move to rural /country MO? - info if you can. (St. Louis: environment, realty)

[janej]

good morning.

I am exploring possibility of moving w/my small herd of milk goats to Missouri.
I milk my goats and raise piglets and take care of orphan colts and foals with the milk.

I am a native californian (northern) and have never left my home town area, and I am deeply disgusted with my once beautiful state. I have never lived in snow or bitter cold, but I am up for a challenge. I am used to the heat and the fog in winters - rode a school bus all my youth in the thickest fog around.

Is there a market for fuild goat milk in Missouri? I would like to become a grade A milk goat dairy if possible.

I guess I long for that small town life that I once lgrew up in, which is rapidly being swallowed up by development (for people from Bay Area to live and commute in).


I am going to be taking a short trip next week (Wed - Sat) to see my niece graduate from University of Arkansas Fayetteville Grad School. Leaving @ midnight on Wed & arrive about 8:00 am, plan to rest a bit and I drive around and see the country side. Gas prices do not scare me - I just paid $3.27 a gallon yesterday...California with all it's wonderfull environmental regulations causes our gas to always be much higher than the rest of the US. I admit that I am not a liberal californian.

I would appreciate any input or ideas, thoughts suggestions about Missouri from anyone.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Jane J.

[MoMark]

Jane, I too come from Northern California and remember the Tule fogs of winter with nostalgia actually. I grew up in Modesto and Merced, and the winter fogs were thicker than anywhere I've ever been, colder too! Anyone who thinks Central or Northern interior California is warm all year around has not gone through a fog shrouded winter there! It's COLD! Anyway, hopefully you were able to drive through the area on your recent trip to northwest Arkansas and take a look around. I don't know what the market is for goat milk here, but I'm sure that would be easy to find out with a google search. Also, you're going to need to know how much land you'll need and what kind of land it must be to provide the best grazing for your goats. The Ozarks of Missouri from east of West Plains north to Rolla and west to about Ava are very hilly and rough terrain with mostly thickly forested hills and gorges. As you go farther west and north, it smooths out topographically and you find open pastures and fields. Most of the dairy farmers live in the southwest corner of Missouri, almost directly north of the Fort Smith, Arkansas area, again, easy to google. I live in the Springfield area on 4.3 acres and I understand from my neighbors that the original owner of this property had goats on the back two acres which are very wooded, but she used them to keep the brush down. If you're planning on buying, I recommend a site called Bakerealty.com which has all kinds of properties with land, though most of them are located in south central Missouri. If you want land closer to a metro area, Springfield is about 160,000 with numerous small towns within a 20 mile radius and the site I used here was SpringfieldMoMLS.com which covers most of southwest Missouri. Winters aren't that bad here. I've only been here one winter, but it was fairly mild overall. December was arctic and I froze my patootie off. I begged my family to send me a Russian Fur Hat as my ears nearly fell off. But January was spring-like and flowers bloomed, then February came in with single digits and teens and snow and it was bitter cold again. Since March it's been mostly nice with some hot period and several bouts of violent weather, but overall very nice. I'm told that winters go in series of warm or cold here. Some winters are very snowy, some are full of icestorms (which is what everyone here dreads most), and some are mild with little snowfall at all. Right now we're in a warm series apparently with periods of arctic blowthroughs. Land and property is excessively affordable here by California standards. And you get a LOT for the money. Most people from California or the western high priced markets can buy here with cash with money left over after selling out there where you are. I did. I love it here, it's the most beautiful place I've ever lived and small towns abound. I imagine Anderson, Missouri is up your lane, or one of the town in the dairy region about 60 miles southwest of Springfield. Google for goat milk sales opportunities here and I wish you good luck! P.S. Unleaded was $2.59 here when I was in town yesterday. That was the cheapest I saw.

[MissouriLady]

Hello Jane, I love fresh goats milk. I have not lived in the southern part of Missouri although I know there is plenty of hilly, rocky soil if that is what you are looking for. From what you say I think perhaps you would be better off a little bit to the north. Try Ray, LaFayette, Johnson, or Cass Counties. I live in Cass Co. and there are many bovine dairy farms around. Also several farms that are raising breeding goats (I don't remember what breed they are). This is a very friendly area that is still a bit sparce on population and the price of the land has not become too expensive in most places. I buy goats milk in my neighborhood grocery store and would love to by fresh from the goat. I'd even be happy to help you.

If you want more info on any of these areas, contact me.

MissouriLady

[storey13]

Check out Ste. Genevieve county. It is very rural with lots of farms and it about 50 or so minutes south of St. Louis.

[ax2usn]

I, too, spent most of my life in California..but it was the crime-ridden, cursed southern portion of the state. I moved my entire family here several years ago and have not looked back once.

If you are considering a move to Missouri, might I suggest Gasconade, Callaway and Boone counties? All are in central Missouri and primarily rural. Gasconade County's seat is in Hermann and has about 2000 folks, except during Oktoberfest; Owensville is larger, still rural, and has most of the state-level service offices. Columbia is the county seat for Boone County and is home to several universities and many, many farms. Callaway County is north of the Missouri River and is even more rural than the other counties.

Land is not expensive, not by California standards. One can purchase a 5-bedroom house on an acre of land for $30,000, and often for much less depending on the location. Hermann and the surrounding areas will be more expensive than any of the others, partly because of Oktoberfest celebrations and the KATY trail.

I have yet to experience a bitter cold winter here. There is some snow, but nothing comparable to the northern or eastern United States. The summers are muggy with high temps in the 90's (except last week, which was 110). The schoolkids may get two or three snow days per winter, if that many. I've never had to shovel snow to get out of the driveway.

If I were in your situation, I'd look into Callaway and Gasconade counties first. They are beautiful mostly-rural areas, with wonderful folks.

[southernjewishgal]

I would definitly look into Gasconade county. Very rural, low cost of living, wonderful people.
Good luck!

[firebll31]

Many people keep goats around Carthage although they are usually of the meat variety. There is a very good goat vet here who happens to be a friend of mine. I would love to have a source for homemade goat cheese, have you tried making any? My vet friend has raised milk goats for years,and could probably give you a good idea of the market here and any information you might need.