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Northern Idaho Panhandle has more than adequate rainfall but not too much, mild winters, it's heavy forested (forests similar to those on West coast of WA), it's not totally secluded (lots of tourism and lumbering). It's quite a unique area. Going west into WA you'll hit semi-desert lands in 100 miles. Going East into Montana 100 miles, it's getting much colder and drier.
Mild winters? Was Talking to a friend who lives near sandpoint ID a few days ago and she said that they had well over 10 feet of snow last winter and that the winter before was very bad as well. If thats mild I don't want to see your idea of a bad winter remembermee LOL
Mild winters? Was Talking to a friend who lives near sandpoint ID a few days ago and she said that they had well over 10 feet of snow last winter and that the winter before was very bad as well. If thats mild I don't want to see your idea of a bad winter remembermee LOL
Here is climatic summary for Coeur d'Alene, N. Idaho.
The average annual rainfall is 26 inches (66 cm) and the average annual snowfall is 49 inches (120 cm). The frost-free season runs about 120 days from mid-May to mid-September. The mean summer temperature is 82.1 °F (27.8 °C), and the mean winter temperature is 31.5 °F (–0.3 °C).[5]
31.5 F is quite mild as for me.
Mountain slopes around Coeur d'Alene are in full bloom in the middle of May. For comparison, in Southern Michigan mean winter temperature is around 26F, in the middle of May trees are just barely covered with not fully developed young leaves.
I'm doing some research on homesteading, and I was hoping for some input on a good area. This would be for my own enjoyment, so the market isn't a very big deal. I'd want a handful of sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, maybe some other poultry, and farm dogs. I'd also like an orchard and large vegetable garden. Obviously I'd want it rural. My husband is working on his teaching licence, so we'd need to find a place that has teaching jobs available. I like four seasons, even lots of snow, but not for much of the year. I'm okay with hot temperatures (up to 90 or so), but not with high humidity. We'll be on a small budget, so the less expensive the better. I like rural but wouldn't mind suburban as long as zoning and space isn't an issue (looking for about 10 acres). I like an old fashioned country feel. We have a baby girl and hope to have more in the future. We are also LDS, but we don't need a lot of heavy influence, just acceptance and a building somewhat nearby. Taxes should also be at least affordable since we'll be on a small teaching salary plus whatever I can do with the land.
I've seen plenty of places in the mid-west and east that would probably work, but are there many places in the western US? We have family in Arizona and SoCal, and I'd like to raise my kids at least somewhat near their grandparents. We also have family in Eastern Idaho and parts of Utah.
Places I've considered are nothern and western Idaho, most of Washington, maybe Oregon/NoCal but I've heard the teaching situation is bad, and southeast Arizona.
Anyone know of a good location? Thanks very much.
The biggest thing you must concern yourself with is water availability. In the Southwest this is an issue and it will become even more of one in the not-too-distant-future. You have to ensure that you are going to have a good, solid, reliable source of as much water as you need without having to rely on anyone else or laws governing its access.
If I were going to seriously consider the SW for homesteading, I think I would look more to the mountains where you will at least have snow melt to supplement your water availability. The drawback to that is, of course, a shorter growing season. Also, the mountains in the SW are volcanic, which means that the soil is good for growing things but there are lots of big, nasty rocks to deal with and frequently ancient lava flows that make working the soil difficult or impossible.
There is a REASON that 90 percent of the agriculture in this country occurred in the midwest. That is where the best growing soil is located. As for livestock, I suppose that as long as you can provide water for them they can live about anywhere - Lord knows Goats can live anywhere LOL.
Water is very important. I grew up in a drought region. Droughts are bad for farming.
Keep in mind though, when you read stuff about average rainfall, or average snow fall in inches. You do not get all of that at one time.
Say an area says that it gets 60 inches of snow. Well during 4 months of winter, if you had one storm each week to blow though, that gives you 16 storms. Or an average of 3.75 inches of snow per storm.
We can get 4 inches of snow, followed by a week of sun-light, and by the time the next storm blows through the only snow left over from before will be drifts under the trees or ruts in the fields.
