Urban Flee: Relocation out of the City in North America

[zeno]

I've lived in big cities all my life and I'm ready to move on to a different way of life. I've been contemplating areas within North America that would be good to live in.

I live in the west coast and therefore the obvious choice would be the Pacific Northwest (Washington or Oregon), Alaska, or Canada, but I've never lived in the east and have fantasized about maple syrup in New England and seeing Carolina.

I've primarily been doing research with regard to access to fresh food (milk and meat) and wild game with plenty of opportunities to work or be outside. However, I haven't found much information with regard to places that someone with my values might feel at home. For example, a commune would be awesome but most people scarf on grains all day long at those places.   

Have you thought of relocation? What are your priorities and why? What places intrigue you? Could you comment on your locale?

[cherimoya_kid]

The seafood of the Pacific coast is amazing.  I'd stay there just for that. The soil is really good in some areas there too, due to the recent volcanic activity.

[Projectile Vomit]

I live in the Champlain Valley, in Vermont. It's pretty nice. Lots of interest in local food, grass-fed livestock, green and wild space, and decent hunting opportunities. PaleoPhil lives here too.

[Darwinian Fitness]

I live in the Champlain Valley, in Vermont. It's pretty nice. Lots of interest in local food, grass-fed livestock, green and wild space, and decent hunting opportunities. PaleoPhil lives here too.

This area is really great if you want to get away from the cities.

I hiked through New Hampshire for a couple months a few years back, and it was absolutely beautiful. The entire state is like one big forest.

Lots of hunting opportunities.

[eveheart]

My son lives in northern Vermont. His secret to thriving there is to be versatile and flexible. He does many things skillfully (hunting, fishing, building, welding, forestry, mechanic'ing, restaurant cooking, solar conversions, herb-foraging), which means he can provide for himself or barter his skills for what he needs. Living his way is not easy, but he is passionate about it, so his passion gets him through. I believe that following your passion is the key, and when you do that, everything else falls into place.

[zeno]

I live in the Champlain Valley, in Vermont. It's pretty nice. Lots of interest in local food, grass-fed livestock, green and wild space, and decent hunting opportunities. PaleoPhil lives here too.

What about the winters? I hear they are trying.

While living in Japan I noticed an explicit connection between my mood and the amount of sunshine I was absorbing. Although I've fantasized about New England I don't know if I would be able to handle the winter. Here in the west we still are blessed with sun throughout the winter months.

[RogueFarmer]

I really want to start a raw farming community. Not sure where yet, either west coast, east coast, perhaps even midwest. I dunno. I got cows and goats and ducks, goats and cows are 100% organic, grass fed now and the ducks are around 90% grain free. I dunno, don't try to pick one spot, do some traveling.

[Projectile Vomit]

What about the winters? I hear they are trying...

I don't find them to be trying. Temperature-wise, the winters aren't all that bad. This winter in particular has been very mild, and I've been able to swim in Lake Champlain and even sunbathe pretty much all winter long. Granted, the water temperature falls to 32 Fahrenheit and I've been sunbathing in air temps sometimes below 40 Fahrenheit, but our bodies can get used to this if we give them the chance.

As far as Vitamin D deficiency, I've never noticed any symptoms in myself, although I spend a good amount of time outdoors building and maintaining reserves so maybe I'm an outlier.

Phil, you want to add to this discussion?

[personman]

I am looking for people interested in setting up a farming venture in Canada. I am looking into mealworms and chickens. It will be based on the lower mainland in Surrey and I will cultivate a survivalist lifestyle around it, hopefully with other like-minded compatriots.

[Adora]

Sounds nice, I don't know how, interested though, tell more about what your thinking

[personman]

adora: just noticed your post...I would like some helpers for the property. It is outside of Vancouver on the agricultural land reserve 15 minutes drive to downtown surrey central.bc canada. An unusual place...
where do you hail from

[Adora]

I'm in Syracuse NY. I could fall in love with Vancouver, but I don't know how to make it happen. I'm not a girl with her ducks in a row. Never been. I'd love to know more about what you're up to if you care to share the dream.

[personman]

you could take a greyhound...once i travelled across canada(1/2 way) on the greyhound for 38 hours...slept 2. once i met a girl from yellowknife and spent some of my student loan money to take a plane to visit her...currently i am in northwestern ontario and will be heading to cranbrook bc then to surrey bc to set up the farm in the summer. i plan on chickens and mealworms for a sustainable protein/paleo source, eggs and wormmash...i am seriously looking for some interested participants to join in the endeavor. i can supply a travel trailer and we could correspond through pay phones and calling cards til then. Better escape the US while you can before the gulags are constructed. see "gulags in america" on youtube/google vids. not to creep you out but....