Thinking of Homesteading In Arkansas? Here's Some Places To Avoid (And Check Out)

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1. Washington: • Washington State: Wher...
2. Arkansas: • Thinking of Homesteadi...
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About Curtis Stone:
Curtis is one of the world’s most highly sought-after small farming educators. His book, The Urban Farmer, offers a new way to think about farming𑁋 one where quality of life and profitability coexist. Today, Curtis spends most of his time building his 40-acre off-grid homestead in British Columbia. He leverages his relationships with other experts to bring diverse content into the homes of gardeners and aspiring small farmers from around the world. Learn more at FromTheField.TV.
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[@BrideofYahusha]

We are in your 'go zone' very close to some of the very best fishing in North Central Arkansas. It is a sportsmans paradise here. We have great hunting, the rules are very lax and the cost is low. Coming from Colorado this is a breath of fresh air. We got an amazing deal in Summer 2022 after selling our off grid log cabin in the mountains there. We eventually moved in Fall 2022 and have been here full time since. We have a pond, 3 different year round springs and a seasonal creek currently just about done building our log cabin that we sourced from a local saw mill for a very good cost. Taxes are very cheap here and we have absolutely no codes. This does not appear to be changing as the population likes it that way. I have noticed property prices have gone nothing but up and not as much for sale now. . Locals are very friendly for most part. There have been a lot of transplants here moving to homestead. Arkansas has a major stigmatism in the US.. mainly that everyone is dumb and racist but this has not been my expirence at all. The gun laws are good and getting better. Overall I have very little to gripe about. It is a food desert for the most part, so there is that.

[@wadeschwartz6281]

New Madrid fault line in northeast Arkansas ,,Definite no go

[@GHOSTINPLAINSIGHT]

The green hilly area you are pointing out at 3 minutes and 35 is called Crowleys Ridge and is very seismically active. Part of the New Madrid fault zone. Don’t move anywhere near here!

[@pattishelton3169]

Lawrenceburg Tn worries me.

[@fivem3398]

I live in Arkansas, actually inside one of your "go zones". I was raised in the MS river valley and can tell you that some of your go zones are significantly more populated than the river valley. What you said about access is true though due to all the turn rows in the farm fields. Most of those little farm towns are less than a few hundred people. The real issue in that part of the state is the aquifer and fault line.

[@janebadon3988]

I’ve been learning about the fault line, but am unaware of the aquifer issue....would you mind telling me about it?

[@fivem3398]

@@janebadon3988 It is drying up

[@CraquedEggs]

I spent 6 years in Perry county AR and it isn't bad. I would also stay clear of the Arkansas river for many of the same reasons you avoided the Mississippi river.

[@dart336]

Fort Smith here: it depends on what your priorities are. Great real estate here, terrible homesteading policies in town. Most of my friends moved across the bridge where there are several homesteads for sale half an hour to hour out of the "big city". I use the quotations because it's a small city of only 90K, it's the nearest center for big box stores and services. The entire county is smaller than the suburbs in California and Quebec I grew up in. Fort Smith is so out of the way infact tornadoes rarely hit the main section of town, and generally low on the disaster charts. Fort Smith is also a border town with Oklahoma who's split between two different tribes when you're driving into town, even a small section of FTS is technically and legally in Oklahoma(West FTS, Arkohoma). A lot of Oklahoma homesteaders drive in the Atwood's, Tractor Supply (South of and East of FTS) and Farmers Co-op. It's really a great spot to start over. The City is ran by morons, and it's one of the most over regulated cities in the country. Life however in the numbered streets will find a way to openly own roosters. Fixer uppers are typically under 90K here. 57K in town for a 3b1b that needs a dumpster to clear out whatever is left behind and replacing the cabinets. Easley 100k house once flipped. Decent spot to stay until you find a homestead. Half an hour outside of town, 50K for a flop house that needs to swept out and gutted. Not much land but close to the interstate and several homestead properties. As far as CAFOs go, don't worry about it, very common out here. Look for soil testing and physical conditions of the chicken house. They can be cleaned up after all. If they can fit 5K birds for Tyson, you can comfortably fit in 700 free range ones in there.

[@bubbax1115]

I'm in the NWA no-zone. You can't really get far enough away from the Tyson, Georges or Simmons chicken operations. The smell is primarily right after harvest. That's when they scrape the "litter" and air out the barns. Olfactory fatigue is your friend.

