You know your neighbor's visitors are from the city when...

[ultrarunner]

We checked the cattle hot wire holding a blade of grass if you didn't want a real shock as we were often barefoot standing in the mud.

Sometimes we would see who could hold on the longest... crazy kids.

Just about the most dangerous thing I ever saw on the farm is when the bull with horns reared up and got tangled in the hot wire... never seen anything like it and my grandfather told all of us to run for your life... never heard him say that before or since.

It took a few minutes to get the power shut down... that bull knock down a tree... pulled up T-posts... etc.

 

[California]

If the statistics include federal payroll, it has a tendency to warp things out of perspective; e.g., it only takes a couple of large air or naval bases and the federal money that they command to make it look like the residents are sucking off the feds, when in fact it is the feds spending money on federal programs that happen to be in our state.

Deep in the comments on that article:

"These Numbers do NOT include MILITARY BASES.
add in military bases and Texas moves up to the 2nd highest welfare state.

"you should look at the links ( you have to go further than one link back) and you'd see what's counted and what is not.

"Military bases, social security, military pay and retirement are not counted."

 

[KWRB]

California, that post (about the apple orchards getting torn up) just broke my heart into a million pieces. I have seen similar things here in upstate NY. It's disgusting. NOTHING annoys me more than cocky pricks moving into town and wrecking things. That's not to say they should "stay where they are" (though at my worst I admit thinking that). But, to your point, I don't understand wanting to move someplace and wreck the ambiance. I've often wondered how a person might ever have open space to themselves in this world. I think northern Scandinavia and Russia might be the only open space left on the planet with four seasons.

I may be wrong though. My dream is to see Idaho. I've always had this notion that Idaho might be somehow forgotten about, and nice.

 

[California]

Thanks for your comments!

I'm not sure that is a solution. My impression is that Idaho is nice, but even more wary of newcomers than upstate New York.

 

[roadhunter]

California, that post (about the apple orchards getting torn up) just broke my heart into a million pieces. I have seen similar things here in upstate NY. It's disgusting. NOTHING annoys me more than cocky pricks moving into town and wrecking things. That's not to say they should "stay where they are" (though at my worst I admit thinking that). But, to your point, I don't understand wanting to move someplace and wreck the ambiance. I've often wondered how a person might ever have open space to themselves in this world. I think northern Scandinavia and Russia might be the only open space left on the planet with four seasons.

I may be wrong though. My dream is to see Idaho. I've always had this notion that Idaho might be somehow forgotten about, and nice.

The key is finding a place where it's nice, but not so nice that all the Californians move in. Places like Bozeman used to be really nice. Now it's just hipsters and Subarus.

 

[dragoneggs]

Recently a nice plot of land between us and town was divvied up into small lots and now houses are being built, maybe twenty or so. The neighbor to this construction site has a beautiful pasture that leads you to his extremely well kept large rambler farm house. He has I guess about 8 acres to mow and keeps it well maintained with a white double rail fence around it. The field may have been a producer at one point but now it is just a beautiful grass field. I always enjoy driving by his house and property... seeing his flag pole and the stars and stripes waving near his house and always hoping to catch a glance at his tractor and implements. I hope I painted a decent picture. About a month ago, there was suddenly a huge sign posted in his 'yard' saying, "Future home of Fremont Hog Farm" Professionally done, and dug in.

I was shaking my head saying what is going on? The sign remained up for several weeks and I could not tell if this was serious... or a joke... or he was mad at the developers and was trying to scare potential buyers away. A few days ago the sign was gone. I never (but I should have) pulled in to talk to this guy to find the truth. Maybe I still will... but I still chuckle when drive by now... still looking for any action going on at this rural beautiful property. I hope the guy didn't get in any trouble. BTW... I am an ex-suburbia/city guy.

 

[ultrarunner]

I think there are two kinds of people in the countryside... those that appreciate if for tradition and what it is and those that come in and upset the applecart wanting to change it.

My good friend is from a rural area where they grew up hunting... the sight of hunters carrying rifles was very disturbing to many of the transplants and so it goes.

 

[Aquamoose]

I moved from the city in SoCal 6 years ago and quickly embraced the life in this community of 3,000 in eastern WA. I've always been handy and self sufficient, building my own shop and doing my own repairs. My family, they couldn't try to hang a picture.

One time, my sister came with her two kids to visit. The country life wasn't as exciting for them until my son invited his cousin to go BB shooting, something that's done regularly by my boys like we'd drive to town to get some milk. Well, my sister thought it was the shizzle and whipped out her smart phone to post it all on social media. While the cousin was plinking cans down range, I asked my sis if she'd be ok if I brought out the guns I have. She was excited to say the least. She shot a few rounds of the .22lr and thought it was fun & wanted to try others. Gave her the 30-30 with one round to try and warned her of the kickback.

She didn't listen.

 

[mark02tj]

She didn't listen.

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Did she post a video of THAT on FB? :laughing:

While I was reading about pics being posted of your nephews/nieces shooting I was expecting to read that her friends went berserk that she let her kids "play" with guns. Hope that wasn't the case.

We live on 5 acres midway between two small towns but only 10 minutes away from a medium sized (160,000) city and tons of suburbs (metro population - which we're considered part of - about 325,000). So, kinda city, kinda country, lots of farms surround us. I basically grew up in the suburbs but learned to do a lot of stuff. My oldest sister was the product of living in military housing while we moved around and she will sew and can pickles, etc. but her kids never learned to do any of that. I remember trying to teach her son to ride a bike when he was about 6 and he screamed bloody murder about it. When I bought a little Honda 50cc three-wheeler to play around with, he wouldn't get near it (maybe 10 years old). Fast forward 30 years and my nephew's (really weird!!) kid is over here with my sister. I was trying to get him to do some stuff outside and his response was "I don't like the outdoors - there's just too many bugs." :confused2: When I was his age I would have been "exploring" the woods we have, asking to ride the tractor, etc. I didn't even bring up the idea of getting any sort of firearm (even the BB gun) out since his parents are of the "guns are bad" persuasion. BTW, they live in a Detroit suburb. Oh, well.

 

[skidsareforkids]

Then there is the corollary, Country kid goes to the big City.

You're not kidding, we left the suburbs about 2.5 years ago and moved to our ten acre farm. We recently flew to Orlando FL. When we got to DFW we had to get on an escalator. We tried explaining it to my 9,7, and 5 year old but still ended up causing a traffic jam at the base of the escalator. Ended up I had to fling all three of them on to the escalator. It was definitely a "Clampetts go to the Big City" moment.