Let's Live in the Country.... Or Not.

Everyday more and more people make the move to rural areas. They want wide open spaces, cleaner air and a slower pace. What a wonderful idea. Or it would be if these folks would realize before they moved that living in a rural farming community is quite a bit different than living in suburbia. Here are just a few of the drawbacks to country living.

Twice a year, or more, your rural paradise is going to smell pretty bad. Manure spreading seasons are usually spring and fall.

The roads can get clogged up with tractors and such during planting and harvesting. Things move pretty slowly and not all farmers will go off to the side to let the masses pass.

A number of people "burn" the old grasses etc off in the spring. Smelly, smoky and not good for asthmatics or clothes hanging on lines.

Depending on where you decided to live you may, at some point in your life find a cow in your back yard. Fences have been known to break down occasionally.

There are a plethora of weeds that can cause nasty rashes if you brush up against them or squash them underfoot. Until you have been living in the country awhile you probably will have no idea what they look like, where they are or why you have that blistering, itching, runny rash.

Since you are the new comer in the area, old timers will either be incredibly nosey or incredibly aloof. Doesn't seem to be a happy medium.

It is very quiet at night. Consequently sound carries an incredible distance. If you are going to have a knock down drag out fight with your spouse you might want to remember this or your private life will be the talk of the town next day.

The night life in small areas is usually limited to a local bar but the wild life is unlimited. Racoons are notoriously smart and not even screw on lids can keep them out of your garbage. Skunks have no respect for boundaries and tend to leave smelly reminders that they passed by. If you are a ways out of town, deer crossings can be a problem and finding a coyote in your driveway is not unusual. Just this past spring we had five of the biggest vultures I have ever seen parked in our back yard for the afternoon. Just to be on the safe side I made sure all the cats were indoors. And then there are the cats... lots of them. The neighbours, the farmers, the strays... If you have a dog or too, porcupines can become a problem. Even dogs tied on their own property have been know to get a snout full of painful reminders that porcupines pretty much go where they please.

On the other hand there are some incredible advantages to living in a rural community. For one thing, the air really does smell sweeter out here most of the time and the scenery is usually very beautiful and peaceful. You can see all the stars on a clear night and the moon looks like you could just reach up and touch it. In the spring all the apple and cherry trees are in bloom all along the country side and they are lovely to see.

When you go into the local watering hole your drink of preference is on the counter by the time you get there. At the restaurant the coffee is waiting and you seldom have to read the menu because the waitress knows what you are going to order anyways... sometimes better than you do.

Almost anyone can pick up your parcels at the post office or Sears which saves you a trip if you know someone else is going in.

A trip to the local grocery store takes hours because you know half the people in there and you must chat awhile with everyone. Catching up on the "news" so to speak.

In small rural communities most of the folks know your business which saves you the trouble of having to conceal things you don't want people to know. They will already know pretty much anything and everything about your "private" life by the time you have unpacked.

If you get sick and can't do your own running around there is usually someone around to do it for you.

Your kids are watched by an entire community and if they are doing something wrong you'll know about it in pretty short order. Good for parents, bad for kids.

Country living isn't for everyone. You have to have patience, a love of wildlife, a good sense of humour and a personal life that can take a bit of scrutiny. Rural living is "different" and you have to remember that the farmers were here first and FARMERS COME FIRST. If you find smells offensive, aren't fond of "critters" and want to go fast then perhaps you might want to just stay where you are. The country won't change for you.... you have to change to suit the country.