Living in the country - what does it mean for you?

I stumbled across a neighbours profile elsewhere about simple country living and was somewhat surprised by the summary.

Then sometime this week I partly watched a UK episode of ''moving to the country'' and all the talk was about properties on 1 acre which is somewhat removed from our immediate area.

So I thought I would throw it out there amongst you all about what you expected life to be like ''living in the country''. has it lived up to your expectations or did you receive the shock of your life?

quiet, no close neighbours, plenty of space for animals and gardens.. so far so good..
I also knew it would be hard work.. ok, but no one told me the work NEVER stops!

there is always something that needs fixing,unblocking,painting,nailing back down, chopping up and the animals always seem to get sick/lame in the middle of the wettest winters..

wouldn't ever want to go back to town thow

We've always lived in the country except when we came to NZ and lived in Auckland for 6 months, we couldn't get out fast enough.
I grew up on the outskirts of a small town in Derbyshire and had a relative with a farm within easy walking distance were I spent a lot of time, it was the fresh clean air the new mown hay in the autumn and the peace of it all, so coming to NZ and moving to a couple of acres in Hope with NZ's clean green image, what a disappointment it was to find the clean green image is an illusion.

Don't get me wrong we love being in NZ and enjoy the life style, it's just the few people who have no appreciation of what they have and are so careless in their regard of others and will burn or spray with no thought for were the wind is taking it, I often go out in the morning and get reminded of the fresh clean air I remember from my friends hill farm in summer, then within a short time the air is filled with the smoke from burning rubbish.[!]

On the positive side we grow 90% of our own fruit and veg and only buy meat and fish so all in all it's been well worth the effort.

So what does it mean to me living in the country it has the potential to be a wonderful life but can be marred by some who have no thought for others, but that's life.

Sometimes living in close proximity to many others means people appreciate that they have an effect on others. Unfortunately this doesn't always work, especially with the seemingly growing attitude of "someone else will do it (some environmental harm) so I may as well get in while I can".

What do I like about living in the country?

Being able to look out of the windows at space, birds, trees, animals, hills, weather!

Having a vista of nature instead of walls, roads, houses and people-oh and traffic!

Not having to keep your voice down in case you say something you shouldn't and the neighbours might hear!

Not having the feeling of eyes peeping out though windows keeping an eye on what you are doing or where you are going or who is coming to visit.

Having neighbours that wave out as they pass, and keep a watchful eye on your property if you are away.

I know some of these things are probably not applicable to everyone in the country-but it is certainly my experience here!

I haven't lived in town for many, many years, and then it was only Levin, where I rented a house for 3 years, but worked out in the country.

I came from a very small rural village in East Yorkshire,(but born in Leeds!) so have nearly always been a country person, but feel almost claustrophobic when I go to visit friends in town, who only have views of the neighbours fences and the house across the road!

Agree with pretty much all Sue ^^^ said ...and would add
...having my horse(s) right outside my own doorstep.[:X][:X][:X] means I can change her rugs according to the weather and know straight away if anything is amiss with her.
Having friendly farm animals ....LOVE my sheep they are such characters
The joys of seeing new born animals take their first tootering steps to the milk bar ...never get over the miracle of birth and life[^]
The freedom my dog has to run and be a dog ....take that as rolling in smelly stuff:rolleyes::eek:
The list is endless
I feel so Blessed to be able to have a little piece of country to call our own

Cheers

I agree with all the above

Space to breathe, to think, to be Being able to live in a real relationship with nature be it the weather or the environment or my animals.

I'm lucky that I work from home as well so as I sit at my desk I can look out at my goats.....of course, I get a lot less done this way [] but it's a lot more fun!

Sue;465113 wrote:

I came from a very small rural village in East Yorkshire,

Out of interest whereabouts? I lived in a village outside of Stamford Bridge in East Yorkshire for many years.

Space is a big one for me, lower crime another and being able to socialise with others who have an appreciation of the land.

Out of interest whereabouts? I lived in a village outside of Stamford Bridge in East Yorkshire for many years.

Burnby actually, not so far from Stamford Bridge. I still have a school friend who lives there-we went to school in York.

Sue;465135 wrote: Burnby actually, not so far from Stamford Bridge. I still have a school friend who lives there-we went to school in York.

Small world, I lived in Full Sutton

Great thread, Swaggie!

Born with farming genes but having lived my life in cities, moving to our block 13 years ago initially gave me a sense of being where I felt I was meant to be.

Apart from most of the things mentioned above, what I find about living this lifestyle is that it completely turned my previous life on its head and constantly challenges me in ways I never imagined as a city-dweller. I have a much more heightened appreciation of the weather and how much at its mercy we all are; how magical and fragile the cycle of life is and how we can affect that balance so easily; the thrill and satisfaction of facing fears and hardships and doing things I never thought I could or would; how lucky I am my DH agreed to live my dream when it wasn't something he would have chosen himself; being able to get closer to living a simpler existence; discovering what's really important in life and treasuring it.

Has it been what I expected? Not at all, but could things be any better? Don't think so.

Cheers, Mich.

Ha ha Kai, I have just been tracing the road from Stamford Bridge to Pocklington on google street view -to see how it has changed, and went through Full Sutton!

I had wondered if you lived in one of the Cattons. I had an aunt that lived at Firby, just the other side of Westow and remembered biking over to visit her. It was quite an adventure back in the early 60's, but I see it is only 17 miles!

Mich, yes I think we appreciate the cycle of life and the cycle of the seasons more by living in the country and feel city/urban life is somehow artificial!

Living in the country today is totally different for us compared to living in the country 5 years ago. Back then it was all about the animals - pets and saleable livestock. We enjoyed the peace and quiet (not that you get much of that living next to a primary school). We enjoyed the wide open spaces that were ours. We enjoyed (mostly) dealing with the animals and raising them.
Then we sold up. It was too much of an emotional time when it came to the livestock (cattle) which were all pets. We could not find anywhere to live that enables us to take them with us so had to pass them onto the neighbour or send them to the works. Could not live with ourselves if we sent them to the works so the neighbour took them.
Spent the next 2 years taking stock and recouperating from the emotional rollercoaster that had been our life for so long.
Then the landlord decided to put a dairy shed on the block and needed the house for the incoming manager.
Now we are very, very isolated here. We have access to 5 acres should we want them. But have said no at this stage as landlord will not give us a longer term lease than one year and cannot go thru all that drama again with having to shift and find homes for pets.

So now, we enjoy the peace and quiet. No near neighbours. Cattle to one side of us (he grazes dairy heifers) and sheep on the other. No distractions so we are able to put the time into our other business which one day, will provide us with a nice living (still waiting :rolleyes:) Thank goodness I sold all my calf rearing gear as I am sure I would give in and have a few here in the spring.

maybe one day we will have livestock again, but not now.

Wandering around with a rifle withour SWAT or AOS coming bursting in...

lots of steaks, sausage and other meat products produced by myself.