When you see the pictures in those country magazines of sprawling open spaces and welcoming front porches with boots resting by the door, you can’t help but wonder, is the farm lifestyle for me? If you’re craving a change of pace from the hustle of the city, here are some things to consider before trading in concrete and glass for Nevada greenspace and crickets.
Pros of the Ranch Lifestyle
Peace and quiet. You can enjoy a quiet morning on your porch swing without people constantly walking by and staring at you. Keep the curtains wide open because there’s no one walking by to check you out. No one will tell you to turn your music down late at night, and the sound of your neighbor's clunky shoes at 6am will quickly become a thing of the past. When you’re falling asleep to the sounds of crickets and bullfrogs, you won’t miss the sounds of sirens and car alarms.
Wallet-friendly. Your real estate dollar stretches further in the country, so you’ll have more square footage of home space and acreage than you will in most city suburbs.
The Milky Way. Take a drive away from the bright lights of the city, look up—and prepare to be rendered speechless. Without the glare of the urban light noise in the city, you’ll be able to look up at the sky and easily identify Orion’s belt and the Milky Way Galaxy.
Fido can have freedom to roam. Instead of having to keep your dog on a short lead and off your neighbor’s lawn, or worse, searching for a patch of grass for your dog to relieve itself—you can drop the leash and let them enjoy some freedom to sniff.
Space to grow your own food. Becoming a true locavore and growing food from your own garden will pay off in years to come and teach your family valuable life lessons. You can also avoid the complicated zoning regulations associated with raising backyard chickens, ducks, or rabbits—and if you have enough space, you can raise cows, pigs, and goats.
Less stress. People race to escape the crowd of the cities and suburbs every long weekend—while you get to enjoy all the peace and tranquility nature has to offer every single day.
Cons of the Ranch Lifestyle
Medical care. In the event of an emergency, your hospital may be further away than it was in the city. Make sure you have a plan and know in advance where medical care providers are.
Culture. In the city, you have access to museums, opera, theater, and a variety of cultural events and celebrations. If you’re living on a ranch, you may still have these items, but will likely require a drive and some advance planning.
You’ll need to plan ahead. If you run out of milk and eggs on a Sunday morning you can’t just walk to a store. You’ll need to make sure you have what you’ll need or go without.
Infrastructure. Depending on your area, you may be limited with a slower Internet, and the cost to upgrade might be unreasonable. Also, in the event of a storm and your power is knocked out, urban areas are usually repaired first while rural homes wait it out longer. This also might affect you when you need your furnace repaired, and won’t be able to have it serviced for a week. It can also become a complete inconvenience when you want to order pizza and can’t find a pizzeria that delivers to your zip code.
New expenses. Yes, you won’t have to worry about dropping $200 a month for a monthly parking space in the city, but you’ll likely be driving much more so consider your increased fuel costs, and if you’ll need a different type of vehicle to live in your rural area.