Need Pro's and Con's - Fayetteville (Rogers, Benton: apartments, houses, neighborhood)

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by BAShan

Thank you all for your helpful replies.

For the last 3 days I read hundreds of past forum posts. Today I watched You Tube video's on Fayetteville, AR.

Edofmaui - we fell in love with a property in West Fork, AR - more thank 50 acres. I might try my hand at starting a garden and who knows, I might be selling Organic produce at the Farmers Market for a start. Thank you for reminding me that I can take action.

Bjrush - The people I met while there was GREAT. We took our 2 small kids age 4 and 2 to the library. Talked to other moms and we were pleasantly surprised at their willingness to talk to us, complete strangers and give us advice. We do not see that often here in California. The friendly and helpfulness of the people I have met is very high on my pro list.

nmntia - thank you for your reply. I will visit Fresh Market in May. I just been to their website, looks interesting.
Also Nita, I have seen from other threads that you have family in West Fork. We are also interested in a property in West Fork.

Yes, our granddaughter and her husband live on 14 acres. The biggest problem with their house, it is not terribly traditional, and not quite where they want to raise thier new son. I think the house is about 12 or 15 years old, has a wrap around deck and a finish basement. At least part of it is fininshed. I didn't go downstairs either time I was there. I do know they will be putting it on the market sometime soon. In fact they have a realtor coming out this Wednesday to help them decide what should be done to get it ready to sell. Good luck to you: I am sure you will be happy whatever decision you make.

[soanchorless]

nmnita mentioned Harp's in another thread and it reminded me that they carry a generic organic brand called "Clearly Organic" which is very affordable for organic: AWG Brands - Recipes

[jeharbour]

We currently live in Fayetteville and are facing a very hard decision of whether or not to move to the Tulsa, OK area for a substantial bump in my husband's salary. NWA overall is one of the best places I think you can find to raise kids. Fayetteville especially, because the city park system allows almost every neighborhood to have a park within walking distance. As far as organic foods, the easiest availability is at ONF, but Harp's does have a good brand of organics, and there are also a few drop sites for bulk orders from companies like Azure. (You place your order on their website, and they drop off at a specified time and place each month. There a few local drop managers in NWA.) The farmer's market is not just the best in Arkansas, it's one of the best in the country! The vendors, especially the Hmong vendors, price their produce really reasonably, and where else is it completely socially acceptable for your kids to run around barefoot playing in a water feature on the town square? lol.

For the past three years I have published a local family events newsletter for NWA, and I just truly love it here. I hope I can come to like the Tulsa area as much, but I know we'll probably end up back in Fayetteville because I can't see any area being a better place to raise a well-adjusted child.

[BAShan]

We will be arriving in Fayetteville on the 1st of May. Thank you for everybody giving tips and advice so far, I deeply appreciate it.

Today I am looking for information on "what is happening in Fayetteville - Rogers - Bettonville, AR between the 1st of May and the 6th. So far I only found the Springfest on the 4th of May and info on council meetings. Between the 1st and the 6th of May I would like to experience Fayetteville, the people, the town, the food the culture in order to make a decision before potentially moving to NWA. Last year I found a page with a "calendar" of events. For some reason I can not find it again.

Any input regarding the "what to do" between 1st and 6th of May will be greatly appreciated.
(p.s. I am not sure if I should start a new thread or if posting on this thread will suffice....)

[bjrush]

I would go to the Fayetteville Farmer's Market on May 4 and talk to people there to get a feel for the folks for sure

[OurGreatEscape]

Fayetteville's Farmers' Market happens every Tues, Thurs, and Sat on the Square. This is a good start to get the feel.

Ahh, and you be here for First Thursday, also on the Square.

Theatre2 has a show running now--Next to Normal

[Rock Climber]

Originally Posted by BAShan

1. At least a regional airport within 45 minutes.
2. Descent hotels and restaurants (with vegetarian options)
3. Organic food availability
4. Good schools (we have two kids); We like that the Montessori in Fayetteville teaches Mandarin.
5. Property with at least 60 acres, water (well, spring, or pond), woods (some pasture ok), and not perfectly flat (some topographical interest).
6. An area that has seasons, but not too extreme on either end: not too humid or not too much snow.

1. XNA

2&3. Greenhouse Grill in Fayetteville is a good "slow food" local food restaurant with a focus on fresh, local ingredients. They can always meet any needs you have. BHK Cafe in Fayetteville (Brick House Kitchen) is a completely gluten-free restaurant. I am also gluten-free, and while I have to choose my options, there are a variety of diverse restaurants that have gluten-free menus. Table Mesa has a gluten-free menu. US Pizza makes a gluten free pie. So does Gusanos. Ozark Natural Foods will become a mainstay. They have just about everything a Trader Joe's would have. Fresh Market in Rogers is another good option, carrying any kind of organic, vegan, gluten-free options a person could want. The Cosmopolitan in Fayetteville is recently renovated and is nice. Most of the nicer hotels/chains are located 20 minutes away in Benton County.

4. Fayetteville and Bentonville have exemplary school districts. Another growing school option in Fayetteville is Haas Hall Academy. They are an excellent charter school, and they are expanding soon and building a brand new campus in Fayetteville (they currently rent a space).

The seasons here are distinct. There can be extremes in the late summer and late winter, but those periods don't last long. Most of winter is mild, with the occasional cold snap. It will keep you on your toes.

[jeharbour]

If you'll be in town with the kids tomorrow, the Little Sprouts program at the Botanical Gardens is starting back up for the season. It's great for kids 8 and under (it's mostly preschoolers there in the spring and fall), and a great place to meet local parents.

This is the calendar of a local kids' site, they usually fill it up at the beginning of each month. http://fayetteville.macaronikid.com/calendar/

(Also, a side note about Haas Hall- If you talk to people here and decide it might be a good fit for your kids, preregister them NOW. My 6, 4, and 1 year old are already preregistered b/c as of now they only take 30 students in each grade, and they don't plan to expand the class sizes as far as I know.)

[DC at the Ridge]

Isn't the War Eagle Crafts Fair that weekend? If the weather is pretty, that can be fun.

[OurGreatEscape]

OMG--Fayetteville's Springfest is this Saturday (sorry, guess I've been asleep at the wheel )

And, yes, it is also "crafts weekend"! Too much going on