A Prepper's Fantasies of Montana (Billings, Missoula: fit in, buy, organic)

[PrepHappy]

So, yes, I am preparedness-oriented. And like some of my brethren, I have off-the-grid-Montana fantasies.

I currently live in a small town in Oregon but and have lived all over the country, including Hawaii. I am a blogger and a programmer, so I would be bringing my job with me. My husband is also a programmer so we can live where we want. I am also a native of OR.

We're going to MT next week to scout around. I'm hoping you guys could help me pinpoint a few areas to check out? I'll tell you more of what I'm looking to do and how we live....

What we like:
Hiking and nature,
Shooting guns,
Canning/Preserving and Gardening,
Peace and quiet,
Volunteering and helping out (especially animals),
Low population density

What we do not like:
Totalitarian-minded county voters that are eager to vote for tax increases on themselves under the guise of providing additional "services",
High population densities,
People who tell us what to do and when to do it (as you could guess)


Climate-wise, of course we'd want the mildest of all possibilities - as do most folks I see post here. I have little need for shopping or grocery stores but would like to be near farmers. I currently trade and buy things like goat's milk, meat, and various veggies direct from farmers and would like to continue to do so.

Thank you for your wisdom, I am appreciative of the time and energy you guys put into helping out a stranger like myself. And I'm sorry if I've offended anyone with my frank language, I'm just being totally honest so I can find the right place to land.

[blendin]

Missoulia is proabably the most liberal town and would most likely have a good amount of opportunities for volunteering and trading for organic farm goods. Nth around Whitefish is also nice land is probably cheaper then the Missoulia area, but winters can get much more poor weather.

Many of the towns in Montana have a logging and ranching economic base so you get a lot of Tea Party kool aid drinkers and Fox news parrots which it sounds like you might not enjoy.

You have to be careful about getting to far up in the hills or you will still have 14ft snow drifts in June, for real.

[MTSilvertip]

Originally Posted by PrepHappy

So, yes, I am preparedness-oriented. And like some of my brethren, I have off-the-grid-Montana fantasies.

I currently live in a small town in Oregon but and have lived all over the country, including Hawaii. I am a blogger and a programmer, so I would be bringing my job with me. My husband is also a programmer so we can live where we want. I am also a native of OR.

We're going to MT next week to scout around. I'm hoping you guys could help me pinpoint a few areas to check out? I'll tell you more of what I'm looking to do and how we live....

What we like:
Hiking and nature,
Shooting guns,
Canning/Preserving and Gardening,
Peace and quiet,
Volunteering and helping out (especially animals),
Low population density

What we do not like:
Totalitarian-minded county voters that are eager to vote for tax increases on themselves under the guise of providing additional "services",
High population densities,
People who tell us what to do and when to do it (as you could guess)


Climate-wise, of course we'd want the mildest of all possibilities - as do most folks I see post here. I have little need for shopping or grocery stores but would like to be near farmers. I currently trade and buy things like goat's milk, meat, and various veggies direct from farmers and would like to continue to do so.

Thank you for your wisdom, I am appreciative of the time and energy you guys put into helping out a stranger like myself. And I'm sorry if I've offended anyone with my frank language, I'm just being totally honest so I can find the right place to land.

Welcome to the Montana Forum.

The first part of your post can be found almost anywhere in the state, lots of small towns with good community spirit.
As long as you bring your job with you, you could live just about anywhere in the state.
Weather varies widely, mildest meaning fewest really cold snaps, longest growing season would probably be in the southcentral/southeast part of the state centered on Billings.
Or you could look in the far north west in places like Plains, Trout Creek, Paradise Thompson Falls up to Noxon and Troy. Very nice people, great area, no jobs period.

Other areas like Lewistown are great, but do get snow and cold. Another possibility is the Helena area, but it is a lot drier, less percipitation than some other places, so less snow, but more prone to fire in the summer.

As to the second part of your question, quote:

What we do not like:
Totalitarian-minded county voters that are eager to vote for tax increases on themselves under the guise of providing additional "services",
High population densities,
People who tell us what to do and when to do it (as you could guess)

End quote.

Stay away from Missoula or Bozeman. The Missoula and Gallatin Counties are overrun with exactly that mindset.
Bozeman used to be a great place, and outside city limits there are areas of the Gallatin that are super, but it is changing for the worse.

Most of the state away from the Reservations are pretty libertarian/conservative so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding a place you will fit in nicely.

Good Luck!

[pnwmdk]

Originally Posted by PrepHappy

What we do not like:
Totalitarian-minded county voters that are eager to vote for tax increases on themselves under the guise of providing additional "services",
High population densities,
People who tell us what to do and when to do it (as you could guess)

Having been a resident of Oregon for more than 3 decades out of my life (though I've lived in more than a half dozen other states as well), you gotta know that there's a number of counties where the voters almost cry over the chance to get to raise taxes...