant, Colorado, it is God's Country, Peace and love. The wildlife are amazing as are all my neighbors. I never want to be anywhere else, I am content!
Farmgirl Hugs,
Debbie
www.etsy.com/shop/CollectThisTreasures
http://debbielynnf.blogspot.com
http://myworld.ebay.com/debbt |
| Bonnie Ellis |
Posted - Jul 01 2011 : 07:39:49 AM
I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I find that I am happy wherever I am planted. We have a 180 ft. city plot with extensive gardens, watergardens, koi and a large square foot vegetable garden. Minnesota is a beautiful state. We have over 15,000 lakes; beautiful parks, prairies and bluffs. We also border on Lake Superior. I love it here. I am within a half hour to farms and farmland. Anytime I want my farm fix I just drive out in the country and dream. I grew up on a farm as a kid and would love to have one but our retirement years will best be spent here. I am gathering farmgirls in Minnesota to meet for an farmgirl apron day at the Minnesota state fair. We plan to have demonstrations the whole day and my apron collection on display. I guess we all should bloom where we are planted. Oh, by the way our neighbors have chickens and my cousin has cows. I'm lucky!
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
| rksmith |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 7:04:57 PM
I like living in SE GA because it's pretty here, I love the swamps. I love where I live because it is out in the country and I can pretty much do what I want. What I don't like is the weather as it is either summer or winter, no in between. I also don't like that there are more and more people moving into the area...it is losing the small town aspect. It seems that most of the Southern way of living is disappearing these days. I'd really like to move to Maine, been there twice and love it. Maybe when I win the lottery ;)
Rachel
Farmgirl Sister #2753
Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet--Dr. Kioni
http://madame1313.wordpress.com/ |
| FarmDream |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 7:02:06 PM
Neat topic! I live in central Texas. I love where I live because it's our first home we've owned. I love that the river is nearby and it's a constant 72 degrees. It makes the summer heat tolerable. I've always loved the hill country area and feel like I'm at "home" in Texas.
I hate the heat. I hate that a lot of hours and days are wasted inside because it's too hot to work on things outside. The winters are mild and there's lots of snowbirds that spend their winters in this area. Apparently the shopping is fantastic because we get oodles of tourists from Mexico that come over just to shop at our outlet mall. There's all manner of activities to participate in. And Texas is one big state. You can spend the whole day driving and still not be across the state line.
I'd like to move to California just outside of Yosemite National Park. We used to live in the mountains in Colorado. But the mountains in California make me feel calm and at peace. I hope we get to move there, although with the state of their economy I'm not sure it will happen.
~FarmDream is Farmgirl Sister #3069
Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow
http://naturaljulie.etsy.com
http://julie-rants.blogspot.com |
| Dusky Beauty |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 6:41:32 PM
I knew this topic would be a winner! I'm loving reading about everyone's "hometowns" :D
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
| Primginger |
Posted - Jun 28 2011 : 06:30:10 AM
Wow, what a subject. Coming from where we did live, which was a small campmeeting cottage for about 12 years, where the cottages were arm length away from each other and I couldn't listen to my own tv because the neighbor next door was so hard of hearing his tv went all the way up in volume, I love my house!
The winter of 2008 we moved into our current homestead. The plan was to purchase this house in the summer so our kids didn't have to switch schools during the school year. After dealing with the estate of my husbands grandmother for over a year or so, we finally purchased the house in October of 2008 and moved in the week before Christmas. In those two months we transformed a porch into a laundry room, we had all the floors redone, painted every room and then moved in. It is just awesome, I love my little acre, I love gardening and growing my own food. This year we added chickens and are finishing our outdoor run for them, we also have two red cats, chaz and izzy, and they keep our home full of fluffy fur balls.
Enjoying my little Homestead
www.heirloomhomestead.com
http://primgingersphotos.shutterfly.com/ |
| CMac |
Posted - Jun 27 2011 : 11:19:04 PM
I love Tennessee because it has 4 seasons. The green hills are like an embrace or the bosom of a beloved grandmother to me. TN started as an agricultural state and much of the state remains agricultural which means there are large areas that are not population dense. Nashville always makes the list of friendliest cities. I love it for that. I have been to few places as welcoming and polite. Nashville has major Universities and the medical care that goes with them. There are museums, art galleries, a wonderful farmers market, all the shopping anyone should need, the symphony and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. We are in the middle of the bible belt. There are actually intersections where there is a church on all four corners! You might have a hard time finding a Starbucks but finding a church is easy. My farm is 35 min from Nashville. My county is an agricultural county. It is very rural and not as progressive as the city but has lots of folks that love and do the same things I do. There is always a resource If I ask around. The pace is slower here but not like in the movies of the old south. : ) The genteel south still exists and there are redneck yahoos but most of us are folks in the middle somewhere. One of my favorite things is the music in southern voices. The root of country music comes from the people of the Southern Appalachian mountains and the blues from the deep south.
