After owning some land in North Idaho for close to 8 years, my wife and I have come to the conclusion that conditions for homesteading there are probably a little more of a challenge then we want to take on. Short growing season, remote, etc. The Illnois Valley in southern Oregon have now caught our interest. Much more mild conditions, close to the coast, close to her family in the Willamette Valley, one day drive to my family in California, appears to be less expensive then a lot of areas in Oregon (still worried about property taxes though). We are going to check it out next month when we make a trip up north. We live in Southern California now.

Anybody live in or near the Illinois Valley that can give us an honest assessment of the potential for setting up a simple homestead lifestyle there. Jobs (we intend on being mortgage/debt free, but still need cash), homeschooling, general cost of living, cutural charactoristics (open minded, welcoming to newcomers, lots of other like minded homesteaders, bartering etc). We are looking for a place that already has a house (fixer ok) with about 5 acres, less then 100k.

Thanks, Dave

-- Dave McDermott (dkmcd@msn.com), March 09, 2001

Answers

Well, I don't live in OR, nor can I compete with having family in the area, but have you thought about south central ID?? We have a growing season of over 200 days, and there is some really nice land down here... Grassy up in the mountains, not desert like Boise...

Wouldn't want to be that close the the faults, myself... Just a thought -

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), March 09, 2001.

The Illinois Valley is near here, in the same county we live in, (Josphine). When looking for property we looked around the ares, it is beautiful country. Prices are generally better down there and the climate is good with a mild winter, (real mild this year)long growing season. I think you would find a number of homesteaders in that area too with the same ideas in mine. Folks are very friendly, most have immagrated from CA.as for work, Grants Pass is 25-35 miles from Illinois V or Cave Jucntion, wages are not the greatest, though OR. has the highest minimum wage in the country, it depends on what you do. 5 acres for 100K ought to get you set up. I know of a 20 acre place with a cabin, off the grid but it has a well, septic and possibilites for 100K, it is not in the I>V> but a few miles north of Rogue River. If you want to email me direct I might be able to help you in some way. Hendo.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweb.net), March 10, 2001.