Moving to Missouri (Ozark, Rea: how much, neighborhood, living in)

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by Ultimateflyfisher

My wife and I are now retired. .... Wanting a small family farm. Want the slow life. Can you hear the frustration?

You mention you are retired, so I hope by "a small family farm," you mean you are looking for a little place you can putter around on and maybe do a little gardening and canning.
Real farming is hard work, but you can certainly buy some acres and grow some tomatoes and okra and maybe have a cow that you can artificially inseminate and use the offspring for meat. That isn't really farming, but it's the rural life and it's satisfying.
I recall way back in the Eighties accompanying an Extension farm tour with some folks who were mostly from the city and had moved out here to get back to the land. At the watermelon feed that evening at the last farm we visited, an older gentleman said he was an accountant with a major company in Chicago. He had health problems, apparently primarily due to stress. He said his doctor told him to sell everything he owned, move to the Ozarks, and buy a farm.
I literally laughed out loud. I like to have shot watermelon seeds out my nose. Then I apologized to the man.
The whole country had just gone through an agricultural shakedown. Lots of farmers went out of business. There were auctions and repossessions. It was in the news.
The ole boy went on, after I apologized, and said he was looking for a way for his farm to make money. He was considering raising blueberries. I don't know whatever happened to him; I didn't follow up. I'm pretty sure he didn't go into the blueberry business.
My point is this: If you must move to Missouri (and I am not encouraging you to do so), don't sink your life savings into a farm expecting to make a living at farming. This is bad, rocky soil, unsuited for growing crops. You can raise cattle on it, and a lot of people do; they all, and I mean all, have jobs in town.
I get a little testy when Califoreigners or from any city say they want to move to the country and be farmers, as if farming is a business so easy that anyone can succeed in it. Most don't. Can you hear my frustration?

[Ultimateflyfisher]

Cali Bass Man I'm retired. I love to watch storms. Went through some rough ones in Amarillo, Texas and spent several nights in Ponca City, Oklahoma with terrible thunder storms. Loved it. I may become a storm chaser as an added hobby. I thank you for the warning though. Last thing I want to do is move there and then move back to California. I don't think we will with the disdain that we have for the controlling political system in California. I spent the last 15 years as an inspector with air quality and dictating how they would run there business. Some of the laws I agreed with but whole lot more were passed in the last few years I did not agree with. Anything would have to be better than California. I'm hoping to start a family farm and fish and hunt and trap and meet good people to associate with. And the trout streams are a plus. Ad Maven there's trapping but it's with live traps and you have to test to get a 200 dollar plus trapping license. No leg hold traps. Old Hippie Lady we have friends in Mt Home and plan to visit them when we get to Missouri. Cali Bass Man when you get to Missouri would love to get with you and fish. Again folks thank you for all the information.

[Ultimateflyfisher]

Ozarks Boy I can hear your frustration. Love the cowboy life. Did it as a young man. I will not be sinking my life's savings into it. But will be using monthly retirement pension money to start out slowly. You are a wise man. My chickens are diversified; they don't lay all their eggs in one basket. And I really thank you for the insight and warning.

[Cali BassMan]

There has been a number of people over the last few years who have came on this forum,wanti g to escape from Caliyforiegnya or somewhere else, only to move to Missouri and then find out that it was a mistake. Hence my and some others warnings. There was a lady who was counting down the days, when she finally got to Missouri she was so excited, then her posts started to sound homesick, and her last post ever simply said "I hate it here"..
So, that being said, if what your looking for is a small hobby ranch or farm Missouri might be the place...
If your wanting to escape Goverment control, high taxes, the mad rush of illegal aliens, and endless crowds, Missouri might be the place...
But remember this, without Goverment control there is nothing to stop your neighbors from turning their place into a dump,
Without taxes, there are a lot of gravel roads, and not much in the way of public services, so if you have a shiny new Mercedes it might get dirty.
The people in Missouri speak to you in passing, might hold a small conversation with you at the gas pump. Nothing like Cali, where you will pass 1000 people in the store and no one looks at each other...
So if you don't mind the dirt, the lack of services, the humidity, the ice storms, and people that might actually talk to you Missouri might be your place

[SW Missouri Dave]

Originally Posted by Cali BassMan

.... and people that might actually talk to you, Missouri might be your place

And out in the country, you will find many Missourian's wave - with more than one finger

[Cali BassMan]

I've told people about these annoying habits you show-Me Staters have..
Talking to each other, looking each other in the eye, waving at passing cars, saying what you really think, speaking English, not being in a big hurry, belief in the 2nd Amendment, having old fashioned manners, children with manners and discipline.
Oh course no one believes me, they can't fathom that someone you don't know might speak to you......

[MoNative34]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

You mention you are retired, so I hope by "a small family farm," you mean you are looking for a little place you can putter around on and maybe do a little gardening and canning.
Real farming is hard work, but you can certainly buy some acres and grow some tomatoes and okra and maybe have a cow that you can artificially inseminate and use the offspring for meat. That isn't really farming, but it's the rural life and it's satisfying.

You're right. It is satisfying and even though it isn't real farming, it still is a lot of work even if you only have a few head of cattle, a chicken coop and garden plots. And everything involved in it costs a lot of money... Like tractors (even smaller, older ones) and equipment needed like a brush hog, disc mower, rake, baler, etc. And not just the purchase price needs to be considered. The ownership expenses, like fuel, fluids, parts can (will) also add up. The good news is the OP is retired. I know people that have places like that and work a job in town. They want to hunt and fish, but they don't have time.

[ozarksboy]

Originally Posted by MoNative34

You're right. It is satisfying and even though it isn't real farming, it still is a lot of work even if you only have a few head of cattle, a chicken coop and garden plots. And everything involved in it costs a lot of money... Like tractors (even smaller, older ones) and equipment needed like a brush hog, disc mower, rake, baler, etc. And not just the purchase price needs to be considered. The ownership expenses, like fuel, fluids, parts can (will) also add up. The good news is the OP is retired. I know people that have places like that and work a job in town. They want to hunt and fish, but they don't have time.

Yes, the OP mentioned in a reply to one of us that he wanted to start a family farm AND go hunting and fishing.

I guess maybe folks with money are able to do that. There are a lot of magazines out nowadays, "Living the Country Life," "Hobby Farm" and the like, and they have beautiful pictures of beautiful homes and clean animals and new or like-new equipment. The people in the magazines have lots of time for entertaining. I guess maybe they go hunting and fishing, too. The farm seems to take care of itself.

They are a better class of people, I guess, than the folks I know. So maybe the OP will do just fine.

[brushrunner]

Originally Posted by ozarksboy

Yes, the OP mentioned in a reply to one of us that he wanted to start a family farm AND go hunting and fishing.

I guess maybe folks with money are able to do that. There are a lot of magazines out nowadays, "Living the Country Life," "Hobby Farm" and the like, and they have beautiful pictures of beautiful homes and clean animals and new or like-new equipment. The people in the magazines have lots of time for entertaining. I guess maybe they go hunting and fishing, too. The farm seems to take care of itself.

They are a better class of people, I guess, than the folks I know. So maybe the OP will do just fine.

I'm retired and like to Hunt and Fish but with Rabbits, Chickens, Garden and Orchard still find it hard to get away.

brushrunner

[Ultimateflyfisher]

Ok. you talked me out of the farm. lol NOT! But you have broaden my horizon. Thanks again everyone - the OP. Leaving Monday - Be there Wednesday.