Cadid Answers on moving to rural Louisana (New Orleans, Shreveport: for sale, crime)

[veganwriter]

Okay ... I'm a truck driver and I got detoured to Lafeyette last month. I LOVED THE MUSIC ... and the FEEL of the place. It was dark so I didn't get a chance to really see how the place feels ... but just going on how good it felt to be around THE PEOPLE ... I have to look at a possible move there.

My father was from Lake Charles / Alexandra. And there were a lot of people from Louisana in the California Bay Area where I grew up. So ... it just felt like home ... with all that great zydeco music! (I always used to wonder WHY accordian music attracted me ... espically French accordian music. Guess it's marked on my genes somewhere.)

So ... where can a 54 year old single black man from the complex disaster that once was California find happiness in Louisana?

I'm looking for a place where I can buy a CHEAP small farm. (Anything from 5 -to-20 or more acres.)

Crime is everywhere ... so is racism ... but I'd like to be able to limit the ... pressures of each as much as possible.

I'd LOVE to live somewhere in the radius of 30 to 45 minutes of a city or university town.

Suggestions?

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by veganwriter

Okay ... I'm a truck driver and I got detoured to Lafeyette last month. I LOVED THE MUSIC ... and the FEEL of the place. It was dark so I didn't get a chance to really see how the place feels ... but just going on how good it felt to be around THE PEOPLE ... I have to look at a possible move there.

My father was from Lake Charles / Alexandra. And there were a lot of people from Louisana in the California Bay Area where I grew up. So ... it just felt like home ... with all that great zydeco music! (I always used to wonder WHY accordian music attracted me ... espically French accordian music. Guess it's marked on my genes somewhere.)

So ... where can a 54 year old single black man from the complex disaster that once was California find happiness in Louisana?

I'm looking for a place where I can buy a CHEAP small farm. (Anything from 5 -to-20 or more acres.)

Crime is everywhere ... so is racism ... but I'd like to be able to limit the ... pressures of each as much as possible.

I'd LOVE to live somewhere in the radius of 30 to 45 minutes of a city or university town.

Suggestions?

Some thoughts: (1) St Martin Parish (Breaux Bridge, Henderson), (2) Iberia Parish (New Iberia, Loreauville, Patterson), (3) southern St Landry Parish (Grand Coteau, Sunset, Arnaudville)

[WendyW.]

Honestly, the areas surrounding Lake Charles would be a nice place.

We're about 30 miles outside Lake Charles and there's lots of farm area for sale.

[brightstar78]

Have you tried Edgard in St. John parish? Edgard is about 35 minutes from New Orleans. It's even closer to Metairie and Kenner. Land is pretty cheap there too.

[Kurt]

I have land on north Toledo Bend Lake and Mansfield is the closest town of any size. It has a new Super Walmart and is growing--albeit slowly. It is within your desired radius of Shreveport--that has the university and great medical. Not as Cajun as Lafayette, of course, but it has a diverse culture--black, native american, old Mexican--often mixed together. If you check the ethnic breakdown of Mansfield you will find that it is around 50% black--maybe more. Great thing is the land is very cheap, well-drained, scenic, and fertile. And the hunting and fishing is world class.

Mansfield has an equestrian club that has mostly black riders. I don't mean to dwell on the ethnic thing, but want you to know this is not a closed society. Let me know if you care to check it out. I am looking for some good future neighbors.