okay, I have a friend that is looking at moving to be an Alfalfa farmer, and one of the states that has caught his eye is Oklahoma, but we are both from washington state, so we know nothing of weather, bugs, wildlife, tornados, and vehicle registration costs, and the like, so whatever info you can/are willing to give me would be much appreciated

thanks
Don

 

eleven views, and noone has ANY answers? please help me out, I am merely looking for some direct, "first hand" experience type of answers, I am not asking anything outrageous, just what is life like back there, including taxes and all that, because again we know nothing of you area, and we would like to learn about it

thanks
Don

 

Taxes are about as cheap as you will find.Weather hot summer mild winter.Tornadoes are just luck of the draw.

 

okay, what about snakes? and I read that there are alligators? whereabouts would that be?

 

also how much rainfall on average? what about biting insects?

 

another question about taxes, do you have income and a sales tax?

 

No alligators,some rattlesnakes,cottonmouths and copperheads. No major insects to worry about .Rainfall depends on which part of state,west is alot drier east has more ,I think east part is around 30 inches a year.Yes we have both income and sales tax,but vehicles arent bad and land -property taxes arent bad.

 

okay on the sales tax what percent is it, out here it is 8.8%, so how bad are the snakes? I mean are you gonna get bit walking out to the mailbox? or do you have to actually get in their space?

 

"okay, what about snakes? and I read that there are alligators? whereabouts would that be?"

We still fight Indians and ride horses to our one room schools also!!! I'm just kidding, don't be angry.

I love Oklahoma, but it can be a land of extremes--hot in the summer, cold in the winter. In 1993 (or was it '94?) during the floods, my favorite lake--Tenkiller--was 20 some feet above normal, and it seemed most of the midwest/south was quite flooded. OKC was like this this past summer--there was something like 20 straight days of rain. But in 1997, there was such a drought in eastern OK that the governer was sending the National Guard into Illinois, or Ohio, or some other states, with trucks and trailers to pick up feed for livestock. Everything was dead. A magazine article once made a statement about the far western panhandle that, "this land will make a man of you, even if you are a woman." Another poster was right in the precipitation amounts in eastern vs. western Oklahoma. It changes at about the 100th Meridian, as do many states through which this meridian passes.

Sales tax varies from city to city. You can save as much as 1% to 1.5% just by purchasing items in different areas around OKC. I don't know much about other areas' sales tax. I think sales tax on car purchases is about 3% of the purchase price--not the difference between trades. I think it is also governed by the state rather than local sales tax, but I could be wrong. Personal property tax is low, compared to Kansas. Something less tangible is the quality of life. In most places, at least any that I go to, people still say "Sir and ma'am;" they hold the door open for people, especially ladies. They say "please and thank you." Kids call their elders Mr. or Mrs. rather than using first names.

I worry, too, that people from outside the state are going to come in and start buying up property ala Colorado, New Mexico, etc., with no other purpose other than to keep everyone else out--he with the most money gets to own the places in which many people used to fish, hunt, hike, etc. Oklahoma is a beautiful state, and its land is used for many purposes. I really like a statement I read in the Colorado forum that natives were discussing--"Welcome to Colorado; now leave."

Oklahoma is a great state with many great traditions. I think an Alfalfa farmer would be quite welcome. I personally don't live there anymore, but I will again someday. Everyone I am related to is still there, and is native Oklahoman (not Okie). I Can't wait to get back.

 

hey I like the idea of ride your horse to the one room school house, but I was home schooled, and I want my daughter to grow up in a smaller, more family friendly environment than where we are currently

 

how about flooding northeast of tulsa? I have been researching historical weather in that area, and have learned that it can DUMP water fast round that area, does the effect of the flooding lessen, the further away from the metro(downtown) area?

 

Flooding is just like anywhere,if you live in lower areas close to water you are more likely to flood. Where I live the entire state would have to flood for us to flood.

 

ive lived in oklahoma about 12 years. Ive lived in tulsa about 9 of those and now live and peggs (really small farm community 65 miles east of tulsa).

Back in the 80s tulsa had a water run off problem. Alot of floods basically. Now there drainage system is a model for the country. they dont have bad flooding problems. Niether do the surrounding areas unless it rians for days straight. But where wouldnt have that problem.
wasnt bartlesville under water for a long while in 07? Bartlesville is about what 30 miles north of tulsa.

ive lived on this farm for while, actually camped hear, where the house now sits since i was 3. last year i saw the most snake ever in my life. We bagged about 10 in the early spring months. We usually leave em along, But when they start acting threatening...Dead. Ive only seen a few rattlesnakes out my way over the years. But alot of cotton mouths and copper heads. water mocosins that sort of thing.

Taxes in tulsa are lower than Broken arrow or they used to be. We dont have vehicle inspections. property taxes all depend on where you live. When i lived in tulsa, we lived in union school district. They were like 1500 bucks for a 2000 sq ft house on about a half acre (i think) where across the street, a house twice the size, twice the lot size, but in tulsa public schools district was about 900 dollars...

hope that helps...

 

Hiya Don.

