# This is the best area to homestead in America!



## RangerBrad

I've seen over time many people asking what areas are the best to homestead. For me and my wife as a homesteaders ourselves and also Realtors I'd like to state that Fort Smith Arkansas and surrounding areas are extremely conducive to homesteading. Temprate weather, good soil, alot of water, very rural immediatly outside of the city. Can live the homesteading life and still be 20min from downtown. Also Kiplingers as of Aug 2010 found Fort Smith to be the cheapest place in America to live http://cheapestplacestolive.blogspot.com/2010/08/kiplinger-ranks-fort-smith-cheapest.html If you are trully interested in living in the best place for homesteading feel free to go to our Fort Smith Arkansas Real Estate website and click on the MLS button. You can also contact us by phone or email (Found on our site) and we would be glad to set you up with free auto-notification that automatically e-mails you properties that meet your specific criteria. Thank's, Brad


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## homebody

There is also a thread on Arkansas city-data about Ft. Smith. We went through Boonville, Ft. Smith and Waldron many years ago. Such a fast trip I don't remember much except I liked most of the land. I like the area north of LR all the way to Mountain View.

As far as homesteading, anywhere rural in AR is good, hope to meet some of the locals someday.


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## RangerBrad

Homebody, 
We live in Booneville and I used to live in the cauthron community between Waldron and Heavner. Though my wife grew up in Fort Smith I grew up near Choctaw, Ok but have lived here since 95. I really like how you can live near shopping and work but still have all the benifits of country living. I can only see about 3 yard lights across the valley from me. 
It breaks my heart when I go back to my old stomping ground in Oklahoma and it is just a sea of lights where we use to **** hunt when I grew up. 
We just helped some folks who live in Arizona but owned property just 1 mile from our house sell their 14 acres to a young couple that live in California at a very reasonable price. 
The locals are the best, as they are very friendly and most have a homesteading attitude.
Attend a local church and sit at the loafers table in the local coffee shop and your in like flyn and will be privy to all the local gossip.
If you ever get down this way agin give us a call and we'd be glad to show you around and introduce you to the locals. Thank's, Brad


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## simplepeace

RangerBrad said:


> Homebody,
> The locals are the best, as they are very friendly and most have a homesteading attitude.
> Attend a local church and sit at the loafers table in the local coffee shop and your in like flyn and will be privy to all the local gossip.
> If you ever get down this way agin give us a call and we'd be glad to show you around and introduce you to the locals. Thank's, Brad


I have been doing a lot of research on the area, and unfortunately this sales pitch puts me off. I am interested in the area, but don't care to attend a local church or sit at a loafers table to be privy to local gossip...
I am interested in homesteading and I find that those 2 things are fully opposed to my interests. 
Now, I realize it may be considered the bible belt, but I really was hoping to find a place where church attendance is not mandatory for acceptance. I want a place where I am allowed to live, work and contribute in my own way to the community (without suffering someone else's idea of a correct lifestyle) I am starting to think I ought to really stop looking at this area for a homestead.
I too have been reading the thread on city-data and that along with this post actually steers me away...
I don't mean to pick, so if this is exactly how you see it I do appreciate your honesty.


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## Txrider

simplepeace said:


> I have been doing a lot of research on the area, and unfortunately this sales pitch puts me off. I am interested in the area, but don't care to attend a local church or sit at a loafers table to be privy to local gossip...
> I am interested in homesteading and I find that those 2 things are fully opposed to my interests.
> Now, I realize it may be considered the bible belt, but I really was hoping to find a place where church attendance is not mandatory for acceptance. I want a place where I am allowed to live, work and contribute in my own way to the community (without suffering someone else's idea of a correct lifestyle) I am starting to think I ought to really stop looking at this area for a homestead.
> I too have been reading the thread on city-data and that along with this post actually steers me away...
> I don't mean to pick, so if this is exactly how you see it I do appreciate your honesty.


I think your reading a whole lot more into something that isn't really there.

I wouldn't hesitate to homestead the area, and I never set foot in a church. 

Though for me I would be looking a bit north of Ft. Smith more toward Eureka Springs or even east further over to the Mountain Home area or just over the border into MS.


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## simplepeace

TxRider,
I think you are probably right, I was just thinking about it on my walk. It is just that I have heard it so many times that it is making me nervous. It just feels like op is trying to sell a place only to church-going good ol' boys. I suppose I felt left out  

I have actually been looking further north SW MO and into NE OK. I had just seen quite a lot of nice properties in the FS area...


