There are many benefits to living in the country. I have lived in big cities, small towns & the rural country side, all in Southwestern Ontario. For me the choice has always been a simple one – live in the country! With a Global Pandemic, the choice is even more clear!!

But before you pack up everything and move to the country, there are a few things you should know, because we do things a little different out here.

The Downside of Country Life

1. Nothing Happens Fast – It’s a slower pace than the city, and a 5 minute trip to the Post Office could take better than an hour depending on who you run into! We are very social here. We stop to chat, catch up or lend a hand when needed.
2. Slow Moving Vehicles – We know where our food comes from and we appreciate the hard work and long hours of our farmers. So when we get stuck behind a slow moving farm vehicle, we wait patiently until we can get around them.
3. Plan Ahead – Everything is a commute, grocery store, entertainment and friends. It’s important to have a good stock of food, water and necessities in the event that you can’t get out due to weather.
4. Fresh Country Air – The spring and fall is a busy time for farmers in the field. One of their tasks is to fertilize the land, and we do this by spreading manure. Depending on the application and the livestock, this can cause a few hours of potent stench that is carried by the wind! It’s best to NOT hang your laundry to dry outside on these days.
5. Uber Eats does not exist – If you want take out, plan to pick it up because no one delivers out here! You need to drive to get your groceries, your booze, your dinner, and just about anything else you want. We do get Amazon deliveries…

Now, let’s get to the Benefits of Country Living!

1. Clean Air – The further you get from the city, the more your air quality improves. Researchers have a few ideas for why this might be, including less pollution, greater abundance of trees and grass, and perhaps even exposure to cell-improving phytochemicals that get released from plants, fungi, and microbes. Pollution in more heavily-populated areas comes not only from a lack of greenery, but also tiny yet harmful particles released into the air from trucks, buses, cars, factories, and other mainstays of urban environments. These particles travel into the lungs, where they impair breathing and increase the risk of serious illness. Escaping this polluted air for the country means better breathing and better protection against chronic conditions like asthma and heart disease.
2. Less Crime – Residents in rural areas are less likely to be the victims of a wide range of crimes versus those who are living in the city or suburbs. These include simple and aggravated assault, robbery, and theft. Part of the reason for this is just a sheer numbers game—there are less people in the country, thus less opportunity for crime to occur.  Crime can happen anywhere, and the country certainly isn’t guaranteed to be completely free of it. Still, if you’re looking to live somewhere where you can feel more comfortable letting your kids ride their bikes alone to school or leaving your windows open for a cool breeze while you sleep, statistically the country is going to be your best bet.
3. Better Mental Health – Your brain actually functions differently in the country. Living in an urban environment over-stimulates two key, and potentially harmful, regions of the brain: the areas that regulate emotion and anxiety. Scientists believe this is the reason they see higher rates of mental health problems in cities than non-urban areas. In the country, the brain is less likely to experience this kind of overstimulation. The benefits? A lower risk of anxiety disorders and mood disorders. There is also research showing that city living increases schizophrenia risk, likely due to unknown environmental factors that impact developing brains. You’re not going to be able to completely prevent a mood disorder or mental illness just because you live in the country, nor are you guaranteed to have less stress in your life simply because you’re out of the city. But you are going to avoid some of the increased risk factors for these psychological ailments that are deeply connected with city life, and it’s a benefit of country living worth considering.
4. Connect with Nature – Being outside in the open air is connected with many of the benefits of country living. And while you don’t have to go out to the country to find some sunshine and trees, head out to rural land and you’ll definitely find more of it than you will in the cities and the ‘burbs. As for specific benefits, immersing yourself in a natural environment is good for everything from improving your short term memory to lowering your blood pressure. It might even make you more creative. Spending more time in nature is a great way to improve your health, and when you’re living the country life, you don’t have to go very far to reap the benefits. Natural paradise can be found right outside of your door, instead of a car or bus ride away.
5. Access to Fresh, Locally Grown Food – Out in my own country paradise, I don’t have a Whole Foods within 30 miles of me but I do have multiple farms, all within a ten minute drive, where I can buy fresh eggs, fruits, and veggies right from the source. The type of food that our bodies really need is in abundance out in the country, as is available land if you want to start growing your own. In the city, access to unprocessed, healthy foods is not quite so extensive. Urban food deserts are especially problematic in low-income areas, where small markets and gas station snack bars often stand in for fancy organic grocery stores. In the country, even those with less to spend can easily purchase high-quality foods for cleaner diets. There are many pros to eating organic foods, chief among them less exposure to the harmful pesticides used to produce food on a mass level.
6. Sense of Community – Along with the improvements to your Mental Health, is a feeling of connectedness or belonging. As humans, we were designed to live in colonies or groups. We rely on our friends, family and neighbours to support us. As a Mental Health worker for the past 15 years, I understand the value of Community! The more you give to your community, the more you get back! There are teams, clubs, committees and organizations who are in need of your skill set. By joining in on the growth and development of your community, you are also contributing to your own growth and development as a person. When hard times fall (and they will|), it is comforting to know that the community that you have supported for year, comes to your aid without even asking!!! Everything you need will be provided for you; warm meals, shelter, a strong back or a ride, we’re always here to help!

Summary

Life in the Country is very different from the hustle and bustle of City Life. Here are a few Tips to ensure your Success!:

1. Get to know your Neighbours you will need them!
2. Slow Down! – Out here, Life is not a race.
3. Change your definition of Entertainment.
4. Learn to grow your own food!
5. Volunteer your time – it will come back to you!
6. Don’t expect us to change to fit your needs – assimilation may be required!

So many people have come to our farm for a visit. They love the clean air, the expansive views, the floral fragrances and the peace of mind. But after a while, they always ask, “Don’t you get lonely out here all by yourself?” If you can’t be alone with yourself, don’t move to the country. I know several people who are married with kids living at home and they feel lonely. Again, this is about the sense of connectedness. I am totally connected to myself and I love being alone, I am never lonely! I also know that I have friends, family & neighbours who will pop by if I ever needed them.

Country Living During a Pandemic

This pandemic hasn’t really changed us out here. We have always socially distanced, as much as we appreciate a good party with lots of people, we are ok just watching the sun set from the back porch. We still drop in on our neighbours to check up on them, we still chat for hours outside the grocery store and we are never bored because the To-Do list never ends.

• How to Make Your Own Jam
• Calendula – Why & How to Grow it!
• Keep Growing – How to Identify & Care for your Seeds
• FREE Groceries – Growing Food from Grocery Store Scraps.
• 3 Simple Herbal Tea Infusions

Naturally Knotty Farms

We are committed to providing our neighbours with FRESH, Locally Grown Fruits & Veggies.

We teach sustainable gardening practices without the use of harsh chemicals. Understanding Bio-diversity and working with Nature to provide the best soil conditions that will produce nutrient-dense foods.

Plan your visit to the Farm!! We’d love to show you around!!