by Victoria Moss

Created on: July 19, 2008   Last Updated: July 21, 2008

As with all aspects of living, there are both advantages and disadvantages in being a country dweller. The unspoilt environment has much to offer but ultimately, it probably comes down to the type of person you are that will eventually help you decide whether country living is best for you.

I spent my early years on a farm. What a wonderful learning experience this life was for a child! There was the freedom to wander without restrictions; the space to explore and play noisy games where no neighbours ever complained; the time to tend animals and welcome new life. Endless opportunities for creativity and imaginative play and memorable adventures!

There was responsibility too. Perhaps country children are more readily attuned to nature, the seasonal happenings and the cycles of life. There were periods of the year when we could not visit friends because the poddy calves had to be fed or the newly-dug potatoes had to be brought in before the weather changed. Arriving late at school during the hay cutting was always accepted because the teachers understood that we had been helping outside way after our usual bedtime on the previous night.

The country air was brisk and clean and the sun shone warmly on pasture and crops. Food was fresh and plentiful and often the produce of our own labour. We were rarely ill because we were constantly on the move, ate regularly and sensibly, and chose to spend most of our time outdoors.

Some of my friends lived in the town where I attended school. Occasionally I was allowed to invite someone to stay for the weekend. Pony riding, tree climbing, hand-milking the cow, admiring the newborn calves, roaming free across the paddocks and dancing to loud music in the hay-shed at night were some of the activities eagerly anticipated during the school week and so much enjoyed when they eventually took place!

Country children, whether farm kids or "townies" seem to develop a strong sense of responsibility early on in their lives. In rural areas, people are more dependent on the vagaries of the weather and seasonal changes, and the prosperity of small towns is often closely aligned with nature's fluctuating gifts. A strong sense of community frequently develops as a result of the awareness that luck plays a significant part in determining fortune.

The children who grow up in a rural community and leave for further education or other reasons, very often choose to return to a similar lifestyle in later years because of the kinship that they recall

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>