Options 2 and 3 seem to be the most popular, with a positive degree of flexibility (ie. people who voted for 3 would also be willing to do 2, and vice versa). Just for consideration, here's some things for consideration (if anyone thinks something is inaccurate, please say!)...
Option 2: We would need at least two more families to be involved before it could get off the ground. All the guys would have to start learning how to farm right now (or at least, a good while before we would make the move). The females would have to brush up on their "home economics" skills (sewing and the like), and either learn to do thingd like milk cows and prepare live chickens for food, or begin a business or at least get the skills for a business. The base group would then have to come up with enough money to cover the farmable land/buildings/equipment/moving/ etc., which would range from $500,000 to $750,000.
Option 3: We would need at least one more family to be involved. Everyone would have to start deciding what they would do once in the community, whether having their own business, or working a secular job (some could be "house wives," but obviously all the women couldn't). The base group would need to come up with enough money for land/buildings/moving/etc., which would range from $200,000 to $300,000.
Neither option would include a church right off, since that would be a great deal more money (for this post, I am assuming that we wouldn't be getting ahold of an already built church). Option 2 would necessitate that we spend much more time finding a good piece of farmable land, and certain parts of the country would be preferrable. Option 3 would necessitate being close enough to a city with a fairly sized population base so that people could get jobs.
The ROCOR mission in OK is in Owasso, which is a suburb of Tulsa, the second largest city in the state. If we wanted to be at least semi-reclusive it would probably be better to be at least 1/2 - 1 hour from any major metro area like Tulsa. There are many very small communities around northeast OK that have potential for starting a community.
Someone mentioned southeast Kansas, which I think would be nice. There is good farmland there, mild winters, and it is far enough away from Tulsa to be reclusive, but close enough to do business there when needed and to perhaps visit Father Mark's parish in Owasso, if the community began without it's own priest.
After reading the descriptions of the communities, I still lean towards 2 with an acceptance of 3 if that's what the majority of families wanted. I don't know if I'm included in the count of interested families but I am seriously intrested. I have a wife and two children.
For option nubmer 2, this area, SEK, is 1 1/2 hours from Owasso, 2 hours from Tulsa. There is no Traditional Orthodox presence in Kansas* so it would be a great way to be a missionary community. The land is great for farming, mild winters, milder summers than OK, etc. Also the land is much cheaper here.
*I think there is a small mission trying to get started in Kansas City, but am not sure if this is KC-MO or KC-KS.
If option 3 is utilized I would suggest using the area around Owasso. They have a small mission there (and another parish in OKC) and it is beutiful country. Although I don't know how fertile the land is, Father Mark's family sure seems able to grow an abundance of flowers. Father Mark is among the holiest Priests I have ever met, ok he is the only Priest I have ever met in person, but he is still a very holy man. Owasso is aproximatly 1/2 an hour away from Tulsa and there are also several other towns in the area. I don't know what land prices are down there, probably VERY expensive, after all Garth Brooks does live in Owasso.
Joe Zollars
She agrees it is a good idea. She's wants to raise our children with Orthodox Christian values and thinks a community sharing those values would be great. She would, however, have a more difficult time leaving the family we currently live near, but has agreed to do so for the greater good of our children.
JoeZollars,
The properties in Owasso are higher than average for the area, but just outside Owasso there are many communities with inexpensive land. The land generally is fertile and good for vegetable gardening. If you check on realtor.com you can find land prices in Owasso and the surrounding area.
What does your wife think about the idea?