~ The best states for pioneer women: Is Tennessee a good state for living a frontier lifestyle? ~
“The Pioneer Woman” franchise star Ree Drummond has shown us that any city dweller can transition to self-sustaining frontierswoman, so Lawn Love asked the question: where in America could you live on a ranch or a farm like a modern-day Laura Ingalls Wilder?
Farmland still covers about 44 percent of Tennessee’s land. In addition, Tennessee bears the image of a plow, a sheaf of wheat, and a cotton plant on its great seal, along with the word “Agriculture,” it is clear Tennessee prides itself on farming, but how does that translate into a pioneer lifestyle?
To discover the Best States for Pioneer Women, Lawn Love compared the 50 states based on their suitability to a “Little House on the Prairie” lifestyle. They looked at eight different factors indicating a state’s friendliness toward farming (especially for women) and ability to survive off the grid.
How did Tennessee fare for pioneer women? The Volunteer state ranked in the top 20, a bit behind neighboring Kentucky. Tennessee earned some points for being a friendly state for female farmers and a good state to start a ranch or a farm but lost a few points for the states suitability for surviving an off-the-grid lifestyle. Still, with a little grit and gumption, Tennessee is not a bad place for a homestead.
Check out the rest of the best and worst states for the simple life at 2022’s Best States for Pioneer Women.
Trivia: Tennessee’s State Fruit is the tomato.
