Pretty much the buckle of the belt, isn't it?

I think I would have loved the plains when it was tall grass prairie and buffalo/antelope roamed wild. I don't feel much affinity for it, and since we just crossed it on our way south I really did just want to get through it. I'm sure there are nice enough folk, but what do you do for community? Reminds me of the song by Hal Ketchum...'small town saturday night'... (we live in Northern MN, and are heading to Southern AZ to do some work on a place down there...we're in Northern AZ right now...connected to the internet via our cellphone and laptop, in a 15 ft travel trailer, pv panel on roof charging a battery bank)...
I love trees, and rivers and lakes...and hills. Mountains and oceans are nice, too.

Central and eastern Kansas have the rolling hills and more abundant moisture - lots of trees there. Central and west more dry climate, winds from Colorado over plains supply more wind. If you're a big-city oriented person then eastern Ks.and larger cities are for you. Land available around there,too. I guess I have never been in a situation in all the times I've lived in the country to be bored. Lots of small-town activities(auctions, sales, backetball and especially football games) and church activities. I suppose I think of homesteading as essentially "country living". Simpler, more personal, a way to connect with the land and to be more self-sufficient. I like trees too, but I also enjoy looking out and seeing small towns in the distance from the top of a hilltop rise. Visiting these town is a precious pleasure to me. Always something going on if you bother to look!

I building my own house (with my own two hands) and homesteading on 8 acres of old pasture land in Ms. its close enough to drive to the job (radio announcer in New Orleans) but far enough from the city to feel like you are in the country. Geat people around here. Worst part here are the summer's. Whew the humidity is killer. All the labor intensive work is done in the fall/winter/spring time.
I've never lived in your part of the world but I have lived in the north (family is from Indiana) enough to know I much perfer the south. Snow is no fun to me :)
Mike

Snow is fun, sometimes. We're on the third decade on our owner built homestead...and it is a great survival space. I don't have much faith in this government, the way it's going...so I hesitate to start again, somewhere else. We are in Southern AZ, now. We also own a small adobe here, but should push come to shove, and the fan start spewing you-know-what we'll rush back to the safety of our woods, river, and wilderness space. I fear there'll be a rush to the south when the fuel runs out...or gets much higher.

I'm expecting a major economic collapse within the next two years.

lilacfarm: concerning your faith in the government we have something in common. My husband is one who believes the immposible will never happen; people won't let it get that bad. That's OK, I figure it takes all kinds. Hey, bigeasyjock, it sounds like you may be located in a low-lying area. Ever flood you out down there? My sister works disasterfor State Farm and tells us horror stories from down your way...