Is Rural Living a Hobby?

[LS Tractor Owner]

Rural living is definitely a lifestyle as others have said, but it can also be a hobby. Isn't gardening a hobby? How about landscaping and making your own little park? Tractor time.... definitely considered fun for me!

I bought our property 27 years ago, built our house and over the next 25 years 'made it ours' and raised the family. A couple years ago, I subdivided the property, and built our 'retirement cottage'.... my youngest son purchased the original home / land (so we are close neighbors). I/we have now started to do the landscaping, customizing our cottage, and doing everything all over again..... and we love it!

 

[Doughknob]

What's bucolic?

 

[beowulf]

What's bucolic?

Doughknob, a word a friend used to describe our lifestyle and I have become attached to it - means "relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life".

 

[Kessler Farms]

Like 5030, not a hobby for me. I'm the 8th generation to farm the same ground, now around 1200 acres. Great way to live, not much of a living.

 

[check]

Hobby? I have always thought of a hobby as something people do to “keep busy”, especially after retirement. I could never in my wildest dreams conceive of having nothing to do, so that I would need a hobby. Too busy having fun with all my projects!

 

[oosik]

Interesting thought to ponder. I "retired" in 1982 at the age of 42. We could have gone just about anywhere we wanted. We chose to live here because we both enjoy the country.

Hobby or not. Truly living in the country DOES require many things that urban living does not. I enjoy most all the requirements of country living. Some - not so much - but I've chosen this life style and understand what must be done.

For a fact - I could NEVER go back to the urban lifestyle. It simply has too many restrictions/limitations. This shows - loud and clear. Every time I go into the city and visit my son and the remainder of the family. A few ingrained habits must be curbed. City life chaps Brownies hide somewhat also.

 

[Torvy]

I hear you. Last night I had the misfortune of riding along while my wife drove into FtW. Scares the heck out of me. She's one of those who only drives A few feet ahead of herself. Lots of unnecessary, abrupt braking. Our rural place simply has fewer opportunities for heavy, fast traffic. That reason alone should add years to my life.

 

[Hay Dude]

My son attends an inner city college in a bad part of town. Everytime I leave and come home, I miss him, but I’m so glad for my rural lifestyle.
I make a living as a farmer and I love it. Love the outdoors and being away from people coughing in my face and telling me all their problems.
I must really love it because the pay sucks, but I will work sometimes 6 weeks straight without a day off. Come home exhausted and can’t wait for the next day.

 

[Looking4new]

After living in many cities in Ontario and Alberta, I have settled down just outside a small town (pop. 600) in Northern Ontario. I've been here since 1994 and still love the solitude. The peace and tranquility are what I love the most. I can't see my neighbours and they can't see me, this is a good thing. I can hear them from time to time, but as long as I can't see them, I am good with that. IF I want to socialize with them, they are right across the road. She works at the service garage I deal with and I visit with him when we are doing the snow clearing thing. Until I win a lottery, this is where I am at and will be staying here.

 

[Torvy]

My son attends an inner city college in a bad part of town. Everytime I leave and come home, I miss him, but I’m so glad for my rural lifestyle.
I make a living as a farmer and I love it. Love the outdoors and being away from people coughing in my face and telling me all their problems.
I must really love it because the pay sucks, but I will work sometimes 6 weeks straight without a day off. Come home exhausted and can’t wait for the next day.

Be thankful. We went into FW because my 20 y/o son got passed out drunk and scared the gf with whom he has been living. Not threatening, just worried and scared. He lost his way in HS and will barely talk to me. When he does, it is usually to tell me how awful my beliefs are. The other 3 kids are squared away, but this one was the most like me and I don't know how to help him. My gut reaction was to tell the gf to call the cops. Instead, the home boss decided we would get him. Now, instead of going to my property and visiting with some dealers, I am here to make sure he doesn't hurt himself.

 

[Frankenkubota]

Freud said a man needs 2 things, mark twain said essentially the same thing

love and work

he was referring to males, not **** sapiens in general.

i've always said, it takes passion to have a real hobby.

how many women you know have a real hobby?

once in a while........my mom was a golf addict

 

[Oaktree]

Missouri is a perfect anchor location.

