SOUTHERN MISSOURI OZARKS
The Southern Missouri Ozarks is a friendly,
picturesque part of the country. From the many rivers and lakes to the rolling hills, this area offers something for everyone. Whether your goal is to run livestock, live in a peaceful country setting, or to enjoy a variety of activities through local recreation areas, Southern Missouri is a welcoming place to call home.
The Southern Missouri Ozarks is one of the friendliest and prettiest areas in the Midwest. It houses communities whose citizens work hard, play hard and happily lend a helping hand to neighbors and area visitors alike.
Southern Missouri offers many of the benefits of larger cities while still maintaining a small town charm in it’s smaller towns and communities, coupled with the agriculture and recreation that rural lifestyles enjoy. Come home to the Missouri Ozarks where the people are helpful and courteous, and warm hospitality is a tradition.
Small Town Charm And Warm Hospitality
CLIMATE
In the Ozarks, you can witness the definite changing of the seasons, as blooms of all types burst forth in the spring, and the winter months transform the landscape into a winter wonderland. The Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas climate is made up of sunshine and mild temperatures. Spring temperatures range from 50-70 degrees, summers in the 70s-90s, and autumn temperatures are comparable to the spring. The winters are mild and usually stay above 20 degrees. The average precipitation is 45 inches of rainfall with a few inches of snow each year.
RECREATION
The Ozarks have an abundance of whitetail deer, wild turkey, quail, dove, and rabbit. They can often be seen while driving along our scenic highways, navigating our Ozark National Scenic Riverways or hiking in our Mark Twain National Forest. Hunting plays a major role in our recreation in South Central Missouri. There are thousands of acres of the Mark Twain National Forest which offer an abundance of recreational areas across the Ozarks.
The Southern Missouri Ozarks is home to several State Parks including, but not limited to Current River State Park, Echo Bluff State Park, Elephant Rocks State Park, Eleven Point State Park, Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park, Montauk State Park, and Onondaga Cave State Park. Glade Top Trail is Missouri’s only National Forest Scenic Byway highlighting several panoramic views.
Lakes such as Norfork, Bull Shoals, Stockton, Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock, Taneycomo and Truman are a water wonderland for skiers, fishermen, campers and sight seekers. The Missouri Ozark Riverways are never ending and uniquely, have water flowing both north and south. From Mansfield to Licking, North of U.S. Highway 60 and west of Highway 63 flowing in a northeast direction are the Gasconade, Osage Fork of Gasconade, Woods Fork of Gasconade, Little Piney, Big Piney, Roubidouix, all of which flow into each other and into the Missouri River. The Current, North & South Prong of the Jacks Fork, Jacks Fork, Eleven Point River, Northfork of the White River, Bryant Creek, Fox Creek, Beaver Creek, Swan Creek all flow in a south to southeasterly direction.
Southern Missouri is a destination for horse lovers and trail riders with the numerous trails throughout the Mark Twain National Forest. In fact, the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association is headquartered out of Ava, Missouri.
INDUSTRY
Agriculture is a major industry in Southern Missouri with hay, beef, sheep and dairy farms. In our area, farmers can typically run 4 acres to 1 cow. The size of your paddocks and whether or not you rotationally graze will impact that ratio. We typically cut hay twice per year and feed hay from about Christmas time through April. The vast majority of operations in our area are beef cattle farms with a few sheep and dairy operations as well. The Southern Missouri Ozarks are known for growing lots of grass and having ample opportunity to enjoy the numerous hills, springs, creeks, rivers and caves. Timber is another industry in our area with products ranging from hardwood flooring, railroad ties, furniture, and gun stocks to whiskey barrels, power poles, and pallets. The main timber types in our area are varieties of oak, walnut and pine.
Artisans, small manufacturers and those that are able to work remotely find our area inspiring and attractive because of the low cost of living and the cost of buildings that you can use to manufacture your products. Our location in the center of the country makes shipping a breeze!