really need info on BOONE, NC

[KimL]

Hi there southern mamas!

We're looking for the perfect place to grow some roots. We're old (40) and have an 8 year old active son. My son and husband are vegetarians and I'm a vegan. I'm currently unemployed and my husband is a builder.  We are/were very much child-led parents.  We're looking for a place mild in temps, veg friendly, dog friendly, lower cost of living and still reasonably rural, yet with job oppertunity for my husband to make money. 

Do you think boone fits the bill?  I would love any advice/info you have!

[beanma]

I think Boone is a great place, but it's a small town, and I'm not so sure about job opportunities. Check out the area newspapers (2 weeklies and a more traditional) for classifieds.

http://mountaintimes.com/home

http://www.highcountrypress.com/

http://www2.wataugademocrat.com/home

It's a southern mountain town with all that that conjures up, but also home to Appalachian State Univ so it does have some crunchiness factor. You've got a lot of traditional farmer/mountain types also, so a mix of college kids, young hippies, and mountain folk. 

There's an EarthFare (pretty big HF grocery) and I don't think it would be hard to be vegetarian or vegan in Boone although there's plenty of meat around, too.

It's a beautiful place and we go often, but I'm just not sure on the job situation. We're in the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) and you might also check this area out. 

Good luck!

[maekati]

I live in Boone and have for the most part since 97.  A few years ago we were hit hard with the housing crisis, and we still have not rebounded.  There are many builders who have been in business for 20-30 years who are struggling to make ends meet if they are still in business.  I love the small town atmosphere Boone provides, but if you are counting on making a living in the construction industry it will be difficult. 

[BirthTender]

To, KimL,

I am from the Mountains here, as well as my ancestors since the middle 1700's. I don't know where you are moving from, but please realize that the climatic zone of Boone & the surrounding mtns. is the same as SOUTHERN New England. I can't begin to tell you the countless number of folks who move here from the north & think that Boone has no Snow because they say "Well, we moved South, it just does not make sense" I respond, 'Yes, but it is the same climatic zone, because it is in the Mountains." In fact, when I lived for 2 years (with my then pastor  husband) in Chicago, my family, parents, everyone around here in the Mountains & foothills  had more snow for 2 winters than we had in Chicago for two winters!!

Also, the economy in this area has been severely depressed since Clinton signed the Nafta agreement way back in the late 1990's & all the furniture/hosiery mills left the area and went to Mexico & China. so this area of NC has the 2nd highest unemployment rate in the whole state of NC, which has been holding steady at around 11-13% since the late 1990's

This area is beautiful, lots of folks get by with hunting and eating venison, squirrel, rabbit, and grow HUGE veggies! & freeze/can those veggies! I grew up eating lots of wild game in my younger years, even though I was raised here on a farm, too. Also, unfortunately, lots of folks get by with operating crack and illegal drug making/selling operations, as in Crystal Meth. The largest busts for Crystal Meth operations in the whole state is here in these beautiful Mountains/Foothills and way out in the rural parts of the far eastern parts of this state.

Karen Benfield, CNM & Owner of BirthTender Midwifery, a  Homebirth, well woman/GYN, primary medicine, family planning, menopausal/women's healthcare practice