Where do you live and how does that help/hinder self-sufficiency?

[annmarie]

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting on the sufficient self forum, but I recognize quite a few of your names from BYC. I'm so glad this forum is here since so often, when I wasn't suffering a chicken emergency, I wanted to talk and ask questions relating to self-sufficiency. Which brings me to my long-winded question! My husband and I live in Vermont, and we really love it here, but since our goal is to live pretty much as self sufficient as possible, we sometimes wonder if folks from other parts of the country have an advantage, especially when reading about BYCers who are eating their garden produce when I'm still waiting for the ground to warm up enough to plant anything! So I was wondering where everyone lives, and what are some of the advantages you think you have, and disadvantages of the area you live in. I'll go first:

Vermont advantages (as I see it!)
1. state promotes rural heritage so very little regulations about keeping animals, selling eggs, etc.
2. no hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes to batter the homestead!
3. it's beautiful, friendly, safe, and has a live and let live attitude

Vermont disadvantages
1. really short growing season (and I'm a vegetarian, so this is big)
2. expensive land
3. fairly high cost of living

 

[enjoy the ride]

In really Northern California- way above San Francisco-

advantages- 1) property tax increase limitations (Prop 13)
2) Wide range of climates as near ocean
3) Lots of wild areas of great soulfulness


disadvantage- 1) Big cities with great ignorance control
politics- lots of impractical regulations
for rural folks
2) too many drugged out idiots
3) uneven water availablitity-too much
some places, none in others
4)very expensive land

 

[me&thegals]

Hi--Central Wisconsin

Advantages:
1. Decent growing season.
2. Lots of wild areas, parks and ditches for foraging.
3. A very rural ethic, lots of agriculture, networking and learning possibilities.

Disadvantages:
1. Land is expensive (at least I think so at $4000-5000/acre in many areas)
2. Growing season is only about 6 months long without help (greenhouses, etc.)
3. Urban sprawl. Leads to increasing land prices and difficulty in walking/biking many places.
4. Tighter restrictions than some areas on animals and egg selling (NAIS?)
5. Increasing insect populations and funky weather, but this could be everywhere...

 

[Beekissed]

Northeastern Panhandle, WV

Advantages:

Rural and open to agriculture, no regs.
Abundance of natural food sources available
Still able to have own well, burn wood, etc. (no regs)
Abundant wildlife for harvesting
Good soil, abundant water

Disadvantages:

No other self-sufficiency minded folks in my area.
Short growing season without use of greenhouses.
Unpredictable weather in these mountains
No farmer's market for 50 miles!
Noone growing organically, with which to barter and swap
People around here do not care if their food is healthy or not(poor selling point for eggs and veggies)...lots of commercial meat &crop growers in the area.
No opportunities for working from home to save gas.
4 X 4 pretty much a must in the winter in these mountains....poor gas mileage as a result.
Land is expensive due to scenic and close to D.C.
I don't have enough acreage for my own use.
50-100 miles from anything!
Very poor free classifieds publication...not enough opportunities to pick up and recycle cheap things.

 

[enjoy the ride]

M&thegirls- I could only dream of land at $5000 per acre. I suppose that some of the large ranches in the area might sell that low but you'd have to have millions of dollars to buy them. Most city lots are over $100,000 even with the current price drops.

 

[me&thegals]

I was actually thinking of your CA address when I put in my caveat of it being expensive IMO Out here, that's the price per acre for chunks of land. Of course, city lots of about 1/4 acre go for much, much more, even in small towns, like around $70,000. It's crazy!

 

[enjoy the ride]

Gives new meaning to the phrase "Less is more." lol

 

[FarmerChick]

North Carolina

Advantages
great growing season for the farm
great climate for animals
short, easier winters so less cost for heating
tons of markets to sell
just a great state and great people

Disadvantages
more building happening in my area
economic crash of course like most areas
honestly, I don't have much negative things about North Carolina..LOL...I love it here and it suits our living great, but currently land prices are thru the roof, when I started it was affordable, now with farms selling out and lots going for $45K each, not many "new" small farms are happening.

 

[dacjohns]

Southern Illinois

Advantages:
Good growing season
Abundance of forest
Relatively inexpensive land
Adequate rainfall, usually
Winters are not too long or harsh
Wildlife


Disadvantages:
Heavy clay soil that needs a lot of amendments
Poor Farmers' Markets
Still dependant on staples such as wheat, rice
High unemployment
Tornadoes and thunderstorms
Ice storms
Earthquake zone
25 miles to grocery shopping, animal feed, and lumber yard unless you go a shorter distance and pay more.
Not close to medical

 

[patandchickens]

Before I start, let me say that I have just been informed in very strong terms that many people here do not like me and think I should shut up. I suggest they simply don't read this, or anything else I write <shrug>.

So:

Advantages of where I am:
Moving is too darn much trouble
Pretty good weather, aside from length of heating season.
Long winters allow break from gardening and time for planning
No major natural disaster threats
Property is on low clayey spot = can garden without watering much.

Disadvantages:
Whole region is stupidly expensive and getting WAY too built up and shopping-malled and McMansioned :/
Much too high a fraction of local population *very* consumer-oriented.
WAY too many mosquitoes.
Would be real nice if property were better drained. But, I can live with it.

Pat