# Southern MO/Northern AR?



## Huntmo1 (Nov 30, 2011)

After looking all around, it seems that the best overall deal on property/acreage can be found in Missouri. Whenever I go on sites like Unitedcountry.com and put in my search criteria, the majority of the results are usually from MO. 

We are planning a trip to the southern MO/Ozark area this fall and was just wondering if anyone lives there now or has a lot experience living there that can tell me a little about it. I know that taxes are pretty low, but how about quality of soil? We want to find a place with 10-20 acres and raise a few animals and grow a nice garden.

So, what are the pros/cons of the southern MO (or even Northern Arkansas) areas?

Thanks.


----------



## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

There are several active threads along this line in this sub-forum. Hopefully you found some reading there.

Our property is in northern Ozark County. We bought 80 acres in '10 for under $1k/acre, but prices will vary a good bit due to exact location, parcel size, features etc...as you'd expect. 

In general, the soil is shallow and pretty poor, with some exceptions. Aside from the poor job market, the soil is a prime reason for the low prices!

But for retirees looking to just do some subsistence growing/raising (like us) you can make it work.

Check out this thread: http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-living-forums/real-estate/478079-ava-thayer-missouri.html


----------



## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

With some patience you can build the soil over time with rotational grazing, composting, and some pasture seeding of the right mix of grasses. Find your right spot, and you can make it work for you over time.

For the record, we've been looking in the Missouri Ozarks. A major study done four years ago listed Missouri higher than Arkansas in personal freedoms, and lower in taxes. The book Strategic Relocation also gives Missouri higher marks over Arkansas. There are many good reasons to choose either, but your reasoning will be what best suits you. Good Luck!


----------



## Wanderer0101 (Jul 18, 2007)

I've looked at several properties in southern Missouri that had at least a few acres of bottom land. It's always better than the rocky hillsides. Having said that, if you go the raised bed route you can make it work anywhere. 

I've been looking at propery in both northern Arkansas and southern Missouri and will probably end up in Missouri unless I find something truly exceptional in Arkansas. The "Personal Freedom" index plays a part in that. I think Missouri ended up sixth in the country over all.


----------



## ClubMike (Nov 18, 2004)

I moved here from the poor state of Illinois several years ago. I love it here, I am retired now so I do not need a job. I bought a place out in the country and garden (raised beds) and have planted a dozen fruit trees along with some blackberries. Lots of wildlife out here, turkeys, all kinds of song birds, hawks, owls, people claim bears although I have never seen one. 

The soil is terrible, lots of rocks, I mean lots of rocks. So I ordered a dump truck load of topsoil for 125 bucks, dirt problem solved. Now I have lots of dirt, I mean lots. The snakes are not too bad, at least where I am. I hate ticks, if you get one, pull it off. Sure it gets hot in the summer, winters are not too bad. 

One of the first things you notice at night here is there are not too many street lights, it gets dark, mighty dark. So carry a flashlight, problem solved. Not too many guard rails either, so you better drive well at night. There are some huge ditches down here, some of which you cannot see the bottom from the road.

The locals seem friendly enough, I am sure I will always be the city slicker to them but that's ok. 

Missouri is a great place to live. I am glad I moved here, I say come on down.


----------



## sunny225 (Dec 4, 2009)

Yep poor soil & rocky hills - we love it here too! The only thing it doesn't have is our grandchildren.
We bought our place thinking it would be a bug out location for our whole family when TSHTF. Since then we've all had some experiences & realize that is not gonna happen. ound:
So our place is up for sale here in this subforum.
The raised beds work real well & we do have some corn planted under the power lines. I'm attaching a pic of the raised beds now. They have grown.
Good luck in your search.


----------



## squeakyzig (Dec 21, 2006)

Ozark County is a beautiful area. There are less than 10,000 people in the county, there are no stop lights, no fast food (except 1 Subway in Gainesville), no inter-states, no Wal-Mart and no railroads. There also isn't a lot of jobs. But the people are friendly and there's always something to do, whether it be driving the dirt roads, floating, boating or just sitting in one of the crystal clear creeks.


