Let's talk about Country Living

My wife and I have been dreaming of living in the country for most of our adult lives. We long for the serenity of our plot of land.. with a smaller (1-story) home.. an out-building or 2.. a place where we can do the following:

1. My wife was diagnosed with Pregnancy induced heart failure with the birth of our second child.. she has lost stamina to be able to hike the 3 flights of stairs to do laundry and keep the house as she says.
2. I would like more elbow room to be able to own my truck, trailer, breakdown scrap.. a bigger "man cave" to do the things I like to do. Pulling in a car and keeping 3 washing machines where I am currently at.. lends itself to limited space and a more claustrophobic state when scrap gets accumulated. My garage fills up quickly and I have to basically pack it to get a truckload worth my time and gas to go to the yard.

Currently, we live in "town" I make due with my scrapping.. but my neighbors are nearly on top of us.. I sometimes have this odd feeling about a vehicle being on the trailer for too long.. I worry about judgement.. even though I know I do it for my family and keep everything as tidy as possible, noise to a minimum, and it is gutted and gone as soon as possible.



Even still.. this desire for a greater ability to be away from annoying and sometimes nasty neighbors.. keeps this fire burning to leave the home we have spent 10 years creating, updating and restoring.

My question to all of you is this: I have only ever lived in a city or town. I'm no country boy. I admit that. I've never worked a farm, I've never lived on a well. I like my cable internet, I like being close to stores and my kids schools.. and I know there are plenty of things I know nothing about living out in the "country" But I wanted to get some feedback from all of you who have lived it- know what it is like- know what kind of equipment I would need to maintain a property. I don't own a tractor.. don't know if and when we go if I'd have to invest in one. This would be all new for me.. and I'd like to get the ball rolling to hear some ideas of what I'd be in for.

I take things bluntly, I need honest to goodness answers.. tell me the good of living out there.. tell me the bad.. because to be forewarned is forearmed!

Appreciate it ladies and gents!