Perhaps you are looking to really get away from it all for a quiet vacation. Or, maybe you are considering retirement in a rural or even rustic environment. Those weary of the crowds and stress of city living may long for the peace and quiet of a cabin in the woods. If this is your idea of fun, you should definitely run with it. There are a few things, however, to think about before taking off for the wilderness. While you may not miss your daily latte from the corner cafe, probably you don’t feel the same way about giving up basic creature comforts such as warmth and water.

The first thing to think about with regard to life in a rural setting is being well stocked with supplies of all kinds. Depending on how far you are from the nearest town, it may be difficult to get to a store very easily if you run out of something. Food and other supplies should be stockpiled and managed carefully so that you don’t need to make an emergency trip for an item or two. Instead have planned shopping days and make sure you have enough to last for the periods in between.

One thing you must definitely not run out of, even more so than food, is water. It is likely that your country place will have its own well. A well may have wonderful water, but unfortunately it also may run dry, particularly during late summer. And if electricity is needed to run the pump, a power outage could interrupt your water supply also. Of course, a generator is good to have on hand for such a situation. But a supply of bottled water is also recommended, enough to last for several days at least for drinking, cooking and washing.

You also need to plan for possible emergencies that would require paramedics or firefighters, as it may take some time for them to get to you out in a rural area. Either you or another family member should be skilled in CPR, as well as know basic first aid. First aid supplies, such as bandages and antiseptic, should also be on hand.

Keeping a large area around your house cleared of excessive brush and overgrown bushes, as well as overhanging tree limbs, will serve as a barrier should a forest fire start nearby. This type of task is easily done with a lightweight Homelite chainsaw. This way you may save your house and everything in it while the firefighters are on their way,

As long as you have space cleared around your house, you may want to use some of it to grow your own fruits and vegetables. This is a wonderful activity no matter where you live. But in the country having your own supply of fresh produce is even more important, as going into town often for groceries may not be practical. You can take it one step further, if you like, and can the excess you produce for when you run out of fresh produce.

It’s possible that in cold weather your home may be heated by an air-tight wood fireplace rather than a heater which uses electricity or gas. Or possibly you have both, but prefer to use the air-tight fireplace for reasons of economy. Then again, you may have a regular open fireplace that you enjoy using. In any case, a supply of firewood is going to be necessary. Assuming your property includes some woods, you will want to cut it yourself. For this task a heavier duty Husqvarna chainsaw would be an excellent tool. And, once you have sawed the logs into rounds, an axe for splitting them into firewood is essential.

Now you can enjoy the rewards of all your hard work and planning. With a full tank of water, a full pantry and plenty of other supplies to last as long as you need them to, you can relax and enjoy the rural lifestyle. You have plenty of firewood in the house, and much more outside, getting seasoned for when you’ll need it later. With all these creature comforts, and the satisfaction of having done it yourself, it’s time for a cup of coffee and some relaxation. Or you may feel ambitious and get back to working on the quilt set you’re making. This is as good as it gets.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 10th, 2010 at 12:06 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.