[@judymccormack2150]

Chicken dust in the air....

[@anthonylilja]

Please do East Tennessee.

[@pattishelton3169]

And southern middle Tennessee between Waynesboro and Pulaski TN.

[@jerrodsonger2869]

I moved up to searcy co 2 years ago but for 26 years I grew up within the central ar circle. Ozarks are amazing but the ouachita mountains in perry/saline county and out that way (Winona WMA) literally amazing land although it’s public there is so much land surrounding it that isn’t. Low populations spring water it’s very comparable to the ozarks.

[@zenjamin6262]

This info is so valuable! It is so easy to get yourself into somthing that you didnt see the downfalls then you move in realize the inherent problems then have somthing nobody wants to buy and your stuck. the kind of properties curtis is suggesting are only becoming harder and harder to find and will likely double in price once reality hits the fan

[@ChrisBairDrums]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Michigan! Also Missouri 🙂

[@toxicmasculinity6246]

MI is a dem/liberal state. Best to avoid those states entirely.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Love both those states for homestead value for sure.

[@earthzeroapothecary]

I live in Michigan and am excited for that update, as well!!

[@ccadelli]

Cheers from Fort Smith, AR!!

[@DanielIvan707]

Great stuff. Please do Alabama and Tennessee.

[@imaliveinjesus]

Checkout the Cleburne county area. My home, where I have my little homestead. 1.5 acres and all the gardening, with NO RESTRICTIONS.

[@BobbleheadHomestead]

Nope, Arkansas is full, don't come here :) BIG Homesteading KZbinr meetup this weekend at Blue Mountain Lake - Waveland Campground, Havana, Arkansas. Tons of groovy KZbin channels, come hang out with us. Simple Life Reclaimed, Country Road Cure, C'mon Homesteading, Drifting Dreamers 5, Drews Lens, Possum Run Homestead, JunkToJems Homestead, Our Mountain Home, and many more including me. Food, fishing, fun, activities for kids, and community building. Should be hundreds in attendance, we sold out the campground.

[@offgridcurtisstone]

Ha. Nice try. It's far from full. You've got room for some truther patriots.

[@HippocratesGarden]

Howdy Jeff!

[@jimmywayne623]

Arkansas is full of chicken farms!! Don’t build anywhere close to them. Check topo maps first & ask farmer when the chicks are harvested & then visit the area. Nastiness every 9 weeks or so.

[@BobbleheadHomestead]

@@offgridcurtisstone Yes we do, the more the merrier. If you know cool folks wanting to move to Arkansas tell them to reach out, I'll help where I can. I came to Arkansas 7 years ago, I found 2.5 acres for $5,000 on Craigslist. The property was full of trash and next door to a 4 CAFO chicken warehouse operation on one side, and a cattle ranch on the other. Great advice not to live next to one of those, you are absolutely right, but it gave me a very, very cheap way to start a small business. Two weeks ago I moved to 7 acres which was $40,000. It was raw land and I have been developing it the past year. Tree clearing with a backhoe (which allowed for some big hugelkultur trenches) driveway building, culverts, water, electric, septic, shed to house setup, moving coops and chickens. Now I can start expanding - food forest, gardens, turkeys ducks geese sheep and more than I can handle. I've gotten an unbelievable amount of help thanks to real life connections through KZbin the past 6 years and can tell you there are tons of like-minded, intelligent, hard working people around my little area of Booneville, Arkansas and we love helping people working for more freedom and self-sufficiency. You may have to drive an hour to get a bottle of wine or a 6-pack, and meth heads might break into your house, and the neighborhood pack of free roaming dogs may wipe out a flock while you've got your back turned for 10 minutes, but there are miniscule property taxes, no building codes, and more than enough good folks to outweigh the bad. Come to Arkansas, ya hear?

[@andybonneau9209]

I'm loving this series. Can't wait until you get to Maine. 😊

[@davej7458]

As you like at the Midwest, do you consider the 1930 -1940 dust bowl areas at risk for future drought. They have removed the shelter belts and gone back some of the same bad farming practices.

[@susandobbins1313]

Hi, Curtis! We're in the Missouri Ozarks, right on the Arkansas border. Love it here. Our county is so small, no interference.

[@Davidg1t1]

Helloooo Susan! I’m on the state line @ BullShoals. Good Day to you!

[@susandobbins1313]

@@Davidg1t1 we're 3 miles from Bull Shoals Lake.!

