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.

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!

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.

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

Could you cover Minnesota sooner rather than later?

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.

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.

Please do East Tennessee.

Great video. we are investigating moving our pastured poultry farm to Arkansas. Water security and biosecurity are at the top of our checklist. We were already looking to avoid the poultry tunnels for biosecurity reasons, thanks for reminding how bad those commercial birds smell. We have also viewed the fracking history of areas. In the end we have 13 counties left in our "go Zone".

Great stuff. Please do Alabama and Tennessee.

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

Cheers from Fort Smith, AR!!

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

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

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.

I’m very much looking forward to your video on Texas

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

Do BC Canada next!

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.

Great video!

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

Great video, Arkansas the hidden gem state.

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

How would you rate evening shade Arkansas. Great content thank you for you work

Will you please do one of these videos for Mississippi 🙏

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

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

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 😉

You rock Curtis

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...

HI Curtis, are you still offering paid consultations?

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

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.

Please do WV. :)

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!!

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

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

Nope, Arkansas is full, don't come here :) BIG Homesteading KZfaqr meetup this weekend at Blue Mountain Lake - Waveland Campground, Havana, Arkansas. Tons of groovy KZfaq 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.

What about North Carolina?

A strategic missile site?????

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

Most the chicken farms you see are no longer functioning.

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