Go to Asheville. It is WONDERFUL!

Jen is right about Asheville. It is a beautiful, up-and- coming town. Very artsy kind of area. But, I would move to the outskirts because it is an up-and-coming town (urban sprawl). The Smoky Mountains are right there. Don't know anything about the schools in that area. Be prepared for some culture shock if you move out to the country. Heck, someone in the country might still ask if you need a "poke" when you go to the store.

We vacation to outer banks but Id never leave Pa for Nc.good luck.

ok, ladybug, I'll bite, what is a "poke" as used by your country people? LOL I think my DH might have a different definition...lol!!

It's a paper bag--as in a pig in a poke. Dating from 14/15th Century English. Just a part of our Scotch-Irish mountain heritage that kept the language of our forebears. Those people who live in London only think they're the ones speaking the King's English. :)

Asheville is in the mountains and farmland there can be expensive. And it is indeed mountain farmland--in many sections, a field of twenty acres is generous. It is beautiful there, however, and Asheville offers a cultural and social life comparable to many larger cities.

There are a number of neighboring communities close enough to share activities of Asheville, but less expensive, such as Waynesville. Even Knoxville, Tennessee, is less than two hours away.

The I-26 corridor from Asheville through Hendersonville and down to Greenville/Spartanburg has much the same mountain/piedmont feel of Asheville, and again, you're only an hour or so away from Asheville. Nice farmland, small towns, nice country people. You can chose from some fairly rugged mountain terrain to flat bottomland--it all depends upon what you want and how much you're willing to pay.

I don't have experience in the rest of the state. I'm sure there are plenty of places there you would like.

As for the culture shock--the reason you're moving is because you want something different, isn't it? :)

Ray

I have to agree grassisevil. Mountain farmland. We live in the middle of the state in a small town called Mebane. Close to the Triad area (Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem) and the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). Farmland is pretty easy to come by in this area (we were just looking last weekend), but I think anywhere you go you'll see new construction and development. Guess it's a sign of the times.
How rural do you want to be Tara? Alot of the eastern part of the state is flat farmland, especially everywhere east of I-95 until you get to the coast. But I don't know about the schools out that way. Guilford County has some good schools and all over the state they have magnet schools that are excellent. Good luck with your decision

We lived on the coast of NC a few years ago (Wilmington & Oriental areas), and I don't think I'd recommend those particular areas for low crime. Oriental is quite a small town, but it just seemed that there was a lot more crime down there than we experienced in New England. I hope you like heat, because it's surface-of-mars HOT from April to October, although the winters are wonderful. Daffodils come up in late January, and I was able to get my whole garden in by early March.

I have heard that Asheville is a gorgeous area -

Wow such a great response! Thank you!!!!
Well I do live in a very rural area now. Not farming but redneck. It takes us 25 minutes to get to the store.
We are looking for the same kind of area, geographically-mountains- just somewhere else. I wish I could pick up our farm and move it.
From what I have read it seems like Ashe county has a nice climate- mild summers and winters, good schools and agriculture. I checked cencus records - and crime seems to be low. I guess we will have to go and see how the people are. That is what I am the most concerned with. A farm I can buy anywhere.
I just want my little ones to grow up with nice shcools, good families around them, church, and not have to worry about putting them on the school bus in the morning.
They are only 4,3,&2 so that is why we are looking now.
A property came up in Creston that we may go and see.
Anyone know how alleghany county is?
Tara

It's on the border with Virginia, very close to the Northeast corner of Tennessee. For some reason, it gets paired with Ashe County a lot. Be warned. Asheville is not in Ashe County; it's in Buncombe County, a goodly distance from Alleghany. You'll actually be closer to Winston-Salem. It isn't far from Boone and they have a skiing industry, so you can expect a fair amount of snow in the winter.

What else? It's mountains. Sparsely populated. Industry small. I have an idea the tax base is small also, so the schools may not be what you want. That doesn't rule out homeschooling if you find a place. It's probably better than 95 percent white. I've seen cattle and goats around that area, some orchards, and some small holdings, but beyond that, I don't know about the farming prospects.

I do know it's beautiful country, near the New River.

