North Idaho vs. West Montana vs. NorthW Wyoming (fit in, transplants)

[Winter_green]

Hello!

My boyfriend and I are trying to decide on the best place to settle down and start a family and I'm attracted to the idea of Northern Idaho, Western Montana or Northwest Wyoming. I am currently living in Maine and have never been to any of these states, but have been in pretty much every other western state at least once.

We would be looking for a large plot of land (Ideally 10 acres or more) to build a house and preferably many smaller outbuildings or tiny houses or yurts we could use for relatives/friends/airbnb, raise grazing animals, and generally be our own undisturbed off grid bubble.

The reason we are attracted to these 3 regions is

-Red states, most people will be generally more politically aligned with us (we consider ourselves dissident right, new right, alternative, independent, etc.)
-Lots of nature and open spaces and mountains (we love hiking, hunting, camping, general solitude and hate cities)
-Horse culture (I am an avid trail rider)
-Less monoculture agriculture than the midwest (and therefore less environmental toxins and exposure to pesticides)
-Less people and less ticks and less mold than the East
-Generally cheaper than coastal states (we are comfortable and don't mind paying for quality, but no one likes to spend needlessly)


All these states seem to fit the bill, but I have a few very specific preferences that I'm not sure which will best meet:

-We plan to homeschool, and want a good homeschool community that is not exclusively christian (our beliefs are.. very nuanced)

-We prioritize organic produce and grass-fed meats in our diet, so we would prefer an area with a farmers market, CSA, health food store, and general organic farming community near by that we can be a part of. The less barriers to getting local food/products from producer to consumer, the better.

-A very SAFE town that we can go to for some shopping or special treats (a yoga class, a good lunch, music in the park, etc)

-Somewhere not being taken over by the woke crowd (The idea of lots of cali transplants doesn't bother me as long as they are also escaping blue state madness, they may actually be my crowd. Do the cali people like organic food and also small government? Yoga and also gun rights? Those are my peeps. Though I suspect the new people are probably dyed in the wool liberals moving somewhere cheaper and who can't figure out why blue states suck..)

-Somewhere with a lot of small, locally owned businesses (I hate big box stores) Maybe some history (I hate modern architecture/newly built cheap houses which the west seems to have a lot of compared to the east coast's historical buildings and housing)

-Good homesteading/survivalist/primitive skills community

I do like green and trees a lot, which is a bit of a luxury out west I know, and I'm not fond of wind. Longer growing season is nice. Being near water is very nice, it is pretty essential for the off grid stuff we want to do. We enjoy consuming raw milk and occasionally cannabis, and will probably do so whether or not it's legal, but it would be nice if it was.

Kinda of a niche culture I want to tap into, which do you think is my best bet?

[rya700]

You didn't say anything about what your price range is for your property or if you need employment?

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by rya700

You didn't say anything about what your price range is for your property or if you need employment?

Yeah, I always find it hard to take a post like this serious when they list almost impossible demands, and no details about what they plan to contribute to make it work.

But the OP does give a few clues to price range.

Originally Posted by Winter_green

-Generally cheaper than coastal states (we are comfortable and don't mind paying for quality, but no one likes to spend needlessly)

My translation for that would be, we are broke asses living in a van down by the river. But we want to come out West and buy lots of cheap land to make our dreams come true. But don't worry, money is no issue.

I don't think any of the three states will work for them, and I don't think they will fit in in any of the three. But of the three I would have to pick Montana. Because that is where they will find the most "cali transplants" they are looking for, and their best chance to find a place to buy grass-fed meats. Although, I don't know why that is such a priority for them. Since they plan to raise their own grazing animals. I guess they don't want to eat their own livestock.

[ejisme]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

Yeah, I always find it hard to take a post like this serious when they list almost impossible demands, and no details about what they plan to contribute to make it work.


My translation for that would be, we are broke asses living in a van down by the river. But we want to come out West and buy lots of cheap land to make our dreams come true. But don't worry, money is no issue.

Also, they sound like they want to start a commune on their "off the grid" property, with a whole host of yurts and tiny homes. You know the neighbors will love that, especially the ABNB portion.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by ejisme

Also, they sound like they want to start a commune on their "off the grid" property, with a whole host of yurts and tiny homes. You know the neighbors will love that, especially the ABNB portion.

Yeah, I'm not sure the OP is even thinking that far ahead. Like I said, I can't take the post seriously. I think this is going to be a one hit wonder.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by Cloudy Dayz

Yeah, I'm not sure the OP is even thinking that far ahead. Like I said, I can't take the post seriously. I think this is going to be a one hit wonder.

Time will tell.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Winter_green

Hello!

My boyfriend and I are trying to decide on the best place to settle down and start a family and I'm attracted to the idea of Northern Idaho, Western Montana or Northwest Wyoming. ...raise grazing animals, and generally be our own undisturbed off grid bubble.

