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Bonners Ferry is beautiful but there's not much work there. Might be right as a place to retire, right up by the US-Canada border. Good people up there.
Hi Elkotronics!
Thank you so much for that - although we work from home, we definitely want to be near 'civilization' even if our little 10-acre (or so) farm is 20-30 minutes away from the main shopping. Also, we do IT and admin stuff, so it would be good to be able to market to surrounding businesses as well. We are not near retirement just yet!
Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint do not have that much as far as shopping. Sandpoint has WalMart and Home Depot, but not many of the shopping they may be looking for. CDA is an hour away from Sandpoint and there is more there. I would not consider N. ID a dry climate. We have snow all winter and plenty of rain in the spring and part of the summer. As far as growing your own food, you will be limited in what you can grow unless you have a greenhouse. We have a short growing season here. It gets drier as you head south.
Hi Brokencrayola!
Thank you SO much for saying that you would not consider N. ID a dry climate - that is an extremely important factor to us since we don't want to be back in humidity and bugs (although we will miss the green sometimes, but oh well...).
Would you say that you need a greenhouse in most of ID (esp. the southern part) to grow a decent garden then? Do they outlaw putting out a rain barrel to collect water for your garden? I have read that WY has laws against this, so I assume that most of the west does too.
Check out the Idaho Falls thread. Your internet needs may limit your options. There are a lot of smaller areas 20 min.away. Midwifes and home school plus great farmer's markets in Easttern ID. Ririe is on road to Jackson Hole. Idaho Falls is about 90 min from JH.
Look online for property in Bonneville, Jefferson, Bingham and Madison Counties for property. Butte County may be an option where someone would sell land or Custer County, like Challis.
I ideally, you probably love Swan Valley. So do the billionaires.
I'm uncomfortable stating why one place is better than another for multiple reasons. Ultimately, you know what matters the most to you and your family. Idaho doesn't really have small farms to sell Successful farmers require hundreds to thousands of acres.
Check the border communities on both sides of WY and ID, but make sure you ask about internet access, speed, bandwidth.
Good luck on your new adventure.
MSR
Hi Mtn. States Resident!
I will definitely check out the Idaho Falls thread - thanks! I love the mountain scenery (and we can't afford Jackson Hole even if the winters were not too severe there) and it's nice to be within driving distance of them at least. I will look online for all of those areas!
Thanks for reminding me to ask about internet access/speed/bandwidth issues - sometimes I forget because we are trying to remember everything else!
We don't really want a 'farm' for our living, more of us having about 10 acres or so and being free to have chickens, dogs, horses, sheep for more of a hobby farm. We would like to grow some of our own food as well as I mentioned earlier, but not have hundreds of acres to maintain.
You"re a pro as much as anyone else. You named the #1 thing I would have said about affordability of housing in WY.
Please continue to post here as someone who has just made the choice of where was right for you, given all of the realities you and your husband had to address in finding your new home.
And PLEASE join us more in the Idaho Falls section. We know where Atomic City is.
I'm happy to have you posting with your observations and experiences.
Welcome to Eastern ID
MSR
I just wanted to say I hope we get neighbors as nice as you from this post!
Oh, and also that now I know were Atomic City is too (thanks to internet maps)...
'Part-time pro-in-training' - that's a good way to put it!
I will check out Bonners Ferry, thank you so much for the suggestion I must say that I never really entertained the idea of farther north than Lewiston because after driving through 'Hell's Canyon' (scary if you are in 103 weather and didn't know what to expect!) we just thought from Lewiston up would be more waterways and more humidity and possibly bugs. Maybe we should rethink that then?
Thanks!
Well, about humidity: that is a relative matter. Compared to places in SE Idaho, NID is more humid, but compared to Tennessee, it is popcorn dry! I'm talking about summers, but so were you; I think. Every summer when we arrive "home" in NID from SoCal we get a case of dry nose and nosebleed for the first 3-4 days because of the dry air. Sometimes we've had a series of days (like this summer) with higher humidity, but that's not the norm (and again, I don't know all the possible climate fluctuations yet because I'm not a permanent NID'er like Brokencrayola). You need to read some statistics and decide for yourself--but I can assure you that the TN heat & humidity is vastly different from NID!
So why Bonner's Ferry? You'll probably be able to find 10-20 acres with a good well. If you want to cut wood from your own property it's easy to find a wooded piece of property. Bonners is definitely a conservative corner of NID. And Sandpoint is 30 minutes away. But the growing season is short, and a greenhouse would be a must.
Then there are the bugs. Yes, NID has bugs, but I don't know of a place that doesn't have some. And in NID the little pests freeze to death in winter--here in SoCal they enjoy life all year! What kind of bugs are you particularly concerned about? We have a whole thread about yellowjackets, and you can find more threads if you do a search.
Since your journey north ended at Lewiston, you have not yet seen any of the beauty of the mountains of North Idaho. That's what attracts most of us to the area. Take a look at our picture thread!
