Living in a farm town is pretty unheard of to people who don't live here. In my rural town, there are definitely some things that happen to us on a daily basis that would be unlikely to happen in suburban and city areas.
1. Driving 40 minutes to the nearest mall.
Driving to the mall is actually a project. All you have to do is return one simple item and you have to drive 40 minutes away. Inconvenient.
2. Getting stuck behind a tractor when you have somewhere to be.
Getting stuck behind a tractor can cause a lot of aggravation. Most likely the tractor is going 15 mph and you are frustrated because you're about to be late for school.
3. Smelling cow manure a mile before passing a farm.
There aren't many worse smelling things than cow manure. The worst is when you have to hold your breath for long periods of time when passing a farm just to save yourself from misery.
4. All of your friends living at least 15 minutes away.
I have not had one friend that lives closer than 15 minutes away from me. Once I got my license, the war of begging my parents to drive me to my friends' houses was over but I had to suffer driving there myself.
5. Gas being super cheap. Score.
One of the perks of living in a farm town is the price of gas.
6. Eating eggs from the local farm.
I have been to a fair share of my friends' houses that just walk into their backyard to get their eggs. Honestly, it has always creeped me out, but eggs are eggs, right?
7. Country music. Everywhere.
In our town, country music is always playing. You can most likely hear it coming from a pickup truck or large events.
8. Flannels.
Flannels are a staple. They are simply a necessary item of clothing when it comes to fitting into a farm town.
9. Bonfires.
On summer nights, you can always smell a bonfire nearby. You will always get invited to someone's house featuring a bonfire and your clothes will never rid the smell of the fire.
10. Woods/field parties.
In warm weather, parties are often thrown in the woods or in fields. This is easier to clean up since there are no homes that suffer damage. You better wear the ugliest pair of shoes you own because they are getting trashed. And your car may get stuck in a ditch.
11. Dip.
Most men in a farm town chew dip. They will always have a tin in their pocket. Refreshing, I guess?
12. The fair.
Every year in Sussex County, there is a farm and horse show. All year, everyone will talk about how fun the fair is. It turns out to be a carnival and there are huge events like a demo derby, animal shows, and of course, rides. You pay an absurd amount of money for admission and an even more absurd amount of money to ride the rides. Every resident in the town will most likely attend and talk about how much fun it was.
13. Small town.
A farm town is usually a small one. Word always travels fast and everyone knows everyone's business. Nothing is a secret.
14. Roadkill.
I mentioned before that cow manure may be one of the worst smelling things, but roadkill wins. Smelling a dead animal or a skunk is hands down one of the worst smells to experience.
15. Hunting.
On Facebook, you may see your friends in your town holding up a dead bloody animal with a huge smile. This is the sport of hunting. It has absolutely no point and I don't understand the enjoyment. You do you, guys.
16. The closest supermarket is 10 minutes away.
It is the most annoying thing in the world when I have a necessity I need to run to the store to get and it is a minimum of a 30 minute trip.
17. Street lights don't exist.
At night, the streets are completely dark. It's nice to see the stars because the night sky is often very clear, but it's really scary to walk on the streets at night. There are often no sidewalks either.
18. Corn fields.
There are corn fields everywhere. Corn is definitely one of the most popular crops to grow in my town. When we were younger we used to run through corn fields and play tag. Good (itchy) times.
19. No signal.
In the middle of nowhere, there is no cell phone reception. Most times I have to walk to a specific place in my house for someone to hear me on the phone.
20. Wild animals.
When we go outside late at night in warm weather there is always the fear of bears. When we are driving at dusk or dawn, you always have to watch out for hitting a deer. I often find deer and bears in my backyard.
All in all, I don't hate where I live. I grew up here and I can now appreciate everything my town has to offer. It's funny that no one else believes me when I tell them what I deal with in my town because I am so used to everything that happens here on a daily basis.
