Living in the city is so different than living in the country, or rural areas. Although many of the same rules and laws apply for both the city and country, life is much different for many reasons. As a country gal and farmer, here are a few tips to help those who are moving adjust to country living.
Most city dwellers are used to having their grocery and shopping needs met by driving only a few minutes away. Unless you plan on spending a fortune on gas and time running “to town,” then you need to learn to stock up on supplies. It is not so bad in the summer when most gardens are fresh, but the winter months and unpredictable weather can cause problems. So, keep your food and water supply built up.
Gardens are important to most country folk because we do a lot of canning and freezing in preparation for that food supply and winter. Most neighbors in the country are related or very close, unlike in the city where sometimes you do not have a clue who your neighbor is. As God says in His Bible, “Ask and you shall receive.” So, if you are unsure how or even if you want to plant a garden, or if you need help in general, just ask and most will be willing to help and give you advice.
And about asking, here is another very important tip to help in your relationship with your neighbors. In all of my life, most of us country folk always asked the land owner’s permission when we wanted to go mushroom hunting, hunting in general, walking or riding bikes on their property, or anything else. If we did not, we paid the consequences from our parents. It was understood to always ask first.
We have personally known quite a few who move from the city and are used to just going anywhere and doing whatever they wish. I am sure not all are like this, but we understand that people are limited in the city and they cannot just roam free. Many of these people have children who see these fields as their park and a place to ride a new dirt bike, 4-wheeler, or go-cart. Many do what they please without asking and some hay and grain fields have been damaged. Farming is not cheap and farmers put a lot into their seed and property, so please, respect your neighbor and their property and ask first.
Many people are not used to their privacy being interrupted, so if you wish to walk or check out your neighbor’s gardens or property, then again, please ask them and remember to ask where all property lines are so you do not over step your bounds onto someone else’s property.
We have had the personal experience of someone getting mad because we did not get straw on their newly planted grass right away. Remember, most farmers love to help, but they are not like hired help from a garden center. Farmers are usually very busy and have to get into the fields when the weather is right, so they cannot just drop everything. That is, unless there is an emergency. Then, most are there immediately. So please, have patience and understanding.
The equipment a farmer drives is either very slow or big and wide. Many people are in a hurry to get here and there, but please have patience. Farmers are only doing their job to provide a service for you, not to tick someone off by driving slow. They have to get from place to place too. I have seen several give farmers a bad gesture or even try to pass them on a hill. This is dangerous and can cause very serious accidents. It is better to wait until the farmer can pull over to the side and let you pass than to go ahead and pass without patience and end your or someone else’s life.
Another thing to remember is that in cities, it is rare to see much wild life and most dogs and cats are indoor animals. In the country, there is a lot of wild life and many dogs and cats run free for beneficial reasons. Yes, there are laws to keep your pets confined, but here are a few examples to help you understand some wild life and why more pets run free in the country.
Keep in mind that farmers go through a lot to keep food on our plates. Deer are a major problem to fruit and vegetable growers. They can go through one field of squash and take one bite out of each one in an acre or so and there goes the crop. The farmer loses out what he put into the crop plus loses out what he could have gained from a purchase you or I bought. We had a 4-acre field of pumpkins once that were totally wiped out in a matter of a week. No one wants to spend their hard earned money on produce with a hunk chewed out.
Many farmers hunt deer for a natural and healthier food source for their families but also, sometimes with special permits from the conservation office, hunt to control the deer population when they are causing damage to crops. Many do not understand and cringe on hunting, but to farmers, it is a necessity and a God-given-right. So please, try to be understanding when it comes to hunters in the country.
Coyotes can also cause problems. Some farmers raise chickens for eggs and food, but coyotes are a threat. Not only to chickens and domesticated animals, but to humans as well. For example, when our daughter was only about two years old, a coyote ran through our yard only fifty feet away from her. If it had not been for my dog chasing it away and my running toward her, who knows what it might have done to our daughter.
A neighbor up the road had some man coming to her house to do repairs and after sitting in his van a long time, she called the company to see why he was just sitting there. The man informed them there were coyotes in her yard and he was scared to get out. So, dogs in the country run more freely for protection and keeping animals, with possible rabies or mange, away from our children, homes, and smaller pets.
And on the note of smaller pets, cats were created to eat rodents such as mice. Mice, and raccoons, have been known to chew through wires in barns and cause trouble more than most understand. Cats control the mice population in most grain fields and barns, thus, keeping mice droppings and disease from the food we all end up eating. Cats bring their “catch” in from the field to eat and sometimes leave the guts here and there to let you know they are doing their job and to get praised, but they are keeping our food and homes from being infested by mice. God has a reason for them too and that is not to be locked up where they cannot do what they were created to do.
So please, remember that most neighbors are down-to-earth people who really want to help, but need your respect and understanding of country life to make things go smoothly. Understand that city life is different than country living and place yourself in other’s shoes before you step in your own. Send a note to your neighbors introducing yourselves and maybe plan a housewarming party for your neighbors. Communication is the best for any relationship. Hope these tips help you in your conversion to country living and in life in general.