Anyone from WY or CO???

[cntrygrlcansurvive]

Have noticed that land in that area is much cheaper than where i live now,(southeast, yet i am not opposed to the winters there) , and I would like to know more about the climate there as well as any hardships you have come upon?

I have been researching moving to WY, this is what i have so far.......

A greenhouse is almost necessary because the growing season is short(no prob for me i can grow anything in a house).

Grazing land is INVALUABLE.

And Given the current market you can buy a REALLY GOOD RANCH HORSE pretty cheap.

What i would like to know is.....

And what breeds of farm animals do you suggest for thw colder climates? (ie chickens, cows, sheep?, etc...)

What do you guys suggest when building a home in these areas?
As far as heating and inulation etc....mabye animal care as well?

[kenno]

I think you can find alot of good info if you google for community websites for the states and countys you are interested in, some might even have chat rooms, the local newspapers often have websites. I used to go to an agricultural chat room but I lost the addy. Also Dept. of Agriculture, 4-H and Future Farmers of America might have web sites that could answer your questions.

[NightSniper]

If you think that the prices for land in Wy are good I would hate to see what they are where you live. Land in my area is going for about 30k-50k an acre. I can remember when land was around 500 an acre. I am glad I bought my 14 acres when I did.

Anyway we do have a short growing season but you can still grow just about everything you want. A green house is not necessary but nice to have if you don't mind the expense on heating it. If not you can start most of your plants in your house in early april and they will be ready to plant in mid may.

As for animals the most popular breeds of cattle are limo cross, herefords and even a few angus. Sheep are popular in the souther part of the state but what are you going to do with a sheep other then use the wool. Have you ever eaten a sheep? Not my cup of tea. My boss grew up on a large sheep ranch when he was a kid and that is all they ate. I don't care for it since what I have eaten is very greasy. Horses are good to have around just about any breed is find. Chickens are also common just make a coup (sp?) strong so the coyotes and fox don't get in.

As for a home it is cheaper to purchase a manufactured home and have it put on a full basement then it is to build right now. That is what I did and am very happy with it. You can customize it to have just about anything you want in it. If your going to stick build I would definately have extra insulation put in the ceiling and make sure you have a high R factor in the exterior walls. A wood stove is a must if you are living in the rural areas, although I opted for a pellet stove upstairs and a propane stove in the basement. If the power goes out for extended periods we can still use the propane stove for heat. But we also have a propane generator wired into the house too. If your going to go rural areas make sure that you check with the neighbors and see if their well water is drinkable since some aren't. Most people have 7-10k cisterns for water and have wells for a back up.

The biggest thing is that you want to do is make sure you have a heat source that is just a little bit bigge then you think your going to need. It has been -37 most of this week with the wind chill. Winters are harsh and we can get 3+ feet of snow in a wack so you always want to stay warm.

Hope I covered all your questions. If not let me know

[QuickChange]

So. Colo here. In city & want to rent & buy land. Not as figgin cold here in Pueblo as WY. Property is about $30k for 50 ac. We get 320 sunny days a yr, so solar will work great. Look at Idaho or SE. Oregon for good growing & warmer temps. David

[sevensix]

Don't forget the Wyoming WIND. Been there done that.

-sevensix