California family considering moving to rural Kentucky (Lexington, Louisville: fit in, for sale)

[Anak]

First off, so you don't immediately jump to expectations of culture shock, I grew up in fairly rural San Diego. We didn't get electricity until I was four years old, and that took my father having connections to someone in the corporate office of San Diego Gas & Electric in order to get poles and wire run several miles to feed one house. Also took about $20K of my folks' early 1970s cash. We had no neighbors. Raised cattle.

I now have a family. Three young sons. Oldest just turned five. Youngest is six months. My wife was raised in the suburbs but has a pretty good idea of how I grew up and understands the value of that as it applies to raising boys. She is not gung-ho about moving away from civilization, but she is willing to go for it.

We are watching the direction of our current state of residence and it is pretty clear that the values are going as far away from ours as possible. We are conservative christians. Bitter clingers if you will. There is another thread on this forum in which someone from Chicago has some complaints about KY. Most of their complaints fall in the positive column for us. I think that we would fit in ideologically.

Who we are:

I am a self-employed licensed general contractor. Or is that self-unemployed? My bride worked as a corporate financial analyst until we made her a stay-at-home mom. I am not under any illusions about improving our income by moving to Kentucky. Construction is in the tank everywhere. I am currently working as a handyman. We are living on about $25K/yr. We are able to do this with a serious focus on priorities. We don't need an entertainment lifestyle. Don't need the latest greatest widget. We grow some of our food (one reason for moving to KY is that it looks like we should be able to afford room to grow more of our own food). I am able to take care of all our home and vehicle maintenance. We only spend money on the basics.

If we cash out of CA (i.e. sell our home) we will probably have something between $250-300K. It appears that can buy a decent sized farm in KY outright. An alternative might be to not sell, but rather rent our house in CA, but I am not sure that anyone would lend to us at this point. We have excellent credit, but the income side of the equation should be questioned. Odds are we will have to sell in order to move. Buying something outright in the $200-250K range would probably be most prudent so as to have a bit in the bank to handle surprise expenses and to give a bit of time to try to find work.

We would like to keep commutes within the 30 minute range for most things. If it takes a bit more than an hour to get to a larger town/city once every few weeks that is fine.

With regard to education for the kids, we are homeschooling K-6 for sure. Junior high is up for debate. Ideally we would like to send the kids to a public high school. Kentucky gets good grades on homeschooling. That is one of the reasons we are looking to move to KY.

I would like to be in an area where the kids can learn to hunt and shoot outside their own back door, and if anyone hears it they won't think twice about the gunfire.

We would like to find a church in which to be involved. Baptist? Mennonite? Something where the Bible is preached and lived.

One thing which we are interested in, and which I suspect will be difficult to find, is reasonable access to a martial arts studio. My three year old is one aggressive varmint and I want him to learn that there is a discipline to fighting and that it is NOT primarily a form of recreation. I think a martial art will provide him with the appropriate outlet for his aggression and teach him proper use of it. For the sake of the rest of the world this is a factor for us to consider. I think if we find ourselves within 30 minutes of a martial arts studio we will be within range of any other services we would be likely to need.

We would like to live somewhere with at least DSL internet service, but that is not an absolute must. It would also be nice if it were a place where UPS/FedEx would deliver (where I grew up they wouldn't).

I am looking for a place with an absolute minimum of five acres and ideally more than fifty acres. I definitely want there to be water on the property. Be it a spring or a stream, I want year around water which I can access without electricity. I want enough cleared space to have a large enough vegetable garden to be able to feed hungry boys, plus space for cattle and some feed for them. I also want trees. I want them as cover for game and I want them for raw material as a woodworker (one more reason why KY looks good to me--If I move there I intend to purchase a portable bandsaw mill). I would like to have more species of tree than just poplar. The more walnut the better. Cherry and hickory are good too.