Ray

If you do move to NC and things don't work out...my brother is NCs biggest bankrupsy attorney.. :) He's the 'tv' lawyer.
Hope it does work out tho!
Ashville is real pretty. I have a good friend there, who turns wooden bowls, made from tree burls.
I've a lot of experience with NC. My wife, children and I used to vacation out on the outer banks. Down at Okracoke. Many, too many mozzies. Before that, my family, parents and us, went to and vacationed at Nags Head for thirty some odd years..
Inland, you get mucho humidity during summers and ice storms and hurricanes other times. Great BBQ tho!
I've another brother in Raleigh-Durham, who does a really good Elvis karioke act.. :) His name is Al. He calls his act...'Alvis'..He's popular at many Moose lodges.. :)

We are actually going to vacation in the outer banks in 2 weeks. My parents rented a house there and we are all taking a week to spend with them. After that my family is looking at different counties. I am looking for about 50 acres or more and I think to be able to afford this I will need to look on the west side. I am also tired of being the minority so thanks for the tip grassisevil. That is also important to me and one of the reasons I am moving from here. By the way what is small holdings?
Tara

Usually it means 40 acres or less. Property used to be surveyed in square miles. A section was a square mile, or 640 acres. A quarter section, the most frequently settled, was 160 acres. 40 acres was the simplest way to further sub-divide (as opposted to 50 acres.) Freed slaves and army veterans were issued land in increments of 40 acres.

That being said, it isn't a hard and fast rule. Some people use it to mean less than a hundred acres, or a holding that has 40 acres of usable land. Mountain land is sometimes oddly measured because of the difficulty posed by steep terrain. My father in West Virginia says if you flattened his land, it would cover New Jersey. Sometimes custom will say a property is forty acres, but it may be anywhere between thirty and fifty because it's been carved out to follow a stream or ridge.

That was more than you wanted to know, wasn't it?

Ray

granjerito-what a small world. We live in Mebane too.

Tara - Good luck with your move. A a native Carolinian, I think its a great place to live and is such a large state that you can find pretty much anything from the mountains to the coast. NC schools are not known for being the best in the nation but I'm very happy with my daughter's elementary school. If I were moving from out of state, I'd look at Orange county near Carrboro. The schools are better than most and you can be in a rural area but still close to civilization.

Thanks for the tip on Orange county I will check out their demographics and schools standings.
Grassisevil, thanks for the history info. I love stuff like that. Very interesting!
Does anyone know Creston?

Melondanddonna is exactly right.......if your used NC as a guide to the USA NC has it all.....even the people reflect the great country we live in :)I don't have little ones :( but if i did i think giving of my time to teach all the little ones the Cowboy Way is a better investment than just running to where someone else did all the work :) good luck.......NC has it all...but not as good as Fl :)

Greetings!
I too am researching NC and TN as possible relocation. Also VA and even Socorro NM. It all depends on jobs for hubby which really limits locations as he is in a very specialized industry. He may need to change careers and is close to retirement age so it's a huge challenge. We have a child in elementary school and the issue is mainly terrible education here. Also water quality problems with treatment causing serious health issues for me. For him the criteria is a mountain location or an area close to mountains with lower humidity. We are not skiiers so snow is not on our list...the less the better! But four seasons is something we really miss.
We have heard SO much about Asheville and Boone. One friend came back from there, loves it and wants to go. She said it is full of NY'ers who are driving up real estate costs (she's in NY!) Yet another friend just came back and oddly enough said it's not for her but that I would like it?! weird. She described it as beautiful but a small hippie town in the mountains; nothing to do for her kids (boys into motorcross and hockey). I was assuming it was a BIG mountain college town, now I'm confused! I also looked into Knoxville but have read an awful lot about soil problems/clay? and weeds on this website. Lastly we are researching Charlottesville/Staunton area of VA. Close to mountains, but then I read it's flood zone! YIKES. help.
Bottom line, we live at a high elevation in Hawaii, an unusual location similar to N. California/bay area, but dry. We would like dry as opposed to humid location though another friend says she is heading to Lake Norman near Charlotte! So many choices. BUT I know what I want in my future and last home: I am a garden nut. We are in a microclimate here so lavender thrives but too much clouds so roses and tomatoes do not. Not cold enough for even descanso lilacs. and What I want is to have LILACS which I miss desperately. And roses and herbs like I had in NY years ago. My husband can't tolerate the sticky humid summer weather of inland and coastal areas (naturally there are jobs for him in DC but he hates that climate!)We both want some acreage minimum of 2 acres and GREAT soil for gardening and milder winters. I killed myself here for the last 8 years fighting weeds which thrive 365 days year. Heavy snowfall and elevation seems to rule out Boone though we hear it's gorgeous? Grassisevil-any suggestions? I considered southeastern W VA where my Scottish ancestors settled back in early 1700; my NY snob mom tells me she has been there several times, around Greenbank/Pocohontas and that I will hate it, too redneck nuthin to do nobody to talk to. No culture. Too far from medical etc. Lastly-I want to be in an area where my daughter can learn her Irish and Scottish culture-and can get lessons in step dancing, bag pipe, violin. I play harmonica and would love to hook up with people to jam. SO that's a tall order I know, any suggestions would be so much appreciated. I spend hours online researching and I have learned so much from this website that realtors don't tell me!
THanKS again and sorry to ramble.

