We are currently living in northeast Washington but are cosidering relocating to Missouri. The Ozarks sound appealing , especially the Mountain View area. We would like to know more about the area from others who live there - the climate, the people etc. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

-- Christa Hammer (christah4@yahoo.com), May 28, 2000

Answers

Can you grow a garden in poor soil and rocks? If you can you'll love it. I do not live there but I have spent a lot of time in MO. and have People there, Nice place ...good people

-- Grant Eversoll (thegrange@earthlink.net), May 28, 2000.

Christa, what part of Eastern Wa. are you in? My parents are looking into the area. thanks.

-- Amber (ambrosia75@wa.freei.net), May 29, 2000.

Christa,

We are in the Arkansas Ozarks. We love it here. The soil is rocky, summers dry and hot. Winters are nice, spring absolutely beautiful! We love it here. The rugged terrain makes it quite useless for agribusiness and great for homesteading. Email me if you have specific questions. Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), May 29, 2000.

I live in NW Arkansas. It is indeed beautiful and rugged terrain. Unfortunately a lot of people also think so. Great influx of people with money and credit here. The "Californians" I call them. Whole corridor between Missouri border to Fort Smith is getting built up and land prices are skyrocketing. Further east, Madison and Newton counties are much sleepier and cheaper, but much less access to jobs. Believe me you dont want to commute long distances through the hills. Even that may change as they are building a 4 lane US412 clear across the northern part of Arkansas. Its already completed from Springdale to Tulsa,OK. Interstate 540 has already done that here in western part. Rocky red clay, and lots of ticks. July/August very dry. First frost late October, although way into November last year. Last frost late March. Completely safe after April 15. Also lots of ticks in spring although they settle down some by July. The long autumns are beautiful.

-- Hermit John (ozarkhermit@pleasedontspamme.com), May 30, 2000.

One other thought, dont buy land downhill from a commercial chicken house if you have your own well. There are a lot of them around here.

-- Hermit John (ozarkhermit@pleasedontspamme.com), May 31, 2000.

Try goallpro.com for good-priced land. Carol

-- Carol (fchambers@mail.janics.com), May 31, 2000.

Check out Small Farm Today as they have a lot of Missouri area info. They have a web site, if you do a search, I bet you'd find it.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), May 31, 2000.

Hello-I live in the MO Ozarks, about 1 hr east of the big "lake of the Ozarks" In a small town. The people here are nice, and the land prices are pretty good. Not a lot for good job pay, although Jefferson City isn't too far. Land has plenty of rocks, esp flint, and I have been picking lots out of my garden. However, my garden is doing very well. It is a good area if you like farming stuff. Also, plenty of Amish people, lots of auctions. Hope this helps.

-- Mary Elder (wwabheart@yahoo.com), June 03, 2000.