Country life. It’s a dream for many young families – getting away from the city and embracing a simpler, more peaceful way of living. Although this is an admirable goal, I’m shocked at how little these families are educated on what to do when they make the move. Too often, they try to replicate everything their grandparents did, without realizing that times have changed! In this blog post, we’ll discuss 10 old-fashioned tips for living in the country that might actually hurt you.
Is your house safe during harsh weather?
One of the most important things you can do when moving into your dream house is to have a plan and be prepared for anything. This means having a backup plan for your water, power, and food. If you live in an area with extreme weather conditions, you need to be prepared for that too.
Many older country homes are not equipped to handle severe weather conditions anymore, so you need to take that into account before making the move. More often than not your country home needs a lot of improvement. Who is doing it? You?
You can't just "wing it"
In today’s society, we’re used to being able to wing it. We can Google anything we need to know, and we have access to an endless amount of information at our fingertips. However, country living is not something you can just wing. There are a lot of things that you need to learn in order to be successful, and you can’t just pick it up as you go. If you’re not willing to put in the time and effort to learn about country living, then this might not be the right lifestyle for you.
Many young people take the opportunity to spend some time in the countryside before deciding to do so completely. At the SanaTerraFarm there is a favorable opportunity for this. Find out more here: https://alt.sanaterrafarm.ro/how-to-book/
Are you prepared for hard work?
Often one of the main reasons people move to the country is to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. However, country living is not all rainbows and butterflies. There is a lot of hard work that goes into it, often because something has to be repaired.
If you’re not prepared for that, then country living might not be easy for you. It’s important to have a realistic view of what country living entails before making the move and giving up the carefree city life.
Volunteers are very welcome in many places. There is also a lot to do at SanaTerraFarm during the peak season and we are happy to host capable people. Those interested can find everything they need to know here: https://alt.sanaterrafarm.ro/volunteer
You need to become self-sufficient
In today’s society, we’re used to being able to rely on others. We can go to the grocery store and buy whatever we need, or we can call a friend for help when we’re in a bind. However, country living is not always and anywhere like that. If you’re not prepared to be self-sufficient, country living might not be right for you. There are times when you need to be able to take care of yourself, and if you’re not prepared for that, it can be tough.
You need to have a plan
When you move to the country, there’s a lot that needs to be taken into account. You need to have a plan for your water, your power, your food, and your transportation. Is the journey to work still worthwhile? Or do you have to change your job?
So, if you don’t have a plan, country living can be difficult. It’s important to sit down and figure out what you need before making the move. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a bind.
You need to be willing to learn
If you’re moving to the country, it’s important to be willing to learn. There are a lot of things that you need to know to be successful, and if you’re not willing to learn, country living might break not only your back.
Take the time to read books, talk to and visit people who have been successful at country living, and do your research. Otherwise, you might find yourself in over your head.
You need to have a good sense of humor
Living in the country can be tough sometimes, but it’s important to have a good sense of humor about it. You’ll need to laugh when things go wrong because they will go wrong occasionally. The plumber you’ve expected today will call you tomorrow and the firewood you wanted to use this winter is way too wet and has to be dried out another summer. But most usually your goat will destroy the fence to enjoy freedom – of course during a heavy rainstorm…
Don't fight every weed like your grandmother did
Respect for nature is often the main motivation to move to the countryside. Seeing your children playing in the grass and harvesting fresh apples is a joy. Unfortunately, many young families lost their relationship with nature completely. And they try to fight against every living being in the newly designed garden. What for? Country life gives us a chance to reconnect, relax, to live close to the essentials.
Being not willing to learn how nature works then you will get stuck in a constant battle. Too often, young families start to listen to their grandparents and fight for the vegetables and fruits using heavy chemicals! It’s not only wrong – it is against your initial motivation! And it will hurt you long-term on many levels.
You need patience
One of the things that are often said about country living is that it’s a slow lifestyle. And that’s true. It takes time to get things done in the country, and you need to have patience if you’re going to be successful. If you’re not willing or able to wait for things to happen, then country living might become very stressful. There are times when things take longer than expected, and if you can’t handle that, country living will drive you crazy.
Treat your animals with respect
It’s the year 2022. For many good and scientific reasons, we’re treating animals today differently than 50 years ago. If you still believe, your dog doesn’t have feelings and needs, then you are part of the problem and not the solution.
Very often young families want to embrace the country lifestyle but they treat their animals like our grandparents did. If you keep your dog tied to the chain all day long, then you didn’t made your homework and you should stay in an apartment in town.
Animal husbandry has changed a lot in the last 20 years. With good reason. If you want to keep your own chicken, ducks, pigs, dogs, and cats, then it’s a must to read and learn about it. And to change old inherited habits!
Chicken can not be raised with corn only, a pig needs more than 2 m2 and ducks kept without a pond is animal cruelty. To keep animals with respect is a duty – not a “nice to have”!
By moving to the country, it’s important to be willing to learn. There are a lot of things that you need to know to be successful, and if you’re not willing to learn, country living might not be right for you. Take the time to read books, talk to people who have been successful at country living, visit them, and do your research. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a short time overwhelmed, physically and mentally exhausted.
On SanaTerraFarm we probably made all of the mistakes you can! We consider ourselves after more than 15 years experienced enough to teach others. If you are interested in a lifestyle change, please contact us!
Photo credits:
Photo by Julia Clooten from Pexels
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Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels
