Where to live? Virginia/NC/MD/etc. or New England

I am looking to buy land but I'm am not sure where. The hard thing to feel out without spending alot of time in an area is how the community operates. Is there growth, art, sovereignty, etc?

I'm currently focusing on land in Southern VA with the goal of buying something in the 10-25 acre range at an affordable price. But willing to hear about any cool community on the east coast.

So what areas out there have, in your opinion, great community? Is there a budding art scene? Is there a reverence for traditional practice and trades? Are there places that are platforms for good ideas to blossom and grow? Are people doing interesting things? Having interesting thoughts? Let me hear what you have to say!

Thanks!

Hi Adam - We're in southern VA, Victoria (about 20 minutes outside of town). There is a pretty steady flow of folks moving into this area and the number of "clean" growers is becoming fun. Please feel free to contact me if I can answer any questions or help. We are not natives, bought about 16 years ago, moved here full time about 7 years ago.
Good luck in your search!
M

I'm in SW VA here - hour south of roanoke, hour north of greensboro. Land is relatively inexpensive and there seems to be a lot of influx from folks up north, I'm one of them kinda. The backdrop of the blue ridge doesn't hurt either. There are a lot of people that want the area to improve after being hit hard after furniture and fabric mills left the area. The Artisan Trail Network connects artists throughout Virginia and there are a lot!!! of people doing interconnected things in the area.

Holla if I can help in any way.

I want to tag along on this conversation.
I am in the same boat with the exception of I am looking for 4 to 10 acres with either a spring pond or flow through brook. My main goal is to extend the growing season without losing out on snow. (we are getting 2 feet tomorrow night) I also want to try and stay away from the intense humidity parts of the South can have. Southwest Virginia seems to be the best of the mix. How are the taxes and restrictions in that part of Virginia?
Thanks!

I'm curious to know what you all found.

I live in Western Maryland.   The main asset of this area is a low turnover of neighbors.  I have lived here 16 years and I am still the newcomer on my road.   And I can tell you from personal experience, that I have the best neighbors and friends on the planet in this area.   Garrett County people are awesome.   Just plain mountain folk.   The kind that work hard, are honest, and willing to help.

None around me are permaculture; however, permaculture people fit right in.  When I first moved in, I gained a reputation for being Amish because I was doing things very differently on this land.   There are Amish living around me, so this is an understandable error.  

Land around Deep Creek is pricey.   But most of Garrett County is reasonably priced.    

I have not once lacked water since moving here.   My property does not have a spring or creek, but it is easy to find properties that do.   Rainfall is frequent.  

You can have as much privacy as you want.  

I am not into art so I cannot tell if there is a lot of local activity in the arts, but I can tell you that at no time have I been hassled about owning an outhouse, my humanure pile, etc.   Just do what you want, and as long as you don't step on neighbor's toes - your left alone.   You cannot find any local government without a few anal-retentive idiots.   However, I have not run into a lot of them.   Store a shovel in your outhouse and its a garden shed which is legal.  

Neighbors around me leave their keys in the vehicles so the keys don't get lost.   There has not been one thing stolen from my property - except produce by !@#$ raccoons and squirrels.  

Where ever you move to, I wish you the best.