Alabama isn't bad in certain rural areas. Very few restrictions in some of those areas. Winters are mild so it wouldn't take much to heat, but summers are very hot, need shade trees and or a lake, creek, or pond nearby to cool off in without air conditioning in the afternoons. I stayed with my grandparents in the summers, and they took naps under shade in the summer. Even inside the house was hot. They had no air conditioning, but used window fans and box fans to stay cool. They got up at 5am and worked outside until about 11am, came in, had a cold cut, tomato, banana, or pineapple sandwich, then took a nap until about 3 or 4, then went back to do some work. They had chickens, a garden, and fruit trees. They absolutely didn't work in the afternoon. They had an outhouse until the 60's when they finally installed indoor plumbing. Vegetable gardens are very productive as you can actually grow something year round on the same plot. Collards, turnips, and various root crops grew well in the winter. Anything else grew in at least two other planting seasons. In my area, the last frost is in about late March, while the first frost is around the first of November. The county that I am in recently enacted building codes. About 30 years ago, outhouses were outlawed. Some more rural counties, outhouses are still in use, and some people still do not have or want electricity.
