State with a large UC population (and otherwise "crunchy" folks)

[ondwrongplanet]

Hi Everyone! Can you guys please spread your knowledge in regard to finding like-minded people across the country. Our family has uc'd, extended breastfed, homeschooled, avoided vax's, respected foreskin, etc. We are moving in a year and are open to any place who would be accepting of us. Where do the those type of people live? Where are the most diversed areas? Where can you find a good mixture of all races, in a really good neighborhood, good people, good schools IN ADDITION to being what some feel is "a natural extremist"? We just can't seem to find our place. Either it's a predominatly raced area with the crunchy mama feel...or it's the crunchy mama feel in a not so good neighborhood..or it's great schools, safe neighborhood with totally UNLIKE minded people. URGH!!!!! PLEASE...your suggestions will benefit us greatly. Thank you in advance!

[sara-on-the-lake]

We want to move to northern ID/northwest MT someday soon.  I'm not sure how "crunchy" the people are, I think it varies, but the "feel" I get from those I know out there, boards I've been on, is that they are very much small government, live-and-let-live, freedom-loving people who don't like to be told what to do.  They like their privacy, they don't like bureaucracy.  I get the feeling that the likelihood of someone calling CPS on you solely because you UCed is pretty much nil.

They sound like my kinda people.  :o)

[gitanamama]

I would check out Portland, OR, Olympia, WA, or maybe even Berkley, CA. I don't know what the cost of living is like (relatively high, I imagine) but I know that there are lots of natural living folks in all three cities. I've also heard the schools are great, although I don't know how diverse they are. Maybe you could post in "finding your tribe" thread and ask mamas in those areas what they think. We live in Santa Fe, NM and while it's fairly diverse and has a pretty big "crunchy" population, the schools are terrible. Best of luck finding your new home!

[IwannaBanRN]

I just found a group on facebook for a playgroup of moms and children who do things more naturally. They meet up weekly, and I'm excited to start doing stuff with them. :)

[newsolarmomma2]

Austin TX is for you! There are lots of jobs, great universities, the cost of living is reasonable (compared to the coasts especially), and it's super crunchy, very relaxed. You won't see suits and ties here. Even the mainstream people here would be considered crunchy in other cities : )

Im not a big fan of TX, but this city is cool. It's also very safe, with no "ghetto", even the low income areas are OK. It's a nice place to live, and is one of the most family friendly cities in the USA, good for same sex couples and families, too. If you like farmers markets, local goods, etc, you will be happy here. It's very bike friendly, some public transport (bus and a bit of light rail) but not too walking friendly. Some neighborhoods are better than others (I walk to do everything). There is always something to do, lots of festivals, etc.

The bad stuff: You should be aware of the weather- it is HOT a good chunk of the year. The summer is blistering, but the rest if the year is beautiful, bright and sunny, dry, and warm. In summer, I don't go outside except to swim and walk to the store. Also, racial diversity is minimal, which I dislike. There are some Mexicans, but otherwise it's all white people as far as the eye can see. And the very worst thing is the traffic, it is unbelievable. Horrible. Hard to avoid in most places, like Los Angeles but smaller.

Overall, a great place for the natural minded person. The city has an extensive solar energy program, solar is cheaper to install here than anywhere, you can power your home off of wind power from the utility, the energy efficiency program is great, everyone recycles, and all new homes are required to be zero energy by 2015. (I work on clean tech) AWESOME!

[sprinkle pocket]

And my husband started a great nonprofit there with a couple of friends called the Austin yellow bike project! It is pretty neat there but ugh, the traffic, humidity /heat and roaches. Blech! Ah, but a dip I barton springs beats the heat! And its a short bike ride to Casa de Luz vegan macrobiotic restaurant! Mmmm, I miss Austin!
I would also suggest Albuquerque. You can always go to santa fe, taos, silver city...albuq. has the new Mexico school of natural therapeutics and a natural remedy store, annapurna veg restaurant, hiking in tijeras and sandia, Madrid ...lots of nooks in nm. La Montanita Food coop has lotsa local flava and the kids get a free piece of fruit! Lotsa bike trails, thrift stores, farmers markets, rio grande trail system. Cheaper than santa fe. And its a dry heat! Plus some of my friends there are super uc friendly midwives or super hands off if you want someone there. They're extremely knowledgeable and let me pick their minds before both of.my ucs.
Edited by sprinkle pocket - 9/5/11 at 9:12am