I spent almost 40 years in Tennessee, so it's wonderful to see another person who has made the jump from there out west! I COMPLETELY agree that being out west 'gets into your blood and you don't ever want to leave' - we just drove through and were only able to visit the area in hotels for a short while but now nothing out here (the Midwest or South) compares for us. I absolutely LOVE the drier climate and the people seemed really nice as well. I just worry a little about the winters...
That seems so true about the prices as well - I have noticed you tend to get more for your money in ID vs. WY. We are also like you that we want to have money left at the end of the month and not just exist to pay for housing! We will be renting for at least a year at first wherever we go I think, just to get more precise about where we want to buy - and we want to keep our rent as low as humanly possible while we get settled.
I am also concerned a little that on the eastern ID side we might be ostracized because we aren't Mormon, but maybe that's just a worry. My family (well, most of my family) is Mormon but we are not (we are 'simply Christian') and I hope some of the stories about not fitting in are just stories. I think there are more Mormons in ID than WY, but again I could be wrong.
So are you more in the SE corner of ID then, near Idaho Falls and Pocatello areas? Are the winters there more brutal than WY or the same? How would you compare them to TN as far as how cold they feel? We have little ones, so I wonder if it will be hard for them to deal with the cold weather.
Thanks!
Movingagain,
Whether or not non-Mormons are "ostracized" was in the back of our minds for us as well, both in WY and here. I was like you and had heard feedback that ran both ways - some saying "if you're not LDS you won't be welcome" and "there's enough non-LDS moving in that it is just not a major consideration anymore". The topic never came up in Wyoming (in Cody there are a lot of transplants, but I know that places like Powell, Worland, Star Valley I think, Lovell have large LDS populations).
I will tell you that more than once I have read about non-LDS children not being invited to kid-get-togethers (birthday parties etc.) when everyone else in a class was invited. Now "reading" and "hearing" don't always make it so, so I hope that LDS members on here will give you honest feedback re: how both you and your children will be received in whatever community you choose because of your faith.
With regards to my and my husband's limited experience here in ID I can tell you two things:
1. We're at the stage in our lives where we don't care anymore who likes and who doesn't like us. Having said that, we have received a very warm welcome from everyone in our small community.
2. Aside from a couple of friendly people reminding us in Arco that many of the townspeople are LDS, the topic has never come up
Are winters more brutal in WY than here, or about the same? Hmmmmm..........dunno. Will let you know in a few months. Seriously though, winters in Cody weren't bad at all. I've lived in Juneau Alaska where we had over 250 inches of snow a year. Snow in Cody came and then a few days later was gone. It would get very cold for a few days and then it would get back up into the 40's. So very moderate in reality. The big challenges with winter in the north west corner of WY where we lived :
1. The wind could get so strong sometimes that it would feel like it would rip your head off. I've seen it so strong that it was very hard to walk against. 30 minutes from Cody (in Clark) the winds are notorious. Clark has seen mobile homes flipped, roofs pulled off homes, roads buckle. Clark is totally surrounded by mountains and the wind tunnell effect of the wind coming through the canyons is unbelievable.
2. Winter comes early in the west. I was up at Dead Indian Pass October 5 last year picking up a hunting friend. Now this was straigt up in the mountains, and Cody didn't see snow for at least another month:
Winter comes earlier here, gets colder here, stays longer here. If I remember correctly you are from Memphis (?). Winter here is NOTHING like what you are used to.
Having said that I also know a fair amount about Memphis (we lved half way between Nashville and Chattanooga) and whatever you may be giving up in the way of conveniences etc. will MORE than be made up for by a move out west (regardless of whether you choose ID or WY as your new home). Cleaner and safer towns, good people, beautiful scenery that changes seemingly around every bend in the road, four distinct seasons, lower humidity, wide open spaces, privacy if you want it and accessibility if you need it.
When it comes to wnters and your little ones all I would say is embrace it. Get them skiing lessons or skating lessons, build snowmen, snow shoe, post hole in the snow, just enjoy it. Buy them cute snow suits and cute hats and scarfs and cute boots. There's an old saying (or maybe its a new saying) there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices. Depending on where you choose to live, you likely will need 4 wheel drive.
I just wanted to say I hope we get neighbors as nice as you from this post!
Oh, and also that now I know were Atomic City is too (thanks to internet maps)...
A few pictures of the area where we live. To many it's desert (but nothing like the desert in Wyoming) and barren. To us it's beautiful, and we're close enough to the mountains and rivers that we can go when we want to. One of the pictures is taken from on top of a small butte looking down over the entire town of Atomic City. Heading to Salmon at the end of next week. I'm going to PM you a link to my personal blog. It contains hundreds and hundreds of pictures of Wyoming and now Idaho. Good luck in your search.
