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We are looking for a place to retire that has minimal bugs, a long growing season, and adequate water and sunshine for living off the grid.
Does such a place exist?
If anyone has any suggestions, we'd sure appreciate it.
We are currently in the 'go and check the place out' mode and have a few years of planning left. But, we may decide to buy some land now to 'sit on' and get some things planted before we actually retire.
You're seeking a warm riparian climate ... which is where all the bugs live, too.
What keeps bugs to a minimum is dry and extended cold weather climates, such as the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains. That's where the growing season is short and water is scarce.
Now, if you're willing to compromise on this a bit ... there's a lot of lower elevation country in milder climates where you can have the long growing season, sunshine, and plentiful water supply.
The limestone valleys of the SE quadrant of PA have relatively few flying bugs compared to surrounding areas but still enough for screens on the windows, as there's not much standing water around and relatively little surface flowing water since a greater proportion is underground. One would have to pick a site carefully, and will usually find that the Amish have beat you to it.
The limestone valleys of the SE quadrant of PA have relatively few flying bugs compared to surrounding areas but still enough for screens on the windows, as there's not much standing water around and relatively little surface flowing water since a greater proportion is underground. One would have to pick a site carefully, and will usually find that the Amish have beat you to it.
Maybe change our wishlist to say 'minimal mosquitos'....other bugs are fine.
I've looked at Roseburg, Oregon on the internet but not sure we could stand the gray months. But, it seems to suit the other requirements on the wish list.
Does anyone have any personal experience with Roseburg? Is it really depressing in the Winter months?
Thanks,
L & W
Based on revised wants, Consider the Puna area of Hawaii (Big Island).
Mminimal mosquitos....other bugs are fine. There are some skeeters but the are minimal. But there are the dreaded cane spiders. And the B-52 roaches that have been known to carry away Mini-Coopers and VW's thinking they were mates. Oh yeah the centipeeds, but the feral chickens and roosters like to eat them. In that area I wouldn;t worry about bugs, I would worry about the feral pigs.
Long growing season. Take a weekend trip to Oahu and you'll have to hire a landscaper to deal with the explosive growth of vegitation. Drop your papaya on the ground and by the end of the week, your picking fruit.
Adequate water. over 100 plus inches of rainfall on average each year. (quick and heavy but not all day mostly at night) Matter of fact, most of that area is on catchment water. Don't be surpise when the local hardware store has several catchment tank kits on the shelf. If interested google catchment water hawaii and you get a whole manual published byt he state for catchment systems - good reading wherever you end up/
Sunshine for living off the grid. Helco hasn't run power lines to many areas so PV is as common in that area as washer and dryers are on the mainland. Of course you could try wind but PV is by far the cheapest and most available. You can go into a million dollar home with all the modern things and its all off-grid electric.
Living off grid in Hawaii is in some areas the normal thing. I think there are more Farmer's Markets on the Big Island per capita than anywhere else in US. Heck you can run to the lumber yard and pick up some nails, fence, paint and yeah I'll take one of those 1,500 sq foot 3 bedroom 2 bath houses in aisle 4. A couple day later a truck with all the material (including the kitchen sink) is deliverd to your lot.
Maybe a bit outside the areas you were thinking, but for independence from the commericalism of the mainland while still living well, hawaii's Puna area is the answer.
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