[heatherdeg]

We're planning a move to either Central Bucks Co. or Bethlehem in Montgomery Co. but I'm worried about the following... so any insight or help you can give me would be HUGE! TIA!

* Homeschooling... how homeschool-friendly is PA or these districts specifically if you happen to know? Are there any hsing groups??

* Non-vaxing... I have a ped here that MIGHT document ds's immune deficiency without retesting if I push really hard (and PRAY!). But do I need to do this?

* Availability of organics... I don't see a Whole Foods nearby!

Anything else you can "warn" me about is appreciated!

 

[accountclosed3]

while i live in another part of montco (near chester co and berks co), i know the area pretty well.

there are lots of local organic farms and CSAs and small health food stores (locally owned) that will have organic and biodynamic dairy, meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. you will have no trouble being 'all organic' in PA. you will have to ask around though and 'dig around' for the 'right' farms.

also, to the best of my knowledge the area is home-school friendly. I know that *this* area is home-school friendly and there are a number of homeschooling groups in the main-line area. i can't imagine that bethlehem and surrounding would be that much different.

finally, i don't know about the vax situation. sorry i can't help!

 

[tboroson]

There are definately a few non-vax friendly docs in the area. If you're in Chester County, there's Dr. Flood and Dr. Fried in the Kimberton area. If you're in Montco, there's Dr. Soppas in northeast Philly or the Woodlands medical center in Quakertown. Bethlehem is a bit more difficult, but you could go to Woodlands from there.

Homeschooling is great around here - so many homeschoolers. Pennsylvania law sucks big hairy rocks, but there are so many homeschoolers to help you navigate the laws.

There are a ton of health food stores and farmer's markets - more every year. When you pick a community, let us know and we can help hook you up

Check out the Phoenixville area - it's really up and coming, lots of awesome resources. We have a high concentration of mamas in our Families for Natural Living group - check out the link in my sig

 

[kate~mom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by heatherdeg * Non-vaxing... I have a ped here that MIGHT document ds's immune deficiency without retesting if I push really hard (and PRAY!). But do I need to do this? * Availability of organics... I don't see a Whole Foods nearby!

i'm assuming you mean bethlehem in lehigh/northampton county - unless there's another one?

anyway, i have no idea about homeschooling requirements - although there do seem to be many families who do.

non-vaxing - if you find a good ped, shouldn't be a problem. dr. jan in allentown is highly recommended. all peds i have encountered have been fine with our delayed/selective vaccination plan without any arguing.

organics - no whole foods or trader joes - unless you drive toward philly or into new jersey. wegmans has a very nice selection, growing weekly it seems. there is an organic dairy farm north of easton that supplies raw milk and cheeses, organic eggs, and beef/chicken. there are also a number of small health food stores - sign of the bear in allentown, queen's in bethlehem (i've never been there but have heard good things), and nature's way in easton are great. finally, there is the farmer's market in allentown - an organic famr in berks county has just started bringing their fruits and veggies there - good stuff!

 

[heatherdeg]

With the vaxing, I'm less concerned about finding a ped and more concerned about getting crap from a school district if we don't homeschool... kwim?

Yes--Bethlehem in Northampton Co. Specifically the Hanover area in the Bethlehem school district. In Bucks, we're looking at Pipersville, Chalfont, Doylestown and I think New Britain. There might be others. We're really just looking to be in the Central Bucks school district.

As for Phoenixville... I looked at it, but it's too far from my husband's office. We have to be within an hour of Bridgewater, NJ! But thanks!

 

[tboroson]

There is also a good producer farmer's market on Sundays in Emmaus. There are a couple of raw milk farms in the area, goat's milk and cow's milk.

There's a Whole Foods on 309 in North Wales, about an hour south of Bethlehem; and a Trader Joe's in Wayne, maybe an hour south if you take the turnpike.

Wegman's is quite good... but pricey.

I used to shop Sign of the Bear and Queen's all the time when I lived in B'hem. They weren't great, but not bad - considering at that point in time, I'd never experienced a "great" health food store, if they kept pace with the industry in the past 7 years, they're probably quite good by now

There's a fantastic place for pastured chicken and other pastured meats in Walnutport, right on rt. 145, called Mountain View Poultry. Tell Barb that Tara from Phoenixville sent you

Also, a nice bison farm in Hellertown called Backyard Bison.

Oh... there's also an organic mattress store in Hellertown...

erm... I know there's more... let me think. Oh oh oh! Maybe an hour west of B'hem is Echo Hill Country Store in Fleetwood. Mennonite owned, tons of bulk goods, many organic, at fantastic prices. They're getting more and more commercial goods in, too, and gradually phasing out all the non-organic stuff. It's a great place.

Oh, jeez... how could I forget?? Organic PYO at the Rodale Experimental Farm west of Allentown. I think they might run a CSA, too, but I'm not positive.

About 40 minutes south or so (depending on where in B'hem you are), there's Hendricks Farms and Dairy - excellent raw milk and other dairy products, pastured meats. I just finished a tub of maple raw ice cream from them... yuuuuuummmmmmy!

 

[kate~mom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by heatherdeg Specifically the Hanover area in the Bethlehem school district.

pm'ing you!

 

[SharonAnne]

Quote:

We have to be within an hour of Bridgewater, NJ!

Why not move to NJ? I'm local to Bridgewater, about 10 minutes away.

I'm always looking for new MDC mamas in the area

Wait, nevermind, I see you're IN NJ already. Why in teh world do you want to leave?

:

Hope you find what you're looking for.