I am originaly from Boone NC. It is beautiful country I could see sheep, goats, doing real well there. There is alot of tobacco, cabbage, cool weather crops do well. The summers are real nice not to hot and the humidiy is extremly low. There is quite a bit of snow but it usually doeset slow to many people down and the schools hardly ever close inless it is real bad. I think the schools are great there both my neices went to school at watauga and I felt they did very well.Appalacian State U is a teaching college there. It is a very friendly place I love it. I go home as often as I can. It is extremly rocky there because you are in the heart of the mountains. I dont know if this helps or not. good luck

I just moved to NC last year. We live in Alamance county. In addition to farm acreage and good schools, how do you feel about politics? We moved here from CA via a year in Paris and find it much more conservative than other places we've lived. BUT there are pockets of liberalism, in and around Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Asheville. I don't mean any disrespect to readers are more conservative than I--I just wanted you to be aware that the political environment might be different from PA. And that effects gardening--I know around the Chapel Hill/Chatham County area, for example, there is alot of good work going on with organic gardening and sustainable agriculture. If that's something you're interested in, central NC might be a good place to find it. I'm sure that there is TONS of the same near Asheville. Other areas of the state are more traditional, agriculturally (and there are HUGE stinky hog farms all over). So that's something to consider. NC is growing really fast, though, so I doubt that you'll find any spot entirely free of development (I've heard that alot of land in the mountains is now being sold for summer homes--land that can't even be reached in the winter!). Good luck to you!!!

Check out Robbins, NC. Northwest Moore County.. I live near there. The folks are very nice. I haven't seen any of the farms being sold for sub-divisions. Most farms have been in familys for many many years and passed down to the next generation. There has been cases of sons getting married and the father giving the son land to build a home on, in the son's name only, incase there is a divorce so the land stays in the family. The people are kinda clanish but after you get to know them and they you there is nothing to worry about. They are all God fearing, family oriented and most attend all of the school functions....
Bob

Wow its been a while.
We did go to NC and looked at areas such as Asheville and Boone and the outskirts.
I'm sorry to say that it just wasn't for me.
I found that the prices were higher than I expected and you would go to look at a beautiful farm but to get to that farm you would pass homes that were rusty old trailers with 20 dead cars on the property.
We really work hard to keep our farm well manacured and attractive.
It seemed VERY common for some folks to not keep up thier property. Must have something to do with the townships not having codes on this.
We are now going to go out to SW virginia the Abingdon area-maybe even Tenn. as soon as spring hits.
Hope I didnt offend anyone.

Hey jmdandona, that was really funny, the huge stinky hog farms! I got a good chuckle. Here on Maui we deal with morons raising fighting roosters, an evil sport. All for money. My neighbor 2 doors down (who just began collecting his own junk vehicles!) also got himself a load of roosters all tethered to their little wood teepees in his front yard. It's a godawful hobby. I would like to tether him to one of those little teepees and find a 600 pound rooster to come and kick his ass.
Know what you mean about politics affecting other areas of life. It is democrats ruling Hawaii; which should be good but they ran the state into the ground. The unions have a chock hold so you can't do any remodeling work on your own, it's a nightmare. BUt worse of all is the Terrible education, among worst in nation. In my area, no zoning restrictions/codes allow my next door neighbor to do NO yardwork in 6 years now, his weeds take over my yard and it's killing me the work I have to do to fight them! His wife says he calls it Hawaiian style landscaping! The whole neighborhood calls it LAZYA-- landscaping and it's an eyesore that is killing our property value! We now have people junking cars on the roadside all over Maui daily as no site available to recyle or dump them. It's a disgrace. SO I don't want to move somewhere with these same problems. Our Dept. of Water Supply in it's feeble efforts to avert fines by EPA for SOME homes that had lead in their water; has screwed up our entire water supply starting in June 2001 by adding various chemicals (ortho phosphates etc.) which caused horrendous rashes and health problems so water quality is my other criteria for relocation. And ironically while I consider myself conservative, my husband calls himself a 'screaming liberal'. Maui has a lot of aging hippies which I think he is, deep down, as he's been here since 1979. While I find them irritating I think I prefer the organic lifestyle/mentality to a restrictive ultra conservative good ole boy attitude like my Alabama born dad had a bit and my NY mom still has a bit. Particularly as you mention in areas of farming, caring for the environment. Tonight we went to see friends play celtic music for their new CD party, next week is a bagpipe concert, so those are the things I am seeking should we relocate. I love these forums, you folks are giving lots of great info!