Homesteading Southeast Ohio

[Comixchik]

In addition to upstate Minnesota, Wisconsin, I'm also interested in southeast Ohio, Adams, Hocking county.

I suppose I'm not a strict homesteader, I don't object to working off the land, but I want a nice, sustainable, independant home in the woods.

Any opinions or advice about that area?

[johnjmw]

Hello Comixchik. I've got some property in South East Ohio already. Love the area. Now all I have to do is get going with building there so I can make the big move.
Prices are down right now so it is a great time to buy. In some of the local papers they are always having sheriffs auction announcements. Good to see another potential Buckeye out here!
John

[Comixchik]

Thanks John. I've lived in Ohio before. I love the great north of the USA, but my partner doesn't love the snow as I do. I try to point out that the cold and snow work to keep places remote, rural and keep the rich and too organized out.

I'm thinking southeastern Ohio is the least populated, wealthy and government burdened part of Ohio.

[bear-in-wv]

I apss through that part of ohio several times a month, and it is very open and beautiful from what ive seen of it, and the folks are quite friendly.

bear

[RocketMan]

I just bought my homestead in the hocking hills area last summer. It was bank owned, 10 acres, 1000 sq ft 2 bedroom house, hunting cabin, 3 stall horse barn, about 1/3 woods for just over $58000. It's way down in the holler, so the roads are a little rough in the winter. My next door neighbor has been great. He watches the place and plows the driveway for me, and I let him use the driveway to get to the back part of his property. It is on the grid and has city water, but has a well for back-up also, and it's about 7 miles from the nearest small town of about 5-600 people. Definitely "hill folks" back in that area...and I love every bit of it.

[johnjmw]

My place is over in Monroe County. I've met a quite a few and most are great people. The rolling hills make the place. No power or utilities at all right now and probably will not get them at all. I'll go solar/wind. Mine is all woods except for 1 or 2 acres.There is always land for sale in the local rags. If you want I can get you a few links from them. In general plan on spending $2,000. an acre for vacant land. Yes there are some deals from time to time and there are always the sheriff land sales for delinquent taxes. Most of the deal are offered to neighbors before they go up for sale though.
The snow? Most snow seems to stop along Rt 70 up by Cmabrige. They do get some Ice storms and snow storms through out the winter but nothing like Cleveland does.
Let me know if you want some links.
John

[TSJ]

I must admit that I never really considered Ohio as a homestead type state. But I guess you can just about homestead anywhere if you want.

I went to landsofohio.com and did a county search on Noble county and here is one I found:

http://www.landsofamerica.com/images/tourpics/39/4451/343838_074452446_FX.jpg


Isn't this a pretty piece of property? And it already comes with some of the niceities. If I liked four season weather I would be tempted myself.

[RocketMan]

I guess I should mention that the place I bought does need some TLC. I need appliances, kitchen cabinets, and things like that, but I'm learning to bargain hunt, barter, and really loving thrift stores and flea markets.
;D

[tufhelp]

Don’t forget there are plenty of “free” items out there as well. A lot of folks are happy as clams just to get rid of very useful items if someone will just show up and haul them away. Resources for them would be the local or local area Craig’s list which has not only second hand sales but a free items section. Also there is Freecycle, which is a bulletin board service that lists free items and things people need. Here are some links for the parent organizations, just go there and search out your local outlets:

Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/)
Craigslist (http://www.craigslist.org )

P.S. I just thought of another one for usable recycled building materials, cabinets, doors and windows – just about everything you can imagine. The local version in Albuquerque is called Restores, a branch of the Habitat for Humanity group. Sometimes unrealistic on their pricing, but they will negotiate and/or lower the price if it doesn’t move. There is a section in this link to enter your zip code for locating local Restores:

Habitat for Humanity (http://www.habitat.org/)

[DavidOH]

I've been through there many times, deer hunting, tree cutting....

Vinton + Jackson Counties.
Not a bad place to live if you already have a good income.
Not so many jobs available.

As you can see from that ad land is about $2k an acre.
Where I live is at least double that.
Just stay out of Athens county.
The college makes it a socialist haven. ::)

I know a couple people that live here and own land down there.

[johnjmw]

There are some good land deal still out there. An Amish company that bought property next to mine lumbered it then sold it. Not many trees on it now but enough for the future and reseeding. But for $500 an acre I could not pass it by. It's a nice 25 acre parcel.
John