Aroostook County questions (Presque Isle, Caribou, Fairfield: house, best school, live in)

[caitlinsmom]

We are considering moving to Aroostook county once we finish school. (Dh a teacher and me a librarian). We have never been to Maine but will make a trip before deciding. In the meantime we would like a little info. How are the schools? Is there a lot of parental involvment, community support etc? Are the communities close knit? Will we as outsiders have a hard time being accepted? We are more natural minded (although not enviromentalists) and practice a more sustainable way of life, will we be out casts (for lack of a better word)? We are independant and enjoy doing things ouselves but do ask for help when we need it, are people in general willing to help their neighbor? We are laid back and keep to ourselves but do like to interact in the community and with friends, are there opportunities to do this? Is the area relgiously tolerant? We like small town life (we currently live in 3500 pop.), peace and quiet, and beautiful scenery, which towns/areas would you recommend? We have always looked more at Houlton and the surrounding area but would love any place in the county. We have lived in areas in Utah and Idaho that do get a lot of snow (althought not 16 ft!), what is a normal winter like? (This varies so much on websites I've looked at). We have strong winds here for 9 mo of the year, what are winds like there?

Any other info you can supply would be great!

[caitlinsmom]

Can anyone help with my questions?

[Northern Maine Land Man]

ByDanD can help when he sees this. In the meantime, Towns in Northern Maine need people. They know it and welcome newcomers. You won't see a Welcome wagon pulling up out front with a big batch of freebies, but people are neighborly. The very best school is the Limestone School of Math and Science. Kids come from all over the state to attend. I think it's our only charter school. There are many families in Maine who practice a self sufficient lifestyle. Mainers tend to be independent. The word "sustainable" has been corrupted by the radical green movement which wants to depopulate Maine. Hey, it's in their own literature and on their web sites.

There are many community centered groups such as churches, snowmobile clubs, ATV clubs, sportsman's clubs, fraternal organizations etc. Teachers with a couple of years of experience are in demand. Teachers with 20 years experience have a hard time finding jobs because they cost a town more.

Unfortunately, in my experience librarians are part timers or volunteers.

The County is comprised by about 2/3 Roman Catholic and in second place are the Baptists. There are a few Methodists and Presbyterians and there is a strong Swedish Lutheran presence around Stockholm and New Sweden.

In Maine "The County" is capitalized. It is a special place. Everybody know what county you are referring to when you say The County.

- - -

Hey, ByDanD, Help me out here.

[kellysmith]

Caitlinsmom,
The County is filled with plenty of all that you describe. There are even some folks who live totally off the grid if that's independent enough. New comers are welcome. I have seen cases where someone moves to a community and tries to make it like the community they left, and that doesn't sit well with the natives. Houlton has excellent schools. Most schools have a librarian position, and usually one can get certified quite easily if you have a degree in library studies. As for independent life styles being accepted, there is either a Menonite or Amish community (couldn't tell you which) in Symrna of over 100 folks. They live an Amish type lifestyle and are highly respected in the area. There is another small group of Menonites in the Bridgewater area. From what I see, both groups love it in this area and are a valued part of the communities. There is A LDS temple in Island Falls (30 miles south of Houlton) that is quite active if I'm not mistaken. As for 16 ft of snow...it only comes a few inches at a time...and last year was the worst on record and it was a piece of cake.

[Bydand]

Most on here know that the town I really like in the County is Fort Fairfield. The school there is very caring toward the kids and the town is re-inventing itself to try and maintain itself as a place their kids want (and can) stay after school. Maine Math and Science school in Limestone is a fabulous school and that is only a little ways up route 1 from Fort Fairfield. As an "outsider" myself I found the people to be very friendly and I really enjoyed my 20 years up there. Caribou and Presque Isle while being small just don't have the "down home" feeling anymore that some of the smaller surrounding towns have. Good Luck in your search.

[caitlinsmom]

When looking at land online I notice a lot are classified as seasonal. Generally is this because there are no services provided to the land in winter (this is the case where we live) or is it because the land is zoned as seasonal use only? Can you usually put a year round residence on this land?

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by caitlinsmom

When looking at land online I notice a lot are classified as seasonal. Generally is this because there are no services provided to the land in winter (this is the case where we live) or is it because the land is zoned as seasonal use only? Can you usually put a year round residence on this land?

Usually it means that the house or cottage, cabin or whatever is not winterized. It will generally have little if any insulation,single pane windows, no central heating, and maybe even temporary plumbing like a pump in a lake or a shallow dug well. Seasonal access would mean they don't plow the roads in the winter.

[caitlinsmom]

Are there plenty of people/companies I could hire to clear snow?

[Coaster]

You won't have any problem finding someone to plow. Just be aware that they'll probably be plowing a LOT!

Just to add: Seasonal homes, as Maineah has explained, means that they usually aren't liveable in the winter. I don't know of any town in Maine, offhand, that actually zones land strictly for seasonal residences.

[caitlinsmom]

Back with more questions!
I see that oil heating is a pretty normal thing up there.....is it possible to use wood stoves as main heating source? If so how many cords of wood would you use for an average winter?
What is the gardening like up there? I am big on my veggie garden and like to can all sorts of things. Am I limited on what grows well? I keep reading that most everything can grow there but I never find how well it grows! What about fruit trees, what kinds can flourish?
We have been talking about relocating earlier than originally planned, what is the UM like in Presqe? Decent campus, professors, ect?

Thanks everyone- Kim