Our Small Town Criteria
As a city girl who has never lived anywhere with less than a million people, I was hesitant when Steve expressed interest in living in a small town. But, with kids, age, and a little encouragement, I finally agreed I could live in a small town…if it were the right small town. So we set about brainstorming our criteria and planning all subsequent family vacations around visiting the towns we were considering. We determined the most important qualities for a small town are:
- Strong community with a good church to develop friendships with those sharing similar values around Christian living
- Natural beauty and a 4 season climate with recreational activities (skiing, hiking, camping, yoga, running)
- Good food with like-minded farmers/restaurants supporting regenerative agriculture
- Arts and culture scene with libraries, museums, and higher education nearby
- Youth sports/engagement options for the kids
- Wellness and holistic healthcare options
- Strong homeschooling community
- Convenient travel access
- Tourism market for our future bed and breakfast
As we toured the west over the past few years, we would rank towns we visited against our criteria. We even went so far as to make pro/con lists and start dreaming about the possibilities for each locale. The challenge with having two optimists making this decision was that we could ultimately make a case for any number of the towns we visited – Jackson and the Teton Valley, Steamboat Springs, Bozeman, Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley, Big Horn, Lander, Durango, Paonia…The list of potential towns kept expanding and shrinking and then growing again as we talked ourselves into what could be.
Wait, Where's Manila?
With our third child arriving last fall and our oldest heading into kindergarten, we knew this summer was turning into the right time for us to move, so we set out trying to narrow down our list in earnest. The problem was no one place clearly rose to the top. And it’s a daunting proposition to quit both our jobs, buy property, and attempt to settle in a town when we aren’t 100% certain it’s where we want to be (I know 100% is never going to happen, but even 80% certainty would be nice, right?).
So, when Steve suggested living on his parents’ property at Sheep Creek Ranch outside Manila, UT for a little while to really adjust to this lifestyle before jumping in to buy our own property, it made sense. He had suggested it several years before, but I didn’t even consider it for more than a second since the town of Manila didn’t really meet our criteria. A town of 340 people isn’t even so much a small town…more like a tiny town. Most tiny towns don’t quite have the population to support the arts, culture and food scene we were looking for (heck, Manila doesn’t even have a full grocery store)! It’s an area rich in outlaw history with impressive geological features. The Flaming Gorge is just a few miles away and is stunning to look at. But, it’s not what I would classify as a major tourist destination. Or a foodie scene.
But, as a place to try our hand at homeschooling and make a lot of farming mistakes where the stakes are lower, Sheep Creek Ranch makes a lot of sense. Not only that, Sheep Creek is beautiful! So, we at least check that “natural beauty with four seasons” box. And we can get creative in how we approach and think about the other criteria. After thinking, praying and talking about it more, I began to get more excited about the idea and have felt a lot of peace about this being the right place for this season of our lives.
While we don’t know exactly how long we will be at the ranch or what everything may look like, we are excited to move next month and give it a shot. We’re renting our place in the city, because keeping a foot in the Denver real estate market is never a bad idea. And while we won’t have the bed and breakfast up and running yet, we look forward to welcoming friends and family to set up camp at Sheep Creek and see what our idea of farm life is all about.
It’s stunning!
Yeah!!! So excited for your sweet adventure. May it all be a soul-refreshing season!
All the best,
Janine