[@Davidg1t1]

@@susandobbins1313 How Awesome! I sub’d to your channel. Take care friends

[@susandobbins1313]

@@Davidg1t1 I don't post on YT. 😉

[@ryansoo4000]

Do BC Canada next!

[@Davidg1t1]

Thank you for this video brother! @ 5:15 you mention our area. Gorgeous. Rugged. But there are a lot of bugs.. however the people here are awesome ❤️‍🔥 even the Sasquatch are not aggressive 😉

[@SukiAwake]

Ok I live in one of your "no zones" but not in the Mississippi valley area and I think people should talk to someone who lives in Arkansas before saying yes or no about an area.

[@adamjohnson1311]

Great video!

[@HalfQuickFarmer]

I’m just outside of the red zone surrounding fort smith. Muskogee. Of course prob a red circle around my town…

[@brokenbear809]

Take a good look at that First area you cordoned off is a dragon's head

[@kylesnyder3757]

Could you cover Minnesota sooner rather than later?

[@judymccormack2150]

Chicken dust!! Talk to the locals before buying. Some towns are cool, trendy and over regulated. Some rural towns are drug ridden and it spills over into the rest of the area. Overall was my 1st pick. West Memphis is dangerous!!

[@HippocratesGarden]

I am from, and live in the Northeast area in the first red polygon. Close on some details, missed a few as well. If anyone wants boots on the ground info...

[@truthl0ver777]

Looks like Mena Arkansas should be ok! I’m near the national forest land too. I’m stoked. Moving in a month if everything goes good with the sale. 10 acres, mostly wooded. I can clear some more if I want

[@dragonrider9051]

Great video, Arkansas the hidden gem state.

[@CristinLive]

Will you please do one of these videos for Mississippi 🙏

[@brandonglaspie9039]

You rock Curtis

[@chrisfischer5552]

HI Curtis, are you still offering paid consultations?

[@SilverBackPreparedness]

Thoughts on Missouri? Staying away from KC and STL of course.

[@theantifeministwoman7567]

Stay away from Columbia/Jefferson City and Springfield as well. St. Charles County is even too built up now and having protest activities. Stay away.

[@theantifeministwoman7567]

Oh, and same for Ironton and Farmington. They also have a protest/riot group down there.

[@theantifeministwoman7567]

Pardon the multiple nuggets. Stay away from Ft. Leonard Wood, too many dumped chemicals and same for that Ironton area. North of HWY 70 has better/bigger deer than the south, but there are a lot of like-minded people in the Ozarks. However, everyone wants to live there now. Northern Missouri does get bitter winters sometimes. It's a give and take.

[@farmsteadgoldcompany]

I chose a place in the middle of the Mark Twain in Southern Missouri to build my FGC Viking Outpost. I found there to be some good folks there, and I want to live my retirement days growing food for the community. I had several areas cleared for greenhouses, pasture, pond, and future camping/cabin spots; even if it just for good friends to visit and take a break on the weekends from cities. I am still on a water well list to have a well dug--that will be the last piece of the puzzle for the place to be really sustainable. There is plenty of rain, wildlife, remoteness, lumber for heating; and the Current River 20 miles away, and the nearest small town is 7 miles away. I love it out there. Cheers.

[@judymccormack2150]

State + county + city/town sales taxes...9%

[@marep17]

I have read that there are some big nasty mining and such projects coming to Arkansas. That concerns me. Where are these things coming?

[@SuperLooneyrooney]

yes, and southeastern Missouri. Large lithium (Arkansas) and cobalt (MO) mines and both state governments are quietly passing bills to ruin these areas.

[@gindagoo]

What about North Carolina?

[@offgridcurtisstone]

We'll get there.

[@dragonrider9051]

Most the chicken farms you see are no longer functioning.

[@irisburgos4153]

A strategic missile site?????

[@Adam_B]

Curtis is about 2 steps away from becoming Waco, Texas crazy

[@SuperLooneyrooney]

Don't come here. you won't like it. Stay away. Danger.

[@theIAMofME]

I know why you say that. I'm in TN. We do not need any more people coming here. They are killing us with taxes and pricing people (natives) out of the housing market. Old people who can't afford their property taxes will be homeless. Invaders are invaders. We do NOT like it. Don't expect a warm hello, a wave and an apple pie at your door. These people are running from places THEY created with their vote. No thank you! Sorry. not sorry!