[songtown]

Hi Everyone!

We are from Memphis and finally had it after our car was broken into for the second time and someone was murdered in our apartment building. We are in Northwest Arkansas, and while the area is nice, it is also BOOMING and so many people from other states are moving here that we feel it no longer has the 'Southern' feel to it. Don't get me wrong - there are some absolutely precious sweet people here we are friends with, but overall the area is feeling more Midwest or California to us than Southern, if that makes sense. Along with wanting to feel more 'in the South' with its southern hospitality, we can't stand the cold here. It snows at least twice as much as what we're used to, and we went from a 7b (maybe even 8a) growing zone down to a 6b when we moved here (at least a 10 degree colder difference than what we're used to).

We are looking at possibly moving to Oklahoma, an Arkansas valley city or Texas. We're trying to look at all variables but we are very concerned about crime. I'll be honest that I'm somewhat worried about scorpions, rattlesnakes and tornadoes in Oklahoma, but maybe I shouldn't be?

We want to start a small farm (around 20 acres) mainly as a homestead (we work from home so need good internet). We have had family members try to have gardens in the mountains and hills and they really had a rough time with it - from the soil and having to do container gardening to the wild animals in the woods trying to murder their ducks, chickens, sheep etc. We're thinking flatter land would be much easier for us than trying to build our homestead in the mountains.

We are looking for:
- lowest crime possible
- great soil for growing vegetables and a few fruit and nut trees
- great area for keeping chickens, ducks, sheep and goats
- good internet so we can work from home
- good area for kids (we have a huge family that may join us)
- farmers markets where we can make friends with other like minded people
- at least a 7b growing zone (we can't take the cold lol)
- Southern hospitality and food
- great Mexican food
- conservative to libertarian area
- not too far out from basic shopping like grocery stores, farm stores, Home Depot, restaurants etc.

Where would you suggest? Should we consider somewhere possibly in the southern part of Oklahoma area or somewhere else? We realize that Northwest AR is considered the safest metro in Arkansas by many rankings, so we are afraid to move somewhere with more crime since we don't want to live like we did before! We would love to hear your suggestions!

[eddie gein]

Just based on the growing zones it likes like a good 4/5ths to 7/8ths of Oklahoma would work. Soil is hit and miss. Any non urban/suburban areas are fine for livestock except for in town. Internet is hit and miss. Where I live they are updating the fiber optic as we speak. "Good area for kids"... some towns are better than others. Southern hospitality and food is everywhere. Great Mexican food is everywhere if you don't mind 90% of it being Tex Mex style. Conservative to libertarian areas... every where. Obviously, the more rural the more libertarian it gets.

Most reasonably sized towns are going to have everything but the Home Depot and a plethora of restaurants.

There would be so many options that it would be hard to pin down... But being in NW Arkansas, moving over to Tahlequah or Poteau areas would be pretty easy and bring you most of that stuff as long as you wouldn't mind going back over to NW Ark or Tulsa for shopping (Tahlequah) or Ft. Smith from Poteau. The Illinois and Poteau River valleys would probably provide you with your soil and your trees and a place to raise livestock. Each place would have more winter than Memphis but less than NW Arkansas.

[swake]

If NW Arkansas isn't southern enough for you, Oklahoma certainly isn't. Oklahoma only has two metros, Tulsa, which is more midwestern (similar to Kansas City), and OKC, which is more southwestern (similar to a smaller Dallas).

Both cities have winter, more than what you see in Arkansas. Winter isn't harsh, but there will be a couple of good snow falls a year and some sort of ice event. About 10 inches of snow total. That said, most days in winter are sunny and have highs in the 50s or even 60s with lows in the low 30s or high 20s.

The outer areas of both cities where you can find land will be very conservative.

There is southern food here, and good Mexican/TexMex food is everywhere. It seems like every other restaurant.

20 acres anywhere close in to either city is going to be very expensive. So unless you have millions for your farm, I would expect to drive. Internet will vary by where you are. Both cities and most suburban
areas have gigabit internet with Cox and some areas also have AT&T fiber.

Outside of the real inner cities both cities are quite safe. Tulsa has more crime, but Tulsa also has more delineated good areas vs bad areas. The outer areas unless you are near some poor rural town will have very little crime.

Tulsa is the prettier city and is forested with hills. Tulsa also is a vegetable farming region. The Oklahoma City area sees more grazing. Tulsa is also a couple of degrees on average cooler and gets about 20% more rain. Oklahoma City has that iconic red dirt with iron in it. I'm not sure if that impacts farming, you may want to check. Tulsa doesn't have red dirt.

Oklahoma City can be very windy. Tulsa is less so most of the year, but can be windy when the leaves are off the trees in winter.

Spring/Summer farmers markets are common in both cities. Tulsa has a suburb called Bixby in the Arkansas river valley where vegetable farming is common and there are year round farmers markets. Bixby also is becoming a very expensive suburb, so land is expensive and those farms are disappearing.

