There are tips for moving to a rural area you should know. These are unspoken rules you’ll want to consider to keep your neighbors happy. If you’ve been wondering how to transition to rural life, these tips are for you.
If you’ve lived in the countryside for a while, you certainly know what it’s like when “new people” move in who aren’t aware of the ways of country living. The fact is, sometimes these “new people” just aren’t aware of the unspoken rules of rural living.
If this is you, let’s go over some rules you need to know to fit in well with your new community. Read the blog post here for more info: https://homesteadingfamily.com/tips-for-moving-to-a-rural-area
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42 Comments
Thank you. Thank You! THANK YOU!!!
Urban dwellers need to hear this!
And PLEASE don't go out and buy an Australian Shepherd or Border Collie to make it appear that you fit in. These are WORKING DOGS! THEY ARE NOT MEANT TO BE KEPT IN A KENNEL OR LOCKED UP IN A PEN!
I feel sorry for new comers here their not wanted right off the bat. Your neighbor is not always friendly. Out here it could take you at least 2 years or more before people will even recognize you as a person in the area and no one shares their phone numbers until they consider you a friend but it can be the same in a city I don't care for the rise in the population around here but progress happens everywhere and I have no problem being friendly and introducing myself and we're always willing to help anyone who needs help if you have a dog that runs around people will tell you once and for some they'll shoot your dog to save their livestock. I'd say the biggest two rules are control your animals and keep your nose out of other people's business.
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Very good advice indeed .
An appropriate and timely topic. Soooo many people have moved into our area and are so annoying. It’s difficult to be welcoming when they don’t even try to fit in and learn community ways.
Carolyn, this was so very well put, and I’m proud of you for putting it out there. Unfortunately, for those of us who have been living this lifestyle for many years, we are all beginning to be encroached upon by those who are late coming to the party. It may be a true challenge in the future, as so many are leaving the cities. God bless Idaho, because it seems to be having a flood of people more and more. Good luck and many blessings as you, hopefully continue your journey in the peace and quiet of your beautiful homestead.
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THANK YOU!!! This is really helpful to know:) eventhough we live in city, my entire family we were TAUGHT these rules:) and I said helpful because we are in our way to move off grid:)😊
True advice.
Such great advice! Advice for everyone living anywhere especially nowadays.
Thank you!
Excellent advice. You were spot on.
Carolyn, this is possibly the most important video you have done. I always tell people, "If you are buying a home in the country DON'T trust your realtor about anything, do your due diligence on: snow plowing, emergency services, well depth, water catchment, or any other thing your life or pocketbook may depend on. if you are getting a VA loan on your home hire your own appraiser and make sure they understand you want them to scour the home because getting someone to fix anything is virtually impossible and double the price in the country. Before you move in be forward, knock on your future neighbors door even if it's scary and ask them the truth about trash pick up, mail, and all the things listed above. Realtors were telling people that neighbors would "plow you out in a storm"…. no, we are too busy digging ourselves out. We live on a ridge out west where it may snow 2-3' and winds of 20-40+ can trap us in for a week which is why we also recommend a snowmobile. Carolyn, THANK YOU SO MUCH for this video. I hope it blesses many new comers, your audience and your family. We and our neighbors are always there in an emergency and do borrow (rarely) to and from one another. In the end we get along really well but maybe speak only a few times per year and rely on church and other clubs for friendships. We do text quite often though, lol
We moved to our piece of heaven last year. Our back neighbors are older and we've talked to them about a back fence. They have friends with dogs that come into our yard and go after our chickens and ducks so we had to make them a enclosed pin. He said if we put up a fence he'd tear it down. Doesn't want to stare at anything. Our neighbor across the street from us brought us apples from his trees, so in return we gave him fresh eggs, sadly he passed away a couple months later. I don't know what to do about our back neighbors, any ideas??
Thank you for this video, it's such a beautiful place your homestead is, my husband and I have moved a lot and I recognize several tips you tell about being new to a place.
I'm not moving to your community after rule #1. I would never live in such an unkind neighborhood. #2 doesn't make it any better.
#1: We're silently watching and judging you. Yikes.
We moved out to the country.
We got out of debt and bought a place armed with tools.
We kept our dog on our property. She passed away last year.
We gave the cookies, banana bread and offered beer, wine,, tea. Gave gifts, sent Christmas cards etc
We loaned tools, assistance and helped our new neighbors.
We look after ourselves, hiring and paying for any help we needed.
Afrer 8 years I regret moving out to this area of the countr.
People don't follow those rules and are not any friendlier than in the suburbs, less neighborly here.
Wonderful video!! I hope lots of people see it and heed your advice. Thank you for posting this.
Holy Grape Envy!!!!
I do understand what you're saying. You don't want entitled people coming in, expecting to be catered to and absorbing resources without also giving back to the community.
