We have lived in Washington state our entire lives, own a great small farm in a very rural, and awesome community far from any major city. I would love to spend a few years living in Vermont or Maine with my husband and children. He teaches school, I'm finishing ed. degree, kids 6-12. Is there anyone from northern VT or Maine who can tell me what life is like there? I love the farms I see for sale online, why does it seem that the prices are so low? We plan to visit this summer on a cross-country adventure and hopefully get a feel for the area. Also, plan to spend the 4th of July somewhere in Maine, any good hometown parades and firework shows? Where? Thanks!

-- Sheila Anderson (cascadenorth@yahoo.com), April 25, 2002

Answers

Yes....you are crazy!!!!! ;-) It's snowing here. We had temps in the 90's, an earthquake and snow in the last 2 weeks. It's never boring! ;-) I don't think of Vermont land prices as low. 10 acres generally goes for around $25,000 or more. If it's cheaper it's in a less desirable place or you got a REALLY good deal.

There are several distinct and VERY separate areas of northern VT....there's the area of the Champlain Islands in the NW corner.....they have a long growing season. The area near Jay Peak is mountainous, cold and not very populated. Then there's the Northest Kingdom. I'm on the edge of that part.

You can come visit us in Vermont.....check out our website....

http://www.homestead.com/peaceandcarrots/

If I can answer any specific questions for you, ask away....

-- Peace and Carrots Farm, Vermont (wsm311@aol.com), April 26, 2002.

I'm in southern VT. I'm shoveling snow and hoping that spring will eventually come to New England. A couple of days ago I didn't need a jacket! Having lived in TX. the first 33 years of my life, I've lived both extremes. I've met many wonderful people here, and it is beautiful. Winters are only for the hardy and they last a long time! I definately recommend spending a winter here first!

-- Terran in VT (homefire@sover.net), April 26, 2002.

I don't think you are crazy. We moved to Maine from New Jersey, and don't regret a second of it. It is snowing here today but it will melt by the end of the day. The summers are pleasant, the winter well... should I say white!! The biggest thing that I have noticed are the people are so friendly. I would do it if that is what you want. We bought our farm two years ago, the price wasn't really low but the farther away from the coast and more north and west the prices go down but so does the population. I haven't been here that long so I don't really know of any good parades or fireworks, but the fairs are great(except the prices). Also, we had a lobsterfest here with a few countrysiders last year, maybe another one this year, that was also fun! Have fun on your trip here this summer. Cara Lewis

-- cara lewis (cnllewis@midcoast.com), April 26, 2002.

I love Maine. We moved here in 1988 and will never move away. We live in western Maine in the Mount Washington Valley. We are about 8 miles from the border of New Hampshire. It is truly God's country. It snowed last night, but today the sun is out and the sky is so blue it hurts your eyes. Land around here runs about $1000 to $1500 an acre. Not too bad considering other parts of the country. I don't know about 4th of July happenings. Most of our stuff goes on in the late summer and fall. County Fairs are awesome. We live just outside of Fryeburg and the Fryeburg Fair which runs 8 days and ends on Columbus Day weekend is great. It is the biggest fair in Maine and probably in all of Northern New England. We have a small Angora Goat Farm and are hoping to expand into some other animals. The weather is perfect for them. By the way it was 94 here last week and it has snowed twice this week. The old farmers used to call it Poor Man's Fertilizer. My gardens are going nuts. They are loving this weather. Feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions. We are about an hour and fifteen minutes from the coast and like I said in the foothills of the mountains.

-- Janice in Maine (kenjan@pivot.net), April 26, 2002.

I absolutely adore Maine. I moved from W. Wash. to Florida to Maine two years ago. We own land that was a dairy farm for most of the century, but was mostly cut over in the 70's and 80's. We paid less than 700 an acre, with about 40 acres cleared, some hardwood stands, and some old growth cedars. We are sitting on more springs that you could imagine, which is valuable in this time of drought. We have a huge old 1700's post and beam barn, which is structurally sound, and a farmhouse which needs work, but is definitely livable. The payoff for all of this bliss, is no real outside work (off the farm) in the winter, although you and your husband are in education, which gives you more possibilities, but the wages are low. We sell organic winter greens, veggies, eggs, and ornamentals, and lose money, but are quite happy. But Mainers are great, and black fly season doesn't last forever. We live mid-coast, about 20 miles inland from Belfast, and would love visitors this summer. Good luck!