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## Deb862

Well, he IS trying to create business for himself and sell something (he IS a realtor and therefore has an ulterior(sp?) motive here). I'm assuming that is why he has posted as real estate business is slow these days. 

I agree with simplepeace, though. Even if the area is good for homesteading, the OP being a realtor and giving the sales pitch puts me off as I know that money/commission is involved and that unfortunately taints the tone of 'being neighborly' and giving others advice on a place to homestead.


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## lonelyfarmgirl

I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but someone should give an 'otherside' point of view. I own 35 acres in searcy county. this is north central area. It is a pretty place, no doubt, but it is a very poor area with alot of trashy dishonest people, and no work anywhere. (I did meet some nice people, although only a couple I would call truly honest and trustworthy)

when I lived there, every time I left for more than a day I got robbed. Eventually the locals stole everything I owned, including our bus-house. The police did nothing, and we had to move back to Indiana.

Late summer is very hot and dry there is almost always burn bans for the whole summer-fall. The ticks are absolutely horrible, as are the chiggers, and the snakes and spiders aren't much better.

alot of people homestead there, and the landscape is beautiful, but research the whole picture before moving, rather than end up dissapointed.

And the only reason someone would be 'in like flyn' would be because the locals want to know, and discuss openly, every aspect of your personal business.


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## Qhorseman

I have lived in small towns most all my life. One of the things every one of them had was small town gossip, just no escaping it.


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## lonelyfarmgirl

Dont I know it! We live 3 miles from a town of 600 some now. You can't do anything outside of normal routine, and sometimes even those things without half the people in the county knowing within 48 hours.

here its not so bad, though. yes everyone knows your biz, but nobody steals up here, people help each other, and support each others businesses. Down there, wow.:gaptooth::fussin::umno:


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## Mickie3

Qhorseman said:


> I have lived in small towns most all my life. One of the things every one of them had was small town gossip, just no escaping it.



and big cities are no different. We are currently living in a suburb of a metro that is about 1.5 million and its the same here. 

Kind of shocked me when I was asked by the kid next door about something I had done that I knew for a fact he was not at home when it happened (washed my wife's car with a power-washer.) Only way he would have known about the way I washed it is if he was told. Up until then, I had no idea that the neighbors were keeping track of what we do and when.  Since the time that happened, have noticed (and wife & laugh about) that we may make some things look odd on purpose, just to give them something to talk about. (Wife and I are both in 60s!)


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## FoxyWench

LMAO, my grandparents live in a little village like that, have done since my dad was a baby...but the rumor mill has gotten worse over the years, and when they started hearing rumors about themselves they decided to give them something to talk about...so now its not unusual for them to walk around their house half naked, or do silly things just to get a giggle lol


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## francismilker

simplepeace said:


> I have been doing a lot of research on the area, and unfortunately this sales pitch puts me off. I am interested in the area,* but don't care to attend a local church or sit at a loafers table to be privy to local gossip...
> I am interested in homesteading and I find that those 2 things are fully opposed to my interests*.
> Now, I realize it may be considered the bible belt, but I really was hoping to find a place where church attendance is not mandatory for acceptance. I want a place where I am allowed to live, work and contribute in my own way to the community (without suffering someone else's idea of a correct lifestyle) I am starting to think I ought to really stop looking at this area for a homestead.
> I too have been reading the thread on city-data and that along with this post actually steers me away...
> I don't mean to pick, so if this is exactly how you see it I do appreciate your honesty.


If these two things are fully opposed to your interests then you'd be doing the locals more of a disservice by moving there than you would yourself. When you get right down to it, locals from this area don't take too kindly to high-fallutin city folk coming here with their "we don't want nothing to do with Jesus" attitude and messing things up from the way they've always been. 
(not saying you're high-fallutin or athiest or anything like that either by the way!)


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## Mickie3

FoxyWench said:


> LMAO, my grandparents live in a little village like that, have done since my dad was a baby...but the rumor mill has gotten worse over the years, and when they started hearing rumors about themselves they decided to give them something to talk about...so now *its not unusual for them to walk around their house half naked*, or do silly things just to get a giggle lol


Haven't done that, but come close to it. 

