Enjoy Country LifeTo me the term country life always conjures up a mental picture of farm life. Not surprising since most all farms are located in rural country areas of America. Working ranches and farms certainly represent country living, but you don't necessarily have to operate a remote 1,000-acre cattle ranch to experience country life. You can also enjoy the lifestyle and the peace and quiet of the country on a hobby farm of just a few acres. If you're serious about agriculture as a way to earn a living, organic farming can be successful on a relatively small parcel. If raising thoroughbred livestock is your passion, you don't need a huge plot of land. You can even get a taste of the country in the city or suburbs with the right décor and landscaping. With this page, I'll try to explore some different options for enjoying country life with you. Country life is more than just material things such as home, property and surroundings. It is also a state of mind. Many of us, myself included, after working and living in metropolitan areas for years, strive for a simpler lifestyle. We tend to gravitate to a life closer to the one we knew as youngsters, many having grown up in the country. Others may be seeking a new challenge away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Even if we can’t physically relocate to a rural area, we can still enjoy a country living state of mind. Country Living and Farm Lifestyles! A Worldwide Farmers' Market for Farm Food, Farm Accommodation, Game Farms, Wine Farms, Farming Jobs, Farm Swaps, Rural Services, Country Living and much, much more. Buy local and support your local farmers. For an outstanding glimpse into one family's experiences with that simpler country state of mind, visit Organic-Gardening-and-Homesteading.com. This kind of living is most naturally experienced in rural America. As Modoc County, California is sparsely populated and remote, and agriculture is the number one industry in the area, it is a prime location for country life. An added bonus is the reasonable cost of enjoying country life in Modoc County. Property and homes, including working cattle ranches and farms, are reasonably priced in the area, which offers good schools and medical facilities and the cleanest air in California! 
A currently popular way to enjoy country living, even practiced in the rural-urban interface areas near cities, is hobby farming. Hobby farming is exactly what it implies: small-scale farming that is a hobby. A hobby farm can involve just about any small farm operation from simple gardening to raising livestock. Of course numbers and size will be smaller, but in a rural environment, about the only limiting factor is your imagination and budget. Limits are naturally more severe in a rural-urban interface area, so always check local zoning laws before starting a small pig farm.
Self Sufficient Farm Living! Farm life is great! Why pay the high prices of todays economy when you can make or build it yourself. Learn and Enjoy American Traditional Skills and Crafts. To learn how, visit Self-Sufficient-Farm-Living.com Many people just want a country life feel, and achieve it by incorporating aspects of the country in décor and landscaping. This is especially true if you own a hobby farm, as it all fits together. You can combine a hobby of raising goats or chickens, for instance, with rustic décor and landscaping, and enjoy true country life. Rustic décor can include your home’s paint scheme with attractive yard art such as wagon wheels and antique farm implements. Whimsical country signs and birdhouses also work well. Work the yard art into a landscaping scheme so everything fits together naturally. Unless you have an unlimited budget, this type of décor and landscaping can’t be accomplished all at once. Grow your country décor or landscaping look over time by adding pieces here and there. Good places to find a unique decorating item is at rural yard sales, also keep your eyes open while traveling around the countryside. Grow Your Own Food From the Garden!
If you enjoy gardening give some thought to raising organic produce. About anything that can have the organically grown phrase connected to it is very popular now. In addition to being popular, organic products are probably healthier. Organically grown basically means grown naturally without the aid of synthetic chemicals and pesticides. If growing organically for your own use and satisfaction, just use common sense and don’t use chemicals in your garden. Use predatory insects and companion gardening techniques to control bugs instead of spraying with pesticides. Use mulching or similar techniques to control weeds instead of spraying with chemical weed killers. Instead of chemical fertilizers, use natural manure and minerals to improve soil. If you intend to earn some extra income by selling organic garden products to the public, your hobby farm operation must be certified. In order to grow organic products for resale or on a commercial basis, strict USDA guidelines must be followed. Organic gardening is definitely part of the country lifestyle, whether growing for your own satisfaction or extra income.
Another area of country life that is either a rewarding hobby or a source of income is raising thoroughbred or exotic animals. As opposed to ranching on a commercial level with large herds of income-producing animals, raising thoroughbreds is usually accomplished with a small number of animals. This can be done on a smaller parcel of land and with a smaller scale of effort. Some types of thoroughbred animals that are popular with hobbyists and entrepreneurs alike are horses, breeding cattle, goats and sheep, llamas or alpacas. Some of these species can be combined and raised together if desired. For instance, llamas are natural protectors and more than a match for wild predators. They can be raised with other animals to help protect them against the predatory critters such as coyotes and mountain lions. Raising thoroughbreds can be an expensive proposition, but if its your passion, go for it!
LivingWithHorses.com - A great site for horse lovers! How to enjoy country living and raise thoroughbred livestock. This site provides valuable information from someone who has actually done it! From the initial move to the country to building corrals and caring for your horses - this site has it all!
Naturally, the epitome of rural living is the working ranch or farm, although life on a working ranch or farm should never be undertaken simply to enjoy a taste of country life. Ranching or farming should be pursued only as a serious full-time business with a goal of earning a profitable living. To be even slightly profitable, modern ranching and farming operations must be conducted as agri-businesses. Successful agri-businesses are operated by experienced and well-trained businessmen, most with college degrees. With or without a degree, these businessmen and women are most often products of many years or even generations of ranching and farming experience. If you decide to relocate from a metropolitan area to the country to ranch or farm on a commercial scale, make sure you are prepared. If you don’t have experience and training in agriculture and business, you’re probably doomed to failure.
Country life and ranch or farm life is synonymous. You can experience a taste of country life whether you commute to your job in the city from a hobby farm of a few acres or run a 1,000-acre cattle ranch full time. While enjoying the relative peace and quiet of country life, you can experience organic farming or raising thoroughbred livestock. Country life can even be reflected in décor and landscaping in a suburban setting. Hopefully this page and this web site will give you some country life ideas to explore. More Modoc Country Living…
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