Eastern Elbert/El Paso County (real estate, how much, homes)

[NeedsToGrowUp]

I am considering moving to eastern Elbert or El Paso county, looking for a a cheap small ranch. Yes I am an easterner but not from the city or suburbs and live the rural life.

Whats this area like to live in? Accepting of outsiders? Are people friendly or closed off?

[otowi]

People here are live and let live and there are a lot of "outsiders" - it may be hard to develop super close friendships from scratch but you shouldn't find people off-putting.

[NeedsToGrowUp]

This sounds close to where I live now, it can take years to make close friendships.

I am a software developer who likes to dabble in farming and old-fashioned things as much as (more than?) technology. My wife homeschools our kids. We are religious but more orthodox than fundamental.

[Sonic_Spork]

Some words about your desire to dabble in farming, etc. The eastern plains (which I know for a fact eastern El Paso county is) are high plains desert. Think dry, with tumbleweeds, prairie dogs, brown more than half the year, lots of wind, drought, cacti...we do have some green for a few months every year, but growing anything is really hard, and you really have to worry about water, where you're going to get it and how much it will cost you. It is illegal to even try and collect rainwater in a barrel! Anyone trying to keep thirsty livestock or grow thirsty plants needs to give it serious thought. It's a challenge, if not an insurmountable one.

Also if your plan was to grow plants, you have late frosts, hailstorms, and so on to contend with. Again...there are difficulties, but that certainly does not mean it's impossible or that nobody does it. You just need to make sure you're up to all of these challenges and ask yourself if it's worth it to you, or if there might be another region that suits your desires better.

On the other hand, if you are simply looking to escape as often as possible from the desk and computer monitor, and get into the outdoors, you are considering a good place for that indeed. This region has many, many enjoyable outdoor activities. If you like to hike, bike, camp, ski/snowboard, etc. Lots of opportunities within a very short drive. Just looking at the changing panorama of the mountains (which look very different in the many kinds of light and weather we get) or watching our lovely sunsets and sunrises...there's a lot to love in the rugged outdoors of Colorado.

As for doing this cheap, that's another very relative question...what is cheap, to you? ppar.com is a good place to look, to gauge what's available in real estate and how much it will probably cost ya.

[NeedsToGrowUp]

Ive run cattle here in VA but have little idea of how to farm in dry areas. Most of the properties I have seen have watering systems in place. Here in VA with rotational grazing cattle can make it through the winter without hay (excepting this past winter which was cold) as we only have about three months a year where the grass isnt growing. So this will be a change. The DC area does have a decent market for organic grass fed beef, I would hope to find something similar in CO.

Are the Colorado State Ag extensions helpful?

How do folks do gardens?

"if you are looking to escape as often as possible from the desk and computer"...Amen to that. Real life is a whole lot better than the virtual world (but it doesnt pay my bills right now.)

Thanks for your post

[otowi]

The ag extension is wonderful for learning how to garden here - it is more challenging than many other climates. Colorado State University Extension

[NeedsToGrowUp]

Thanks for the link.