Rural Relocation: Is Moving to the Country for You?

In this post-9-11 world, city-dwellers and suburbanites are flocking to rural America in record numbers. Researchers say that several different - but equally compelling - factors are driving the migration, including widespread telecommuting capacity, cheaper living and land (and more of both), a gentler lifestyle, a sense of safety and a communal urge to get-back-to-basics.

But no matter how motivated, most of these modern-day pioneers admit they weren't prepared for the sometimes dramatic lifestyle changes they found when they settled themselves and their families into "the good life."

Some are shocked to find disdain, wariness and even open hostility from the "locals."

So ... what does it mean to join the exurban migration? Is peace-and-quiet really just mind-numbing boredom in disguise? Can you be a good neighbor and a good sport? Are you ready to trade clogged highways for rutted, muddy roads? Is it true there's no cable or cell phone reception in the country?

If you're among the millions of folks pondering a move to the heartlands, here's a quick relocation checklist to make that transformation a little easier ... for you and your would-be neighbors!

1. Do your homework first.

Don't fall in love long-distance with a photo of your dream home, surrounded by lush flora and fauna, with sweet little critters nibbling gently on the lawn. Check out the location, the neighborhood, the roads, the schools, the neighbors, the livestock and the TV reception. What's the speed limit? The commute time? Is there cell service or high-speed Internet? (Yes, it's true many rural locations don't offer cable television, because so few folks typically live on a single road!)

2. Be willing to follow the rules.

Pick up an ordinance book at the town hall and be aware that rules and regulations are usually different in the country. It's up the newcomer to learn to live by the new rules. You'll just make yourself unhappy (and wildly unpopular!) if you try to start changing the rules. Many newcomers try to "improve" rural living by lobbying for some of those city conveniences they left behind. (These folks are sometimes called FCPs or citiots by their new neighbors, and usually draw a pretty lively and unhappy crowd at local village meetings.)

3. Respect your new surroundings.

Wide-open spaces are usually someone's property, so please don't trespass without permission. Be aware that placid animals put out to pasture are often watched, from a distance, by a family dog trained to repel invaders! Some newbies have the mistaken idea that acres of corn or tomatoes or strawberries are an invitation to a free lunch - that's not so. Remember that roadside produce stands accept cold, hard cash from all comers, even new neighbors.

Even more important, make a bright orange hunter's vest your constant companion if you do any walking in the woods and fields. Many rural locals hunt on their land, and bullets do travel. You don't want to be mistaken for next week's venison stew!

4. Respect the rural way-of-life.

Many rural-dwellers enjoy the dark nights and the star-filled skies and, believe it or not, do not want streetlights. They've had free-ranging chickens for generations, and that usually means a noisy rooster or two in the neighborhood. Planting and harvest seasons mean slow-moving, wide-bodied tractors and trailers on the narrow country roads - you'll just have to learn to be patient. Combines sometimes run all night, as farmers share the cost and use of these big machines, so be prepared for that. Off the prairies, chainsaw buzzing is a way of life year-round, as is leaf- and limb-burning.

Many rural folks keep extra cars and trucks on their property for spare parts and repairs. If you think it's unsightly, please avert your eyes or plant a hedge!

5. Make the most of the slower lifestyle.

There's an endless list of new activities and interests to involve newbies to the rural life, if you'll let yourself let go of the conveniences of city-dwelling. Gardening, hobby farming and animal-raising top the list, but there's also woodworking, beekeeping, grape-growing, cider-making, engine repair, landscaping, fishing, hiking, biking, trail-laying and a host of others. Get to know your own unique community and what's available to you! Rural people, because they're often a distance from town, tend to cherish local amenities such as libraries, garden clubs and church activities. Those are good places to start fitting in.

Finally, if you can embrace a less frantic, more wholesome, inconvenient lifestyle, country living may be for you. Good humor is the key to rural relocation, as to any new endeavor. Who knows? After you've broken in your first pair of mucking boots, you may never even miss your city shoes again!