And this is in a city of over 1.5 million people, where drug murders are a constant occurrence, crime is rampant, etc. You would think they would have better things to concern themselves with.  Once, the kid next door (actually he is over 21, but with operates on the 7-10 y.o. level) was relating what his parents said about my veggie garden, planting fig trees, etc. and I found that humorous as they are always coming over to see if I have any "surplus", which we always do (and give away to the neighbors.) (We also have started a private (read that, I pay for everything from vet bills to food to toys, etc.) animal refuse, we have at this time 16 special needs cats, 1 dog, and a parrot that would have all spent their lives in a shelter, at best, if we had not gotten them. I feel its my right to do what I want with my money, I earned it honestly.)

That is one reason we are moving to a rural area, so we can get off this quarter acre lot (one of the biggest in the area) and live like we want. I have lived and worked in some of the biggest cities in the world (due to my career, now retired from that) and only a couple of small towns, but I have to say that I liked the small town living the best and my wife does also (she is from a small town in Ohio), so that is what we are in process of doing at this time.


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## homebody

Hate to hear it's like that as I have had a much better impression of Arkansas people than that. Of course our trips have definitely been road trips with little to no conversations with the locals. Just seem generally like a good group of people from the info I gather over on city-data.

I do know that most aren't stuck-up/snotty and I'd prefer being around a plain ole ******* that a snob from the city who looks down on everybody they think is so very beneath them. Two extremes maybe but I'm sure that most people are just ordinary, country folks there. Oh wait, just realized I am an ordinary, country woman with a streak of *******, I would fit in perfect. LOL

As far as the word "bible belt". It seems that is used to describe a lot of places and can't be accurate for all places. A belt is long and thin, is it not? So where exactly is this "belt" located? Having a church on every corner doesn't mean a thing.

I assume you are not still in Ar and hopefully have sold your property there. 






lonelyfarmgirl said:


> I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but someone should give an 'otherside' point of view. I own 35 acres in searcy county. this is north central area. It is a pretty place, no doubt, but it is a very poor area with alot of trashy dishonest people, and no work anywhere. (I did meet some nice people, although only a couple I would call truly honest and trustworthy)
> 
> when I lived there, every time I left for more than a day I got robbed. Eventually the locals stole everything I owned, including our bus-house. The police did nothing, and we had to move back to Indiana.
> 
> Late summer is very hot and dry there is almost always burn bans for the whole summer-fall. The ticks are absolutely horrible, as are the chiggers, and the snakes and spiders aren't much better.
> 
> alot of people homestead there, and the landscape is beautiful, but research the whole picture before moving, rather than end up dissapointed.
> 
> And the only reason someone would be 'in like flyn' would be because the locals want to know, and discuss openly, every aspect of your personal business.


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## andiplus8

RangerBrad said:


> Homebody,
> We live in Booneville and I used to live in the cauthron community between Waldron and Heavner. Though my wife grew up in Fort Smith I grew up near Choctaw, Ok but have lived here since 95.


I live outside of Heavener going toward Waldron. We love it here. We have goats, sheep, chickens, geese, cats, and dogs. We do go to church. Our two oldest boys worked at the local cafe as dishwashers. When one got old enough to leave home the other boy took his place. We are pretty well liked here and we like the other homesteaders here. BUT... we have not been going to the same church the whole time. As a matter of fact we didn't go to church for the longest time... We are starting back at a new church today.AND...we have only been here 2 and a half years. It doesn't take long to meet people with similar interests here or be accepted for who you are whether or not you go to church or listen to gossip. 
Andi in OK


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## RangerBrad

Simplepeace, I'm not saying you HAVE to attened church or visit the boys at the local coffee shop to fit in here but, if your intention is to go door to door through out town it's going to take a while to meet the natives and them to know you. Those ways just make meeting the locals quicker. We acctually attend the Shepards Chapel Church out of Gravett Ar. via internet and tv but know folks around here from living and working in the area for many years. 

Lonleyfarmgirl, I know the area your talking about and those places exist everywhere. There are allways certain places that you would have to weld the door shut everytime you went to town. The truth is the areas in the absolute middle of no where are famous for this. Personally I wouldn't live there.

