Anyone living off the land?

[newbie32]

Add 20 more degrees to that 100 and that is our temps for summer. We are enjoying a cold spell for a few days-80's. Usually this time of year is still 90's. By December we get into the 70's and that is when I am happiest. Although sometimes it can get colder-especially at night. If I had grown up here I would probably not mind no green. But being originally from Colorado makes me yearn for green green green. Green is my favorite color after all! I know Texas is south and I am also close to border, but It is still Midwestern to me. Southern belles, southern drawls, southern chicken-not southwestern style. You know what I mean

 

[LBejaran]

Add 20 more degrees to that 100 and that is our temps for summer. We are enjoying a cold spell for a few days-80's. Usually this time of year is still 90's. By December we get into the 70's and that is when I am happiest. Although sometimes it can get colder-especially at night. If I had grown up here I would probably not mind no green. But being originally from Colorado makes me yearn for green green green. Green is my favorite color after all! I know Texas is south and I am also close to border, but It is still Midwestern to me. Southern belles, southern drawls, southern chicken-not southwestern style. You know what I mean

South is south is south, haha! No matter what, it's hot out and winter isn't that wintery. Most of the time, I never realize we need it to be greener out here. We have local lakes, fishing, birding, a close-by beach, and all that jazz. Sure, we don't get snow or seasons, but it's nice, heehee! To loads of people, though, they just don't understand the appeal. And we have enough Texas/Mexico influence that we get to enjoy the mixing of cultures. It's great, but not for everyone. It's also not really that true "southern" culture, it's very Texan. In a way, Texas-Southern culture is a mindset all its own.

 

[newbie32]

yep I will agree with you that it is a culture all its own! Texmex style is known throughout the western states. We can tell the difference between Texas and other southern states easy! Food is what mainly stands out. MMMM food. I love border foods, that will be something I will miss when we move. The good thing is I can cook a good deal of the dishes but gee some of them take more time than I am willing to spend!

I prefer soups and stews and dumplings. Easy peezy. That's how I usually prepare whole chickens except on a rare occasion I roast. But with a family of 6 we need 2 birds to roast in order to feed us all. So soup is more economical. One day I will learn to make chicken pot pie!!

 

[Baymule]

Well I am originally from Colorado so I can handle the cold if I have to. The legal documents is exactly what we will be waiting for before we do anything. Without that paper in my hand I will not put a cent into it! Except to pay for the documents of course hehe! How do you know about Alabama since you live Texas? Honestly I wouldn't mind living in the South but I know they are not too friendly with people not from the South. Plus my husband is paranoid of a LOT of states having too many members of the clan. I tell him he is stupid but he insists that we would be in danger. I think I would very much enjoy the south if I wasn't segregated or judged in any way. I had friends from Colorado move to the South and they were treated really badly for being 'outsiders'.

My DH is from north Alabama. We went there to visit his mother until she passed away several years ago. The people were so friendly, it was like I never left home. The land is beautiful, the water is plentiful and it seems like a nice place to live. If I had to move to another state, Alabama would sure be in the running. North Mississippi is also a beautiful place. Both states stretch to the Gulf of Mexico, but the northern state lines don't resemble coastal areas at all.

 

[Baymule]

See when I say south I am not thinking Texas. I would not move to Texas because it is too close to the climate that we have here. I need more green LOL. I was talking like the original southern united states. Maybe its jus me but I have always considered Texas as a Midwest state, just the southern most Midwestern state.

Why does everyone think Texas is desert and rocks? Sure, WEST Texas is in lovely shades of brown, but there is more to Texas than desert and rocks. If you like green, east Texas is forest and green, green, green. Polk county even has an Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation. As Ibejaran has pointed out, Texas is a big melting pot. We have people from not just around the country, but people from all over the world. I live 4 counties from the Gulf coast, yes we do get blasted by hurricanes from time to time, but I have lived here all my life and have gotten hurricane damage only once. (shrugs) needed a new roof anyway.

The panhandle of Texas sticks up into the Midwest, Central Texas is rocky limestone hills, forest-mostly oaks, clear water and beautiful. Ibejaran has given you a good idea of south Texas, Hi Ibejaran!!! I was born in San Benito! But my parents moved to Longview when I was 2 years old. We went back to visit family, but never lived there again. I always loved visiting when the orange trees were blooming. Even the air tasted good!!

Before you write us off, maybe you need to take a good look at Texas.

Yeah, we are fiercely independent. Yeah, we are a southern state. Yeah, we are a Midwestern state. Yeah, we are a western state. Yeah, we are a Gulf coastal state and yeah, we are a Mexico border state. What's not to love??

 

[newbie32]

LOL well you put in a good case for Texas! Ok I will check it out. I honestly think I could handle huricanes a lot better than the heat here. Oh wait-you never said anything about the weather. Anyways-I will look and see. I do know one thing about Texas that I like.-I can buy land ALL THE WAY DOWN. Meaning I own the water and minerals and anything I find on in under over my land!

