Questions about moving to North Idaho

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by peepsy

Thanks, Aiden. It just got a little on my nerve, since I've gotten a lot of this crap from people before. I wanted to show that just because I'm not prefacing my questions with a dive into my background doesn't mean my expectations are "naive". Listing out all of that was probably more than superfluous and unnecessary, but I hope it made my point.

So, let's ignore the critics then and talk about the real point of this thread. I did realize North Idaho has a much shorter growing season (over here we're already overrun by tomatoes). Building a greenhouse might be worth it. I had heard certain claims that the Bonner's Ferry area actually has better growing conditions than Sandpoint.

Does all of North Idaho have clay-based soil that's tougher for growing?

I can't wait to move out there or at least visit so I know more about the area. Trying to figure it all out from information I find on forums and websites can be quite a challenge sometimes. But I'm so grateful to have all of you here to help make this easier for us.

Most of Idaho has very little clay soil. But N. Idaho is full of acidic, rocky and poor glacial soil that is just as infertile as clay is. The southern plains have the volcanic soil that is very rich and capable of growing everything that the climate allows, and the Treasure Valley- Boise and environs- is, overall, the richest soil in the state and also has the climate that allows a wider diversity of crops. Only the Palouse in the north is compatible, but it has a colder climate.

20 good acres outside of Marsing could easily feed a family, but 200 acres close to the Montana border in N. Idaho may not. Marsing is not nearly as pretty as Bonner's Ferry, but it has reliably fed families for as long as people have lived here.

And while Marsing will never qualify for the sweet and charming notion of a little cabin home in the piney woods, if a subsistence farmer's crops blow out due to an early or late frost, or a particularly bad year of monsoonal rains rotting the crops, it is more possible and easier for a busted farmer to find a job that will get his family through the winter than it is in north Idaho.

The thing is: You can't eat the scenery. If a person is looking for a SHTF survivability, look to the places that have a long history of survivability. North Idaho is not one. There are many valid reasons, historical and recent, why 2/3 of the state's population lives south of the mountain belt.

[AlwaysLooking]

Interesting thread. When researching properties make sure you know about any pending/future LIDs, and if you're looking in Kootenai County connect up with NWPOA.org (Northwest Property Owners Alliance) to learn what's going on with rural land.

[Publius4]

AlwaysLooking, would you mind elaborating on LIDs?

[notoriouskelly]

Thanks to everyone for your helpful information and to peepsy for initiating this thread and your well-worded, diplomatic posts.

Prepping sounds like a lotta work but I'm lazy, so I've become a Prepper Lite® which means I don't expect to survive Mad Max but last just long enough to say, "I told you so".

I lived/traveled for several years in a box truck
View from campsite by Mexico- south of Arivaca, Arizona - YouTube until killing it on the border of Mexico.

Now I'm searching online for CDA area rentals suitable for doggy and I.

See y'all around!

Kelly & Chata

[juneaubound]

OK, now my curiosity is piqued about the book everyone is talking about. What did it say about Idaho?

[fleeNY]

Originally Posted by juneaubound

OK, now my curiosity is piqued about the book everyone is talking about. What did it say about Idaho?

It said that Idaho is one of the top states in the US in regards to safety, low population, low crime, freedom, taxes, survivability, and retreat locations

[banjomike]

... as long as you can thaw out, everything else is wonderful.