Kimberley Willis - The Complete Idiots Guide to Country Living

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Table of Contents

Introduction

If you picked up this book, youre probably thinking about or at least dreaming of moving to the country. This book was written to nudge all of you who want to move to the country someday to make it sooner rather than later. If questions about what to do and how things work are holding you back from your dream, this book helps you make the right decision.

Theres a lot more to moving to the country than learning about raising chickens. The country community is different from the city and suburbs, and youre not only going to learn new hands-on skills, but also new people skills when you move. I cover both aspects in the following chapters.

The person who moves to the country today is different from the back-to-the-lander who moved in the 1970s. Today people are more likely to commute long distances to a job so they can raise their family in the country but continue a standard of living close to what they left behindonly in a better place. This book addresses the issues these new country dwellers face.

As Americas baby boomers age, more and more of them long for a simpler, quieter lifestyle. Theyre nostalgic for a lifestyle some of them remember from Grandmas house. They want to feel safe again. This book welcomes you home.

And for those of you who are younger, who have a strong sense of wanting something better in life for yourself and your family, who want your kids to be able to play outside and breathe clean air, this book is for you, too.

When I moved to the country many years ago, I often wished someone had written a guide to country living that covered everything I needed to know in one easy-to-read book. I hope I have provided that reference for you.

If you really want to, you can do it. Dont let it be just a dream. Turn the page and find out that it isnt that hard or scary. Come on home to the country. Well leave the lights off so you can see the stars.

How to Use This Book

This book is divided into six parts:

In Part 1, Your Country Dream, I discuss the dream of moving to the country. This book was written to nudge dreamers into reality and to get them to come home to the country. This part is where we begin the journey.

After you make the decision to move to the country, in Part 2, Your Home in the Country, I discuss all the things you need to considerchoosing a home or building one, landscaping, and perhaps building a pond.

In Part 3, Adjusting to the Country, I discuss what happens after you move into your new country community. There are some adjustments in thinking to be made. These chapters help you through it.

If you lived in the city all your life, home systems like wells and septic systems may baffle you. Part 4, How Things Work in the Country, gives you an overview of those systems and also covers a few other topics like fencing and building a pole barn.

In Part 5, Farm Fresh Food, I discuss the process of providing some of your own food, including vegetables and fruit, eggs, and maple syrup.

Whats the country without animals? In Part 6, Country Pets and Other Critters, I discuss common pets and their adjustment to the country. Then we look at wildlife, both invited and uninvited.

In the back of the book, the appendixes give you additional information. Appendix A is a glossary. And in Appendix B, I list some websites, organizations, and books that give you more detailed information about living in the country.

I hope you enjoy the book.

More Help

Throughout this book youll see boxed sidebars that call your attention to one of four things.

definition

These boxes give you the meanings of country words that may be new to you.

Rural Rule

Look here for tips about country life.

Country Color

These sidebars give you tidbits about life in the country you might not know.

Sinkhole

Heed these warnings about possible dangers.

Acknowledgments

Id like to thank my husband, Steve, for agreeing to move to the country with me many years ago and letting me live the life Id always dreamed of and who encouraged me and prompted my memory as I wrote this book.

Trademarks

All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be or are suspected of being trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Alpha Books and Penguin Group (USA) Inc. cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Part 1

Your Country Dream

You have a dream. You want to move to the country. Fresh air. Peace and quiet. Space to roam. Youre ready to stop dreaming and just do it. But maybe youre feeling a little overwhelmed. You have so many things to consider and so much to learn.

In Part 1, we take the first step to fulfilling your dream. In the next two chapters, I cover the many decisions you need to make before you pursue your country dream, including the wants and wishes of others in your family. Be sure youre using your head as well as your heart in your decision to move to the country. To help you with that, Ive included some things about the country you might not have considered. Its not all perfect out here.

Chapter 1

Why Do You Want to Live in the Country?

In This Chapter

Exploring what country means to you

Deciding what you want from the country

Using your head to make decisions

Country means something different to each person. In this chapter, we explore what you think country is, why you want to be there, and your expectations of country living.

This is the chapter where your dreams are stroked and you realize you want to move to the country as soon as you can. The rest of the book is written to slow you down and guide your choices. That way, you arent as likely to make a mistake and will truly enjoy your move to the country.

Whats Your Definition ofCountry?

Close your eyes and picture yourself in the country. What do you see? A small cabin among towering pines? A white house and a big red barn silhouetted against golden wheat fields? A little house on the shores of a beautiful lake? An adobe home overlooking miles of desert? A stone house with a white picket fence and a tire swing in the yard? The country is all these and more. And country is not just the right house; its a feeling you get when youre in the right place.

Many of you probably believe that a move to the country will improve your quality of life. Youll breathe cleaner air, experience quiet nights, and watch glorious sunrises. Your children will play outside safely, and your neighbors will wave to you. If you want those things, you

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