[sharpeyes]

Some rural people with long driveways hire a guy with a heavy duty pickup with a plow, and pay him by the storm. Other people have their own plow on a tractor, or use a snowblower.

When I lived there, people who couldn't afford plowing left the car at the end of the driveway and walked to the house, carrying kids and groceries, or pulling them on a sled. Then the next day they'd have to shovel the car out because the town road plow or grader would wall it in with a big plume of snow as it went by.

A retired person might not find this as much of a challenge as a working person digging out five days a week.

[vter]

How do folks keep their long driveways clear? Snow plows. Lots of folks have their own pick-ups with plows on them, and those that don't hire someone (like us). There is no-way in heck that we could shovel or snow-blow our driveway.

[arel]

Here in Brooklyn, NY, the city plows the streets. I always see them push the snow to the right. On my one-way street, that means in front of my house. So after shoveling, I have to shovel the plowed snow. And the plowed snow is not soft and fluffy.

My compensation, though, is that the other side of the street gets its garbage picked up first. So I always hear the garbage trucks, which sound like trumpeting elephants. When I hear the noise, I know to get the garbage out fast if I haven't done it yet. No surprises. Well, almost. One Thursday night, the trucks came to pick up the garbage that is normally picked up on Friday morning.

In Brattleboro, is there municipal trash pick-up? Or do you have to contract with a company? Or do you simply have to take your garbage to the local dump? Or does what you do depend on whether you are in town or in the more rural areas of town?

[harry chickpea]

I had one of the best laughs of my life the first time I saw the NYC version of "plowing" snow, with the tiny grader blade attached underneath the garbage trucks. In Vermont, the blades are five or six feet high on the front of a dump truck loaded with sand or salt, and it comes down the street at 50 mph throwing a plume of snow 20' or more.

The amazing part is that the drivers know where the mailboxes are, are rarely hit them. Any number of times, I would go out to my RFD mailbox and find the snow plowed to within inches of the base, the mailbox itself totally free of snow, and mail inside.

Keeping driveways clear of snow? Any of the previous post options, or flying to Florida about mid-January and coming back mid-April.

[pucabear]

We are a family of conservatives who enjoy the ability to access Walmart (or the likeness) easily. We also like owning homes that are not overpriced and taxed to the hilt. We also want our children to have access to schools that have a conservative base, not as liberal as most in education and social services here. However, if this is what you like....come on in. There will be room for 4 more...because we are out of here.

[square peg]

Where will you be going? Just curious.

[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by square peg

Where will you be going? Just curious.

Hi Square Peg, I'm not sure where he/she is going but we moved down to Boones Mill, VA from Orwell, VT. It certainly leans conservative down here but so did Orwell, VT and most every small VT town Anyway, they suffer this fiscal conservative social progressive athiest yankee just fine down here. Beautiful mountains, four seasons, a Spring that starts around March 1st, a Winter that comes and goes beginning December 1st, snow that falls and gives you a chance for some sledding before it melts off within 24 hours, and a much lower tax burden. People are friendly down here, not more friendly than in VT, it just seems easier to get involved socially down here because most people you meet are so welcoming. I lived in Orwell for six years and made far fewer friends there than I've made in less than two years here.

Sean

[pucabear]

We will be moving to Tennessee. It is more conservative in that portion of the country, property taxes are lower and there is no state income tax.

[seanpecor]

Interesting pucabear. I compared Tennessee and Southwest Virginia but Virginia won hands down for it's business friendly climate. With my income and business ownerships the tax burden in TN was notably higher than in VA. I know someone who was looking at TN vs VA also and came to a similar conclusion. TN is a beautiful state though, it just lacks a solid backbone where it's economy is concerned with regard to the sort of business I'm involved in.

Sean

[pucabear]

It is not just for the conservative and economic reasons that we are going there. My family is near the area, and that is priceless.