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