Let's talk about Country Living

Whew ... there's a lot to take in. I'll probably end up repeating much of what's already been covered but i'll see if i can cover some of the pro's & cons of rural living.

1: You really want to take a close look at the government situation before you jump in. Rural living is more about being independent and living on your own terms. It's a bit like escaping the matrix .... or .... at least distancing yourself from it. Please forgive if i'm getting a wee bit close to politics but this is more about political science which is something different.

Moderation is a good thing. As you start to trend left of center you get larger and more complex government. It becomes what's called a bureaucracy. There are all of these different departments or bureaus within government that create more rules and regulations. It grows and grows. Your choices are taken away from you. Instead .... you have to seek permission (or a permit ) from someone in government before you are allowed to do the thing you want to do.

The viewpoint is that " Most people need to be told where to go and what to do. "

You're not allowed to think and decide for yourself. Someone sitting in a position of authority will do that for you.

Obviously, that's a problem for somebody with a more independent temperament.

In my situation it's not local or county government but rather state government. It's a strange thing because people "from away" move here for the quality of life that this place has to offer and then they turn around and try to make it like the place they came from. We're well over 50% "transplants" and many are very active in politics. There have been a lot of changes over the years.

Government interference is an important factor in the mix. Rural living isn't about making a million dollars. It's about a certain quality of life. The thing is that most folks in the country are just getting by despite the fact that they work hard for a living. When they make a new law it generally costs somebody out there more money. With a cost of living being higher in the rural areas that can make a difference between being able to pay the monthly bills and not. It can make the difference between a business being able to get through the tough times or going under. ~ Nuff said ~

2: The social aspect of living in a small close knit rural community is an important consideration. It's a double edged sword. In one respect you HAVE to be there for one another in a time of need. It's when things are at their worst that everyone in the community will pull together and circle the wagons regardless of any differences they might have had in the past.

On the other end the community tends to police itself. Cross the line and the punishment is far worse than anything a judge could ever hand down from the bench. If the community turns it's back on you life will become very hard. You may not be able to survive there anymore.

There is the lack of privacy. People talk about one another and the stories get distorted as they go down the line. My advise would be to speak ill of no person and keep anything you do learn about another in the strictest confidence. Don't be a gossip ! Keep it on a need to know basis and if you to have to talk about someone else make absolutely sure that you've got your facts straight first.

3: So often times life in the country is living life by the seasons. There are times of plenty when the living is easy and there are times of scarcity. Make sure that you put enough by during the summer to carry you through the winter. Food,fuel, money, whatever you will need to get you through ....

Make sure that your vehicles are in good repair by late fall because you don't want to be outdoors in the middle of winter fixing something that could have been prevented.

4: Develop your skill sets. Learn plumbing ,heating, propane, automotive tech, electricals,carpentry etc. That way you can do for yourself.

5: Buy the tools ! Don't cheap out. ( If you don't have the tool you can't do the job. ) A tractor is a good idea. A plow truck for the winter. Firearms ( different ones for different jobs.) A chain saw is a must. Chain hoists, jacks, and come-a-longs, and chains for heavy lifting. The list is endless .....

6: Think about infrastructure. There's a well and septic. The power goes out frequently so it's a good idea to have at least one backup generator. You ought to have a couple of hundred of gallons of fuel on hand to run the jenny. You might want to consider a larger capacity expansion tank for the well. The standard has a five gallon draw down so when the power goes out you only have five gallons of pressurized water that you can draw from the tap. I added a couple of thirty gallon tanks Extrol tanks so we can go a day or two without having to power up the well pump.

7: Think about the location of your new home. You're drawing your well water from an underground aquifer. Are there any sources of pollution nearby like old abandoned landfills ? Any nitrate runoff from nearby farms ? Maybe old underground fuel tanks from a nearby gas station ?

How hard (expensive) will it be to get a septic system in ? Will you have to pump the effluent uphill ? (That will add a lot of expense for electricity over the years.)

There's an advantage to setting your home back away from the road a bit. You know how it is .... people drive by and in a small community everybody knows your business. Out of sight equals out of mind. What you do and how you live is your own business.

Try to place your home strategically so that nobody can build close by. A swamp on one side of your property can be a good thing.



Take advantage of a southern exposure and place the home for maximum solar gain during the day. It can save you a fortune in heating costs in the winter.

Save the trees ! Hardwoods can provide shade in the summer and softwoods can block the bitterly cold north wind in the winter.

Jeez .... covered a lot of territory on this post. It's a lot to take in. I hope it helps.