Lastly: Pie. Blackberry to be precise. With vanilla ice cream on top. But I'll take a big slice of hummingbird cake on the side with it too if it's available.

First question: How much of a negative stigma do we bring with us by being from California? I know that in some places Californians are not exactly welcome. We seem to get branded as Kalifornicators. I can't say the stereotype has not been earned, but we aren't all hybrid driving, tree hugging metrosexuals with purse dogs. Will rural Kentuckians welcome us, or will we be looking at decades, if not generations of "outsider" status?

Second question: Does anyone have pictures of the "mountains" around Berea? I have heard mention of them in the picture thread, but I didn't register seeing any of them. It may be a function of my personal standard for mountains. Some of the eastern KY pictures had some nice little mountains. I would be happiest living in relative proximity to such geography, but my bride is not so keen on eastern KY. I may have to forgo my mountains, but if I can have them and keep my wife happy then we all win.

Third question: How much work could a person expect to find working as a handyman? In other words, how self-sufficient is the average kentuckian?

Fourth question: How much work could a person expect to find offering services as a sawyer? How common are lumbermills?

Fifth question: Particularly for those who have also lived in warmer climates--just how cold am I likely to find Kentucky? I have one friend who swears he was colder in Tennessee than he was in Kodiak Alaska. He blames it on the humidity. Is it really that cold? For those who may know, how deep is the frostline in your particular area?

Apologies for the long query. I hope I have provided adequate context for my questions.

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by Anak

We would like to live somewhere with at least DSL internet service, but that is not an absolute must. It would also be nice if it were a place where UPS/FedEx would deliver (where I grew up they wouldn't).

I do believe DSL is availabe in most areas of the state. I know that even in very rural areas around here DSL is available. Is it not in California?

Also, I thought UPS/FedEx delivered everywhere?

It is not that rural in Kentucky. This isn't Alaska.

[Hey_Hey]

I don't know if DSL will be everywhere, but most places have cable internet. DSL is distance dependent and doesn't make sense in remote areas.

There are dozens and dozens of places to live that are entirely rural but still within a 30-45 minute drive of Lexington, Cincinnati, or Louisville. There are countless others that are within a similar drive to smaller cities like Owensboro, Paducah, Bowling Green, and Elizabethtown.

No one will care that you moved from CA. Most people you encounter won't even know where you are from unless you tell them. I think you'll be more welcomed in KY with your values than you could ever dream of being in CA.

[Anak]

I do hope you are correct about acceptance based on values. That is what I would hope to encounter. On the other hand, I do know that prejudices are real and unavoidable. I am trying to do my due diligence regarding the extent of prejudice I can anticipate. California in general has earned its share of disdain. It is a problem I can't change (and believe me, I have voted and canvassed my neighborhood) and I don't want to be a part of it going forward.

I am sure that folks will end up knowing where I am from. It is an interesting paradox, but it seems that those in rural areas know their neighbors (and that would be just about anyone within five miles) better than those in the cities know their neighbors three doors down. At least that has been my experience here in California.

With regard to UPS/FedEx deliveries, my folks' place involved four miles of dirt roads. Three and a half miles of it was county road and one and one half miles of it was privately owned. No one would deliver there. The mail was delivered where the pavement ended. Same for the newspaper. If a package was coming in the mail we would receive a slip to go pick it up at the post office. For those who live in rural KY, do the packages get delivered to your door?

[InLondon]

Originally Posted by Anak

With regard to UPS/FedEx deliveries, my folks' place involved four miles of dirt roads. Three and a half miles of it was county road and one and one half miles of it was privately owned. No one would deliver there. The mail was delivered where the pavement ended. Same for the newspaper. If a package was coming in the mail we would receive a slip to go pick it up at the post office. For those who live in rural KY, do the packages get delivered to your door?

It's not like that in KY. Your packages will be delivered to your door. Also, not many dirt roads exist. Kentucky has excellent roads compared to a lot of other states.