If I were to live anywhere else and have a farming life it would be North Carolina in the mountains. There are lots of rivers to kayak there and it feels like home.
Connnie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jun 27 2011 : 11:11:07 PM
I love living here in the center of Utah! We moved here 9 years ago and I plan to stay! Our litte town has 3,000 people and I have never felt such a community spirit. it is just the best place to live! We are at 5,500 ft. elevation so we do have harsh winters but they are so pretty here in the mountains and I love the time to spend on indoor stuff. I never have been good at keeping up with inside stuff and outside stuff at the same time. I will choose outside every single time. It is only an hour and 1/2 to Provo so any sort of shopping I could want. I tend to go up there no more than once a month...less often in winter. Real estate prices are low and there are very cool old houses not hard to find. My house is 125 years old..quirky as heck but I love it. We are on less than an acre a block and 1/2 from main street and I can have my milk cow, a couple sheep, chickens, rabbits, ducks and turkeys with no problems at all. No one blinks an eye. Everyone grows gardens and people watch out for each other and do service for each other more than any place I have ever lived before. I grew up in a small town, not much bigger than here,in Calif. but it was just different.
It is a wonderful place to raise children as well...great schools and a jr. college only 7 miles away in the next town. (which isn't much bigger) The only thing that would make it perfect here is if my oldest 3 boys lived here as well. I don't see that happening for awhile. Jobs are more scarce here and pay less. I feel like it is worth it for a better way of life, but then I am 52 and my boys are still in their busy years... 26, 31, and 33 now. I wish I would have moved here alot sooner so they would have been able to grow up here too.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| alterationsbyemily |
Posted - Jun 27 2011 : 6:27:37 PM
South Central / York, PA
I love living here, we can be in the inner harbor of Baltimore in 1.5 hours, Harrisburg in 45 minutes. I love to look out my window and see the rolling hills. As a history nut I am also happy that the confederate army marched right through my backyard. I can go camping and be only 10 minutes from my home.
The downside, real estate. If you have 200K you can get a good home on some good land, but if you are under 100K make sure you bring your power tools. The other bad thing around here is the drivers, they love to pass on the double line, a speed limit is only a slight suggestion, and the police are trying too keep up with the drive by shootings in York than worry about people breaking road laws.
---
Farmgirl #2951
Currently renting-farmgirl wannabe |
| embchicken |
Posted - Jun 27 2011 : 6:21:06 PM
Well, aside from all the New Jersey jokes - Ocean Township is a great place to live. I can ride my bike to the boardwalk in Asbury Park and sit on the beach all da and then ride my bike home. NJ is called "the Garden State" ffor a very good reason. You can grow practically anything here! And our tomatoes are second to none! If I drive about 20 minutes west there are tons of horse farms. The horses are beautiful to watch - racehorses! I'm lucky beacsue I can kayak just about anytime.
I have great neighbors! And I am close to my family. I've lived in Monmout County now for 43 years and I feel very much at home here.
I can take a train ride - about an hour - and be in NYC to go to the museums, see a show, or shop!
I have to say that I love being a "Jersey Girl"!
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
| woolgirl |
Posted - Jun 27 2011 : 3:45:47 PM
I have aspirations of living in the country, but right now there are a lot of things that are nice about where we are.
We are the closest we have been to my fanmily in many years.
I love this area. We are halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee. You can drive 30 minutes, be in complete country, or opposite and be in the city.
As far as being on base, meh...it's ok. It's nice having the commissary and the base stuff close by. We don't socialize with many people though, so being this close to lot os people is hard for me. Plus the not a lot of outside space is really hard for this wanna-be farmgirl!
The weather is great here. Not too hot in the summers, though the winters can be extreme is you don't know what you are getting into!
We won't get to pick where we live for a few years, but it is my dream to have enough space to have a decent garden, some chickens, and a jersey cow. I guess it doesn't matter where is is, as long as I can have all those things. I would love to settle doen back in Minnesota, but on the other hand I really like the Kenosha area where we are close to now. I guess we will just have to wait and see.
Liz
Farmgirl #1947
www.militaryfarmgirl.blogspot.com |
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