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

[BrookValley]

I think it's kinda like the bicycle helmet thing. It's the law, but not one they strictly enforce, (but I don't know), unless they feel like it.

When we take our dogs across the border, they are in their crates at the back of the SUV, and they don't even look at them. they just want to see their vet papers to see if they were vaccinated.

It's the "unless they feel like it" that has me worried. I wonder if we had a note w/our vet papers, from the vet, that said to the best ot their knowledge the dogs weren't pit if that would give us some "insurance" against the dogs being seized. Ugh.

OK, anyway, let's just say that I was moving to Ontario. What areas/towns would you recommend? I would be looking for a farm (I have horses and would need pasture) but would need to be reasonably close to someplace where my husband could find work (he works in the IT field. Programming, design, development, etc.).

 

[chiknmama]

Living in South Central Kentucky, here.

Pros -
Price per acre is running about 3000/ when I bought my land a year ago, I paid about 2500 per acre.

Have three growing seasons - long warm Fall, usually, and early Spring

Not much snow in winter, temps usually get up to mid 30's during the daytime.

Lots of farms around here. If I cannot grow/produce it then one of my neighbors has it, and we barter around here (at least in my "neighborhood")

Lots of likeminded folks, so we have a support system - advice, tips, sharing equipment or supplies, etc...

Property taxes are reasonable (compared to where I used to live). My taxes are around 300 bucks per year on my 25 acre farm - as opposed to paying over 900 per year on a little lot in a big city in Michigan.

Car registration and license plates are CHEAP!! (compared to where I used to live) I pay 36 bucks per car for plates and registration per year -whatever car I have. In Michigan I paid 85 for one car, and about 65 for another car.

Not sure what the homeschool regs are here - my kids are all older, now, in Michigan you could homeschool just because you said "I am homeschooling" I know a lot of other states have tighter regulations. We do have a LOT of Amish here, though, so we probably get some residual "let it pass" nods from state regs because of them.


Cons -
Not many stores close by, so when I have to shop, I have to drive at least 12 miles one way, or if I need something I cannot find in small town, It is a 50 mile round trip. (or I have to buy over internet and pay shipping - usually my first choice, actually.)

High unemployment, but that is everywhere, it seems. Although, Amazon.com is hiring full time people right now, 10.50 to 12.00 an hour - it is in that town that is a 50 mile round trip, though.


Overall, I think I live in Paradise. I have wanted to move down here for years, and I finally got my dream. I am loving every minute of being here on our farm, and I wouldn't move for anything in the world.

btw - I am retired, (hopefully I can STAY that way) so I don't have to worry about a lot of the stuff people with mortgages and young kids have to worry about. My youngest is a senior in high school this year, so I am about done raising young kids.
I do have to say I work harder on the farm being retired than I ever worked at any "punch a timeclock" job. But it is better, because I am working for Me and Mine, and not for someone else's profit. I also get to set my own hours, that rocks!!

I would not trade places with anyone who has to pay a mortgage these days. Hubby and I are debt free, and intend to stay that way. Took us a LONG time to get there, but I am so glad we finally managed it. Paying off that last debt was the best feeling in the entire world.

Peace -
Meriah

 

[Homesteadmom]

South Central Az here:


Pros:

Grow garden year round basically.



Cons:

HOT!!!!!!!!
Need to run a/c from April till Oct.
Gas is high(everywhere).
Too much growth all around us.
HOT!!!!!!!!
No fall season(the leaves turn & fal in Dec.).
Very short spring season about 2-3 weeks.
Soil has no top soil & needs a lot of work to be really good soil.
Did I mention HOT!!!!!!!!

I only live here because dh's job is here. Otherwise I would be up in the MTN's.

 

[FarmerChick]

I would not trade places with anyone who has to pay a mortgage these days. Hubby and I are debt free, and intend to stay that way. Took us a LONG time to get there, but I am so glad we finally managed it. Paying off that last debt was the best feeling in the entire world.


*******Meriah---that is just wonderful. I truly can not wait til I get the "best feeling" in the world also! What a great way to hit retirement, with some financial freedom! COOL

 

[FarmerChick]

Did I mention HOT!!!!!!!!


********HOT, oh is it hot where you are....you didn't say...HA HA HA HA

NC is sure hot but not like your AZ weather!

you had me cracking up!

 

[patandchickens]

OK, anyway, let's just say that I was moving to Ontario. What areas/towns would you recommend? I would be looking for a farm (I have horses and would need pasture) but would need to be reasonably close to someplace where my husband could find work (he works in the IT field. Programming, design, development, etc.).