----------



## Trailsend (Apr 20, 2012)

Had to chuckle at ClubMike's comment about being considered a city slicker! We moved to Laclede Co, MO about 8 years ago from Florida. My husband had just retired from 20+years of law enforcement and needed a quiet place to decompress  We had a smaller hobby farm in FL and had some cattle experience. We bought an old dairy farm on 80 acres adjoining the Mark Twain forestry and set about creating our own private oasis. One thing about the locals.....sometimes we feel like fish in an aquarium. I'm not sure if it is us or them but we have just never "clicked". It is not for lack of trying, that's for sure. We have finally just decided that we are just different than the people who were born in this region and that's the way it is. When you hear that the Ozarks has a slower pace of life, you'd better believe it. No one is in hurry to do anything including working. We have kept a list of people we have called to do work for us, ie plumbing, roofing, gravel....who have either never returned the call or just plain did not show up. These were people who had actual ads in the yellow pages! We have come to the conclusion that they only work if they need money that particular week or if its not deer season or gigging season. Craziest place I've ever seen. We have had to become more self sufficient in this part of the country, we've had no choice  Is it beautiful? Are the property and taxes really cheap? Are there more stars in the sky because there are no city lights? Absolutely! Are there tons of ticks, major fluctuations in weather, people that look at you like you have 3 heads because you have all of your teeth and don't live in bib overalls, and rocks that seem to multiply every year? You bet! We have enjoyed our time here but it's time to move on.


----------



## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

/\

Yup, if you can't adjust to a place, you need to move along.

After nearly 3 decades, I have figured out that I will never adjust to Houston. I am moving up to Ozark County as soon as my wife will let me sell the house!


----------



## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Visited NW Arkansas a number of times. Beautiful country! We almost relocated there many years back.


----------



## DenMacII (Aug 16, 2008)

To add to Trailsend's comment, 

U. Utah Phillips often said; "The best part about living in a small town is that if you ever forget what you're supposed to be doing, there's always someone else minding your business to remind you."

I've had a similar situation with handymen/contractors in our area on the left coast...I've often said you call at least three and hope one shows up...


----------



## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

We're in Douglas County, and we love it. 

I'd say the population here is about 50/50: Half are "native" and the other half are transplants. I've not had anyone treat me as an outsider in the Ozarks. (Did have a bit of that up in NW MO, though.)

Soil is rocky, but raised beds have always been my preferred method of gardening, so it makes no difference to me. The grass that grows here (even with the rocks) is very good. You will see fields with round bales and small bales, and you'll see MANY beeves in pastures. 

The vistas in the Ozarks are breathtaking. 

If you're a good neighbor, you'll find many good neighbors around you. We all help each other out, and haven't really run into an issue of finding "professional" help (yet) because folks just pitch in.


----------



## ozarksproperty (Apr 24, 2009)

Having grown up here (in the Ava area) I can give a little different perspective. For the most part folks who move into the area from a different part of the country make good neighbors and add to the community. But as the saying goes, "one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel". I have experienced, and have heard of several others experiences, where someone moved into the community and did not want anything to do with their neighbors, were reclusive, condescending, standoffish, and sometimes just plain rude. These type of folks have soured some of the natives from trying to get too close to new neighbors until they can actually get better acquainted. As a real estate agent I will have to say though that the vast majority of my experiences with folks who are "checking out" the area are great folks with good values and give me the impression that they would make fantastic neighbors. But please keep in mind that the person you are moving next to may have had some negative experiences in the past that they will need some time to heal from. Just sayin...


----------



## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

There are lots of upsides to the Ozarks for homesteaders. The area is good for pastures and gardens as many have said raised beds and greenhouses . Large thousand acre grain farms do not work there but that is good as it keeps land prices down. 

The issue is jobs. If you have a job that can be done from anywhere great. If you are a nurse, doctor, vet, good to go. Everything else is going to be hard. I do think that an electrician, plumber, auto mechanic, small engine repairman could if they had the money to start there own business do well at least among the moved here retiree crowd. People that live here are likely to have a friend, neighbor or relative do the work or do it themselves. There are no retail or factory jobs as the few that exist are reserved for relatives or long time friends. 

There is seasonal work with the tourist canoeing, hiking and horseback riding. Driving shuttle busses , renting canoes. I know a couple that put in pit latrines (holding tank that is pumped out when full) ran a couple water lines and set up a campground. They provided shuttles for canoeist using their campground sold a few T-shirts, insect repellent, matches small items that people forgot and did not want to drive 6 miles to the store. 

You could develop a business with time- hoop house/greenhouse raising flowers/fruits/vegetable to take and sell in Springfield, Branson, Mt Home not much market local at least in summer as most garden. 

Raising grass fed beef for home freezers can be done and there are lots of places to buy calves and the area has butchers to process them. 


The downside for me would be lack of ambulance service and fire. The locals do a very good job with what they have they just do not have much. Hard to do good EMT work without an ambulance or proper equipment. There is a good hospital in Mt Home and Springfield has world class. 


I did not settle there because of jobs. I settled in an area with a higher probability of finding a good one. Still in Rural Missouri but close to a Air Force Base (Commissary, pharmacy and out patient medical care) and a University, close enough to be able to drive to 4 different County Health Departments that had a total of 6 positions that I wanted. Several of the counties in the Ozarks only have 1 Environmental Health Specialist and some of the counties share an employee.


----------

