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Country Life Experiment

Simple Country Living

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Beginnings

So this is how it began…

My husband, the Country Boy (CB) grew up on a sheep property in southern NSW. We met at university and got married a few years later. We settled in the Blue Mountains, where I grew up, but CB has always dreamed of returning to the farm, where his parents still live.

In the Easter holidays in 2010 we were riding around the farm on a motor bike when out of my mouth popped “you know we could always try moving here for 12 months and see how it works out”. I usually try to think about what I say before it comes out but I swear the thought formed in my mouth. Being 5 months pregnant at the time, I blame the hormones.

We talked it over and did some investigation, and suddenly we are escaping to the country to try a new life.

I confess I feel quite nervous about our tree change. We have a great life here in the Blue Mountains with family and friends close by. How will I cope being so far from my family? Will I get used to an hour round trip for milk? Does life really exist where there is no mobile phone reception? It’s a bit of an experiment.

 

Have you done something similar? What advice can you give me?

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Comments

  1. NessofBoganville says

    January 28, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    Glad that the 'tree change' is going so well for you and your family. Oneday I'd love to move from Boganville but not sure if I'm a country girl. I love country holidays though.

    Reply
  2. havealaughonme says

    January 28, 2013 at 10:04 am

    I used to live in Sydney CBD and take the train to Penrith for work for 18 months, but travelled to the Blue Mountains many a times. It's just gorgeous. I was born and bred on a sheep/cattle farm and now my hubby (also born and bred on a farm in NZ) are raising kids in suburbia. I think we do what we feel is right. In saying that, last week I questioned whether I should be raising my kids as I was?! Farming is a great, albeit challenging, lifestyle. x

    Reply
  3. Kirsty says

    January 28, 2013 at 6:07 am

    What a lovely story and an amazing photo Jo! A great and purposeful start to your blogging journey. I hope the country life experiment will turn out well for you all. I know my husband and I have talked about it many times as he hails from the country too but we've never found the courage to uproot our family – just yet, anyway. Thanks so much for linking up with I Must Confess this week! Kirsty @ My Home Truths

    Reply
  4. IWASNTBLOGGEDYESTERDAY says

    May 28, 2012 at 11:20 am

    Hello, we'e probably neighbours lol I'm in Harden, plenty of sheep here too, I'm guessing you might be at Booroowa?off to read more, see how you are liking it. You'll be fine in the cold, its worse where you were before lol

    Reply
  5. Belinda says

    December 17, 2011 at 12:26 pm

    I'm from Narrandera, have lived in Wagga for over 6 years, then just recently moved to Orange! Good luck with your tree change, I'm a new follower, met you on Three Lil Princesses Carols in the Domain party 🙂

    Reply
  6. Janelle says

    November 27, 2011 at 6:02 am

    How interesting! I've also skipped ahead a bit on your blog now to see how "the experiment" is going. I've always lived in the one spot, the city, but whenever we holiday it's always to the country or smaller places in general. I love the quiet and the pace of the country, and have always wondered if I just enjoy it on holidays for a short period, or if I could live there?
    Visiting via the rewind.

    Reply
  7. Jo @Countrylifeexperiment says

    November 26, 2011 at 12:17 pm

    Thanks for all the comments. I am definitely looking forward to the change, though I imagine there will be quite a period of adjustment.

    I totally blame the hormones, and genuinely am still a bit perplexed that I came up with the idea in the first place. My other idea was to go to south east asia with my sister, but we might wait until the kids are a bit older for that one.

    @Maxabella – to my husband the mountains are "the city". Any place with a population bigger than about 5000 is the city lol. The mountains are not really the city, but they definitely are not rural. They are a bit unique in that they don't feel like a Sydney suburb either. Mountain people do NOT like to be mixed up with some one from the Western suburb (perhaps we are snobs lol).

    Reply
  8. tinsenpup says

    November 26, 2011 at 11:48 am

    Babies (and the hormones that accompany them) are just fabulous for helping us make major life change, aren't they? This was a pretty big one though!

    Reply
  9. Maxabella says

    November 26, 2011 at 11:25 am

    Those hormones get us into the most interesting situations, don't they!?

    I think it will be marvellous, although the Blue Mountains must have been hard to leave (aren't they technically the 'country', though? In as much as they are 'not city'… not farm though! I am going to read ahead in your blog right now to find out how you are going.

    I grew up in a big country/city town and moved to Sydney right after school and I lived in London for 4 years in my late twenties. A part of my heart has always remained with wide open space, though. x

    Reply
  10. Kirsty @ Bowerbird Blue says

    November 26, 2011 at 1:35 am

    Lots of moving for us, but I grew up on the move so it was very familiar. We lived and worked on Phillip Island, then sold all our stuff, fitted the rest in a wardrobe and took off on a trip around Australia with a 2 year old in tow and $5000. Trip lasted 18 months and ended in Brisbane with me about to have another baby and no money or possessions (so much for nesting). Partner got new job in Victoria while I was in hospital and we had a house to rent within a couple of months. Friends and family helped but all worked out fine. Sometimes you've just got to dive in.

