pros and cons of rural living

[Mosey]

What do you like the most about rural living? What do you like the least? I’m sure some things will be regarded in opposite ways. For example, if you’re young and have kids to run back and forth to ball practice, then the distance is a real pain, but if you’re retired then you probably love being way out there. Here are my pros/cons to start off:

Pros:

When it gets quiet, it gets real QUIET. No constant “hum” or background noise like in the city. Of course, that’s not until after everyone in the area settles down for the night.

When it gets dark, it gets real DARK. No “city glow” or blinking lights all night. Great for star gazing and watching fireflies.

Lots of room to drive a tractor!

Lots of room for a big garden.

Lots of room for the kids to play, fly kites, etc. The main reason I’m here!

Beautiful scenery. Open fields, trees, and forests look much better than buildings.

Privacy. I can still remember my city days when I’d go in the back yard to grill out and the neighbors would be watching me.

Fresh air.

No covenants. If I want to put up a TV antenna, I can do it. If I want to let my grass get a little tall, I can.

Cons:

Sometimes the lack of rules is a disadvantage. Stray dogs wandering around cause problems by digging holes, barking at night, chewing on my rolls of drain tile stored in the woods, etc. Neighbors dogs barking at night keeps me awake sometimes (we live in a valley that echoes and somebody’s dog is real loud).

Inconvenient to go to the store just for some little thing.

It’s gets expensive going back and forth to town.

Pizza places don’t deliver this far out.

 

[rdln]

At this moment I dont have anything to add or takeaway from your pro's. your con's are right on also but you can still get troublesome critters in suburbia, they are just easier to shoot at in rural areas.

The trip to town reminds me of that recent song "B-double E-double R-U-N"

 

[looch]

Luckily for us, we can get pizza delivered. It's about 5 or 6 miles for the delivery guy - mind you, delivery is not free.

Pros for me include:

Driving 45 minutes from work gives me a chance to unwind. Money spent on gas is easily washed away by the amount I pay in municipal taxes.

I'm ten minutes from my deer stand.

Cons,

in general for me, have to with the responsibility of "big ticket" items like water and sewage. I have had to deal with inconveniences relating to both of these major services. Let me tell you, having no water is no fun. And having a septic system back up on you is even less fun than that. Getting around these problems to provide even a temporary, satisfactory solution can be very stressful.

 

[mikim]

If I can't walk out on my deck in the a.m. with my coffee - in my underwear - and pee off the deck - then I'm not far enuff out -- I was several years ago when I was raising kids - and it was the best! Bus took 'em to/from school from the end of the drive - didn't have to worry about 'em getting crossed up with traffic - and they played with each other - as friends - cons - just make you get inventive - no milk for cereal in the a.m.? - melted ice cream works on it - and you don't have to add sugar - septic backed up? adjust your attitude and get with it! make it an adventure! I invited a friend over for a shovel party - with beer and music! I still owe him one for that. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
mike

 

[Mosey]

I had the septic experience as well. The first summer we lived here it backed up. Of course, it was while we had a house full of relatives for the twins birthday party coming up! I called my older brother and asked for ideas. He lives 300 miles away and drove down the next day. We dug it up in the 90 degree heat and found the pipe coming out of the tank was totally plugged and obviously had been for years. The sewage was seeping out the lid of the tank (no wonder the grass grew so good right there!). We put in a new pipe (PVC to replace the cast iron) and it’s been fine ever since (that was almost 3 years ago). I agree, that was a stressful situation and sure hope it never happens again! Living in the country is definitely harder than living in the city where everything is taken care of for you. At least we build character and learn to take care of ourselves this way, instead of being a bunch of wimps like city people.

 

[Bayrat]

I have to say one of my faves has already been stated, <font color=blue>I would miss that coffee and pee off the back deck</font color=blue>. But there is so much more. I can leave my lawn furniture on the deck and it is still there when I return home at night. I watch deer, turkey, fox, assorted birds, rabbits and just about everything else wander around my fields. I hosted a graduation party for both of my boys before they entered the military, complete with parking lot, tent, bon fire, kegs of nectar and almost two hundred friends and relatives without a complaint from my nearest two neighbors (they were invited). Now my wife and I can skinny dip in our pool and still they don't complain! What's a little battle with a septic tank, last one I had it was -20F and the dirt was freezing before I could get it off the shovel, beats having to listen to a ghetto blaster in the burbs or the city in the driveway next door!

 

[beenthere]

Bayrat
I could double ditto all that too. Been here 35 years and it was great to raise four children here. Lots of driving, but all in all, it didn't last that long.
Here (attached) is what showed up this morning. My season isn't for another 3 weeks. He will be real scarce when that time comes around.
My first septic experience was -8 below, and I didn't have a good clue where the tank was or how deep it was. Several hours of pick and shovel to finally find it (I didn't know I was to pump it out every two years, and this was six!).

 

[Bayrat]

That picture says it all, doesn't it. I'll try and remember to take a shot of the salmon stream that runs past the end of my road tomorrow. The fishermen come from practically every state in the union to try their luck either here or in the nearby lake. I better stop now, everyone will want to move here/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif!

 

[EdKing]

I grew up in the city.My dad retired when I was 15 and we moved out to the country. When I graduated I joined the Marines, and spent the next 8 years living in the city. I finally got tired of it and moved back to the country and if I have a choice, I will never leave it again. Funny thing, living in the city, I didn't know who my next door neihbors were. Out here I know most of the people who live around me, and in the nearest town.

Pros
I can do pretty much whatever I want as long as its legal. Nice and peaceful.

Cons
About an hours drive to work.

 

[Bayrat]

Like someone else stated, that hours drive can be a time to chill. The nice part is I pass any store I might need to stop and purchase something at on the way home!