[RobinG60]

I have fled a very beautiful rural part of northwest NewJersey, for a small home in the woods outside of Brattleboro.
In nj we were farther from milk and bread than in Vermont. Car was and always will be on the list for us. But we also have family in ny and nj, so that's a given commute.

As far as taxes, haha. Vermont is slicing my home tax bill in half, so I guess those big tax bills depend on where you're coming from. We have lotsa acreage/trees and a big wood furnace, so heat and hot water are relatively free. I'm a big gardener so produce our own veges, etc. We don't require much nightlife, a Friday out for beer and burger once in awhile, is all we require for big entertainment. Our real pleasure and recreation is hiking our pups, sitting by the campfire, exploring the endless nooks and crannies in the state. I am a person who gets a thrill visiting the local library, so that's the place I come from.

I'm 57 years old. I have found throughout life you will always meet naysayers. There are some folks we know that can't believe we are retiring to cold Vermont. And some folks who declare Vermont bad place to retire financially. But I don't listen to that.
We've figured out a way to support our humble lifestyle.
We have a big supply of clothing layers and if we could make it financially in NJ with those crazy taxes and such, we can make it anywhere.

I am a northeast gal. I spent a good deal of time looking south for prospective settlement, and discovered its just not for me. The way I see it, is that there is good and bad to all places, u just have to pick your poison and your passion.

For us, at this point in our lives, Vermont is all we could hope for and more. As I journey north from Nj to Vt and cross over the Green Mountains, I consider myself one lucky person. I feel at home
My 30 year old son and his g.f. came to visit a month back. We went hiking with the pups, and out for a beer at local pub. Watched the sunset by the campfire, spent a couple hours in Brattleboro walking about. They caught the train from there to NYC where they live.

As we were waiting for the Amtrak Vermonter to arrive at the station, he said to me, "This is the most perfect place for you to be in your life right now."
I totally agree.

Only you know what is in your heart. All advice is good to consider.
But, f you can pay your bills, and you understand the bad with the good, go with your heart, not with what other folks may feel.

As a final note, I have heard from so many folks lately, that their neighbor, their cousin, their friend, have pulled up stakes and settled in Vermont. And everyone of them is very happy with their decision.

Good luck!

[loreebee65]

Robin, thank you for that. That was exactly what I needed, to stop over thinking, over analyzing, denying being true to myself.

And there it is. You are right, there will always be naysayers and I just have to keep on my path, not look for ways to justify it to others.

[pauldorell]

Originally Posted by loreebee65

I suppose I need to hear more cheerleaders for VT because what I am hearing/reading of late is truly a turnoff.

You're really not supplying enough criteria for anyone to give a useful response, so I'll just summarize my experience. I went through all of the research routines and retired to Middlebury in 2011 after living in Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Oregon, Ohio, Connecticut, New York and England. I am completely happy here and don't actually like leaving the state often. Money is not an issue for me, and that probably makes my situation easier. I like Addison County because it has a good mix of educated people, rural people, conservatives and liberals, and it isn't as poor as most of the other counties. Another plus for me is that there are no Interstates in this county, which means that it's less accessible to people whom I'd just as soon not be here. I like it so much that I hardly ever go to Burlington, which is only 35 miles away. I occasionally go to Montpelier – most of the good beer in Vermont never makes it to Middlebury – but I don't like the trendy atmosphere there much. I have lived in urban and rural areas and find this area rural, which has pros and cons. The pro part is that the people are more relaxed and happier than they are in densely-populated areas. The con part is that rural people tend to be socially unsophisticated, and when you combine that with traditional Yankee values, they don't seem very friendly. People in my neighborhood, which is 3 miles from downtown, hardly communicate at all if they haven't known each other for 30 years. However, so many people have moved here from elsewhere that they have created an independent environment that they all seem to like. There are two cultures, but it isn't polarized into surly rednecks and rich snobs as much as in other places I've lived. Even so, the state is packed with people who seem to make a point of appearing well-off, and I am still surprised by all the Audis, Volvos and BMWs I see even in the most remote areas. As far as horses are concerned, some of my neighbors have them. Although housing isn't cheap, I think acreage is still a good value.

[Isabella Tiger Moth]

Originally Posted by RobinG60

I'm a big gardener so produce our own veges, etc.

Robin, have you found that you're able (maybe "willing" is a better word ) to grow vegetables year round with hoops or greenhouses or whatever? I love the idea of winter gardening but (being something of a coldaphobe) wonder if it's something I would enjoy doing in VT. Would love to hear your experiences.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by Isabella Tiger Moth

Robin, have you found that you're able (maybe "willing" is a better word ) to grow vegetables year round with hoops or greenhouses or whatever? I love the idea of winter gardening but (being something of a coldaphobe) wonder if it's something I would enjoy doing in VT. Would love to hear your experiences.

