Resources on finding land in the Southeast US

Second thread posted, but it's been bugging me for a while, and I'd like to get resources on it. I want to buy land in the South. I miss every part of it (even the humidity and bugs) and especially the people. Hearing a twang or feeling warm summer rain on my face brings back every memory of the (few) years I spent living there. I want to go back, but I don't know if I can (for other reasons, really, but that's personal). I plan on going on a drive back through the deep South when I've got the money, and I want to know a few things.

1. Who do I talk to? I want to buy from someone who's there, preferably a direct purchase from the owner, or through a local realtor. Who should I look for? Should I go straight to old folks, or just ask around when I'm staying in a place? What communities should I ask about, given I'm a very white young man and have a very white name? What kind of person can I trust? What kind of person would trust me?

2. Where should I look? I'm looking mostly for areas that can grow rice, corn, beans, and millet or sorghum in the summer, and wheat, barley, rye, and peas in the winter. I plan on vigorous cultivation, and rotating fields between cultivation and grazing (probably cattle or goats- maybe a horse). Most of my memories and fondnesses are of a little town in the South Carolina Lowcountry, and I would be lying if I said it wasn't partly because it takes far more trouble to kill things there than grow them (in my experience- we kept a hell of a garden.) Heavy rain will be extremely tolerated! I love rain more than you think anyone ever could, and humidity is pretty tolerable too (as long as I have something to do. I miss that Walterboro rock and gem shop, and every other little place there). Similar climate is preferred, and mild to fairly temperate winters are all good by me.

3. How should I look? This kind of ties back into the first, I want to know- How do I act? How do I talk? I know the obvious- Open with the chitchat, be a good guest, then when it gets down to business, cut to it for them, and make the money I'm willing to spend obvious. It's been a while since I've been there but I do remember that the relationship was always more important to a lot of people than the money alone- they wanted to know it was clean money, or at least money they felt was coming from good hands.

Any advice? Anything useful for me? Please, I'd love to know. Thank you for your consideration and time!

You have asked a lot of question that I cannot answer so here is my take:

I have always done my shopping via realtor.com.  Some folks swear by zillow.com.

That is how I found the property we live at now.

I do recommend getting a real estate agent for that area in case you want to buy.

Aka find a property you want to look at and then find an agent who is not the listing agent.  The reason I know this is that we did not have anyone to represent us at closing.  All work out though.

I am also not a fan of buying raw land.  At least get a property with water and electricity.  Mine came with a shell of a house.

Best wishes for your land search.

Know what it is that you are looking for.
Urban, suburban, suburban neighborhood set rural (why does this exist here in the South? its so weird) or truly rural?
What's you your budget?
Your state you want to land in?
Yes the small talk is a thing.
Our list was very short and specific albeit vague about land: fruit trees and fireplace. What can I say, we are simple people.
My husband is a realtor but we are in Louisiana, not SC, but he would be happy to guide you or to help in any way. You can purple moosage if you want.
Bon chance!

Thank you both. I don't know about talking on it right now- I don't have the money to comfortably approach, let alone not being in the area. The reason I've shied away from land listing sites is because in much of the area I'm looking at (Deep South, mostly) they have very few of the smaller listings, and the lower price listings, and quite obviously, none of the "For Sale by Owner" ones that I remember seeing everywhere when I lived down that way (Only on signs or listed in papers). I wouldn't mind LA, I had a lot of family from over that way. My great grandmother was Cajun, though lived in Alabama, and had family down in Cajun Country (Think circa 1940s).

I plan on going for a long drive through, when I have the money saved up to seriously approach, and the skills to ensure a decent career. Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina are all prime targets for me due to the climate that on the whole is favorable to the kind of farm I want to have. I also don't mind bare land, or even timberland. I can learn to run a saw and a portable mill, and build what I need on what's on the property. I'm not looking for quick, and I certainly won't shy away from the hard work of starting from scratch. I'm looking on it more as a project, to build what I want and need, and then go live it. Luckily I'm still young and haven't had my body entirely destroyed yet. (though thanks to a bout of severe depression and lack of exercise I have dealt with some atrophy to my quadriceps, and thus developed patellar instability that threatens to cause me arthritis before I'm 30. Hooray!)

I definitely intend to go onto some pretty rural land- Having neighbors is nice, but I have certain hobbies that better suit a life that's a little separated from too many prying eyes.

United country realty would be a good place to start. That's where I found my paradise 17 years ago.