Is Rural Living a Hobby?

[PuffyC]

For us the best part of country living is not being close to the city. There are definitely lots of perks to being in a city but in the country we can go days without seeing or hearing another human - that's awesome. We're far enough out that we don't even hear or see planes flying over. It's almost total isolation yet we can get whatever we need within 40 miles. Those are 40 country miles which you can cover in 40 minutes, not 40 city miles that might take hours. That type of isolation isn't for everyone, but it's exact what we were looking for.

I'd also say that once you get used to country living it gets really hard going back to the city. When I go back now I wonder how I ever stayed as long as I did. Yeah, that grocery store is now only 2 miles away versus 15 but with traffic the travel time is strangely about the same.

 

[deezler]

^ not us, but we had some conflicting goals for our property selection.

• Wanted acreage so as to build a homestead in the forest. Views of nature and visits from wildlife was paramount. Space to build out amenities without constraints.
• However, we could not be far from town (groceries, restaurants, supplies) or family.
• Had to be on a paved road (I like my cars to stay clean, and hate the wash-boarded, potholed garbage dirt roads around here)

Finally, had to be affordable for me. Most land parcels of any decent size right near a city are going to be marketed and sold as intended for development. My 19 acres (sold two parcels, down to 10ac now) was originally proposed for dozens of condos. But my township basically said no, doesn't fit with surrounding home character, and too many steep slopes to manage. So the bank eventually foreclosed on the developer, it languished for a couple years, and I swooped in with a persistent lowball offer. Lucky.

We truly do love how quick and easy it is to get around the area - take the kids to school/daycare, see friends/family, excellent local dining and shopping, etc. All without burning up the whole day and car life by driving tons of miles.

The biggest downside, is that I can step outdoors into my private nature preserve and still occasionally hear car stereos with subwoofers bumping, lots of fireworks around holidays, and lots of sirens when police/fire/EMS get called (all the damn time). Gunshots sometimes, too. Actually the noisiest thing that penetrates into my forest is guys on motorcycles with radios blasting in their own faces - those speakers are just so dang loud to get above the stupid harley motors with open pipes.

 

[check]

It's not just what you do in town, it feels different to me. We have a city place and a rural place, and I dread doing yard type work at the city place. Doing the same at the rural place is a joy. Not sure why.

Never thought of it that way, Puffy, but now that I think back, that was true for me too!

 

[check]

There are advantages to city living for some folks.

Near "cultural things"...theater, museums, art...
No road to maintain
Garbage pickup
Close to hospitals
Assisted living faculties for those who need that.
Less or no lawn work

Not for me but some people "need" things I do not.

Chinese and Thai food! Pizza delivery! The Blue Jays! The Old Spaghetti Factory!

 

[sea2summit]

And therein lies one of the problems. Many move to the country and still expect these "pluses".

I live in the country and do for myself. If you are considering moving to the country and still expect these "pluses" - do everybody a favor and DON'T.

Helped a newish neighbor (8 miles away) put down and bury a horse last week because he didn't have the equipment/knowledge. He's lived out here since right before covid and commented after the job was done that it was impossible to get someone to help out here (vet etc.), I was kind of taken back since I showed up on short notice to help him, but gave him a reminder we take care of our business out here. Lot's of folks made the covid migration and don't get it when it comes to the mindset of being in the country, wish a lot of them would have stayed where ever they were before.

 

[EddieWalker]

Interesting thread. I consider my place to be a lifelong hobby. I can't imagine not having something fun and exciting to do here. I love the planning, the prep work, and seeing it all come together. Every year, it gets better, but every year, I have more things to do then I did the last year. It's never ending, and I think that's the part I like the best. I would hate to not have anything to do, or dream about doing!!!

Most of my clients live in town. I hate how loud it is there. I hate how much thought has to go in where you park. It drives me crazy having to deal with traffic.

All of my clients have hobbies of some kind. I think that for the most part, they do stuff just to keep busy and avoid being bored. I would say that going out to eat, getting dressed up, and drinking with friends is the most common hobby that I know of. Others are into sports, going to movies, and visiting with friends. All of these hobbies seem like a massive waste of time for me. I can't imagine doing any of those things more then a couple times a year, and when it happens, I'm watching the clock to see when it will end. The Holliday's kill me with so much sitting around and accomplishing nothing!!!

If I didn't have to work, to make money, to support my Hobby, I could easily become a hermit and never leave here. The more I deal with people, the less I want to be around them!!!

 

[MoKelly]

They also expect not to get caught up in the farming aspect of rural living. We got lots of geniuses from NY and NJ moving into our area, telling us how to live, changing our school mascots and raising our taxes.
The look on their face when they get caught behind farm equipment in their BMW or Benz is priceless.
True story: One day, about 2pm, no traffic, I decide to pull my Discbine from one farm to another like I have for decades. I’m doing 25mph down a 35mph road and here comes this erratic clown in a black Benz with Jersey plates up behind me like a rocket ship.
I turn into my field and the woman follows me into my field driving through weeds and dirt cursing wildly at me with her cigarette bopping up and down in her big fat mouth. Lol
I won’t tell you what I said back to her. Lol

Too bad her car didn’t get stuck!

Well - maybe not as then you’d of been stuck listening to her wine for longer.

MoKelly

 

[sea2summit]

Too bad her car didn’t get stuck!

Well - maybe not as then you’d of been stuck listening to her wine for longer.

MoKelly

Pretty sure Hay Dude would have had no problem driving out of ear shot

 

[WADFL]

Lot's of folks made the covid migration and don't get it when it comes to the mindset of being in the country, wish a lot of them would have stayed where ever they were before.

It's not over yet, I bet that's exactly what many of them do when (if?) this mess ends.

 

[rekees4300]

Urban living really does have some pluses. So does rural living.

Exactly ... it's all subjective based upon the content of our brains.