Newbie to this site

Hello everyone,
I'm a newbie to this site but I love the fact that I have found it. I too am concerned about our planet and want to live a simple and sustainable lifestyle so it's good to find other like minded people. I live in the middle of the state of NC just 20 miles west of Charlotte in the small town of Dallas. I live in a mobile home and I have a rental property next door. I've worked at the same place for the state for the past 15 years and I am nearing retirement. When I retire I want to find a good patch of land with running water on it in the mountains. I've been reading up on the friendliest states to retire to (which ones tax retirement income, cost of living, tax of investment income etc.) So as not to have to move too far away it looks like Tennessee is the state I'm looking at. I use to live in Jackson Hole Wyoming where the breed of people are a little more rugged than most and they know how to take care of themselves in the harsh winters. Everyone has a backup system for when the electricty goes out and I guess that is where I got the bug to be more self sustainable. Anyway, I have checked other sites for self sustainablity and have found that there is a lot of interest in this movement and I want to catch the wave. I would like to find a community or to start one that is off grid and build cob homes. As I am a single person doing this on my own would be quit the challange and I would like to find a partner to get involved with to make this happen so that is why I'm glad I found this site. If you have information to share I sure would be glad to hear it as I am getting my ducks in a row so to speak so when the time comes to reitre I will already have my set up in place. Any info is appreciated.

Hello Paula. Welcome to permies.com.

You will certainly meet many like minded people here. This is a great site for sharing knowledge and ideas.

I think Tennessee is a good choice. Lots of good land, abundant water, and very affordable. If you stay outside of city limits, property taxes are very low (unless you build a 'McMansion'), and regulations are quite lax. Rural folks there are perfectly happy, as long as everybody minds their own business.

Good growing conditions in most of the state.

Paula,
I am trying for the second time to post a message to you, so excuse me if you get one twice. I live over the hill from Tennessee in Kentucky.
I have been a landlord, like you, so I know how to do all the maintenance it takes to keep a community going. I recently retired early on social security, after working my whole life. I worked mostly as a journalist, but I have done a little bit of everything, and was a landlord a whole decade.
I am presently living on the land and looking for others to share creating a permaculture. I am looking for somebody who actually wants to take care of the earth and enjoys that.
If you like the Smokies, you might like where I live. It is one of the most biodiverse areas in North America, including the Smokies, and there are a lot of nature preserves iaround. It is just incredibly biodiverse, situated right between the north and south plant habitats.
I travel to Greensnboro pretty often, and sometimes to western North Carolina, so it would not be that difficult for us to meet someday. I hope you would like to talk and tell me ore about your dreams for your retiurement.
Greta
Pine Mountain