Bella Wilson wrote: My husband and I are looking to move to the Greenville area, and I was wondering if we could chat about your experience there? We are moving from California (born and raised in Texas), and we are mainly looking for a community that values organic food, art, and living off the land. We are wanting to dive deeper into living more self-sustaining, and would value a community where we could have an opportunity to learn. I am a ceramic artist, and would love an artist community.
Hey Bella, I'm next to Greenville in Spartanburg, SC.
A TON of folks are moving to Greenville, and it's growing fast. The
city has a lot going for it: bike trails, Paris Mountain State Park,
local theatre and art galleries, and great local food and beverage. I can't speak to the community aspects, because I only commute in-and-out for freelance work and to meet with friends.
Spartanburg is a bit smaller and quieter, but I can vouch for us. There is a vibrant community of artists here, especially at the Spartanburg Artists Collective, which is a co-op of small studios. My colleague and I (local filmmakers) are profiling Spartanburg artists in a short documentary series called Local Takes (
https://www.localtakes.com/) which includes some of the co-op artists.
Over the past few years, our small but vibrant Farmers' Market has really grown (look up 'Hub City Farmers Market'), and now has both Saturday and Wednesday markets during the Summer. That's my main connection to "community" when it comes to living local, living organic, and living sustainably.
Happy to share more about the area if you seriously consider a move, and of course if you end up nearby, reach out and say hello
-Aaron
Bella Wilson wrote: around Asheville, NC, but it’s a little too mountainous for horses
P.S. Just a little south of Asheville, you may like to check out Tryon, NC; it's a major hub for equestrian activity.