[Threestep2]

First comes your budget. 20 acres is not a small plot. You either go rural or city. There is not much in the middle. Restaurants and shopping are generally in the cities.

I can only tell you about the west side of OKC. It is not vegetable and fruit tree country. Too windy, clay soil, flood or drought within two days. Farmers markets I have yet to find. We have a bumper crop of tomatoes and cucumbers this year but the water bill to match it.


Internet - there is always Starnet.

OT - wild animals do not murder chickens, ... . Humans put them on the easy access menu.

Swake - 20 acres with access to Tulsa?

[Johnhw222]

If you want less cold weather and are considering texas too look at southern towns near texas border. Good luck

[songtown]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

Just based on the growing zones it likes like a good 4/5ths to 7/8ths of Oklahoma would work. Soil is hit and miss. Any non urban/suburban areas are fine for livestock except for in town. Internet is hit and miss. Where I live they are updating the fiber optic as we speak. "Good area for kids"... some towns are better than others. Southern hospitality and food is everywhere. Great Mexican food is everywhere if you don't mind 90% of it being Tex Mex style. Conservative to libertarian areas... every where. Obviously, the more rural the more libertarian it gets.

Most reasonably sized towns are going to have everything but the Home Depot and a plethora of restaurants.

There would be so many options that it would be hard to pin down... But being in NW Arkansas, moving over to Tahlequah or Poteau areas would be pretty easy and bring you most of that stuff as long as you wouldn't mind going back over to NW Ark or Tulsa for shopping (Tahlequah) or Ft. Smith from Poteau. The Illinois and Poteau River valleys would probably provide you with your soil and your trees and a place to raise livestock. Each place would have more winter than Memphis but less than NW Arkansas.

Hi eddie gein!

I appreciate the info, thank you! We love Tex-Mex I'll check out those areas you mentioned!

[songtown]

Originally Posted by swake

If NW Arkansas isn't southern enough for you, Oklahoma certainly isn't. Oklahoma only has two metros, Tulsa, which is more midwestern (similar to Kansas City), and OKC, which is more southwestern (similar to a smaller Dallas).

Both cities have winter, more than what you see in Arkansas. Winter isn't harsh, but there will be a couple of good snow falls a year and some sort of ice event. About 10 inches of snow total. That said, most days in winter are sunny and have highs in the 50s or even 60s with lows in the low 30s or high 20s.

The outer areas of both cities where you can find land will be very conservative.

There is southern food here, and good Mexican/TexMex food is everywhere. It seems like every other restaurant.

20 acres anywhere close in to either city is going to be very expensive. So unless you have millions for your farm, I would expect to drive. Internet will vary by where you are. Both cities and most suburban
areas have gigabit internet with Cox and some areas also have AT&T fiber.

Outside of the real inner cities both cities are quite safe. Tulsa has more crime, but Tulsa also has more delineated good areas vs bad areas. The outer areas unless you are near some poor rural town will have very little crime.

Tulsa is the prettier city and is forested with hills. Tulsa also is a vegetable farming region. The Oklahoma City area sees more grazing. Tulsa is also a couple of degrees on average cooler and gets about 20% more rain. Oklahoma City has that iconic red dirt with iron in it. I'm not sure if that impacts farming, you may want to check. Tulsa doesn't have red dirt.

Oklahoma City can be very windy. Tulsa is less so most of the year, but can be windy when the leaves are off the trees in winter.

Spring/Summer farmers markets are common in both cities. Tulsa has a suburb called Bixby in the Arkansas river valley where vegetable farming is common and there are year round farmers markets. Bixby also is becoming a very expensive suburb, so land is expensive and those farms are disappearing.

Hi swake!

I appreciate the info. very much and will research more about these areas. This gives me a lot to consider, thank you!

[songtown]

Originally Posted by Threestep2

First comes your budget. 20 acres is not a small plot. You either go rural or city. There is not much in the middle. Restaurants and shopping are generally in the cities.

I can only tell you about the west side of OKC. It is not vegetable and fruit tree country. Too windy, clay soil, flood or drought within two days. Farmers markets I have yet to find. We have a bumper crop of tomatoes and cucumbers this year but the water bill to match it.


Internet - there is always Starnet.

OT - wild animals do not murder chickens, ... . Humans put them on the easy access menu.

Swake - 20 acres with access to Tulsa?

Hi Threestep!

I will reconsider whether to cross off the western OK areas, this helps a lot! Thanks!

[songtown]

Originally Posted by Johnhw222

If you want less cold weather and are considering texas too look at southern towns near texas border. Good luck

Hi Johnhw222!

I will do that, thank you very much!

[ejisme]

It's been several years since we lived in the area, but I thought Ada, OK could be a good fit for your needs. It's hit and miss on the red soil in the area, as you start to get some normal brown dirt as you get closer to the Arbuckle 'Mountains'. Just a quick real estate look came up with this property, and a few others, in the area. Not quite 20 acres, but looks nice and with some work could do some extensive farming, with lots of room for your family.

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...=srp-list-card