Deb862, Your right. I am a Realtor and was a homesteader long before becomming a Realtor and deal with many folks comming to this area for that very reason. If the thought of me making a living by helping others find their dream properties at prices they can afford "PUT'S YOU OFF" tough nuggies. You come off as if I'm not being honest. I don't believe I've ever met you or told you anything that would make you speak about me like that. You maybe able to tell from this post that I am straightforward and honest weather I'm doing the deal for free or a million dollars and if you knew anything about the laws governing Realtors and real estate transactions you would know anyone that didn't wouldn't last long. Nuff Said

Andiplus8, My uncle was the city manager there in Heavner(Paul Evans) We also got our first goat (a saannen named Dolly) from Aubrey and Marva Herring there in Heavner I'm sure you know where the Bates and Cauthron communities are.

Once agin, I feel this is a great area( Fort Smith and River Valley) to homestead. Brad Fort Smith Arkansas Real Estate


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## rickfrosty

RangerBrad said:


> Simplepeace, I'm not saying you HAVE to attened church or visit the boys at the local coffee shop to fit in here but, if your intention is to go door to door through out town it's going to take a while to meet the natives and them to know you. Those ways just make meeting the locals quicker. We acctually attend the Shepards Chapel Church out of Gravett Ar. via internet and tv but know folks around here from living and working in the area for many years.
> 
> Lonleyfarmgirl, I know the area your talking about and those places exist everywhere. There are allways certain places that you would have to weld the door shut everytime you went to town. The truth is the areas in the absolute middle of no where are famous for this. Personally I wouldn't live there.
> 
> Deb862, Your right. I am a Realtor and was a homesteader long before becomming a Realtor and deal with many folks comming to this area for that very reason. If the thought of me making a living by helping others find their dream properties at prices they can afford "PUT'S YOU OFF" tough nuggies. You come off as if I'm not being honest. I don't believe I've ever met you or told you anything that would make you speak about me like that. You maybe able to tell from this post that I am straightforward and honest weather I'm doing the deal for free or a million dollars and if you knew anything about the laws governing Realtors and real estate transactions you would know anyone that didn't wouldn't last long. Nuff Said
> 
> Andiplus8, My uncle was the city manager there in Heavner(Paul Evans) We also got our first goat (a saannen named Dolly) from Aubrey and Marva Herring there in Heavner I'm sure you know where the Bates and Cauthron communities are.
> 
> Once agin, I feel this is a great area( Fort Smith and River Valley) to homestead. Brad Fort Smith Arkansas Real Estate


Amen, RangerBrad, as another hard working realtor, I know what you are saying - we have to take expensive classes all the time, pay plenty of dues, work under regulations & laws that are so absolutley extreme that they are verging on ridiculous.
I personally scratched long & hard to peck out what is barely a living (last year not a living - I didn't have to pay income taxes I made so little!) and often deal w/people that are mean, angry, don't have a freakin' clue about how real estate works. You have to make phone calls that you'd give almost anything not to have to make. BUT one thing - it isn't is boring - well, sometimes it is that too !
There's coming a 'tipping point' where people will finally jump & get out of the dangerous urban areas & we'll do the best we can to help them & yes, get a tiny piece of the commission paid to the parent agency.


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## fitwind

Sometimes fitting into small town living, can be very hard. I am thankful for the area that I live in people are nice. Go 12 miles down the road and thats a different story, very cliquey town, and many around here the same.
Fitting into an area can be quite hard, if you can find acceptance from the people it is easier.
I bought a house in a very small populated area, but they are stuck with me. I bought my house, I'm not going anywwhere, I think that helped.


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## Grizz

I grew up in Logan county and sat at the table in the cafes in Booneville and Paris and went to a few of the churches there as a young boy and il tell u what i know about it all!! It shaped me to be what i am today 50 some years later in a diffrent part of the world but still to this day i go to the cafes wher im at now and love to listin to the talk there bought alot of things over the years includin land so i love the tables at the cafes wherever im at workin or visitin


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## Old Swampgirl

I live on 48 acres on a dead-end road in a unincorporated area between a small village on the east & an even smaller community on the west. I experienced problems similar to lonelyfarmgirl, but did not give up. I just became know on this road as the crazy lady with the shotgun. There's what I call a "gypsy" camp near the beginning of my road, so they can see who comes & goes easily. No offense to real ethnic gypsy people. Several of the males there are criminals & now, are what we call 2nd & 3rd generation Angolilites(Angola is our state prison). Got robbed many times & even though the sheriff deputies were concerned, never recovered my stuff. I made friends with my neighbors &some are very good folks. I share my tractor with a guy who has a large metal bldg to keep it in. I don't go to church & we don't have a coffee shop, so I know of no gossip. I'm sure that my philosophy of life, paradigm, & whatever is very different from my neighbors, but through time we have built up a good working relationship & since I've retired & only work part-time sporadically, I've not been robbed. I think Arkansas sounds wonderful for homesteading & wish I were younger. I might just hook up my camper & visit the area next month, after I harvest my broccoli.