-- Abigail Swanson (turtle@uninets.net), April 26, 2002.

I agree totally with Cara and Janice! We moved to Maine in 1977 from Cape Cod, Mass. At that time, land was still reasonably cheap...we bought 100 acres for $100.00 per acre. We're on the coast at the mouth of the Penobscot River. Land prices have definitely gone up around here, but I'm sure there is lots of affordable land north and west of us. And it is truly beautiful out towards where Janice lives!! My hubby and I occasionally takes day trips out that way just to enjoy the breathtaking views! I, personally, don't think winters are that bad where I am. We usually get snow by the end of Dec. but it's pretty much gone by mid-March. I can always get my cool weather veggies planted by mid-April and all the warm weather crops are in by the 1st. of June or so. We can harvest many crops up til the 1st. of Oct...sometimes longer. And, yes, the people are very friendly!! This morning we awoke to a coating of wet heavy snow, but now the sun is coming out and it's 45*. Most definitely the county fairs are the big "thing" in Maine, probably in Vermont, too. The Fryeburg Fair is totally awesome as is the Union Fair!! In my area we have the Blue Hill Fair. This is the fair that E.B. White based his children's book on (Charlotte's Web). The 4-H exhibits are fantastic and these county fairs put more emphasis on rural and country themes than on the midway attractions (although that fair food can be addictive :-)!! If you do get out to Maine this summer...be sure look up some of us "Mainiacs"!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), April 26, 2002.

Sheila...I forgot to add this to my post. Sorry, but I don't know how to do the direct link thing :-)! Hope it "works" for you...if not I could send it in an email. There is LOTS of info at this site...along with some Maine humor!!

A Semi-WickedGood Maine Page Address:http://www.semiwickedgood.com/

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), April 26, 2002.

just wondering where you live in E. WA. i live in NE WA state, having moved here from Los Angeles. i have lived on the East coast, upstate NY, and I must say, autumn is very, very, special there, but so are land/home prices! very, very, high. i lived there 8 years ago, and my husband went back to the area where we lived (Litchfield county, CT and Dutchess County, NY) and he said it's more, more, more people than before. the grass always looks greener til you get there! I would echo the posts here and say, visit in winter! summer is great there, but the humidity might be a lot to take. The green mountains of Vermont are spectacular, and there's a lot more history in that part of the country (no surprise!) since, of course, it's the oldest!

-- geegee (mistymt@theofficenet.com), April 26, 2002.

I'm in NE WA. also lived in the state my whole life, as far as there being more history in the east, it depends on what history, the U.S. history yes, I had ancestors in the revolutionary war, and civil war, and would love to go to some of the sites back that way some day, and see where my ancestors walked, but as far as North American human history, we have a lot right here, at least since the last ice age. Check out the age of the Kennewick Man.

-- Mark (mcford@theofficenet.com), April 26, 2002.

Hi Sheila, I live in Western Oregon with much family in the North East. I have a question. As we all know, weather moves from West to East. Why would you want to move from clean air off the Pacific Ocean over to Acid Rain and grungy air that has traveled the breadth of the country and is leaden with impurities? That is a rhetorical question, just wanted you to think about it. The family I have in the East are stationed there in the Service and will be back to the West as soon as they can! Just something to factor in when you are taking stock of what you have now. Good luck, LQ

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), April 27, 2002.

I'm surprised no one mentioned bugs. The biting kind. My sister lived in Maine for a couple of years & hated it. I moved to NE Washington 2 yrs ago (Colville) & love it - tho winter is a bit long. At our elevation we have snow for 5-6 months. Our worst bugs are stink bugs & spiders, neither of which bite. I miss the maple trees we had at our old place in Oregon, but I've learned to love pine.

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), April 27, 2002.