Enh, my advice is to stay completely away from the greater Toronto area - it is a monster of cancerously-fast development across the landscape, and you will not find anything at all affordable for horses without an hour plus commute :/ (And if you do, in five years it will be a subdivision with your taxes tripled). You'd prolly want to be outside another, smaller city - Ottawa, Kingston, Guelph (although boy is there a lot of development there too), something like that. Though of course that also means fewer jobs - the IT sector is not a hot employer at the moment, though this may be true everywhere. (My husband is in IT but works for the gov't)

Are you or your husband a Canadian citizen, though? If not, there are immigration issues (it is certainly possible to get permanent resident papers as someone who just felt like moving to Canada, in some cases, but it takes a looong time and nontrivial money, and being in the IT field will reduce your chances of getting approved)

Pat

 

[BrookValley]

Are you or your husband a Canadian citizen, though? If not, there are immigration issues (it is certainly possible to get permanent resident papers as someone who just felt like moving to Canada, in some cases, but it takes a looong time and nontrivial money, and being in the IT field will reduce your chances of getting approved)

Pat

No. And we don't qualify to immigrate based solely on our education/job experience, I am well aware. I'll admit I'm mostly just daydreaming. But isn't it possible to be a legal resident in some way based on owning property? We wouldn't be citizens, but couldn't we get some sort of somewhat permanent resident status if we bought a home? Of course, finding a job is a whole 'nother thing altogether. Wouldn't do us a whole lot of good if we couldn't find work, now would it?

Like I said, it's a total pipe dream. We are also looking to relocated somewhere here in the states, but who knows if and when we ever will. It's not like we have much of any reason to move other than, well, we want to. And with the housing market so bad it's unlikely that we would be able to sell our farm any time too soon, anyway.

 

[patandchickens]

isn't it possible to be a legal resident in some way based on owning property? We wouldn't be citizens, but couldn't we get some sort of somewhat permanent resident status if we bought a home? Of course, finding a job is a whole 'nother thing altogether. Wouldn't do us a whole lot of good if we couldn't find work, now would it?

Sorry, but owning property does not make you legal except in a paying taxes kind of way, AFAIK. (I think there is some way in which you can fasttrack your immigration by bringing in huge monster bags o' cash to start your own Canadian business, but that is different).

I may be wrong, but I believe that a person with only visitor status in Canada (i.e. anyone other than a citizen, 'permanent resident' [=canadian equivalent of US green card], or person with refugee application in the works) is only allowed to spend 6 months in Canada at a time. If you overstay, you are illegal; and if you pop over the border then try to immediately reenter, they are quite likely to turn you back (as being of questionable intent as visitor vs de facto illegal immigrant). Even if you own property up here.

And you would not be legally able to work if just on visitor status, except in circumstances that are unlikely to pertain (e.g. employer can prove to gov't that no Canadian could be found with suitable qualifications). Can't work unless you are legal. Well, unless you want to be a migrant crop worker or restaurant busboy or something, maybe

I came to canada "just to visit my boyfriend for a week", married while here, then applied for immigration from *inside* the country, so I am a bit fuzzy anymore on what all the details are for "normal" immigration... but I did look into it at the time before we decided what route to take, and it did not look promising :/

So I would recommend winning a REALLY BIG lottery, so you could do it in the way I mentioned first, above. If you're gonna dream, may as well dream big, is what I always figure

Sorry to be the bearer of semi bad news,

Pat

 

[novice]

Live in central NM on a little piece of land over a mile high.

PROS:

Rural, quiet, A-1 zoning (our 2.5 acres), good water, small town (1 stoplight), good neighbors, we have 2 dogs, 2 cats, 25 chickens, may get a goat.

CONS:

Short growing season, electric co won't buy power from customers, 4x4 not necessary, but helpful, heating is expensive (propane). We have the usual wild critters - bears, puma, coyote, hawks, deer, and those destructive ground squirrels.

 

[BrookValley]

Sorry, but owning property does not make you legal except in a paying taxes kind of way, AFAIK. (I think there is some way in which you can fasttrack your immigration by bringing in huge monster bags o' cash to start your own Canadian business, but that is different).

I may be wrong, but I believe that a person with only visitor status in Canada (i.e. anyone other than a citizen, 'permanent resident' [=canadian equivalent of US green card], or person with refugee application in the works) is only allowed to spend 6 months in Canada at a time. If you overstay, you are illegal; and if you pop over the border then try to immediately reenter, they are quite likely to turn you back (as being of questionable intent as visitor vs de facto illegal immigrant). Even if you own property up here.

And you would not be legally able to work if just on visitor status, except in circumstances that are unlikely to pertain (e.g. employer can prove to gov't that no Canadian could be found with suitable qualifications). Can't work unless you are legal. Well, unless you want to be a migrant crop worker or restaurant busboy or something, maybe

I came to canada "just to visit my boyfriend for a week", married while here, then applied for immigration from *inside* the country, so I am a bit fuzzy anymore on what all the details are for "normal" immigration... but I did look into it at the time before we decided what route to take, and it did not look promising :/

So I would recommend winning a REALLY BIG lottery, so you could do it in the way I mentioned first, above. If you're gonna dream, may as well dream big, is what I always figure

Sorry to be the bearer of semi bad news,

Pat

That's ok, Pat, like I said it's mostly just a lot of daydreaming and thinking out loud. But it's fun to think about. Yeah, the big chunk of cash route, probably not going to work for us anytime soon...unless that lottery thing works out. I'll get back to you on that.