We bought a house and moved to Tennessee three years ago. Six months later, I found 100 acres that are just on the line of your Nashville circle. The land was less expensive than you would think because it was so remote (hilly with no utility access). The area and climate are perfect for homesteading, but what is more expensive than the land is any building support services (wells, roads, housing, barns). Every contractor thinks of themselves as a high-end builder, so you must learn to do things yourself more than I would have thought. Plus, they are all backed up two years on jobs from all the new construction. Take your time, and you will save money.

@John-Adams-Can

Ай бұрын

You are describing my area of Ontario Canada. Building ourselves. 33 acres.

@scotts8284

Ай бұрын

Great information. Thank you for sharing.

@better_than_nothing

Ай бұрын

It's not that every builder thinks of themselves as high-end builders. It's that, because of this economy, every builder has to charge as a high-end builder to be able to make ends meet. You're welcome to go back to whatever state you came from and attempt the same thing there. You'll realize very quickly that our builders here are reasonably priced.

I absolutely love here in Hickman County for homesteading. 1) An hour from Nashville so you have proximity when needed, but out of the way of most of the development. 2) Rolling hills make it not ideal for big ag, keeping the water relatively clear of pesticide and herbicide runoff. 3) Strong homestead community with monthly meetings, plant swaps, a homesteading festival, etc. 4) More natural springs than anywhere in the US. 5) Lots of affordable land ranging from 1 acre lots to several hundred acre properties 6) lots of fundamentalist religious groups that farm and homeschool in the area: heritage church, Amish, Mennonite, 7th day Adventist, etc. 7) Resilient economy with businesses like Farmers Friend and T Rex arms headquartered here

Glad you’re covering TN! I’ll throw my two cents into the comments, in case it’s valuable. One major issue to consider with the entire western portion of TN is its proximity to the New Madrid Fault Zone. When it does decide to go off, it will be devastating. Something to consider about Knoxville region is its proximity to Oak Ridge (nuclear facility). Also, tornado alley has shifted east a good bit, and my own town of Columbia TN took a direct hit during the recent storms. It was terrible. Oldtimer locals will tell you that if you build in the hollows, those tornadoes usually jump right over you. In general, one of the safest zones in the entire US is on the Cumberland Ridge.

@CrossroadToCountry

Ай бұрын

TN has the highest amount of nighttime tornadoes in the US. But I love it.

@better_than_nothing

Ай бұрын

All of Tennessee has horrible fault lines. We also have a vast swath of poisonous snakes and wildfires. You do not want to move to Tennessee. I would suggest looking in Kentucky or Alabama.

@jonathanbenka7604

Ай бұрын

California and New York need to leave TN

Make no mistake. The extreme rural areas of TN has its crazy people and plenty of risk in moving there. It is different from the cities, but still the same kind of crime goes on. Ya better know how to take care of yourself. I have lived here my whole long life and would not live any where else. My roots run deep. But the romanticizing of these rural areas gives people a false idea of what it is really like.

@gisela1074

Ай бұрын

Agreed!

@th71-23

Ай бұрын

guess i fit the rural crazy category.we're tired of the bs labels you put on us. we just want to be left alone.

@BelindaTN

Ай бұрын

@@th71-23 I did not say everyone was crazy. My point is if someone wants to move to the very rural areas to get away from the craziness, crime, and meanness of the city, they will find the same in rural areas. Drugs and all that goes with that is just as rampant as it is in the cities. As well as other crimes. As I said in my first comment. I live in rural America (and love it) as has my generations before me. I know how it is. As with the cities, there are respectable and hardworking people in the rural areas. But we have our share of the criminals here too. Some of which can be dangerous.

@whysix3417

Ай бұрын

​@@BelindaTNI live in rural west tn. The drug problem is very much real, but the cops do a great job and don't put up with much around here.

