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Old 04-20-2015, 10:27 PM
 
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A lesbian couple and their toddler son, along with another adult gay male want to relocate from California to a more scenic area. I want my son to appreciate our natural resources and learn to live off of the land.Judging from previous trips we have decided oregon seems like the place, however we want to find a place that will be accepting of us. It's important that we live in a blended community culturally because we are a blended family. We are interested in living near water or trees, possibly on a few acres but near a town and society. Does this place exist? Even if it's outside of Oregon. Thanks
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Old 04-20-2015, 11:06 PM
 
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Anywhere west of the Cascades, and the Bend/Redmond area in the central Oregon region.
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Old 04-21-2015, 12:59 PM
 
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All over Oregon!

Note the larger cities have more "gay things" - parades, bars, shops, support groups and organizations, etc.
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Old 04-21-2015, 02:58 PM
 
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Steve tends to have strong feelings on the matter and wants that opposition to come out in his response, but in terms of substance he's pretty on the mark - attitudes in OR on the issue of sexuality aren't all that different than CA, with a few pockets of resistance but in general pretty broad acceptance. CA/OR will be more alike than different - OR has pockets of conservatism and fundamentalism like any state, but it's not the Bible Belt.

I wouldn't cross it off your list of concerns, but I'd put it well behind things like what sort of job opportunities you're seeking (if any), definitely what your budget is, and what you're looking for in local amenities.

Getting a few acres, esp. if on a budget, is going to be your primary challenge, esp. if you're also reliant on finding work. It can be done, but it's typically not cheap or easy.
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Old 04-21-2015, 05:19 PM
 
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Mostly people in Oregon are pretty accepting of most lifestyle choices although Eastern Oregon would be somewhat less so. I would second the above comment that your main challenge would be finding a few acres you can afford close enough to your work. Oregon isn't as expensive as California, but acreage properties within commuting distance of cities, especially Portland, are very expensive and few in number.
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Old 04-21-2015, 09:12 PM
 
Location: Myrtle Creek, Oregon
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If you really intend to "live off the land," be sure your land comes with water rights. All you can legally irrigate without water rights is 1/4 acre, which is a large garden but nowhere near enough to live off of. Orchards in Western Oregon can be productive without irrigation once they are established. Pastures will not provide livestock fodder in the summer without irrigation. You will have to buy a pump and irrigation pipe if the property does not come with it.

Your learning curve will be much more of factor in the success or failure of the move than your sexual preferences or skin color. I have friends who were part of the "back to the land" movement of the early 1970s. Most of the people back then lasted at the most six months before fleeing back to the city. They were very idealistic, nice people who had no idea what they were doing or how hard it would be. The ones who stuck it out ended up with lovely homes and great lifestyles, but they were the exception. The only ones who "live off the land" are the ones who actually farm.
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Old 04-23-2015, 11:02 AM
 
Location: The beautiful Rogue Valley, Oregon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mssanchez87 View Post
A lesbian couple and their toddler son, along with another adult gay male want to relocate from California to a more scenic area. I want my son to appreciate our natural resources and learn to live off of the land.Judging from previous trips we have decided oregon seems like the place, however we want to find a place that will be accepting of us. It's important that we live in a blended community culturally because we are a blended family. We are interested in living near water or trees, possibly on a few acres but near a town and society. Does this place exist? Even if it's outside of Oregon. Thanks
Pretty much all of western Oregon (defined as the part of the state to the west of the Cascade Mountains) fits the "water and trees" part. As far acceptance, generally you want to stick to the larger cities - Portland, Salem, Eugene, Medford/Ashland. Smaller towns outside the urban areas are not that bad, but you will find some pockets where you aren't likely comfortable.

What generally happens, when someone talks about relocating from California, is that they are from one of the VERY large urban areas and used to a set and breadth of amenities that you won't really find in Oregon outside of the Portland metro area. You need to decide what it is you want, specifically, in a place to narrow it down. Jobs, for instance - outside the Portland metro area, the unemployment rate in a lot of Oregon is still relatively high. Finding a job can be difficult and finding a good job even harder (depending on skill sets, obviously).

Also, with the urban growth boundaries in Oregon set to reduce the massive sprawl that you see in the LA basin (pretty much solid city for 50-75 miles in any direction from downtown LA), you won't be likely to find much in the way of acreage near an urban area. That doesn't mean you won't be able to find a large enough lot to have a good-sized family garden and a couple chickens, which might fit your needs. If you have an image of living way out in a rural area in a "homestead" type situation, you might need to adjust that - where are the kids going to go to school (generally schools within the town limits are better than county schools, although that isn't 100% the case)? What will you do for a living? How far are you willing to drive to a regular grocery store? What do you consider "town and society"?

You might like the Ashland or Jacksonville/Applegate vibe. That area, by Oregon standards, is not cheap, particularly for acreage (you are in direct competition with the hobby and small-scale wineries for land).
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Old 04-23-2015, 12:43 PM
 
Location: Salem, OR
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Culturally diverse areas are typically large metro areas. As you tend to go out to smaller cities, they tend to get less diverse. This is true all across America, not just here. If you look at the demographics of Oregon from the census, in general, it is not the most cultural diverse state when compared to other states.

I guess it depends on how you define things and what concerns you have about living in a city with less cultural diversity than you might want.
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Old 04-27-2015, 02:44 PM
 
Location: Pluto's Home Town
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Moderator cut: snip

That said, I think the best bet is somewhere around the Willamette Valley. S. Oregon is much more varied politically, with large swaths running conservative, and a few liberal enclaves (Ashland), but those areas are very expensive. If money is no issue, you might check out the Wagner Creek Valley above Talent, OR. Very pretty and commutable to Ashland and Medford.

All in all, I think Oregonians have a fairly live and let live attitude with respect to lifestyles, so pretty similar to California in that regard.

Last edited by delta07; 05-03-2015 at 12:46 PM.. Reason: removed reference to orphaned comment
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Old 04-30-2015, 06:12 PM
 
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I would choose... Bend, Ashland, Eugene or Portland
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