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## RangerBrad

Grizz,
It's funny but Grizz is my second son's nick name. The bearcat is under new managment but still has a great buffet. come back and visit sometime. Brad


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## ChristyACB

francismilker said:


> If these two things are fully opposed to your interests then you'd be doing the locals more of a disservice by moving there than you would yourself. When you get right down to it, locals from this area don't take too kindly to high-fallutin city folk coming here with their "we don't want nothing to do with Jesus" attitude and messing things up from the way they've always been.
> (not saying you're high-fallutin or athiest or anything like that either by the way!)


Wow...just, wow. 

Guess I better check myself and make sure I'm white, have a male to appropriately own me, get those prairie dresses out and walk around with a bible then. :run:


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## lonelyfarmgirl

unfortunately, I agree with francismilker. It really is that way in some places..deep woods arkansas included


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## MO_cows

I think a lot depends on the attitude you bring in with you. Like simplepeace showing disdain for "local gossip". I'm sure you didn't meant it that way, but your post makes you come off as arrogant. Consider that if you are in the local pipeline, you will find out things that can be to your advantage. Like things coming up for sale you might want to buy or trade for, etc. You might learn things that provide an opportunity for the work that you do. You might learn things that will enhance your skill set, like if a more experienced gardener, animal keeper, shade tree mechanic, whaever, befriends you and teaches you things.

For Pete's sake, if you are going to LIVE there, you will have to be part of the community to some degree. If you are truly anti-social or have hermit tendencies, then look at the most remote places to live. But for most people, homesteading means becoming part of a small-town community. And to a large degree, that experience will be what you make it.


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## Txrider

MO_cows said:


> I think a lot depends on the attitude you bring in with you. Like simplepeace showing disdain for "local gossip". I'm sure you didn't meant it that way, but your post makes you come off as arrogant. Consider that if you are in the local pipeline, you will find out things that can be to your advantage. Like things coming up for sale you might want to buy or trade for, etc. You might learn things that provide an opportunity for the work that you do. You might learn things that will enhance your skill set, like if a more experienced gardener, animal keeper, shade tree mechanic, whaever, befriends you and teaches you things.
> 
> For Pete's sake, if you are going to LIVE there, you will have to be part of the community to some degree. If you are truly anti-social or have hermit tendencies, then look at the most remote places to live. But for most people, homesteading means becoming part of a small-town community. And to a large degree, that experience will be what you make it.



Yup I wouldn't worry about it myself...

First thing I wanna do in a new place is talk with neighbors, get a feel for who is who and who knows what, and let a little different info out to each one so I can figure out which way the grapevines run.. and who to watch my mouth around.. 

Then settle in for bartering my skills for others skills and knitting myself into the fabric of the place some.

And the Ozarks and west a piece look like a good place to do it.


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## rhaige9

I lived in Mulberry, Arkansas, just outside Fort Smith. I didn't attend church, and as a serious lone wolf personality, didn't sit around with the locals gossiping. That didn't stop the locals from being my friend or when at 11:00 at night I needed someone to come with a tractor and pull my truck out of a ditch. The cops looked out for my house in town when I was renting, and watched after my daughter when she locked herself out of the house. I was frequently drug from my house to come attend a fish fry, or lets go see the new baby goats born over at such and such's house. My sister lives there still on almost three acres, five kids, three horses, blah blah blah. She's a paramedic, and on the volunteer fire dept. I still talk to the old fire chief even though I've moved to Idaho. Did I mention I'm a homebody that didn't go to church. And was raised... /gasp, Jewish. They didn't care. One of my dearest friends introduced me to the homesteading way of life there, before I even knew what homesteading was, or was interested in it. Fort Smith is big enough to have the big city feel, but the surrounding areas are quick to get to and easy to loose yourself out in the middle of nowhere. I did joke all the time that the reason everyone liked me so much, was because I could be as hillbilly as I wanted to be and I fit right in.


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