A number like 60" does not mean that you would ever see 60" all at once. It woudl be spread out over the entire winter. A dozen or more small dumps.
Also, somehow the Area around Yakima, WA stuck in my mind (my mind is on constant lookout for homestead friendly areas). It does have moderate winters, more rain then the rest of E. Washington. Good soils, you can grow just anything. The area is just East of Cascade Mountain Chain which stops much of the incessant west coast rains, but some rain reach Yakima area to make it much less desert like than the rest of Apple Valley along I-82 (not speaking of plains of E. Washington). It's near I-82 and I-90, not exactly isolated, but it's not exactly a prosperous area, there is Indian tribe land (and logging operations). Some food Industry jobs, government, military, other than that... I don't know.
I also know someone that moved to Montana close to 40 years ago and has still not finished his house!!
His wife got fed up about 20 years ago and bought a singlewide trailer to live in while he finished the house and what did he do? Moved in and started an addition on the trailer that is not finished! And forgot the house.
Here is climatic summary for Coeur d'Alene, N. Idaho.
The average annual rainfall is 26 inches (66 cm) and the average annual snowfall is 49 inches (120 cm). The frost-free season runs about 120 days from mid-May to mid-September. The mean summer temperature is 82.1 °F (27.8 °C), and the mean winter temperature is 31.5 °F (–0.3 °C).[5]
31.5 F is quite mild as for me.
Mountain slopes around Coeur d'Alene are in full bloom in the middle of May. For comparison, in Southern Michigan mean winter temperature is around 26F, in the middle of May trees are just barely covered with not fully developed young leaves.
Best to go to the Idaho forum and talk to people who live there. We're an hour north of CDA and we've seen temps below -20. The last two winters were WAY over 49 inches in snow. We had a frost in late June and the summer before last, it snowed pretty heavily in Moscow in late June.
I'm doing some research on homesteading, and I was hoping for some input on a good area. This would be for my own enjoyment, so the market isn't a very big deal. I'd want a handful of sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, maybe some other poultry, and farm dogs. I'd also like an orchard and large vegetable garden. Obviously I'd want it rural. My husband is working on his teaching licence, so we'd need to find a place that has teaching jobs available. I like four seasons, even lots of snow, but not for much of the year. I'm okay with hot temperatures (up to 90 or so), but not with high humidity. We'll be on a small budget, so the less expensive the better. I like rural but wouldn't mind suburban as long as zoning and space isn't an issue (looking for about 10 acres). I like an old fashioned country feel. We have a baby girl and hope to have more in the future. We are also LDS, but we don't need a lot of heavy influence, just acceptance and a building somewhat nearby. Taxes should also be at least affordable since we'll be on a small teaching salary plus whatever I can do with the land.
I've seen plenty of places in the mid-west and east that would probably work, but are there many places in the western US? We have family in Arizona and SoCal, and I'd like to raise my kids at least somewhat near their grandparents. We also have family in Eastern Idaho and parts of Utah.
Places I've considered are nothern and western Idaho, most of Washington, maybe Oregon/NoCal but I've heard the teaching situation is bad, and southeast Arizona.
Anyone know of a good location? Thanks very much.
I live in north Idaho and I love it but prices have gotten very high here. We get a lot of snow in winter, rain in the spring and fall and a hot, dry summer from about the 4th of July till September. We usually break 100F at least once a summer. In the area there are lots of micro climates and snow belts as well.
One place to check out is north eastern Washington, like the Colville and Kettle Falls area. It's very beautiful there.
I live in north Idaho and I love it but prices have gotten very high here. We get a lot of snow in winter, rain in the spring and fall and a hot, dry summer from about the 4th of July till September. We usually break 100F at least once a summer. In the area there are lots of micro climates and snow belts as well.
One place to check out is north eastern Washington, like the Colville and Kettle Falls area. It's very beautiful there.
I have looked into that area. It looks very nice. But I'm a bit worried about summers. Are they really hot, like mid 90's all summer long (3 months a year) and hitting 100 often? That's the way it is where I live and I'm pretty much sick of it. I don't care about the cold and snow--bring it on. I prefer that.
Other than the summer heat, Colville and Kettle Falls are close to the top of my list.
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LOL
