Life in Rural America

This is me with my mother helping her harvest some squash.
I was 11 months old in this photo. 

Recently, I saw a quote from Don Dillman, a professor at Washington State University. He was quoted in saying, "Ironically, rural America, has become viewed by a growing number of Americans as a higher quality of life...not because of what is has, but rather because of what it does not have.". Growing up, I would agree that there is a lot that rural life doesn't have. No street lights, no malls, no sidewalks, no reliable high speed internet,  the list goes on and on. Perhaps I was too young to yet appreciate that "lack" of city amenities.

 Fast forward to 2008. Moving out to Ithaca was a bit of an adjustment. I remember how much artificial light there was. Of course, it didn't help that my room mate the first year was a night owl and would stay up until 2am. If anyone has ever tried to drive around downtown Ithaca, you know how bad the traffic can be (especially if you're on the way to Moe's).

Living in the middle of nowhere offers many benefits that simply aren't possible in an urban environment. We  live on a major road (but not a highway) and rush-hour traffic is by no means a gridlock. Every morning, I watch the Philadelphia morning news and needless to say, the traffic is horrible. Congested traffic is non-existent in rural areas (unless it's behind a tractor).

Pollution is another consideration. Air pollution tends to be lower in rural areas (due to less traffic/congestion) although this can be argued when farmers are out spreading chicken manure. Light pollution is also less prevalent due to fewer streetlights. If you want to see a clear night sky, you gotta get away from the streetlights of the city. Finally, the only form of noise pollution I remember from my childhood was that obnoxious rooster that crowed all hours of the night.

Growing up, we ate a lot of vegetables and steak. This was because we grew most of what was on our dinner table. So not only did I get a sound work ethic from the garden and the farm, but I also got a balanced, nutritious diet through the crops we grew. I actually got tired of having steak once a week growing up. I say this not to be a snob but when you grow an 1800 lb Steer (a bull without his manhood), there's a lot of steak to eat.

One of the steers we raised. We would raise 4 at a time and would harvest 2 per year. 

Rural life also tends to be a slower way of life. This was an adjustment moving back home after college. Going from the fast-paced lifestyle of college to the slower lifestyle of a 40 hour work week in the country can be a bit boring. I'm convinced that this is because I've never had this much free time in 5 or so years. But more importantly, a slower lifestyle translates to a lower level of stress. Higher stress is clinically proven to decrease lifespan, although it is true that some stress is necessary (most people I meet are well past this threshold).

To conclude, I think many people yearn for a simpler life. I think we all would like to eat steak weekly, have a smooth commute to work, and live in a cleaner environment. Unfortunately, it's not so easy in an urban environment. So while I couldn't stand living in the country growing up, I am glad to have the experience and wouldn't want it any other way.