Oconee Co "Best Place to Live 2009"

RANK: 1 Southeast

POPULATION: 30041

POPULATION DENSITY: 161.32 per square mile

Best Places to Raise Farm Kids: Oconee County, Georgia

Story and Photo by Claire Vath

Oconee County, Ga., has once again earned a top spot on our list. That's hardly surprising to its residents, who have remained steadfast supporters of family and committed to keeping their county rural. "The more people who move in looking for the peaceful rural life, the less rural it becomes," concedes Stan Mitchell, who operates a cattle farm in Farmington and teaches FFA.

Indeed, the dynamics of the county are changing, but Oconee is one of the few making noise about keeping farmland as farmland.

Stan and his wife, Scarlett, recently put 200 of their acres into an easement, teaching their four children (Peyton, 17, Meghan, 14, Katie, 11, and Mason, 7) a valuable lesson.

"The kids now understand farmland protection and believe in it," explains Stan. "They watched us go through the process."

E X T R A: Want to know more? Or do you have some information to share? View and post comments about this county.

Things may be changing, but one thing is constant: good youth programs and schools. The FFA and 4-H programs are some of the best in the nation. In 2007, Oconee County Middle School was named Outstanding Middle School Model of Innovation.

"The consistent quality of the school system has driven the popularity of the county," says Scarlett, who teaches in the system.

"The biggest advantage is our kids have learned responsibility and they have a realistic view of agriculture," adds Stan.

E X T R A: Do you have photos related to this county that you'd like to share? Post them to The Progressive Farmer Best Places on Flickr.