[Sundance]

First question: How much of a negative stigma do we bring with us by being from California? I know that in some places Californians are not exactly welcome. We seem to get branded as Kalifornicators. I can't say the stereotype has not been earned, but we aren't all hybrid driving, tree hugging metrosexuals with purse dogs. Will rural Kentuckians welcome us, or will we be looking at decades, if not generations of "outsider" status?

I live in rural western KY. I seriously doubt there would be any stigma whatsoever.

Second question: Does anyone have pictures of the "mountains" around Berea? I have heard mention of them in the picture thread, but I didn't register seeing any of them. It may be a function of my personal standard for mountains. Some of the eastern KY pictures had some nice little mountains. I would be happiest living in relative proximity to such geography, but my bride is not so keen on eastern KY. I may have to forgo my mountains, but if I can have them and keep my wife happy then we all win.

I don't live near there....

Third question: How much work could a person expect to find working as a handyman? In other words, how self-sufficient is the average kentuckian?

You could find work around here doing that, due to the little ole lady who lives alone factor. If you are honest and do good work, you would be able to work as a handyman.

Fourth question: How much work could a person expect to find offering services as a sawyer? How common are lumbermills?

There's a lumbermill right up the road from me, but I don't know how common they are, statistically speaking....

Fifth question: Particularly for those who have also lived in warmer climates--just how cold am I likely to find Kentucky? I have one friend who swears he was colder in Tennessee than he was in Kodiak Alaska. He blames it on the humidity. Is it really that cold? For those who may know, how deep is the frostline in your particular area?

We're in zone 6. It gets cold in the winter, but not bone-chilling cold.

Probably the best thing you could do, if you could afford it, is to come here and check out KY yourself, before you move.

Judging from your post, I'm sure you would like it. JMO

[SFLWR]

Elizabethtown is a great place to live. Their are plenty of rural areas around it all within 10-30 minutes to everything you would need. I just looked in our phone book and their are 6 Martial Arts places listed. Very friendly people here and you would be welcomed . Mostly a conservative area too. I homeschool my kids too but their are "some" christian schools here that you might consider later. One real good conservative one that has lots of sports and uses ABEKA goes from K3-12 and is credited. Oh and lots of nice churches to choose from....not sure about Mennonite but lots of Amish around, it's nothing to see a horse and buggy parked in the lot. Can't really help ya with the rest of your Q's but I think you would love it here. Sorry, no mountains. But for a good vacation to them, we're not that far ! I have a 4 bed/3 and half bath w/16 acres for sale..DM if you like.

[LasVegans]

Ish... Why would you want to move there? Well... You are a "conseritive christian", you don't belong in California. You foxNews lover

[LasVegans]

Originally Posted by LasVegans

Ish... Why would you want to move there? Well... You are a "conseritive christian", you don't belong in California. You foxNews lover

I quoted

[Retiring in rural KY]

My husband and I have recently made four trips to rural KY looking for acreage to build a home on. I remember a parcel we saw on a trip that meets your requirements almost exactly.

I am NOT a realtor.

It has some woods but not a huge amount, but the spring on it runs year round and flows like a small stream right out of the ground, the only one I saw on about 50 parcels we looked at. It's amazing; must be two gallons a minute. At one time it ran into a square concrete container about three feet high. Now it seems the spring changed course and it runs a few feet past the container.

The land rises up not too swiftly toward the back and the views are very lovely. Lots of deer and turkey. It's in Big Clifty KY, not very far from Elizabethtown. Thick green grass. Very farmable and looks great for livestock. Not fenced, creek on one side, 39.7 acres.

Here's the MLS number, look at the property on an MLS search site like Realtor.com (hope that's okay to say here):
MLS #9999968


We purchased a 20-acre parcel 8 miles from Danville....signed a contract last week. I love the state of Kentucky (am from Atlanta). It's a place where one feels like an American again.

Regards.