[pregnova]

I liked Asheville, NC. Very open-minded folks, lots of environmental awareness, pro-freedom, ect... You'll see folks wearing their babies all throughout downtown, rent is cheap, lots of free stuff for families with kids, a weekly drum circle in downtown, lots of co-ops, natural food stores, and a strong presence of homebirth/midwife-attended birth. Which, means the unassisted folks must be around ;-)

It's smaller than Berkeley, and while everyone in Asheville talks about how much better Berkeley is, I would disagree. In Asheville you have SOOO much nature right outside your doorstep and a weekend of exciting excursions EVERY weekend. Idk, I LOVE it, and (HOPEFULLY) we'll be moving down there in the next year or so. 

As some background, we've pretty much traveled the country since Ds's birth 2.5 yrs ago, and of all the places we've stopped at, lived in, or earnestly considered, Asheville is the most 'home'-like. 

[Maxann]

Missoula MT. I love it there. Lots of crunchy folks. I am from the midwest and living in Missoula for 7 years changed my mind about a lot of things in life. I guess you could say i became a little crunchy myself :)

[mammamo]

And my friend has a nice house for sale in Austin, just sayinnnnn :)

Originally Posted by newsolarmomma2 

Austin TX is for you! There are lots of jobs, great universities, the cost of living is reasonable (compared to the coasts especially), and it's super crunchy, very relaxed. You won't see suits and ties here. Even the mainstream people here would be considered crunchy in other cities : )

Im not a big fan of TX, but this city is cool. It's also very safe, with no "ghetto", even the low income areas are OK. It's a nice place to live, and is one of the most family friendly cities in the USA, good for same sex couples and families, too. If you like farmers markets, local goods, etc, you will be happy here. It's very bike friendly, some public transport (bus and a bit of light rail) but not too walking friendly. Some neighborhoods are better than others (I walk to do everything). There is always something to do, lots of festivals, etc.

The bad stuff: You should be aware of the weather- it is HOT a good chunk of the year. The summer is blistering, but the rest if the year is beautiful, bright and sunny, dry, and warm. In summer, I don't go outside except to swim and walk to the store. Also, racial diversity is minimal, which I dislike. There are some Mexicans, but otherwise it's all white people as far as the eye can see. And the very worst thing is the traffic, it is unbelievable. Horrible. Hard to avoid in most places, like Los Angeles but smaller.

Overall, a great place for the natural minded person. The city has an extensive solar energy program, solar is cheaper to install here than anywhere, you can power your home off of wind power from the utility, the energy efficiency program is great, everyone recycles, and all new homes are required to be zero energy by 2015. (I work on clean tech) AWESOME!

[Almi]

Originally Posted by Maxann 

Missoula MT. I love it there. Lots of crunchy folks. I am from the midwest and living in Missoula for 7 years changed my mind about a lot of things in life. I guess you could say i became a little crunchy myself :)

I visited Missoula this summer because my partner is from there and his family still lives there.  I agree there does seem to be more "crunchy" people there than were I live (Fargo, ND).  In fact, his sister had a homebirth with her second child that ended up being a UC, they don't vax, extended breastfeeding, etc.  I'm probably the only person that I know in Fargo that has UC'd, and probably the only person to ever plan one.  Lol.  But the nice thing is that people tend to leave you alone here, unless you happen to tell someone you know that you're going to UC and they are "afraid for you" and call the cops when you are in labor.  Lol.  

EDIT:  Oh, forgot about my friend that didn't know she was pregnant and had an accidental UC (she didn't know she was having a baby until the baby crowned!).  I asked her if she'd ever UC again, and she said, "Yeah, probably!"