Inexpensive rural living possible?Where? (Lexington, Louisville: budget, job, health)

[happyhorseranch]

We are wanting to relocate. Where is the weather nicest? How are the snakes/ticks/chiggers?
Thanks,
arby

[tomocox]

If you are looking to live in the sticks, there will be lots of snakes, ticks, & chiggers all throughout Kentucky, but if you are looking to live a suburban style in a rural area, there won't be many varmits to bother you. Is a job important? Schools, transportation whether it be a highway or airport. How important are medicial and emergency services?

[Toria]

I live in a pretty rural area, though close to Lexington....have never seen a snake here at all (husband saw one, about a year ago...some harmless little thang . )
Occasionally a tick on the dogs, but treating for those greatly reduces the occurence...have never seen any on the horses. N
No chiggers....I don't even have mosquitos here....as far as weather, well that's all relative. What are you looking for?

[happyhorseranch]

Thanks for the reply. Have to admit to being a woosie So. Cal.-ian. Humidity is a bit scary to me. I want to be able to be outside working in the Summer and Winter without being suicidally miserable. No school age children so schools don't matter. Would like easy access to town with medical for emergencies but 30-45 min would be fine. Want 20+++ ac. for horse, sheep, goats, chickens, large garden, pasture, hay field... Am I dreamin'???
Thanks,
arby

[tomocox]

No, you are not dreaming at all. Depending on your budget, there are many opportunities such as you describe throughout all of Kentucky. The further away from the Golden Triangle (Louisville,Lexington,Covington) you are, generally the lower the prices, but there are pockets in both areas that will be the exception.

[rlw366]

All depends on your budget - I recently purchase approx. 40 arces through a realtor for less than $70,000. in rural N. KY about 1 hour from Cincinnati and 30 minutes from Maysville with a large barn and beautiful house site. I paid the local going price per arce compared to other places I looked at. What's the price per arce in So. Cal?

[KYcoyote]

Yep, explore South Central regions says me. Farm Bureau offices can guide you. Western KU at Bowling Green has huge agricultural school. Just a few years ago an independent chicken processing plant opened up nearby there, first of its kind. Before that everybody was shipping their chickens outa state.

And about this time of year there's huge Farm equipment auction held in Bowling Green. If it was me, I'd navigate around having something like WKU aggie school nearby within 120 miles or so. Think East to Metcalfe and North to Hart County. Farm Bureau will help git you started with contacts and connections, financing too. FDA rates Kentucky farm products above all others. High mineral content in feed grasses has alot to do with it. Native Americans treated K'tucky as best hunting grounds with tribes migrating through here for hundreds of years.

But why so squeemish about snakes? Haint no moccassins this far North and timber rattlers hardly any even in Appalachia Mtns. Used to live in Edmonton and saw harmless snakes every day. Camped and slept under the stars on hunting and fishing trips without getting eaten by insects. Millions of critters including possums, fox, turkey and all kinds of crazy spiders too. But if ye know what yer doing, they wont bother you.

Climate here is extremely variable with seasonal changes and healthy occasional rain but always seems worst storms pass us by. Look at what happened to rest of midweast this year. Hilly terrain and position of jet stream has alot to do with it. True we suffered long hot Summer same as rest of USA but everywhere else got it worst.

...dunno what else to tell ye

[rutha1105]

I find this thread most interesting--can anyone tell me where there is to ride your horse beyond your own property? I live in a place where you need 300 acres or you must ride the roads, and they are far too dangerous. I like the SW, but fear water issues for the future. We only have 4 legged children and between us we have lived in AZ, VA, MI, NV and NJ, liking the desert climate much, and the MI climate not-so-much.

We do need work, but not terribly fussy.

And the varmits are not an issue.

[Toria]

Within Lexington, Masterson Station Park on the northwest side is very big and is great for hacking out (and has an indoor open to public), but for extensive trail systems you'll have to go a little further:

Shaker Village in Harrodsburg has 35 miles of beautiful trails, it's about 45 minutes from Lexington. In Nicholas County (Carlisle, about 45-50 minutes from Lexington) is a 5000 acre wildlife management area with an extensive trail system. Go an hour or so east of Lex. and you'll get the outdoor wonderland known as Daniel Boone National Forest and Cave Run Lake, which has a very extensive trail system and several horse camps. Mammoth Cave is a couple hours away (south), but has some of the best and toughest trail systems in the state. There's also Green River Lake in Campbellsville - probably 2 hours from Lexington....Taylorsville Lake State Park is about an hour from Lexington, both have lots of trails and also have horse camps. Most of these are listed on the Horse and Mule Trail website at Horse & Mule Trail Guide USA: Trails, Campgrounds, Overnight in USA

[rutha1105]

Thanks, you have given me much to check out. Perhaps I will haul down and try some of the trails you have mentioned.