Oklahoma is a nice state to live. I'm born and bread Texan. Go Longhorns!!!(lol, that was for all the OU nuts out there.) My wife and I have been here for about ten years. We live in a small city, Owasso, just 15min north of Tulsa. I call it a small town, compared to other places I've lived(Northern Virginia, Maryland, Biloxi, and South East Texas.) But they have so many shopping and modern day conveniences out here. I personally don't know much about farming in this state. I know that I've seen wheat, soy, corn and sod farms throughout this right half of the state. Here's some info you may find useful:

Oklahoma Department Agriculture
-http://www.oda.state.ok.us/

Oklahoma Wildlife Info
-www.wildlifedepartment.com

Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
-http://www.deq.state.ok.us/mainlinks/flood2007.htm

Oklahoma Flood Plane Info
-http://www.okflood.org/aspx/default.aspx

Oklahoma Farm Info
-http://www.okfarmbureau.org/

Free Oil Well Cleanup for Land Re-Utilization
-http://www.oerb.com/WellSiteCleanup/tabid/60/Default.aspx


General Links=
-http://www.travelok.com/
-http://www.tax.ok.gov/mv4c.html
-http://www.greencountryok.com/

General Tidbits of info=
-lots of brown dirt/topsoil on the northeast corner of the state(aptly named green country)
-lots of red dirt (high iron content?) on the western and southern regions of the state.
-No vehicle emissions testing required here. (I dont miss those exhaust sniffers we had to pass in Virginia and Maryland.)
-Most major highway speed limits are 75mph max, 40mph min.
-We have a sizeable number of toll roads(turnpikes).
-Beer sold in stores is only 3.2 ABC But the 6pt and better is sold in the liquor stores. Or we have plenty of home brew shops here to make yer own. I do.
-We do seem to have four seasons. Though summer and winter seem to last longer/shorter on some years. This past December we had a record setting ice storm.
-Wind may be a big factor for farmers. If your buddy is eyeing some land make sure he's also looking into some type of wind break on the fence lines to reduce soil erosion and wind burned crop. I see a lot of arbor vitae type evergreens used in my area.
-I dont recall ever hearing any thing about bug infestations affecting any crops since we've lived here.
-wildfires might pose a big threat. (Too many retards throwing their cigarette buts out the window or burning brush and letting it get out of control.)
-snakes aren't much of a problem. Though I've seen more watersnakes than land snakes since we've been here.
-As for insects; mosquitos carrying the west nile virus, deer ticks with lyme disease, and nasty spider bites are what i've seen/heard so far.
-The major farm/rancher supply stores are Tractor Supply, Atwoods, and we have the standard Lowes, Home Depot, Autozone, Oreillys, Napa, and Advance Auto Parts.


Well, that's all I can think of for now. I hope that helps yer buddy in some way. Tell him we said "Howdy, Ya'll" Now I've got to get off here and go hitch up muh waggon fer a ride inta town to rustle up some vittles.


EDIT= I forgot the most important thing that I've learned about the weather here............If you don't like the current weather, just wait 15 minutes and it'll change. lol. There is as much truth as exhageration in that statement. On Sat we had sunny 70's weather. Sun we had cloudy 60's weather and this Mon morning we had 30s and snow with drizzle. The odd weather changes out here take some getting used to.(I'm still not used to it.)

P.S. Oh ya, tell yer buddy to go rent that movie Twister to get some ideas of the landscape. There were seven Oklahoma cities used for filming. Or he could just watch it for Helen Hunt. Lol. Jus kiddin. Nobody tell Heather that I said that. lol.

 

well thank you all very much, he would be coming from a town that used to be 6 square blocks, but is now on its way to being a bedroom community for the cities of Marysville and Everett which are both well over a hundred thousand each in population, and they are both fifteen miles away, I grew up in a similar situation, but now there are proposed ladn use action signs for upwards of 400 homes within five miles of my house

we also have emissions inspections here, and they are talking about putting in a "displacement tax" on our vehicles, basically to price people out of owning tow rigs and larger vehicles and into MUCH smaller, or forec them to move into the city, which is NOT the environment that I want for my wife and kids, my wife and I both grew up in small towns, and watching the people and towns change for the worse is making the thought of staying here VERY scary.

one night last february, my wife and I were up watching the newest James Bond flick, and all of the sudden, we heard a helicopter flying VERY low over our house in a racetrack pattern, so I went out and looked, it happened to be one that m company painted...






for the county SHERIFF'S office, and it turns out that they were doing a manhunt in the area, and they turned on the spotlight in my back and front yards, scared the crap outta my wife, and she really started thinking about moving, and so we are thinking of going with my friend to become farmers as well.

and for weather extremes, it never stops raining here(at least thats how it feels in the winter) but saturday it was sunny, and almost 60, this morning it was snowing, and by the afternoon it was nearly 55, crazy, I think that the wind and thunderstorms would take the longest to get used to from what I have read online.

and as far as the landscape is concerned, he was originally thinking about moving to eastern washington, which has rolling hills, and NO trees unless you plant them, but the prices have been skyrocketing up here, and he wants to buy a place outright, and so far Oklahoma has the best bang for his buck, and he wants to fly me and him out there sometime this spring/summer to tour around with a real estate agent to ask questions, get a feel for the areas, and bring home some pictures and videos to show our respective wives/family's, so all the info that you guys are providing is a wonderful help, and I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart

P.S. do you guys say ya'll? or what???