10 Things To Know BEFORE Moving to the Country

I’ve said this so many times over the past year, but I’m going to say it again. You might dream of owning a small farm or living in the country but the reality is not for everyone. Yes, the countryside can be beautiful and tranquil. It can also be isolating and heartbreaking at times. Here are a few key things you need to know before moving to the country.

You Still Need Money

Part of the dream of moving to the country is often that you will be able to give up work and live off the land or income from your farm. The reality is you will most likely need a job, at least in the beginning. Unless you have a stash put aside, you will need some way to make money while you are establishing your ‘farm business’ (if you are going down that road).

Last year, when Covid hit, Gavin and I decided it was time for him to give up working away on the other side of Australia. His dream has always been to be a farmer but for that to happen, I have to keep working as a teacher. My job provides us with income to pay bills and allowed us to begin the farm business without stress. Once the farm business is earning enough, I’ll stop working too and work from home.

Amenities are Not Always Close By

One of the things to know before moving to the country is what amenities are in the area where you might live. Our country life dream did not involve complete isolation from the world. We wanted to be close to at least basic amenities and our little town has plenty. But most country towns do not have all the things you will need as ours does. You are going to have to sacrifice some travel time to get to these places or go without.

Commuting Distance

The distance you are prepared to commute is one of the things to consider before moving to the country. I know most of my city friends think a 50-minute drive to get to town is too far but we’ve been doing it for a number of years. When I was having cancer treatment, driving 3 hours to Perth and back to see a doctor was a regular thing. A daily commute to work can be extremely tiring and there is often no public transport so you must drive yourself. I drove over an hour each way for six months when we first moved here. It was bloody exhausting. This might be your deal-breaker.

Think about the Isolation

This has a lot to do with commuting and the fact your country home may well be on an acreage where neighbours are not close by. (Sort of the reason why you go to live there in the first place)

Personally, I love isolation for long periods. I could go weeks without seeing a soul and then I’ll invite everyone I know to the farm for lunch over consecutive days. It’s how I roll. But what about you? Are you happy with your own company? Do you have plenty of hobbies to keep you amused? Some people can’t survive without constant social interaction. That might well be you.

The Weather Plays a Big Role

I never really thought about the weather when I was a city girl but after moving to the country that changed. If there’s not enough rain the vegetables and feed won’t grow. If there is too much they die. We have to make sure we check forecasts and move the animals before a storm to protect them. Mud is a HUGE part of our daily life in winter.

This never happened when we lived in the city. I never even thought about how many millimetres of rain were in the rain gauge. I honestly could not have cared less.

You Can’t Always Get Help

This doesn’t mean you are going to die from a broken leg because you are alone and can’t reach your phone. (I think that’s a possibility anywhere.) I’m referring to trades. They often won’t come when you live more than 30 minutes from the city and if they do you may have to wait for a long time before they arrive!

Things Can Cost More

Further to the trades thing, you’ll find that things can cost more when you live in the country. The choice at your local supermarket is limited and more expensive. Petrol prices rise as you move further out. Which is annoying when you have to travel further to get to the city. I find I do a lot more online shopping now to counteract this. It’s fun having packages arrive.

One disadvantage is locals trying to take advantage of ‘city slickers’ and purposely charging more because they think you won’t know better. Unluckily for them, I did not come down in the last shower but I know plenty of people who did. They were charged huge amounts for small jobs and thought that was the price they had to pay.

City Cars are Not Country Cars

When you live in the country, a big sturdy car is almost a must. Especially if you have a property to manage. Our town car gets trashed with mud and has been filled with all manner of fencing materials, animal food and animals! Having a bigger car is safer when travelling at night. Because believe me, when a wallaby runs into your path in the dark it leaves a massive dent!

The Internet Will Be Sketchy at Best

I cannot speak for other parts of the world but here in Australia, the internet is not that great. Not even when you pay for good speed. So one of the things to know before moving to the country is that you might have to go back to the bad old days of slow page opens and buffering on videos.

Yes, buffering! We can’t both be on the wifi and try to stream a video on a Friday night without buffering. Before we swapped providers there were nights when we could not even open Netflix. If I want to upload a video to YouTube I always do it late at night because I know no one else in our area is on. I mean, what sort of world is this? Not one that’s good for people who have part of their business online.

Your Community Becomes Part of Your Life

One of the most crucial things to know before moving to the country is that whether you like it or not, everyone knows everyone. Your community becomes part of your life. They will look out for your home and animals when you are not there. They will help you birth cows and chase runaway sheep. You’ll be invited to funny little community events you would never dream of attending as a city person.

People will also gossip. A lot. And they might look at you funny and NOT invite you to the funny little community event because you look like a city ‘blow-in’. Whichever way it goes, you’ll get to know them and their lives like you never did in the city.