Burns, Oregon for 50-ish amateur naturalist & guitar player (Bend: house, buying)

[plainbrowntabby]

Greetings. I've been living 40 years in small logging towns on the wet side of Oregon, craving the wide-open dry spaces on the other side of the Cascades.
Based on several short visits over the past 10 years, I like Harney and Malheur counties. Costs are low, not too many people, lots of birds, minimal light pollution, snow in the winter, dry hot summer.
Not a city person, don't like shopping or dressing up, but interested in living around others into fun nights at community theatre, fiddles & banjos and other such fun noises. My politics are moderate and i live & let live. I don't need to find a local job, i work online.

Locals: What would i need to know before buying a fixer house in Burns on the east edge of town?
Building codes very strict?
Availability of internet? Cell? (currently i have Exede satellite, and it's fine)
Do people heat with wood there, and what species/price per cord for firewood.
Any live music currently happening?
How many bars in town?
Attitudes toward private marijuana use?
What is your toughest weather challenge?
What do you love about living there?

Thanks in advance!

[PNW-type-gal]

For community theater, music venues, other musicians, you are likely going to have to stay around the Bend area. I know a couple of semi-serious musicians who live out in the Burns area and they both travel to larger cities to play because there isn't much out there.

Pot can't be grown or sold in most Eastern Oregon counties, so I doubt they are particularly tolerant of it. You can possess it, but you can't buy it. I've read articles about medical pot use out that way and the articles mentioned that people have to drive to Bend to buy.

You might look east of Bend on Hwy 20 or .. is it Hwy 126 that goes east from Redmond to Prineville? Out of town, a bit remote, within driving distance of Bend or Redmond.

[Larry Caldwell]

I think you would find more music around Joseph than around Burns.

Building codes are uniform throughout the state.

The sky there is the same as the sky here. Satellite internet is available everywhere.

Oregon weather is pretty mild wherever you go. Snow in the winter, sun in the summer. Burns is in the desert, 5 inches of rain a year, so don't count on drinking what falls on your roof.

[texasdiver]

If it were me, I'd look at Baker City over Burns. Just seems like a nice place all around....scenery, amenities, etc.

[PNW-type-gal]

Here, somewhat timely: a link to the Oregon Old Time Fiddler's Association, which sponsors fiddle camps around the state, including one in Burns in June:

Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers' Association, OOTFA

they welcome other instruments as well, you could go to the camp out in Burns and meet some locals and see exactly what the situation is like.

[zardac]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

Here, somewhat timely: a link to the Oregon Old Time Fiddler's Association, which sponsors fiddle camps around the state, including one in Burns in June:

Oregon Oldtime Fiddlers' Association, OOTFA

they welcome other instruments as well, you could go to the camp out in Burns and meet some locals and see exactly what the situation is like.

There's a local branch as well:

"The High Desert Fiddlers are a group of musicians of various levels of skill and experience from the Harney County, Oregon (Burns, Hines) area. We play bluegrass, Celtic, country and old-time fiddle music, with a few other tunes thrown in, and generally have a lot of fun. We jam on Friday nights at various homes, as well as the local rest home and senior center once a month.
Our big event is the annual Country Music Jamboree, which will be held in Burns at the Harney County Fairgrounds, usually the third week of June. This year it will be held June 15, 16 and 17th. Admission is free, but we do pass the hat to cover expenses..."

High Desert Fiddlers | High Desert Fiddlers

I notice they're playing Celtic music- so I figure they must be getting stoned.