I am still aiming for Montana just because that would be FREE land. Of course my hubby will eventually own it someday anyways but that could take way too long so hopefully she will just give us some now.

 

[LBejaran]

Why does everyone think Texas is desert and rocks? Sure, WEST Texas is in lovely shades of brown, but there is more to Texas than desert and rocks. If you like green, east Texas is forest and green, green, green. Polk county even has an Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation. As Ibejaran has pointed out, Texas is a big melting pot. We have people from not just around the country, but people from all over the world. I live 4 counties from the Gulf coast, yes we do get blasted by hurricanes from time to time, but I have lived here all my life and have gotten hurricane damage only once. (shrugs) needed a new roof anyway.

The panhandle of Texas sticks up into the Midwest, Central Texas is rocky limestone hills, forest-mostly oaks, clear water and beautiful. Ibejaran has given you a good idea of south Texas, Hi Ibejaran!!! I was born in San Benito! But my parents moved to Longview when I was 2 years old. We went back to visit family, but never lived there again. I always loved visiting when the orange trees were blooming. Even the air tasted good!!

Before you write us off, maybe you need to take a good look at Texas.

Yeah, we are fiercely independent. Yeah, we are a southern state. Yeah, we are a Midwestern state. Yeah, we are a western state. Yeah, we are a Gulf coastal state and yeah, we are a Mexico border state. What's not to love??

There are so many wonderful facets to Texas that I know loads of people don't see. It's great that other people see that, as well.

Hi, Baymule! I was born and raised in Harlingen (we were neighbors, hehe) and I always find myself really enjoying the weather...on most days. Our hot summers make for some great produce and I'm kind of in love with our citrus around here. In fact, I love to watch the crops growing, it's just kind of fantastic to see an empty field quickly become acres of cabbage, corn, wheat, oranges and grapefruit!

We are just a big boiling pot of awesome cultures and flavors mixing together to create a great state. While we've got corrupt politicians and sometimes people have backwards ideals, a large majority of people are good and welcoming. The landscape takes the cake, though. The Rio Grande Valley is like a little taste of Mexico. Not to mention the food, hehe! I'm not good at convincing people about Texas (I'm not much of a bragger), but I can't deny there are some beautiful aspects to the state that really make it home. You don't know how often I've defended the valley against arrogant, ignorant people who couldn't see the beauty if it hit them over the head with a crowbar. They obviously hadn't seen the parts that I'd seen, haha!

 

[LBejaran]

LOL well you put in a good case for Texas! Ok I will check it out. I honestly think I could handle huricanes a lot better than the heat here. Oh wait-you never said anything about the weather. Anyways-I will look and see. I do know one thing about Texas that I like.-I can buy land ALL THE WAY DOWN. Meaning I own the water and minerals and anything I find on in under over my land!

I am still aiming for Montana just because that would be FREE land. Of course my hubby will eventually own it someday anyways but that could take way too long so hopefully she will just give us some now.

That's what happened with our land! Before we built the house on it, it used to be a field that was used over and over throughout the years to grow crops (including corn). When they sold it for real estate, they leveled it out with caliche and sandy soil. It wasn't the greatest land (we certainly wouldn't be able to grow much on top of it since the soil was so worn down), but as soon as we found out there was water underneath, we were set. Almost as soon as the house was built, the well was dug. We didn't get it working properly until this year, though. We put it off for years because of money and time, but now that it works, we use it every couple months for watering the yard. We flood it, the chickens get their fill of buggies, and all the plants are green enough that they attract dragonflies that will eat the mosquitoes. And since we haven't grown anything but grass and weeds on it, it's been sitting dormant for about 12 years. The weeds and grass that have died and regrown has created some great top soil.

Free land will nearly always be better than having to purchase it, haha! Let's hope you can get some before someone's will has to be utilized!

 

[newbie32]

I just want to say that I was not Knocking Texas. I said it was a similar climate. There is beauty here that I see everyday that the average passerby is blind to. It is not the lack of beauty that makes me want to leave. I love it here. It is the lack of water! Not enough rain! Yes I also miss the green of Colorado, but that wouldn't be enough to make me move. I am paranoid of SHTF and not having water. I am sure everyone is aware of how long a person can live without it. NOT long. So I am sure I would find Texas beautiful just as I find home beautiful, but water year around or close to it is a concern

 

[StupidBird]

Texas has their anti littering slogan "don't mess with Texas", which is really cool. I want to spend some time there someday.

Water rights are an even bigger deal than finding the stuff, IMHO. Here in Georgia there is the tri state water wars going on, every municipality is funding outlandish reservoir projects, and we have it mild compared to other states.

I compared my water bill to someone's in Phoenix, as, a couple years ago and we pay about twice per thousand gallons as they do. And Phoenix steals water from all over the west! Yup, I am worried about mineral rights too.