Hilltowns -- Need help (Amherst, Northampton: hotel, house, to buy)

[brigid68]

Are the Hilltowns just too rural for a family that is looking to slow down a bit and enjoy life. We will try to buy a deli business in Northampton or Amherst and commute from West Chesterfield. We plan on building a small house on an apple orchard and becoming very involved in the community. We are interested in sustainable living and plan on growing our own food, would love to be completely off the grid, our kids need excellent schools but not pressure cookers, they need to enjoy learning and not worry about what happens if they fail. I do notice there are many homeschoolers in Mass., curious why? I am not opposed to homeschooling, have tried it but found that the people here in Maryland were a bit too religious for us and that is where all conversations led to. I would homeschool because I feel the "No Child Left Behind" concept missed the mark and these kids are forced to learn too much to quickly most of which they just don't get. These are the folks I want my kids around. Will my kids, 8,5,3, be too far from other kids? Are there sports teams, specifically Lacrosse, that we can join? Always willing to drive where I need to go. It seems very artistic, for my daughter and myself. My husband is quite happy sitting on the porch. Are the lakes in Goshen public? Where do you swim in the summer? Does everyone stay indoors come winter? How long does winter last? Originally from NY, been in Maryland for 10 years and winter is maybe 2 months (it never gets real cold down here for more than a week). Not much by way of snow either, really there are no seasons down here. You go from winter to summer to a month of fall...My kids would love to have some snow that lasted longer than a few days...

Any help, guidance, thoughts...please don't want to make a huge mistake...

Brigid

[teachertype]

You must either be very wealthy or totally out of touch with reality. How would anyone but you know whether it's to rural for you? Maybe a visit in person is in order.

I suppose you could commute from W.Chesterfield to Northampton for a year before the distance really got to you but not likely Amherst. Commercial rents are very high in Amh and Noho and they're already saturated w/deli's and other food vendors. It can be done, but there's competition.

If you home school your kids in MA they will be allowed to participate in sports, clubs, field trips and other after school activities. Why don't you call the W. Chesterfield schools up and ask them directly what is the deal w/home schoolers?

Goshen has a MA state park; I believe there's still a lake/public beach there. Winter effectively is from November to the beginning of April, depending, same as NY where you're from. I stay indoors, some people enjoy skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, ice hockey, shoveling snow, towing the car out of a ditch, etc.

You might want to visit the area on your vacation, stay in a hotel, site visit the schools, check out the local deli businesses.