34.)
I have never lived in the country before -- what is it like?
A.)
Wonderful! But here, at DeerHaven Hills Farm, we're within such a
short driving distance of various villages, towns and cities that
we're really just in the suburbs. Yet it is so quiet and peaceful
here, both day and night, that it feels like we're in the country.
There is little sound of traffic to be heard. The air smells clean
and fresh.
At night,
you'll see a few lights from neighboring homes in the distance. On
the horizon of mountain ridges, a light or two blinks from a radio
tower. And the sky can be seen in all directions, much more clearly
than in most cities. It is like a blanket of stars above -- something
almost never experienced in any city because of the lights, smog and
pollution. Sometimes you'll hear a deer crunching its way through
the woods.
In the
early morning, roosters can often be heard, also in the distance.
There is very little crime that takes place in our area, and most
of that is traffic violations.
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35.)
Are there hospitals and emergency services nearby?
A.)
Yes. There are hospitals as well as walk in clinics and alternative
practitioners in nearby Tryon, Rutherfordton, and Asheville, NC and
Spartanburg and Greenville, SC. Also well-staffed, Emergency Medical
Services are close at hand. In case of fire on the property, there
is a large volunteer fire-station down the road a mile or two.
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36.)
What about churches and other spiritual organizations?
A.)
There are a several churches in our immediate neighborhood, mainly
Baptist, which tend to serve the long-time local families. Plus there
many other churches of all denominations in the area and spiritual
groups, ranging from conservative to New Age within a short drive
from here. With the large and rapid influx of newcomers from around
the world to this region, there is a nearby spiritual group (and often
several) to meet nearly anyone's needs.
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37.)
Are there other newcomers to this area?
A.)
Yes. And we think this is important. A small group of people with
specific beliefs, such as vegetarians, might stand out and, perhaps,
even not be welcomed in some rural communities around the world (not
just America). However, Polk County, especially our part of it, continues
to attract many wealthy, sophisticated newcomers from all parts of
the globe. This creates a "melting pot" effect and means that no such
cultural bias has room to exist here, at least none that we have ever
experienced.
Twenty
years ago, Polk County was one of the poorest counties in North Carolina.
Today, it is the wealthiest. This is mainly because of the influx
of well-educated, cosmopolitan retirees and the services which normally
follow to assist them and help meet their needs. This only helps other
newcomers with unconventional tastes, such as ours as vegetarians.
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38.)
Do UPS, FedEx and other services deliver there?
A.)
Yes. The founding family has several home-based businesses and those
delivery services often come to DeerHaven Hills Farm on a daily basis.
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39.)
Are there any quaint or up-scale villages or small towns nearby?
A.)
Yes! Such places abound in western North Carolina and Upland South
Carolina. Though not always so in earlier decades, today most of them
have become very upscale, with tea- and coffee-shops, fresh bakeries,
boutique craft and clothing stores, etc. Most also have trendy restaurants
with good selections of vegetarian dishes. Villages and towns with
names like Landrum (SC) and Saluda, Columbus and Tryon (NC) and more
are within a few miles of DeerHaven Hills Farm. Many more are within
an hour's drive -- perfect for a day's outing of exploration, shopping
and fun.
Larger
towns and small cities are within an hour's driving time, too, which
have similar amenities. These include world-famous Asheville, plus
Hendersonville, Brevard and Rutherfordton -- all in NC. In SC, Greenville
is moving toward metropolitan status and has a well-respected art
museum and symphony orchestra, plus every other amenity you'd expect
or need to find. And Spartanburg boasts a world-class ballet company
and music college.
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40.)
I have heard the western Carolinas are rich in arts and crafts --
is this true?
A.)
Yes. This is one of the most "artsy" areas in the country. Many artists
and craftspeople choose to move here for a variety of reasons, one
of the most important of which is the wealth of natural beauty found
here. Several of the founding family's members are, or have been,
involved in a variety of arts and crafts. One is a well-known teacher
of fabric arts and design, as well as unusual quilting techniques.
There are many regional galleries which specialize in handling local
artists. And both the property and general area are remarkably photogenic.
Horses
... arts and crafts ... scenic beauty ... rustic-feeling but modern
and trendy ... nearby mountains ... informal clothing and lifestyle
... growing in popularity ... well-educated residents ... spiritual
and alternative ... excellent and cosmopolitan taste ... wealthy,
but with a good cross-section of people -- that's a thumbnail sketch
of nearly anywhere within half an hour's drive from The
Woodlands at DeerHaven Hills.
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41.)
I'm a little nervous at the thought of moving there and getting re-established
-- should I feel that way?
A.)
Moving is one of the hardest things for most people to do. Moving
to someplace new is even harder. We understand that completely --
we were newcomers to this area ourselves, a decade ago. But we, the
Developers and the founding family members, are here to make your
transition as easy as possible. We are happy to welcome like-minded
fellow vegetarians to our home and believe you'll find this to be
even better than the place you'll be leaving. This area has that effect
on people -- it's surely had it on us.
We have
"paid our dues" and "learned the ropes" around here, so you don't
have to. You'll find us to be helpful and happy to assist you in whatever
way we can. Plus you'll be joining like-minded people who may feel
equally disorientated for a bit. In a way, that can act like a community
bonding process. But we think it'll be worth it for you in the short
time it may take to readjust to a life in what many around here believe
to be paradise.
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42.)
What are the job prospects in the area around or near the eco-community?
A.)
This area is growing rapidly -- too rapidly for many of us.
So it is likely there will be many jobs, especially of a service nature.
But they might not pay "northeast" wages. On the other hand, the cost
of living in this area is generally considered to be relatively low,
especially compared to many areas "up north."
Further
from home, there are often jobs to be found in both Spartanburg and
Greenville -- each easy drives from here. This region of North and
South Carolina was once the textile belt of North America, and had
been so for generations. Regrettably, most of that has been lost or
"out-sourced" to overseas competitors. However, a major BMW automobile
factory has moved into this area between those two cities. In any
event, this entire region is expected to develop fairly rapidly and
extensively over the next several decades.