    Reply
  11. Life In A Pink Fibro says

    November 25, 2011 at 10:08 pm

    Ah, I never saw the beginnings… this is how it usually happens. "We could see how it goes." Three years later, we're still here. But not as far away as you from what we knew. That's brave!

    Reply
  12. Veronica @ Mixed Gems says

    November 25, 2011 at 9:55 pm

    Brave move! I've never done anything like that. My move was from surburban Melbourne to inner city Sydney. I must say thugh, since kids, I am longing for a bit less hustle and bustle and some wide open spaces that bring us closer to nature. just not sure I'd adjust well to being too isolated though. Visiting from the rewind.

    Reply
  13. Miss Mandy says

    September 4, 2011 at 6:36 am

    lol, I'm in Melbourne, but my hubby is from Finley and I'm originally from Benalla. We were both town kids, although my mum remarried and now they are on the farm. I honestly can't think of anything better. You don't miss what you haven't got and the stuff you really desire, is all accessible via the net these days anyway. I'd go to the country in a heart beat.

    Reply
  14. Shani says

    July 31, 2011 at 11:21 am

    I moved the other way – from Wagga Wagga to Sydney – when I was 18 years old and later married a Sydney boy. My parents still live there. We visit a few times a year, the kids, who are old enough to fly independently, visit more often.

    Reply
  15. Jo S says

    July 31, 2011 at 11:27 am

    We will be about 2 hours from Wagga Wagga. It's not too bad by car – it would take just as long to fly. My concerns are about adjusting to the lifestyle. The longest we have been there is for 2 weeks and that was for a holiday which is quite different to actually living there!

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Jo

I'm a city girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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A lovely, easy Christmas with family, good food, a A lovely, easy Christmas with family, good food, a few presents, an afternoon swim and dinner on the veranda as the sun set. Time to stop and be thankful for the many blessings of the year. I hope you had a lovely Christmas too!
We have been mulling over how to fix up the drivew We have been mulling over how to fix up the driveway and lead up to our house for a while. Currently it’s just a dumping ground for old bits of metal and a big pile of mulch, but C would like to create a turning area and put in a garden. First up though, there’s a huge old stump that needs to go. What better excuse is there to have a fire on Sunday afternoon? C and the kids jumped on the quad bike and trailer, and hauled back a big pile of sticks and logs to help the stump burn. Once the fire was going, marshmallows were found and roasted. No better way to spend time together.
Team work makes the dream work. We were asked rec Team work makes the dream work. 
We were asked recently whether we “make” our kids work on the farm. The answer is of course not. Having said that, all three love to help out whenever they can. They all work hard because they want to; because they take pride in working hard and contributing in a meaningful way to our family life; because they love living on our farm and don’t remember life before we moved here. Whether it be planting trees or doing sheep work or feeding animals, they all want to be involved. As a parent, nothing is better than watching them grow in skill and confidence as they work along side you. We’re so glad that we get to spend time with our three, working together.
We’ve had an unexpected addition to the family ☘️🐑. She is a lot easier to look after than the other family members but she does try to escape her yard and head butt people. Poddy lambs are super cute but they tend to think they are a human. Clover the lamb is sure that Meg is her mum. Can’t think why… 🤔🤣
The perfect way to end a long winter weekend: toge The perfect way to end a long winter weekend: together, cooking damper around the remains of the bonfire.
It’s been a tough few weeks on the farm. We got It’s been a tough few weeks on the farm. We got through shearing without a hitch (thankfully 🙏) but we’ve had a run of the flu followed by Covid run through the family since then. The kids and I have tested positive (this is my second time getting it 🦠) though so far C has managed to avoid it. There has been a lot of lying on the couch feeling pretty ordinary. Han had to reschedule her driving test for a 4th time due to Covid, which is disappointing for her because she wants her freedom and for us because it would be so much more convenient if she could drive herself places. Just to add in to the mix, our hot water system has chosen now as a good time to die so we’re on cold showers until we’re all out of iso. This is not meant to be a whinging post but sometimes life just sucks a bit and it’s good to be real. Fortunately, the sight of the fire going with a stack of wood next to it cheers us up. Things will improve soon. Onwards we go…

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Hi, I’m Jo

City girl turned farmer's wife, school teacher, ideas woman, and mum to three country kids. Country Life Experiment is all about simple country living, growing and making our own food, and life on our family farm in rural Australia. Join me as I give country living a try. Read more...
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