TN is full. Our lifestyle is eroding because of exactly what Curtis said. Locals can’t afford to live where their families have been for generations because of California expansion or manufacturing raising the cost of living or property values. Fix your states before ruining ours.

@theIAMofME

Ай бұрын

Thank you!! I didn't use to feel this way about outsiders moving here. But, then they came. WE ARE FED UP!!! Just my town alone is changing for the worst. YES, they are taxing us, the natives, to death. It's sad what these people are doing here. And we are sick of it!!!!!!

@erins2473

Ай бұрын

Amen. Same in Idaho.

@acornlandlabs

Ай бұрын

Good luck with that! Everyone in TN moved from somewhere at sometime. I’m sure the Native Americans tried to say “we’re full” here too. Hard to stop people moving

@hypergraphic

Ай бұрын

Yeah as a conservative in California there's no fixing it for me. All the people who are fed up are leaving so that just leaves a stronger democratic majority which makes the state even worse. I hear you though about how it sucks for people who have been there for a long time, but this country was built by people moving from state to state.

@crystallaner230

Ай бұрын

Lol. Tn is a meth infested hell hole.

Memphis huh? Let’s check the demographics of it. Ohhhh I see now.

@horticultureandhomes

Ай бұрын

It's an issue in E TN too except it's poor white and Memphis is poor black but it's still multigenerational welfare. You can ask someone what they do and get the answer of 'I draw' as in a gov. Check instead of working. When my daughter was in grade school, the teacher asked each child what they wanted to be when they grew up. One kid said a service station attendant. Another was going to draw a gov check. It's a problem.

Native Tennessean. I agree with everyone who says that Tennessee is full in places. And everywhere in Tennessee is subject to having a lot of wind and tornadoes, if that is a consideration for you.

@BelindaTN

Ай бұрын

Not to mention flooding.

Have lived here in S E Tennessee since 2010. Most people living here don’t/won’t homestead. In saying that, you WILL find areas that modern homesteaders live and have lived for over a decade. PROS: Wonderful 3 growing seasons and winter greenhouse growing. Winter is called the rainy season. Little to no snow. CONS: Don’t expect people to understand why you are raising and growing your own food. Like EVERYWHERE else USA, we are 2-3 generations passed people who take care of their own needs. Like EVERYWHERE else USA government grifting and social grifting. Find a community or plan one that sees homesteading as important for family. It is key to success and building infrastructure quickly. 🌞🌱❤️

@offgridcurtisstone

Ай бұрын

Most people living everywhere don’t homestead.

Great Videos. Also great job at Vandalia Homestead event. My wife and I went, great info, thanks. Looking forward to when you get to Kentucky, we are going to start looking around soon in Kentucky where we currently live.

I love Tennessee! Still a lot of country out here but prices are skyrocketing. Also not good wages. Neighbor said states are a good alternative. Thanks Curtis.

Been with you since the beginning,,Moved to Camden got 7 acres 2 years ago best decision ever !!! Thank you for your content.

@seedvizion

Ай бұрын

My wife and I purchased land right below you in Holladay, Tn. We’re in the process of prepping the land now and like you we’re glad to have found that land.

Im in upper East Tennessee, born and raised, and Im so thankful I was raised here in the Appalachian Mountains!! If you know these mountains, more than likely you'll be just fine when SHTF, or you'll at least last longer than most..lol

TN is full

@Andy-le8xy

Ай бұрын

TN is not full. Not that I can blame them but they absolutely do not like Californians. The first thing they say is "Don't California-ize Tennessee!" That is about as polite as they get regarding Californians.

@tddr7666

Ай бұрын

@@Andy-le8xy I am sick of these jerks coming here and acting like they are better. They are so stupid to pay for overpriced houses. Poor people here will lose houses due to increased property tax. When times get bad Tennesseans will stick together and take care of one another. Outsiders will have to fend for themselves. Many natives say this.

