Some snow--not too hot summers--great gardening? (weather, move, gorgeous, states)

[bpollen]

If I were to move to some place that had:

1. at least occasional snow...
2. with summers not too hot (no triple digits!)...
3. had great soil and enough rain for great gardening...
4. along with a low cost of living...
5. a good # of medical providers (probably not a small city or town)....

where would that be? Does some place come to mind, that you know of?

[NYgal1542]

Originally Posted by bpollen

If I were to move to some place that had:

1. at least occasional snow...
2. with summers not too hot (no triple digits!)...
3. had great soil and enough rain for great gardening...
4. along with a low cost of living...
5. a good # of medical providers (probably not a small city or town)....

where would that be? Does some place come to mind, that you know of?

Your other post mentioned Tyler, TX. I don't recall any snow..... of course I was only there for one full winter. One day in November there was slush on the ground and that was "winter." Some places actually did shut down. Doubt that happens now.

[Escort Rider]

Originally Posted by bpollen

If I were to move to some place that had:

1. at least occasional snow...
2. with summers not too hot (no triple digits!)...
3. had great soil and enough rain for great gardening...
4. along with a low cost of living...
5. a good # of medical providers (probably not a small city or town)....

where would that be? Does some place come to mind, that you know of?

While I am hardly any expert on the detailed geography of the United States, it seems to me you are asking an awful lot. In other words, I don't think you'll find all five conditions together in one place. Sort of like asking for low cost of housing, but with world class live opera within walking distance. Not going to happen.

Parameters #1, #2, and #4 will be met in Blue Ridge, Georgia, which is a bit over 100 miles north of Atlanta and just south of the Tennessee line. The elevation is higher than Atlanta, hence the milder summer temperatures. There is some snow every winter, but not real often and it doesn't stick very long. Even #3 may be met there, I'm not sure. If so, that would be four out of five.

#4 is relative. If you mean "low cost of living" compared to Washington D.C.. New York City, and San Francisco, then it won't be hard to find almost anywhere.

There is no earthly paradise - every location has numerous trade-offs.

[Nell Plotts]

There are towns in the mid-Willamette Valley that meet your criteria.. depending on your definition of low cost of living.

[AZgarden]

Am looking for the same as you. Am seriously considering Fayetteville, AR. Not great medical care, but I think enough.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

There are towns in the mid-Willamette Valley that meet your criteria.. depending on your definition of low cost of living.

agreed... and if you don't like winter fog... head north an hour...

Ridgefield / La Center / Woodland, WA (No State Income tax) 1/2 hour to sales tax free Oregon

2-3 snows / yr (1 - 2 days of cover) PLENTY of natural WATER (200+ days of drizzle / overcast) but improving and some cluster areas are MUCH better than others.

60 degree SLEEPING nights in summer
1.2 hrs to Oregon Coast, or Mt Hood, or Mt St Helens


I joined Master Gardeners when I arrived (age 27) was GREAT experience.
http://ext100.wsu.edu/clark/
I bought a u-pick fruit farm and could have lived happily ever after... Then 'life' happened It was 10 yrs of near perfect gardening Nirvana. (but I had to trim orchard in the drizzle). Not the BEST idea to retain existing trees, new varieties / horticulture ) columnar orchards are WAY smarter... https://www.google.com/search?q=colu...FcePgAodPTICQQ
http://web.idiggreenacres.com/blog/b...olumnar-Apples
Sandy Lome soil! PERFECT!!! not a rock on the farm! (and I was on a decent Hill / good light / breeze / drainage! )

Near to here: (10 min to PDX, Downtown Portland, 'in town', but country quiet / neighborhood)
Farm history - 78th St. Heritage Farm
County Park next door also; Hazel Dell Park - Parks - Vancouver, WA - Reviews - Photos - Yelp

Sun / dry breaks can be had:
1 hr east (The Dalles / Goldendale)
1 hr SOUTH by Air ($39 - $89 for Sacramento or Bay area).. Spirit Air was running to San Diego for $23.10 each way... Down at 5AM and back at midnight, no rental car required! I also fly to TX, AZ, CO NM for sun breaks.

I Do not do gardening at my TX place (yet). I am building an underground water storage for that. Bought a Windmill last week. I am not there in summer cuz PNW cannot be beat! Renters will like to garden in my TX place and I can do 'shoulder season'

PNW (we_t side) you can garden Yr round! stick it in the ground and it GROWS! (not as EZ in my Gorge location, COLD and terrible clay soils) but I do have a TON of stuff in my garden and 12' high sunflowers!). I am building my soils there. (sand, and compost) Takes about 10 yrs...
BEST advice in PNW We_tside of Cascades... add cover crops in fall, and DON"T even bother with warm weather crops till May 10...after that they will thrive... before that they will ROT (in wet days / nights). I have planted corn AFTER 4th of July and made harvest (I no longer plant corn... too hard on soils, too CHEAP to go and GLEAN on real farms...)

Affordable? $86k bought me a VERY nice 3 acre place with gardens and orchard and flower park... 30' high rhodies. small home and NICE shop / barns... (it was a DEAL and lots of cleanup...)

My friend sold and very nice 5 acre place across the street for $77k this yr.
20 mi / min to PDX. <10 min to town / Safeway.

Best to buy a TRASHED mobile home on gorgeous acreage and 'tune it up / demolish it' takes 4 hrs...


Many choices of medical and lots of great VA facilities

BTW:... my place is empty most of the time (except for a 'tenant' in the 2000sf basement 'view' apartment). I keep multiple residences on my rural places. come give it a try! (SWA is running a special tonight!).

here is a link to the local 'Senior News' http://www.cityofvancouver.us/messenger

[2sleepy]

When we lived in Reno 'some snow' always managed to cut the growing season to about 3 months...I used to get so sad it would be beautiful in May and snow in June I think the suggestion about the Willamette valley is perfect!

[oldsoldier1976]

Originally Posted by bpollen

If I were to move to some place that had:

1. at least occasional snow...
2. with summers not too hot (no triple digits!)...
3. had great soil and enough rain for great gardening...
4. along with a low cost of living...
5. a good # of medical providers (probably not a small city or town)....

where would that be? Does some place come to mind, that you know of?

I can only think of one area and that would be Eastern Tennessee in the Knoxville area.

[smpliving]

Originally Posted by golfingduo

I can only think of one area and that would be Eastern Tennessee in the Knoxville area.

I was thinking of the Knoxville area too, but I believe I read someplace that the soil is more clay-like (?)

[funisart]

Asheville checks all those boxes for us.