Showlow/Taylor/Snowflake looking to relocate need info (Phoenix, Tucson: job, organic)

[decocrete]

Single mom 2 kids looking to buy affordable acreage in cooler climate AZ
Can anyone give me info on the area around Showlow ?
We are looking for off-grid and plan to have animals & gardens ,Are we looking in the right area?
Seems like an odd question , but are there any farmers or public outdoor markets there ? and if not would A new one be welcome ?
(That is what I do for A living) PS I realize it would be summer only.
I have heard about the Mormon population not being very friendly to non-Mormons , is this true ? and if so how much of A problem is this ?

[Havucnmymarbles]

With your interests, Snowflake and Taylor might better suit you. East of Snowflake even more so. Have you checked into Concho, as well? As far as Farmer's Markets and the like, Concho does have one that I'm aware of. Snowflake and Taylor sure could use one!

We've never had a problem with the LDS up here. I think any problems would be indivual (personal "character" issues) rather than as a whole.

Hope that helps!

[coupbar]

Have you looked into Springerville/Eager? They have great schools and it's only 45 min from Show Low. The traffic isn't near as bad as ShowLow. It's a small town atmosphere but there are grocery chains, movie theater, internet cafe, Subway, etc. It snows there but not as heavy as Show Low.I lived there for about 1 yr and loved it. Lot of ranches, farms, etc.

[HelpfulOne]

Growing crops on anything more than a small personal use basis will be a challenge in this area. The growing season is extremely short, rainfall is negligible, wind is always a problem, the sun, at these higher altitudes will scortch. That's just the way it is. Very much hit or miss. If you're interested in being self-sufficient (growing your own food, etc.), you will have to be inventive and creative, and it could be a full-time job. You can hope to become associated with other small gardeners who do a lot of co-oping and barter.

For gardening hobbyists, one can hope for a few tomatoes, squash, cukes, beans (depending on how quickly the soil warms for planting), corn (ditto previous) in a "good" season. Irrigation will be mandatory, and at close to 4x the amount required in traditional growing areas in the country. But wind will be the primary enemy.

Farmer's markets are practically non-existent because of the above. The cost to grow vegetables here very well make those vegetables at sale, completely non-competitive with the grocery chains. Those chains also offer "organically-grown" vegetables that are more affordable than those that one could grow him/herself. The competition for restaurant business is stiff, and many end up practically giving produce away at very reduced prices, if they find a market, at all.

Overall, food prices are very high.

Regarding the culture-- "Mormons"-- the area is a very insular society as you might expect from any area that is rural with a predominant and historic culture shared by a clear majority. What you're looking at is an area who for most, was unattractive and very near impossible to sustain much of a life; and therefore, those who wished to be left alone by others, but group-supported by the combined efforts of like-minded people,found it to be near-perfect.

[Route_66_traveler]

Food prices are close to that of Phoenix, Tucson. Yes a little higher, because of transportation costs.

As for growing crops here, there are several small farms, that do grow Taylor sweet corn. Which "HelpfulOne" forgot. There are 2 grocery stores here, one is independent, the other is a state brand.

I grow in my garden, Bell Peppers, Corn, Cucumbers, Okra, Potatoes, Peas, Raspberries, Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon. Course I also have a 1/2 acre garden.

Living in the area since 1977, I've found the "Mormons" are very easy to get along with, nope I'm not Mormon.