I think you should make a distinction between prepping and homesteading. Rough proximity to a city might actually be good for homesteading as it may give you more opportunities to sell produce from your market garden, higher prices for selling firewood, more people looking to buy "pasture raised" pork for a higher price. Writing off whole parts of this state because you're scared of a "SHTF" (which seems to be just code for r*ce war...) scenario where people on welfare will be your biggest threat? Sounds like a concern for someone building a bunker, less for someone making a viable homestead

Can't wait for your go at Texas 🙏🏻 Currently in N.C.

@gisela1074

Ай бұрын

Only place in Texas is north east where the water is.

Winds in Tennessee. 😅😂😅😂 try the Prairies in the Midwest.

@gaildudlicek890

Ай бұрын

Try haboobs in Arizona!

really looking forward to MI

Small note on Mtn City: It's closer to Canada than to Memphis Warning on Selmer: about to have an incredible population boom

We have a 20 acre of grid homestead in North Western TN. Love this state

We are currently looking in Kentucky. Desperately want OUT of the PDX area. Husband just retired. Love to see your thoughts on KY!

@bunsguns8222

Ай бұрын

Everywhere in the SE is better than PDX. Spent 12 years there myself across the border in WA.

@JamieSantos

Ай бұрын

Well, let's see. December 2021 tornado wiped out Mayfield, KY and decimated Dawson Springs, KY and the area where I currently live ( originally a Tennessee native with roots that go all the way back to the 1730's ). May 26th 2024, tornado came through Dawson Springs, Charleston, Morton's Gap, Earlington ( I live 4 miles outside of Earlington ). We left our home because we would not survive it in our home. That morning we had 80mph winds that knocked the power out. We went to Hopkinsville, KY to escape the tornado that evening. Tried to drive back home but 60mph winds were headed our way so drove to tornado shelter in Crofton Springs. It was packed. Waited out storm in the parking lot. Tried to make it home but all roads blocked with trees and water. Spent the night in a hotel with two dogs. That day cost a lot of people money they did not have and one person her life. All of this damage happened very, very near my home. People here are getting tired of the hurricane force winds and deadly tornadoes. If you have the stomach for this kind of weather ( frequently now ), chiggers, snakes and ticks then do come. Also, the soil is red clay and has to be amended heavily to grow good crops. Bug pressure is off the charts.

@missiechako5917

16 күн бұрын

We're getting ready to list our Farmstead in Kentucky Friday! Will be sending all the information to Curtis and Matthew for a property evaluation Monday!

@missiechako5917

16 күн бұрын

​@@JamieSantosThat's not indicative of the whole state of Kentucky! We live here & absolutely have NOT experienced any of that! Sorry that you've gone through this but it's NOT a fair description of This Beautiful State

I’m from Loudon , right smack between Knoxville and Chattanooga

Have you followed Countryside Acres (& Countryside Corner) on KZread? Canadian farmers who moved to Russia for farming. Seams like smart ice breakers of what people should do to avoid communist Canada. Much love from PEI

@JamieSantos

Ай бұрын

Russia is communist as well. Good God, does anyone read??? Bolshevik uprising 1918? Slaughter of 10's of millions of orthodox Christians. The same group of people control the entire planet.

I’m looking forward to Texas!

Lol Shat-annooga

TN has tornados almost weekly, poisonous snakes are very common, chiggars and ticks are brutal (you will get Lymes disease), the humidity is painful most of the year, pollen levels are the highest in the nation. The state is on a major fault line and a massive earthquake is imminent. Its a miserable place to live. We are very backwards in our thinking and leery of outsiders. Please do not move here.

@SolaveiGlobalTeam

Ай бұрын

Yes! This!

@better_than_nothing

Ай бұрын

My family has lived in Tennessee for 300 years and I wholly agree with this statement.

@gisela1074

Ай бұрын

Yes truth!

@bunsguns8222

Ай бұрын

Lol, try harder.

@JamieSantos

Ай бұрын

@@better_than_nothing My great-great-great grandfather was Timothy Demonbruen so our roots go back about the same amount of time.