However, your attitude as well as the rules left me feeling cold and a bit offended. It smacked of "You don't belong, and if you do want to belong, you've got to work at it and prove yourself." Yikes. Over this way, neighbors take over a small plate of cookies or some brownies made from a boxed mix, and spend a moment saying hello, even if it's only for five minutes at the door. They are friendly.
The Lord Jesus didn't make people come to Him. He went to them! You mean y'all can't spare five minutes and a handshake?
I would not want to be a member of your community. Too cold and unfriendly.
As a city dweller that has experienced the reverse – country people moving to the city – I can sympathize with your frustration, thinly veiled judgement and unwelcome to those that don't assimilate to where they are now. I especially agree with your last point of keeping your mouth shut for at least a year.
Though I was surprised by your comments on neighbors. Here, we just won't offer to help if we aren't prepared to or capable of helping but we are generally friendly with each other and more often than not, are enthusiastic about helping others. Well off or poor neighborhoods, it's the same in my experience. This seems to be the country version of "bless your heart" where "if you ever need help" means something different than offering help.
It was all good information to have in any case. Cultural differences, even within the same country, are quite interesting. If I ever find myself in the country, I'll know what and what not to expect.
Don’t move to the country and then complain you don’t have access to internet, cell service, or cable. You should have checked that out before you bought that house.
Don’t move to the country and then complain about the noises and smells. You came here.
Be prepared to give good directions to your house to friends and emergency services.
Ask people to teach you how to use a chin saw before you cut your leg off.
Subscribe to the local paper and start going to events.
Don’t complain about what services you and events miss, if you miss it so much you whine about it, go back to the city.
Don’t move next hunting lands and complain about the gun fire during hunting seasons.
Don’t complain about or try to catch a hunting dog. They are protected by law.
Loved this video! We bought an acre of land in a very small town of central Utah this year and are SO excited to build our home and live in our beautiful new community. We have met several neighbors and are trying to get things off on the right foot. Unfortunately, we have already discovered that one neighbor’s fence lies 3 feet over the property line on OUR property. The seller of our acre did not disclose a verbal agreement and handshake he and our neighbor had over those 3 feet, and we didn’t do our due diligence well enough to catch the fence mistake until after purchasing our land (although that discovery would not have deterred us from buying). At any rate, we are desperate to know what to do about the problem. We hate to lose those 3 feet when an acre is so small, considering all we want to do with the land! We can’t reasonably expect the neighbors to move their fence. I suppose we will have to both sign an easement allowing them the use of our land for their fence. Who know little things could be so tricky?!?! We want to have good neighborly relations, but our experience talking to the new neighbors about the fence was not fabulous. Any advice would be appreciated!!
What a shame and sad testament to the character of our newbies generation that the simply do not know how to conduct themselves around normal people.
I LOVE American mentality
An interesting dichotomy…."you are your own responsibility, but be available to help others." Hopefully everyone would have that same mentality. Our hearts go out to you. It sounds like you have been badly burned by some "new" people.
Great tips for any living situation-even in a city or town. Thanks!
😂 I’ve lived in the country my whole life. It’s odd for me because some of this advice isn’t true for me. Not because it isn’t good advice but because all of my neighbors are family! 😅 We’ve lived on this land for 80+ years.
Well said and great advice as always
This is timely advice, thank you!
I can't believe there are "Americans" who don't live like this.
live in a small town and have had neighbors ask for baking supplies on occasion. I don't mind sharing though.
If somebody's dog kills my chickens more than once, they aren't going to have that dog anymore. 🙃
Great advice! Such sound wisdom.
AMEN Sister!!!!
The dogs is really important. They will kill chickens just for the fun of it. I killed quite a few killing mine. Never asked to be paid for my lose. But finally gave up and just rid of my chickens.
What would you do if you do have fences and the neighbors very aggressive dogs attack and kill a baby goat by digging under our fence and dragging it under? Our “neighbor” says we are responsible for it and their dogs are not at fault. Even though the fence is ours, they think we should put up additional fencing and they don’t have to do anything.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love this! All good points. So many people think country living means their dogs run free. That’s so dangerous for neighbor farm animals AND the dog. I’d also like to add to the list..know your property lines and NOPE..your neighbor isn’t ok with you hunting on their property. 🤣👍
I guess the nicest way I can say this is that I feel that the tone of this video is out of step with the channel. Maybe they are having issues with new neighbors? Everyone moving out to the country should want to be self reliant and a burden to no one. Disappointed with this one.
What kind of grapes were your kids harvesting in those clips in this video?
We're planning to do a few things before we even move onto our country property: 1. Make sure the perimeter fencing is SOLID! 2. Have our water system totally set up— this will be a complete water collection, storage and filtration system that should be able to supply and sustain us and our animals. 3. Have our energy needs covered for at least a year. 4. We'll definitely have a decent food storage supply when we move in cause we always keep a supply. That includes things like toilet paper, personal hygiene, etc. We're also learning how to take care of crisis situations like severe weather, natural disasters, and medical emergencies.