Attitudes About Rural Living

It's a curious phenomenon how people react to the idea of rural living.  There are people who idealize it, and people who think you are crazy preppers.  Anyone think maybe we just like living out here, that we like animals, that we find satisfaction in producing at least a little food for ourselves?  I don't like going to the grocery store - the prices are rising fiercely and what you get isn't even close to what it tastes like when you pick it yourself right before you eat it.

Yes, it is kind of a pain when you can't go on vacation because you can't find someone to babysit sheep.  It can even be a pain when your work off the property is so time consuming that you don't actually get around to planting that lettuce, and it's definitely a sad day when some weird fungus kills a whole bunch of plants you were looking forward to eating - or when the stupid ewe hurts her claw AGAIN. And everything takes more time than you think it will, and it costs more, too.... but it's a choice. We're not some nuts who want to escape from the world.  I have ALWAYS, all my life, wanted to live on a farm - even though I grew up in suburban neighborhoods.  I have always loved animals, particularly horses.  It's darned expensive to have a horse when you live in the suburbs, and it's not the same as having one in your yard - not at all. 

I am tired of how everything, even the rural vs urban life choice, has become so polarized in our society.  If you don't want to live in a rural area, if you are not a fan of livestock, and if you find food not washed and wrapped in plastic a little scary, well, that's fine.  That's your choice, and I don't ever knock it - sometimes I wish I could move back home, even - not to be back in the city, but to be near my parents - but our choice isn't food for your anonymous social media amusement.  We're not crazy, wild-eyed society drop-outs.  (Maybe the building your house while you live in a shack phase was a bit crazy, but those days are way over, thank you very much).  We like not being able to see (hear, and smell) our neighbors.  We like green grass and trees and animals and even hard work outside in the dirt.  I love having my horse where I can see and hear him instead of having him in a barn across town.  You can't ever beat a tomato you just picked from your own vine - never - not even from a farmer's market are they that good.  And eggs from your own chickens? Those beat the ones from a carton without a doubt.

Anyway, I guess that's my rant for the day.  Here's a happy picture for those of you have been wondering when that ram pen was going to ever get done:

Just needs a water trough and a feed trough, and it's ready for sheep.  Yay!  They can uncover the taro, which has been taken over by grass (shame on me).