What state to buy land?

Hey,

I'm looking for all options here.
Currently living in NYC.
Looking to buy a small chunk of land and do small perma gardening and maybe some chickens. ( how much minimum of land would I need to get things going? 1 arch? )
The question is where is the best place to look?
In terms of weather condition and price.
I was thinking states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama? ( where is the cheap land? )
What you guys recommend?

The best place is right where you are. If that area is not to your liking, then hang out someplace else and scope it out before you even think about opening your wallet.

I bought a HUD home on a good sized lot and got a good deal on it, but after I closed and was able to watch the local real estate market for a year or two, there were even better deals that popped up. The real good deals go quick, or they are to be found at auctions where there are cash buyers.

There is cheap land to be had in the South, and unlike looking out west, there is no forecast of long term droughts from climate change. But one thing you have to consider is the amenities of civilization -- or rather, the lack thereof. Moving from NYC to the rural South could be a bit of a culture shock. Even with the Internet and mail order, you will still run into situations where you have to make do or do without. It is better if you are closer to a medium-size city, as I am.

Here is a link to the latest listing of HUD homes in Georgia. As far as size, if you have at least half an acre, you can have a good size permie garden with chickens. And once you get out of the very center of towns in the South, lots are usually a pretty good size. Subdivisions 10 miles out of town often have lots bigger than an acre, and seldom will you run into restrictions where they won't allow chickens.

Weather doesn't change that much across the South, as the systems predominantly roll from west to east. Sure, northern Mississippi is colder than the midlands of South Carolina in the winter, but not that much. Being closer to the ocean (either the Gulf or the Atlantic) moderates the climate, but then again if you are in a coastal county you are in hurricane territory. If Hurricane Sandy has influenced your thinking, I would suggest looking near the "Fall Line". That is a line that runs from about Fayetteville, NC through Columbia, SC and Augusta, GA to around Montgomery, AL and Meridien, MS. It is where the first rapids appear in rivers and was the limit to navigation of a 17th century explorer ship. It's also about as far as people on the coast have to go to evacuate from a hurricane.

Being a Permie along the Fall Line means having to deal with our famous clay soils. But that is something that we discuss here a lot, so you will have company to strategize with.

Try the forums at Walking to Freedom to see how people rate their states and why people leave oppressive states.

Culture shock, yup you will have culture shock moving south , the gun culture blows most northerners minds , here in TX we have many refugees from California ( that's what one guy called himself ) who no longer ducks when his neighbor do as a little target practice .
Wherever you move to the first priority is WATER , keep away from county water, most is full of chlorine ,some floridate and in my experience all taste nasty , find something with a all year spring (perminant water supply )or a well that ain't so deep ,you can pull a well pump by hand from around 100 feet ( no charges for a crane to come to pull the pump) and there are then plenty of inexpensive solar products that work easily at that depth .

Diogenese simpson wrote:Culture shock, yup you will have culture shock moving south , the gun culture blows most northerners minds , here in TX we have many refugees from California ( that's what one guy called himself ) who no longer ducks when his neighbor do as a little target practice .
Wherever you move to the first priority is WATER , keep away from county water, most is full of chlorine ,some floridate and in my experience all taste nasty , find something with a all year spring (perminant water supply )or a well that ain't so deep ,you can pull a well pump by hand from around 100 feet ( no charges for a crane to come to pull the pump) and there are then plenty of inexpensive solar products that work easily at that depth .

Culture shock does not really bother... me after NYC I think I could survive about anywhere. ( and me been Russian makes it a double fun )
Water is a big concern for me if will move south, and I need to study this more.... Understand irrigation in general. And I see most of the places in Mississippi not green at all, I guess due to lack of water.

John Elliott wrote:The best place is right where you are. If that area is not to your liking, then hang out someplace else and scope it out before you even think about opening your wallet.

You know what I'm thinking maybe I should join some type of farming community. Before I make a purchase. To get closer to the dirt...
One thing I know for sure I got to get out of the rat race somehow..

Thanks for HUD info

Run this sort and see what pops out the other side in terms of where to move:

1. Enough rainfall to reliably grow plants without irrigation.
2. Four growing seasons.
3. Less than 30 minute commute to a jobs hub. (Think city of more than 100,000 population and focus on college towns.)
4. Abundant rural land for less than $5,000 an acre.

If you have these factors there is great potential for a permaculture farm. These places exist.

Taxes also .
Texas has no income tax low property taxes but does tax farm trailers that use the road , Arkansas taxes near anything with a engine on whether roadworthy or not, OK vehicle taxes are 4 times higher than TX .
I looked at AR at one time where there's good dirt its hot and humid further west the dirt is no so good but its higher and cooler at night . If I were moving now I would pick NW New Mexico , hot in the day cool at night and high enough to get snow in winter and rain in summer ,low humidity so no need for AC and little state interference in what you do (permits ) .

George Hayduke wrote:1. Enough rainfall to reliably grow plants without irrigation.
2. Four growing seasons.
3. Less than 30 minute commute to a jobs hub. (Think city of more than 100,000 population and focus on college towns.)
4. Abundant rural land for less than $5,000 an acre.

Added to my "must have" checklist. Thank you

Vermont farming
Its amazing how PEOPLE manage to be very smart and self contained about their lives
In pretty cold climate there.
The only thing I'm thinking is that I love fruits...and they grow mostly vegies....
... but again even in subtropics it will take me an ages to develop a decent fruit tree garden anyway?

EDIT:
Few things are interesting about this video:
Compost heating ( seems to be functioning without pump )
High performace stove
Saw dust food storage

We moved here from NYC 22 years ago. Lots of like minded folks up here, plus I've got the fastest internet connection in the country! Fiber Optic, baby!

Lots of fruit trees grow here...

Cj Verde wrote:We moved here from NYC 22 years ago. Lots of like minded folks up here, plus I've got the fastest internet connection in the country! Fiber Optic, baby!

Lots of fruit trees grow here...

Nice to see that you managed to escape the mess.
North is still a mystery to me... totally no clue on gardening in such condition.