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Old 01-24-2013, 08:50 PM
 
7 posts, read 85,786 times
Reputation: 60

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Hi!
I would really appreciate any help/advice I can get! I'm looking for a liberal/progressive rural town to move to. Here are my criteria:
1. liberal/progressive community/politics
2. in/close to a mountainous region (preferably the Appalachian mountains)
3. low cost of living
4. available and relatively affordable farm land (we wish to be organic farmers)
5. university close by

Is there anyplace that fits this description?!? It doesn't have to meet all those criteria, just some.

Thanks so much for any advice you can give!!
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Old 01-24-2013, 10:10 PM
 
5,730 posts, read 10,086,064 times
Reputation: 8050
Quote:
Originally Posted by juniperjennie View Post

Is there anyplace that fits this description?!? It doesn't have to meet all those criteria, just some.

Thanks so much for any advice you can give!!
2-4 shouldn't be a problem.


People who are used to doing for themselves aren't much for liberalism
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Old 01-25-2013, 09:58 AM
 
Location: Keosauqua, Iowa
9,611 posts, read 21,135,113 times
Reputation: 13662
Quote:
Originally Posted by juniperjennie View Post
Hi!
I would really appreciate any help/advice I can get! I'm looking for a liberal/progressive rural town to move to. Here are my criteria:
1. liberal/progressive community/politics
2. in/close to a mountainous region (preferably the Appalachian mountains)
3. low cost of living
4. available and relatively affordable farm land (we wish to be organic farmers)
5. university close by

Is there anyplace that fits this description?!? It doesn't have to meet all those criteria, just some.

Thanks so much for any advice you can give!!
Item 1 is exclusive to 3 and 4. Liberal politics = more government programs and services = higher taxes = higher cost of living and higher land values.

What kind of liberal are you? Are you a Koolaid-drinker who staunchly supports the full agenda of the establishment left? Or are there specific ideas that you support and others that you are less fanatic about? This could make a difference.

News flash: A lot of diehard conservatives wholeheartedly support organic farming!
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Old 01-25-2013, 10:11 AM
 
4,277 posts, read 11,711,042 times
Reputation: 3931
Ithaca, NY is in the Appalachian region as Federally defined, land values outside of town are fairly low but watch the property taxes - Upstate NY has the highest property tax relative to land value in the country.
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Old 01-25-2013, 10:17 AM
 
7 posts, read 85,786 times
Reputation: 60
Thanks for the replies so far.
Unfortunately, I don't know any "diehard conservatives" who wholeheartedly support organic farming - I think this past election cycle made it clear that the Republican party is NOT in favor of environmentally friendly policies. They still believe, despite all evidence to the contrary, that climate change is a giant hoax.

We farm organically right now on rented land, and let me tell you - among conventional farmers (the great majority conservative) we are not treated kindly. We chose this livelihood because we care about the future of our earth and we wish to be good stewards of the land... we didn't necessarily choose it for political reasons. It has just turned out that our values are not represented among conservatives.
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Old 01-25-2013, 10:28 AM
 
Location: Hot Springs
1,299 posts, read 2,842,651 times
Reputation: 1302
I would focus on upstate NY, NH or possibly Vermont.

uh
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Old 01-25-2013, 04:13 PM
 
4,277 posts, read 11,711,042 times
Reputation: 3931
Perry County, PA has organic veggie loving artsy conservatives. Not atypical in a belt about 10-60 miles paralleling the I-81/78 corridor on the northwest side in PA.
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Old 01-25-2013, 04:44 PM
 
Location: Keosauqua, Iowa
9,611 posts, read 21,135,113 times
Reputation: 13662
Quote:
Originally Posted by juniperjennie View Post
Thanks for the replies so far.
Unfortunately, I don't know any "diehard conservatives" who wholeheartedly support organic farming - I think this past election cycle made it clear that the Republican party is NOT in favor of environmentally friendly policies. They still believe, despite all evidence to the contrary, that climate change is a giant hoax.

We farm organically right now on rented land, and let me tell you - among conventional farmers (the great majority conservative) we are not treated kindly. We chose this livelihood because we care about the future of our earth and we wish to be good stewards of the land... we didn't necessarily choose it for political reasons. It has just turned out that our values are not represented among conservatives.
The only things made clear in the last election cycle is that neither the D's or R's are nearly as concerned about fixing the problems in this country as they are about winning, and that the American people are too timid to consider voting for a candidate who will consider putting the best interests of our nation first.

When I say die-hard conservatives, I'm talking about true fiscal and Constitutional conservatives; in other words, the kind of people who just want to be left alone to make their own way in what is supposed to be a free country. I believe you're talking about Republican neo-cons who, just like Democrats, are mostly concerned with playing political football.
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Old 01-25-2013, 04:57 PM
 
Location: Tennessee
10,688 posts, read 7,644,620 times
Reputation: 4674
Default Aint that the truth

Quote:
Originally Posted by duster1979 View Post
The only things made clear in the last election cycle is that neither the D's or R's are nearly as concerned about fixing the problems in this country as they are about winning, and that the American people are too timid to consider voting for a candidate who will consider putting the best interests of our nation first.

When I say die-hard conservatives, I'm talking about true fiscal and Constitutional conservatives; in other words, the kind of people who just want to be left alone to make their own way in what is supposed to be a free country. I believe you're talking about Republican neo-cons who, just like Democrats, are mostly concerned with playing political football.
To the OP, stay out of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and western Virginia. Mostly gonna be very conservative.

To Duster, you hit the nail on the head. I personally am very big into making huge changes to the health care system--and I thought so was AARP. Then I discovered that part of the changes intended in the ACA were reforms to medigap policies which AARP sells big time. Turns out they get more commission income (from United Healthcare) for sales of medigap policies than they do from membership fees. So they lobbied to leave medigap coverage alone and the Democrats took the hook. They are nothing but another lobbyist looking after their own financial interests.

So whether Republican or Democrat, it's always about who is making the bucks out of the con game being sold by a particular party.

If we had any sense at all we would make all national elections solely Federally funded (with spending limits) and send to jail anyone who took money from any other source. At least we might get a few politicians who aren't owned lock stock and barrel by corporations or interest groups.

OP, be wise, don't go into those states I mentioned. Not that there aren't a few progressive folks there, just that they do not advertise it openly.

OP,
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Old 01-25-2013, 06:22 PM
 
Location: Floyd Co, VA
3,513 posts, read 6,345,510 times
Reputation: 7625
Floyd, VA. In the Blue Ridge mountains of Sw VA, about an hour from Roanoke, about half an hour from Blacksburg, home to Virginia Tech. Lots of organic farmers here and a good farmers market in town plus a bigger one in Blacksburg.

Lots of very conservative folks here but a growing number of transplants from more liberal, urban areas. Plenty of farmland for sale. I've written about the area in a number of posts here on C-D and provided lots of links to area websites in those posts, especially in the retirement forum.
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