There is no "perfect" location. A place where you feel totally at home may make me feel like a fish out of water and vice versa. I see lots of TBN'ers extolling the virtues of regions I wouldn't even consider, likewise I'm sure northern New Hampshire isn't everyone's cup of tea either.

Last night I had the misfortune of riding along while my wife drove into FtW. Scares the heck out of me. She's one of those who only drives A few feet ahead of herself. Lots of unnecessary, abrupt braking. Our rural place simply has fewer opportunities for heavy, fast traffic. That reason alone should add years to my life.

Heh. My wife drives like that too. Don't think she's ever had an accident or even a ticket (at least not since I've known her), but riding with her is a bit too white knuckle for me.

As for hobby vs lifestyle, I vote for lifestyle. It takes a certain kind of person to live out in the sticks, not everyone can (or wants to) do it. Yes, I have hobbies/interests/activities that better lend themselves to rural living but I live here because I prefer the lifestyle.
To me "hobby rural living"=vacation home. Come up on the weekend, go back to the city Sunday afternoon type of lifestyle.

 

[Oaktree]

how many women you know have a real hobby?

Some do. Both of my wife's sisters have hobbies; for one it's photography, the other quilting. Both are very good at it.
I can think of several ex-GFs who also had activities they were very much into.
Then again, I know quite a few men who don't seem to have any sort of hobby.

 

[Doughknob]

Doughknob, a word a friend used to describe our lifestyle and I have become attached to it - means "relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life".

Oh, OK, i wondered if it was something contagious.....

 

[MossRoad]

...

how many women you know have a real hobby?
...

Pretty much every woman I know has at least one, if not several hobbies.

Jewelry making. Art restoration. Pottery. Basket making. Quilting. Sewing. Crocheting. Travel. Craft beer. Wine. Art in general. Egyptology. Fossil hunting. Photography. Collections (things, not money from deadbeats). Vintage motorcycles. Gardening and landscaping. And, of course, CATS!

And that list is just my female siblings! All retired except for 1.

 

[MoKelly]

Oh, OK, i wondered if it was something contagious.....

Bucolic - pleasant aspects of the countryside

Bubonic - a plague

You have to love the English language.

MoKelly

 

[GeneV]

Well I'm not rural per say, I'm in a Chicago exurb, but for me and the wifey it's perfect. We live on a few acres surrounded by other homes on acreage, in a scenic area not far from big box shopping, raise pigs when we feel like it, have some ducks for eggs, and I work mostly from a home shop.

I barely ever see other people other than my neighbors, some friends sometimes, or when going out shopping. And, I have enough work on my land to keep me busy w/o overburdening me. Most of my outdoor task are all about improving our property.

Very rarely do I have nothing to do around here, and that's the way I like it. In fact I love it, wouldn't trade it for anything. Yeh I guess it's a hobby, if a lifestyle could be called that.

 

[GeneV]

Bucolic - pleasant aspects of the countryside

Bubonic - a plague

You have to love the English language.

MoKelly

The bucolic plague devastated the land with landscape paintings.

 

[PuffyC]

It all depends on where you're coming from. Just like all places, some people live in the country because they have to, others do it because they choose to. You see the difference in their attitudes and how they care for their place. If you have to live in the country then it's definitely not a hobby but it definitely can be if you choose to do so. Personally I view it as a hobby - a hobby that gives me exercise, offers an outlet for my creativity, and is very fulfilling - exactly what a hobby should do. If I had to do it to make rent, or because I felt stuck there (emotionally or physically) it would be a completely different story.

 

[beowulf]

If you have to live in the country then it's definitely not a hobby but it definitely can be if you choose to do so. Personally I view it as a hobby - a hobby that gives me exercise, offers an outlet for my creativity, and is very fulfilling - exactly what a hobby should do. If I had to do it to make rent, or because I felt stuck there (emotionally or physically) it would be a completely different story.

I can relate to the "if you have to do it" sentiment. Once in a while after building something someone will say you ought to do this for a living. No way would I enjoy doing the very same things in that context. When I am doing something here, I can do it, leave it, take my time, change things as I go, and no one to please but me. That way it is not work.