I'll throw my two cents in on that one. My broccoli and lettuce plants were alive until roughly thanksgiving with no protection. But I think a greenhouse would be needed to be sure of success. I understand in the Champlain Valley some people (incl. researchers with UVM) have been able to use tunnels alone to get saffron to grow (otherwise it wouldn't survive the winters). But to really produce something in the winter would I think require energy input for heating. A greenhouse attached to the house would be a bit more efficient than freestanding. I have a small freestanding greenhouse and unheated I still have non-frozen soil all winter in it but it's not warm enough to keep plants alive unheated.

[Isabella Tiger Moth]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

I'll throw my two cents in on that one. My broccoli and lettuce plants were alive until roughly thanksgiving with no protection. But I think a greenhouse would be needed to be sure of success. I understand in the Champlain Valley some people (incl. researchers with UVM) have been able to use tunnels alone to get saffron to grow (otherwise it wouldn't survive the winters). But to really produce something in the winter would I think require energy input for heating. A greenhouse attached to the house would be a bit more efficient than freestanding. I have a small freestanding greenhouse and unheated I still have non-frozen soil all winter in it but it's not warm enough to keep plants alive unheated.

Good to know--thank you!!

[Sculptor]

I lived in Montpelier in the 80s, I remember the -30 degree temps quite well, and the not friendly state patrol too, along with the punitive annual car inspections designed to fleece money from the poor saps for overpriced repairs they don't need on their cars.

[squarpeg]

Now, of late, I have been seeing more of the alarmist types of posts online. Don't move here, you will regret it. Many are trying to get out. Cost of living too high. Government wasteful, and on and on and on.

Vermont is a great place but it is not for everyone and it requires some tenacity to live there. I have seen quite a few people move up with stars in their eyes only to, as said, regret it. A few years later they are gone. You already know these things if you have done the research but to me the biggest issue is simply the climate. It is cold and dark, often overcast. It rains a lot even in the summer. By the end of October the leaves are gone and the next small green thing you will see is in April, probably poking up through the snow. It is a long winter and a desperately short summer. To me this is Vermont's greatest challenge. One that has kept it so sparsely populated. Beyond that you have a very liberal culture around most of the larger towns. You have a culture that is stand offish. Depending on who you are, what your expecting, it can be an isolating and lonely place. I have personally witnessed people from the south, people from texas, right wing folks, bible thumpers, city folk all move up and find the transition and culture to difficult to adjust too. The real question that is important..are YOU a Vermonter at heart. Only you can know that or find it out for yourself. All the other things like taxes, car expenses etc. Well, some is high, some is not, depends. There are also ways around those things to some degree. I have been fairly poor my whole life and while VT is more expensive than Florida. I don't hold that as a major factor. Depends where you have your priorities.

[cgregor]

Originally Posted by squarpeg

. . . It is cold and dark, often overcast. It rains a lot even in the summer. By the end of October the leaves are gone and the next small green thing you will see is in April, probably poking up through the snow. It is a long winter and a desperately short summer. . . .

Sounds like Heaven to me!

North Dakota's state motto is, "Twenty below keeps out the riffraff."

[RobinG60]

Originally Posted by Isabella Tiger Moth

Robin, have you found that you're able (maybe "willing" is a better word ) to grow vegetables year round with hoops or greenhouses or whatever? I love the idea of winter gardening but (being something of a coldaphobe) wonder if it's something I would enjoy doing in VT. Would love to hear your experiences.

Hello Isabella!
Oh, I am an ambitious gardener, love growing things, it is my passion in life, but have never had a greenhouse. So far!
My vegetable longevity comes more from canning, freezing and such, rather than extending the short grow seasons.

I will add though, that I start my seeds indoors in late February and use old windows in the outdoor garden as cold frame which gives a head start. Come autumn, I will cover things when the nights grow cold, etc.
Dream of life is to have mini greenhouse....

I will say 2 things.
When I was 20 and lived in Orono Maine with my late husband, I grew melons 2 years in a row! That is a big deal for central Maine!

Also, we moved in to our Vt home, July this year. I gathered my last spent seed heads a mere couple weeks ago as the plants were still going strong! I dunno if it is going to set up as a general East Coast warming pattern overall, but we were in short sleeves in Vermont in November! Now that is an extended growing season up north for sure!