The area near Land Between the Lakes in Tennessee is a great homesteading location

When you think about homesteading on 5 acres in a remote location, what do you anticipate people doing for cash? Remote work? Going without cash? Market gardening? What considerations would you give people?

@JamieSantos

Ай бұрын

From my personal perspective most people are not interested in eating healthy food. The people my husband works with have an aversion to farm raised eggs and prefer factory store bought eggs. Only a few people will buy our eggs. My neighbor says she has stomach issues from birth so can't eat healthy food but can eat processed food. I hear this from so many people; They have allergies to real food they say. I would never count on selling produce as a viable means of income unless you sell it to a large chain or local restaurants.

Thank you Curtis.

Tornado Alley has moved into Tennessee, be aware!

medium wind is a good thing for off grid power generation.

All big cities will experience judgments very soon. Nashville will be one of them. Read the book The Great Controversy

@JamieSantos

Ай бұрын

Nashville was always a cess pit due to the Country Music industry.....just not openly back in the day. It's run by the same tribe that runs the Illegal Federal Reserve. Now they have completely destroyed Nashville by moving here from Hollywood.

I wish you would do one of these for Oklahoma..

@spyxplorer

Ай бұрын

He's working his way through all the states. Gotta wait like the rest of us

ShatANoooGaa ?

Looking forward to New Hampshire. If you have any questions about homesteading/prepping in NH that would inform your content, lemme know

A lot of people are finding out about Mountain City. A lot of business owners from Florida are buying there. A Palm Beach company just bought several thousand acres in Mountain City to put a Golf Course and high end homes.

@bethtanner5047

Ай бұрын

yes...Waterfront Group Development Corp....but I think they are having trouble getting water....have to drill wells...and there may be too many on the aquiver..candidate for mayor is running on a platform that includes solving Mountain City's "water" problem...hmmmm

I just find it funny that the guy who wrote Urban Farmer is telling us to stay away from urban areas lol. I mean, I totally agree... But im also reading that book when Im not watching these videos! :P He must have had a change of heart at some point

@offgridcurtisstone

Ай бұрын

Yes, I have changed my views.

@thetotlpkg

Ай бұрын

Why did you change?

@spyxplorer

Ай бұрын

@@offgridcurtisstone I get why. It's the wokeness & the govt control. Covid woke us all up. Still gonna read your book anyway. Helpful tips for Microgreens. Thx sir

What about the valley area like Chattanooga up to Athens?

My favorite pastor is in middle Tennessee. I would love to be close enough to attend his church.

@seedvizion

Ай бұрын

Jim Brown

@vldarden

Ай бұрын

@@seedvizion Allen Jackson

Mountain City is the sticks but you still have stores and basics when you get on the main road. Johnson City is a mess but it's the only area with a Sam's club, the Tri Cities (main airport, is limited) and the resources can't keep up with the influx of crazies moving here who think they want the same conveniences they had in the big city. You're not getting it, you move to smaller areas for a reason.

Born and raise in east Tennessee, beautiful place to live.

@horticultureandhomes

Ай бұрын

Which county?

Here's the thing about East TN. It has gotten expensive, there's not enough infrastructure to handle the influx of people and the school systems leave a lot to be desired. There is a lot of multigenerational welfare in rural E. TN. It's a problem and the influx of people has made it worse. The price increases have decimated the low and middle class. The food pantry's can't keep up. Drugs are also prevalent. You can thank the FL pain clinic shysters for that. It travelled up and through E TN and meth labs are all too common. It has brought crime to the area. Mostly theft. Nail down tractors and equipment, porch furniture and even garden ornaments.

What technology he being used here to locate properties?

Tennessee is not for the faint of heart, seriously.

@hypergraphic

Ай бұрын

Dude I lived in South Africa for eight years. How much worse can Tennessee possibly be?

