Is Rural Living a Hobby?

beowulf · Dec 19, 2021

Starting with the definition of a hobby as "an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure." (i.e., not to earn a living)

It seems to me that there is farming to earn a living - not a hobby. And hobby farming - perhaps not the sole source of income, or any income, and it may or may not be a hobby. And there is rural living where you maintain a rural property with all that that involves with no intent to or need to earn a living from it. We have 90 acres and there is a whole lot to do with a never ending list of tasks - and some very challenging. But we attend to what we want to and when we want to, and that may qualify as a hobby as defined above as we do it in our liesure time and enjoy doing it and get a lot of satisfaction out of it. And we can afford to be here (35 years and counting) without earning an income from the property - so, for us, it is either a hobby or a life style. Either category works for me.

My many uncles who farmed back in the midwest would never call what they do a hobby - they worked the farms to make a living.

oosik · Dec 20, 2021

I retired in 1982. I was 40 years young that year. We could have lived anywhere we wanted. We chose to live here on the 80 acres.

Sooo ..... since I DO NOT make a living off this land. I'm here because I enjoy the life style. It's a busy life style - never a dull moment. Seems like there is always something requiring my attention.

Right now it's snowing. A VERY light, dry snow. It could go on for a week like this and we probably wouldn't have six inches on the ground. There is about 1 1/2" on the ground. I bet grsthegreat - up in N ID - has a whole lot more.

grsthegreat · Dec 20, 2021

have about 9-10 in here standing on ground. have moved snow 3 times so far. still coming down. love it.

ponytug · Dec 23, 2021

snow line is several hundred feet above us at the moment. So close, and yet so far.

Here's to a white Christmas!

All the best, Peter

oosik · Dec 24, 2021

We will have a white Christmas here. Albeit only about two inches. Right now I'm more concerned about the unseasonal cold weather coming next week. I check the predictions each day - so far, it shows slightly warmer for what's coming.

Ledgemere Farm · Dec 24, 2021

It can be. Lots of people “play farm” to break up the monotony of a 40-hour day job.

grsthegreat · Dec 24, 2021

I have 12-14” standing snow on ground in area i dont plow. Been snowing steadily since last night. Now there predicting 10-20” new snow thru monday.

looks like it may be sleigh time soon…..

Herness · Jul 13, 2022

I would consider it as a way of living, meanwhile on the farm you can have tons of different hobbies.
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check · Jul 13, 2022

I detest that word “hobby“. It implies that you have no life, that you’re bored, and that you have nothing to do. I cannot possibly imagine, ever, looking for something to do. Until the day I die I will be busy busy busy, and have a long bucket list.

Wouldn’t have it any other way!

Gem99ultra · Jul 14, 2022

check said:
I detest that word “hobby“. It implies that you have no life, that you’re bored, and that you have nothing to do. I cannot possibly imagine, ever, looking for something to do. Until the day I die I will be busy busy busy, and have a long bucket list.

Wouldn’t have it any other way!

Sorry you feel that way Check. I've had a number of 'income producing hobbies' over the years. Rural living is just another way of enjoying life, call it a hobby or whatever. Calling it 'work' isn't in my vocabulary.