Any local/semi local info on the Laurel Fork area... (Roanoke: home, purchase)

[famlife]

I picked up almost 20 ac in the Laurel Fork area. It sort of fell in my lap, and I knew nothing about the area beforehand. Amazingly, after a few visits and some familiarity with some locals, we've found it to be quite a beautiful and welcoming place. I have some questions, as we are on the brink of selling our home in GA, and while we are strongly considering southern GA to purchase a home, we can't help but consider re-rooting in Floyd Co, VA. At first we were just going to make the land a getaway spot, but we are definitely open to a drastic change. GA lately is getting pretty bad crime-wise, and there are more than a handful of things we don't enjoy about the politics here. It doesn't seem to be getting any better, and we'd like a relatively safe, easy, laid back place to raise our kids.

I should add that we are accustomed to traveling and hour to costco, whole foods, etc, and a half hour to fast food, youth sports, etc.

On to the questions:

It really seems like a great place to raise a family, but is it? We thought where we are now would be a great place by all appearances, but some things you just can't know until you've lived there awhile.

Would well behaved teens be safe to wander town or events or sporting events, etc, without me having to worry?

I realize that meth is everywhere, but is it super prevalent there? I am about tired of seeing meth heads everywhere I go.

I know that Laurel Fork is kinda out in the sticks and doesn't offer much in the way of shopping, restaurants, etc (actually I've been shopping and eating in MoD and Hillsville, and what they DO have is right up my ally), but are there enough community events and youth sports, etc, to keep one occupied? My kids love playing sports and watching community baseball games, etc. I know there's rodeos in the area and flea markets, but are there things to do year-round?

How strict are the rules on owning goats, chickens, etc? Our property is just under 20ac, and we are concerned that we may have to 'give up the farm' if we come out there. We only keep goats and misc birds, but we'd like to have a couple horses, if possible.

Where do people usually go for extensive shopping or quality hospitals? Christiansburg? Roanoke?

Is it possible for teens to find work in Hillsville? If not, where do kids go for their 'summer jobs'?

I've been told that it snows, but the snow doesn't stick. From your personal experience (I haven't experienced a 'real' winter in a few years) how mild or not are the winters there? Do they seem to go on forever, are they wet and frigid, what to expect? I've lived everywhere from Upstate NY, Northern WI, Rocky Mtns, Yuma, AZ, more recently GA... So i've about seen it all, but we've decided that anything more than a 4-5 month cold spell is too much for us anymore. In WI, it was more like 9 months, snowed into June, and started again in September. And one summer it didn't break 70 degrees. I know VA isn't supposed to be so bad, but I am not sure what to expect in the mountains of VA. I know that stats and graphs can be misleading or hard to visualize.

Thanks a bunch for any info. Our life is kinda up in the air right now, as we are very burnt out on where we live. We figured since we already own the land in VA, we may as well look into setting up shop there. It really feels very homey and pretty much ideal. And I do love me some Bluegrass

[headnsouth]

If there was enough shopping in Hillsville (shopping in Hillsville?) to make you happy then you'll probably be ok in Laurel Fork. You'll be fine over winter. It gets cold, it snows once or twice, and it's over. Nothing like WI or NY. Summers are hotter than I expected but not too bad.

I can't speak to the specifics of where you are but I have a friend in Allisonia (a stone's throw) on 22 acres with several horses and sometimes his neighbor's cow. Chickens are allowed in Roanoke and other urban jurisdictions now, I can't imagine a problem out in the sticks where you'd be.

Activities? Maybe someone else will chime in - there aren't enough activities in a 20-mile radius around where you're looking to keep this city girl interested so I'm not the best judge. Does Laurel Fork even have a school?

[cam4vt]

I had no idea hillsville has much shopping. Are you sure it was not Wytheville? Or Christiansburg?

[famlife]

We'll I'm aware that there isn't much, but I did enjoy the little antique store downtown and the diner too. I just meant that I enjoy those types of places, it's just that there isn't much of it there. MOD had a nice restaurant and country store as well.