Moved to the top eastern tip in ‘21 from the Twin Cities after the GF riots. No regrets. It is quite crazy though seeing housing prices out in Washington/Carver/Sullivan being astronomically high. I can’t imagine it persisting for very much longer, I guess you can blame it on all of us moving in to some degree, but don’t discount the insane drop in the value of the dollar with the multi-trillion spending during the last 3 years.

Just curious. What does everyone do for work that they can be so remote? It's gotta be something online, which would require a good Wifi connection.

@backachershomestead

Ай бұрын

Nothing,there's no phone lines or internet where we live. This guy is just winging it. No jobs either.

@spyxplorer

Ай бұрын

@@backachershomestead Looks like you're a homesteader. What do you do for work?

@backachershomestead

Ай бұрын

@spyxplorer Retired. My wife will be retired in a couple years. What do you do for work?

Lets do FLORIDA and TEXAS

Curtis, do you still offer consulting?

@offgridcurtisstone

Ай бұрын

Yes. flpconsultants@proton.me

DO NOT come to Tennessee we are over populated and no one will be nice to you, stay out. unless you wanna come spend your money then come visit haha

@theIAMofME

Ай бұрын

When we moved here, and I'm certainly not saying where, the town had a pop of 600. We are pushing 12K now. It's so sad what is happening to TN. Just sad. And these people want sidewalks and for it to be like a suburb of a city. WE ARE SICK OF IT. Not to mention what they have done to older folks who worked so hard to be debt free and own there property and now risk losing it in their "so called golden years" because of these liberals moving here making taxes GO THROUGH THE ROOF!. Our neighbors from Nevada are loud and noisy. They always have a bunch of people over there. We are working on a plan to move from here now. I don't know if we have time now. It's getting to the point where we are going to lose our warm hospitality because of all this. I will not end mine with a haha. IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!

@DanielIvan707

Ай бұрын

The corrupt politicians are selling out the local population to the highest bidder. Sad to see. What are they trying to turn Nashville into?

@Andy-le8xy

Ай бұрын

@@theIAMofME At least your problem neighbors are from not from Communist-fornia. Nevada about the same. Wishing you the best and good health.

Don't move to TN....we are full

What do you know about Michigan?

@JamieSantos

Ай бұрын

Absolutely loved living in Michigan. I cannot sing it's praises highly enough. I only moved to be closer to my sons. Wish we had never moved.

@evvie01

Ай бұрын

@@JamieSantos I am from there too. I miss the rich soil, the lakes, even the snow. My quiet neighborhood Southwest of Detroit became troubled. I lost everything and had to move, the years between 2003 to 2015 were the hardest time in my life, I am healing though, coming back to life. Dreaming of one day going home. Perhaps there is a place for me there still.

EAST TENNESSEE USA ⚠️🇺🇸❤️ We love it here!

Tennessee is full. Go somewhere else.

Lived in northeast Tennessee my whole life. Even in a small place there's been too many people moving here. I understand why but I'd still rather it stop. Move to west Tennessee I'm not going over there. Or north Carolina, it's nice there.

@horticultureandhomes

Ай бұрын

I agree. The infrastucture can't handle the load of people coming so fast. It's driving prices up and putting more people on welfare.

As a Tennessean, I can't help but wonder why a Canadian dude is telling people where to live in the US. Tennessee is full. Go to Asheville.

@crystallaner230

Ай бұрын

You seem fun

@missiechako5917

16 күн бұрын

Because he's an absolute expert on this and is trying to help people from making a TON of costly mistakes! Seriously

Tennessee will not be a great state if everyone moves here and brings there crappy attitudes and want to change the way we live. And make it what they have left. Stay away.

@offgridcurtisstone

Ай бұрын

I think it might already be close to that brother. Probably too late.

@bunsguns8222

Ай бұрын

Just left TN, was there working. The locals already seem to have crappy attitudes and there seems to be a lot of union types that tow the party line. I expected better.