I spent almost 40 years in Tennessee, so it's wonderful to see another person who has made the jump from there out west! I COMPLETELY agree that being out west 'gets into your blood and you don't ever want to leave' - we just drove through and were only able to visit the area in hotels for a short while but now nothing out here (the Midwest or South) compares for us. I absolutely LOVE the drier climate and the people seemed really nice as well. I just worry a little about the winters...
That seems so true about the prices as well - I have noticed you tend to get more for your money in ID vs. WY. We are also like you that we want to have money left at the end of the month and not just exist to pay for housing! We will be renting for at least a year at first wherever we go I think, just to get more precise about where we want to buy - and we want to keep our rent as low as humanly possible while we get settled.
I am also concerned a little that on the eastern ID side we might be ostracized because we aren't Mormon, but maybe that's just a worry. My family (well, most of my family) is Mormon but we are not (we are 'simply Christian') and I hope some of the stories about not fitting in are just stories. I think there are more Mormons in ID than WY, but again I could be wrong.
So are you more in the SE corner of ID then, near Idaho Falls and Pocatello areas? Are the winters there more brutal than WY or the same? How would you compare them to TN as far as how cold they feel? We have little ones, so I wonder if it will be hard for them to deal with the cold weather.
Thanks!
Movingagain,
You may be surprised how many people live in eastern ID who have lived in Memphis. I can't speak about WY because I don't know. How fortunate you were able to. connect with juneaubound who has addressed many of the same issues in almost the same time frame.
I mean this with all due respect to you, your family and extended family I have to ask you these questions and ask you to be emotionally honest with yourself. You don't owe me or any other person answers to these questions and certainly not publically. I have no idea how your relationship is with your extended family, who are LDS. Do they live in the area? Are you in a good or less than good situation with them? Do you hope to see more of them?
Are you concerned about your LDS family respecting your Christian lives and not trying to convert you to becoming LDS? Or is it your new neighbors - people you've not met who may be Christian, Jewish, Atheists, LDS or others who couldn't care less about religion?
I think you absolutely have to know those answers about your family so feedback from strangers doesn't influence you more than what you know or are concerned about regarding family and religion.
Calvary Baptist Church, a large church thriving in Idaho Falls ,broadcasts local Sunday morning services right before the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is broadcast, in eastern ID and western WY, as it is broadcast in many other states.
I'd encourage you to be absolutely certain of those answers for your family before you ask additional questions about LDS as you have a unique situation in your family.
I think there is a greater probability in any small town, USA a greater concentration of X exists. X could be a religious denomination, mining families (as an example- no offense intended who take that as an implied negative or positive statement) or those who grow their own gardens or hunt for family food. There are ways to peacefully co-exist, but that includes the attitude you bring to the table.
Arco often has to rely upon the school gym or LDS church for larger community events. There aren't other buildings large enough to accommodate those who wish to attend.
Should the LDS church not allow non-members to attend funerals for a non-LDS physician or have a community dinner etc.?
Please be honest with yourself and other adults involved with your decision. If one isn't at peace with oneself, a new home won't be found. Maybe a new location with a house with room for a garden, but not a new home.
Good luck in addressing these questions which I personally believe are as important as bandwidth, speed and cost for those who support their families via work they do via the internet.
MSR
Last edited by Mtn. States Resident; 09-15-2013 at 03:04 PM..
1. The wind could get so strong sometimes that it would feel like it would rip your head off. I've seen it so strong that it was very hard to walk against. 30 minutes from Cody (in Clark) the winds are notorious. Clark has seen mobile homes flipped, roofs pulled off homes, roads buckle. Clark is totally surrounded by mountains and the wind tunnell effect of the wind coming through the canyons is unbelievable.
So windy it makes the roads buckle. Got a chuckle out of that one. Very descriptive and creates an excellent word picture. Good one!
I agree with CFF about N. Idaho not being humid. Compared to Tennessee you won't notice any humidity, so you can put that worry to bed. Same goes for the bugs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by movingagain2012
Hi Elkotronics!
Thank you so much for that - although we work from home, we definitely want to be near 'civilization' even if our little 10-acre (or so) farm is 20-30 minutes away from the main shopping. Also, we do IT and admin stuff, so it would be good to be able to market to surrounding businesses as well. We are not near retirement just yet!
It would appear you would ideally like to find a 10ish acre hobby farm, reliably fast internet, businesses to network with, location 20-30 mins from shopping and potential clients. I would look at Coeur d'Alene or maybe Sandpoint. Internet may dictate living closer to town than you would like. You will love the area though, it is absolutely beautiful!
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).
Seriously though, winters in Cody weren't bad at all. I've lived in Juneau Alaska where we had over 250 inches of snow a year. Snow in Cody came and then a few days later was gone. It would get very cold for a few days and then it would get back up into the 40's. So very moderate in reality. The big challenges with winter in the north west corner of WY where we lived : 
Depending on where you choose to live, you likely will need 4 wheel drive.