The reason we are attracted to these 3 regions is

...and hate cities)
... less environmental toxins and exposure to pesticides)
-Less people and less ticks and less mold than the East
-Generally cheaper than coastal states
...(our beliefs are.. very nuanced)

... The less barriers to getting local food/products from producer to consumer, the better.

-A very SAFE town that we can go to for some shopping or special treats (a yoga class, a good lunch, music in the park, etc)

-...I suspect the new people are probably dyed in the wool liberals moving somewhere cheaper and who can't figure out why blue states suck..)

-Somewhere with a lot of small, locally owned businesses (I hate big box stores) Maybe some history (I hate ...

I do like green and trees a lot, which is a bit of a luxury out west I know, and I'm not fond of wind. Longer growing season is nice. Being near water is very nice, it is pretty essential for the off grid stuff we want to do. We enjoy consuming raw milk and occasionally cannabis, and will probably do so whether or not it's legal, but it would be nice if it was.

Kinda of a niche culture I want to tap into, which do you think is my best bet?

Well...

You have too much HATE for living in WY, and wind is a given. WY is OUT for you, scratch it off.
ID is not legal for cannabis, Scratch it off.

That leaves MT, should be plenty of places to your liking, but be very careful to not degrade or destroy those places.

Green trees (except during fires)
Nothing is cheap in western states, too close to CA.

Very nice temperate region in the Clark Fork Valley From Paradise, MT west through Plains, and Thompson Falls amd on towards Heron. (Closer to Sandpoint will get you access to a town of your liking) Missoula can do if you are on the eastern end of Clark Fork Valley.

Tread lightly.
Just don't spoil it! (For yourself or others)
The world revolves around others, not you, your family, or your beliefs, and certainly not your demands.

Work on the HATE / Bias thing if you want to be a good neighbor and especially if you want to raise good, responsible, accepting, and caring children.

I would have been 6 ft under, the minute I spoke the word, or gave a hint of; Hate, or Condemnation, Blame, Idiot, Simpleton, or said NO!.
Poof, gone... (I be dead).

[sunsprit]

I can't speak for ID and MT ...

I appreciate that the OP wants to leave a very liberal area that doesn't meet their desires and expectations ...

But Wyoming isn't going to fulfill their fantasies of what's here.

Just for starters ... the OP is under the (mis-)impression that rural life here in Wyoming is like it is in the densely populated Eastern areas of the USA where rural life is some idyllic lower-cost place to live while still having ready access to all the amenities of the larger population centers not too far away.

Far from it ... the costs of living in rural/remote areas here come at a high price. And your access to shopping, medical services, and other desired attributes (a yoga studio? music in the park? a good lunch, better than a fast food franchise burger place?) is incredibly limited, and unlikely to exist in much of the region.

As well, a "longer growing season" ... OP, you're dreaming. Take the time to look at the Growing Zones of the USA ... you'd be lucky to see Zone 4 in the areas of Wyoming you've mentioned. Fact is that this area can typically sustain 5-6 months of wintry weather every year. Your vegetable growing season can be as short as 90 days ... even with a greenhouse structure and hot beds to get an early start and a week or two longer growing season.

That leaves out the availability and access to adequate potable and irrigation water. These can be very limited in a lot of Wyoming. This is not a riparian area of the USA such as you live in now with lots of natural moisture. Water law here is a concept that few folk I've met from "back East" even comprehend that exists because you have no comparable laws and limited availability of water that needs to be regulated. And Wyoming Water laws are paramount ... just because you see water on a parcel of land doesn't confer any right to use it for any beneficial purpose whatsoever. As well, soils here are a totally different proposition than the NE USA ... the crops and vegetables that you take for granted in ME are not here.

The horticulture and agronomy here is markedly changed from what you know and take for granted. You cannot, for example, graze livestock year 'round on your pastures ... and FWIW, a 10 acre site wouldn't support a horse for a month in Wyoming. IOW, your livestock is supported by you buying feed and hay for almost all of the year.

You've asked "which do you think is my best bet?" Sorry, but Wyoming is not what you expect or want it to be.

[ejisme]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

I can't speak for ID and MT ...

You've asked "which do you think is my best bet?" Sorry, but Wyoming is not what you expect or want it to be.

I live in ID now, and lived many years in Montana. Neither will be great, as well as WY. The same issues as you mentioned. I think their best options are on the west slopes of the Rockies in hopes of getting more moisture. Around Moscow, and south to McCall or Cascade Idaho are college or resort towns that will more closely support their desires. The other areas would be in Eastern OR or WA.

[volosong]

[mod note] Crossposting the same content to multiple fora prohibited by the Terms of Service. Thread closed instead of deleted because of useful replies for other seeking information. [/mod note]