Little Quacker, what about the pollution that hits the pacific coast from Asia? ; ) It's been in the news frequently this past year. Especially the recent dust storm that made it all the way across the ocean and then some. If dust from the Mongolian desert can travel this far, you can bet pollutants are. It's pretty hard to escape those things no matter where you're at. There's no part of the US that doesn't have impurities in the rainwater. If you don't believe that, take a sample of your rainwater into an environmental lab and have it tested for VOCs, etc.

-- Dave (multiplierx9@hotmail.com), April 27, 2002.

As mentioned above, do a HUGE amount of homework. A large part of the New England real estate business is based on people seeing homes and falling in love with them in the beautiful summer or in the colorful fall, with little or no idea what the place is going to be like come winter, which can seem interminable and very limiting when you can't walk around outside for all the snow. And those old farmhouses are nice and romantic, but many of them are poorly insulated, structurally unsound, etc. We moved from Western Washington to New Hampshire and only lasted two years---my wife, particularly, hated it, and we are back in Western Washington now. I don't mean to sound like a cynic, but don't be overcome with the romance of "a farm in New England" without a big dose of what the reality will be. Good luck!

-- Jeff (lorianandjeff@aol.com), April 27, 2002.

Sheila...well, you sure have recieved quite a variety of opinions about Vermont and Maine :-)!! I truly believe that there is good and bad about EVERY part of this country. If you were born and raised in N.E. you will stay there or at least always want to go back there. And the same is true about the south, west, etc.!! Good luck in whatever you decide!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), April 27, 2002.

Dear Sheila:

I live in Central WA (near Waterville) and not too long ago there was another Countrysider that was looking for a farm near Spokane. If you are seriously considering the move, they might be interested in your place?

-- Marie in Central WA (Mamafila@aol.com), April 27, 2002.

I live in southern Maine and my mother spends 1/2 her year in northern Vermont (not too far from Peace & Carrots) so I've had a taste of both places. I really like the fireworks in Limington, ME. They have a decent celebration, with a parade in the morning and the fireworks at night. I'm sure there are bigger celebrations, but 4th of July parades have always been hometown events in my history so I like it. My other favorite place for watching fireworks is to watch the city fireworks from an island. If I'm out there, I watch Portland's from Peaks Island, but quite a few other towns set off fireworks over the ocean.

So now that I've gotten the important stuff out of the way...I'd recommend that you rent in the area for a year or two before you buy. That way you get a feel for the area and decide where exactly you want to be, or if you even want to be here at all. Northern Maine is a different place from Northern Vermont, which is quite different from central or southern....you get the idea. Northern Maine is lumber, blueberry and potatoes as far as agriculture goes. Northern Vermont is dairy and lumber. What you want to do may depend on what your neighbors are doing. A woman I met at an extension sheep dairy course was planning on starting a sheep dairy, but was concerned about pesticide residues in the milk since her farm was in blueberry country in Maine and they aerial spray the blueberry barrens. It's beautiful country, but she would have been better off in northern Vermont! When are you coming up this summer?

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), April 28, 2002.

I was born and raised in Maine. I've lived in other states and Asia for a total of six years.

Real estate runs from obscenely expensive to extremely inexpensive. We paid less than $1,000/acre for 50 acres and a two bedroom home. The trade off for a great price is lack of services. We depend on state and county law enforcement, contract out for fire and ambulance. Our kids travel 11 and 25 miles to their schools.

Maine is a *highly* taxed state. We have long winter, blackflies and mosquitos. There's not much I could say in defence of the taxes. The long winters are great for skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing and curling up by the woodstove with a stack of seed catalogs and good books. Long winters aren't a bad thing if you're creative and don't allow yourself to be bored. Our bugs aren't poisonous and they don't last forever. You don't see them in winter.

Southern Maine is very different than northern, eastern and western Maine. It's a big state. Before settling some where visit a lot of areas to get a feel for the whole state.

It's April 29 and snowing. Over the weekend we were tilling the garden. Spring snows are a nice break for aching muscles. It'll be gone tomorrow.

-- Robin (rfollette@farmcollie.org), April 29, 2002.