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Thank you OD and Scarlet, and for the link too! That's just what I was going to look up this evening, about the zones, you read my mind, ha! I can see that this city-data site is going to be a wealth of information, sure glad I came across it while searching for something else last night.
I did check out the Carolina's in one of my earlier trips this year, I spent some time in Asheville NC which was a nice friendly place, I have to admit though I didn't explore much more than the beaches in SC when I was through there.. (that's where the heaviest traffic was along the ocean). I was kind of suprised how many stops there were inbetween the cities on the roads, there aren't any stops on the highways up here, you just get on and go.
I need to hit the road again and take another look, this may be as soon as next week. There's really no better way to evaluate than to spend more time down there. I'm sure that I'll adjust to the high temperatures, it was in the 100's up here too during my last two trips this year.. trip three here I come, woo hoo!
Yes, there really ARE ordinances that prohibit any type of farming or self-production. I have often spoke on here about living between a forest and a small town, and spending 20 years developing a year-round fruit and vegie sustainable garden down south, as well as chickens - only to be told that I had to root it all out and discard it, as such practices were frowned upon by the rapidly-expanding area of people. Now I live where the county is losing population, where my vegies and new fruit trees are admired, and where my neighbors are looking forward to me putting in apiaries this year to not only pollinate my production, but theirs too.
Do not even think about Savannah; they and surrounding areas are ordinance-crazy and are all about 'sustainable' grass, 1/4 of an inch high, and actually pay their police departments to write you tickets if your plantings exceed that. You can go further out - south and east - but bear in mind that Savannah and most of GA in that area is primarily dependent on the Floridian aquifer for their water, and water rights have been severely restricted there - plus they have a lot of problems with river pollution (look up "Ogeechee Riverkeeper" for more info on that). There's no sense planting something that you can't water.
"Too hot to grow vegies year round"? Um - have you ever grown your own vegies? Most summertime vegies like it hot, and you can usually do two plantings of summer crops instead of one. Not to mention that cool-weather crops like lettuce and peas can be planted in February, harvested in April, replanted in September and harvested in December, as long as you have good soil, water, and rotate your crops.
Another thing to remember is that if you move south to get away from any cold, you also have infestations of bugs and molds that you simply don't see further North - and since it never gets cold or is almost always humid, they infest everything, everywhere. Know what bugs draw? Snakes. Yes, you'll have a lot of them too; all kinds, the further South /closer to water you go. You'll spend half your time fighting the bugs, and the other half trying to keep your crops from molding and rotting. Not to mention that wild plants will take over your garden in a heartbeat - weeding is paramount in the south. Everything from kudzu and wisteria to wild thorny raspberries and bindweed will move in, and within a month's heat and humidity's time, can overtake everything you've planted.
Every place you go will have it's own particular problems; from dry and sandy soil in TX to swampy lowlands full of roaches that buzz through your windows along the coast. Just moving south for warmth has a lot more considerations than 'no snow'.
On a different note, all three of the west coast states are mostly snow free (outside of the mountains), are generally warm, have good soils (when not in deserts or on top of mountains), and in most places you can get water. Those states are not the cheapest though many people do think they're worth paying more for.
On a different note, all three of the west coast states are mostly snow free (outside of the mountains), are generally warm, have good soils (when not in deserts or on top of mountains), and in most places you can get water. Those states are not the cheapest though many people do think they're worth paying more for.
And since everyone else knows that, the population density is too high for many of us (not sure about the OP). The areas that were the best (as far as climate and growing things) are now heavily populated and plagued with very burdensome regulation. The thing about it for those of us interested in sufficiency and independent lifestyle is that we end up (in many cases) looking into areas where population is decreasing (because they are moving to the areas like you bring up) and trying to maximize the advantages while still being able to live with the disadvantages.
It's mostly about priorities. While many folks have a similar "laundry list" for sustainable lifestyle, they have different priority ordering within that list when deciding on an acceptable location. Personally, I could definitely go with the Pacific Northwest because of the nearly constant cloudiness and cool/cold temperatures... but, that's a no-go for me because at the top of my list is minimizing population density and maximizing distance from large metropolitan areas. That leaves me with choosing between the desert areas of the Great Basin, parts of the Intermountain West, much of the Midwest, and a couple pockets in the east. The extreme northern part of the midwest/Great Plains appeals to me most, mainly because few want to live there--and that point is at the top of my list along with having a colder climate.
As for the OP, you'll have to keep in mind that all the best "warm places" are heavily populated. What's left of the warm places (if you are looking for seclusion) will have some major flaws of one sort or another (many have already been pointed out).
Thank you OD and Scarlet, and for the link too! That's just what I was going to look up this evening, about the zones, you read my mind, ha! I can see that this city-data site is going to be a wealth of information, sure glad I came across it while searching for something else last night.
I did check out the Carolina's in one of my earlier trips this year, I spent some time in Asheville NC which was a nice friendly place, I have to admit though I didn't explore much more than the beaches in SC when I was through there.. (that's where the heaviest traffic was along the ocean). I was kind of suprised how many stops there were inbetween the cities on the roads, there aren't any stops on the highways up here, you just get on and go.
I need to hit the road again and take another look, this may be as soon as next week. There's really no better way to evaluate than to spend more time down there. I'm sure that I'll adjust to the high temperatures, it was in the 100's up here too during my last two trips this year.. trip three here I come, woo hoo!
Good luck in your search. Zone 8a runs across several states so there are many possibilities for your climate preference.
As to your question about it being too hot for vegetables: July is the hottest month and the only thing that produces profusely in July is tomatoes - as far as what *we* grow in the garden. So, by design, there is little for us to do outdoors with gardening during the hottest month; just picking tomatoes. We have other things growing through that period but they aren't ready to harvest. With good prep beforehand, mulching, etc., weeding is minimal so we skip it until the heat lets up some, which could be anywhere from 4-6 weeks. Wherever you end up, you will find the best solution for your specific circumstances through trial and error.
Also might consider eastern texas, northern Louisiana, Mississippi & Alabama. The more rural, isolated parcels of land are cheaper of course but you are pretty much going to be on your own. Good luck!
Hi Scarlett O. Can you tell me where in South Carolina you live? My husband and I would love to retire there but we are not sure exactly where in the state. We were looking at the Fort Mill, Tega Cay area. Ever been? We also are trying to get away from the Windy City cold. I like the idea that South Carolina has all four seasons but just not in the extreme.
I'm thinking if you like blues and jazz why not live near the Missisippi south of Memphis. There is a LOT of poverty there so land should be cheap. You won't be able to grow tender crops year round but you can have a good winter garden with greens & such.
I don't know about the soil conditions but there's a soil service in every county that can help.
LOL, I just read the comment on the Augusta area (on page 1) and you have seen my reply in person ! Normal for July.
Yes, gardens are quite a challenge past the first week of July. Fall / winter gardens are productive, just limited variety. Its dry too; gardens REQUIRE irrigation.
If you visited in the spring and you were in a southern state, then you may not have experienced the south. It gets pretty dang hot down here for at least 5 months of the year, so hot that AC is pretty much required (for most of us). and Ive been here all my life, was raised without AC. and not only hot but real humid. As I get a little older, I realize the limits now.
Although Ive never been to the true cold and snow shoveling stuff, the south Im in is probably not what you imagine.
Brookings, Oregon and other areas of Southern OR could possibly work. It's not exactly warm on the coast but mild enough for a good amount of crops and not heavily populated.
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That's just what I was going to look up this evening, about the zones, you read my mind, ha! I can see that this city-data site is going to be a wealth of information, sure glad I came across it while searching for something else last night. 
South Carolina?
