Are you a city kid or a country kid ?

Thought I'd ask. I grew up in the city but always loved being out in the country. I would bike 16 miles to go and visit some friends who lived on a farm. Just so I could spend the day out in the country. Doing farm stuff and letting the calves suck on my fingers. :-D
So where did you grow up?

 

I grew up on farms. Then, we lived in rural small towns. Only once did I live in a "big" city. We lived in Philadelphia the first two years we were married and then moved back to the small towns. I now live in the country but not on a farm.
dooley

Define small town: We lived a lot of our married life in Wisconsin. The town had about 80 thousand people. Then, we moved to Arizona and lived in towns with a population of less than 3,000 people. Now, we live in Texas in a town with around 5,000 people. I guess the town in Wisconsin could not really be called a small town but it had a small town atmosphere.
dooley

 

I'm a country kid married to a city kid. I grew up in a very small town surrounded by farms. My uncle had a farm about a half mile away, and I spent as much time there as I could. I learned to ride on an elderly quarter horse he had--she was chubby and I was little so my legs stuck out like oars!
My husband was raised in Columbus Ohio with a postage stamp yard and a mother who screamed in terror at bugs, birds, and snakes. My dear husband had no experience with the outdoors until he married a gardener. At first he just mowed the lawn and let me dig, but then he got interested. Now that we are here on our own little farm, he does everything necessary and some things that aren't. He doesn't seem to scream at much . . . .

 

Country kid without a doubt!!!!
I was born and raised in a small farming community of about 500 people (who are mostly all related!).
My mother was born and raised here. Her 11 siblings had to help out on the family farm. My dad was born and raised in the next community. His parents didn't farm for a living, but had gardens. Growing up, we had veggie gardens and mom had flower beds. Dad worked construction, so no farming for us.
After college I moved to Albuquerque (population then around 150,000 I think). Had enough of city living after 7 or so years and moved to the other side of the mountains to a small farming community. I only had 1/3 acre, but did try a veggie garden, plus had flower beds.
Then moved back to Texas. Lived in a town of about 30,000... didn't mind it much, it has a small-town feel to it. I still work there.
But have recently moved back to my childhood home and am loving it. (There's still only about 500 people living here.) Two of my brothers and I share ownership. We have 2.5 acres of land. Live at the end of the road. No livestock. Hubby and a cousin started a veggie garden. I'm in charge of any and all flower beds and have a section of the back yard fenced off just for my very own flower garden.
Yep.... country girl!!

 

So neat to hear all the stories. Dooley where in Wis. did you live? I grew up in Manitowoc, Wis which has a pop. of about 32,000. It's on the shores of Lake Michigan. My Mom had flower gardens but not veggie. Then I moved to the city of Sturgeon Bay, Wis pop. 5,000 and had several flower gardens. Never thought of raising my own veggies. I guess I was to busy with life. Then I remarried and moved to New Franken, Wis pop 200 including dogs and cats. Very small. My hubby had been a farmer and so we planted a veggie garden and I of course planted several flower gardens also. We had 17 acres but most of it was a wet land and unusable. Then one day low and behold we stumbled across the place we now live in. It's on 8 acres of rolling hill country with a river down in the little valley behind our house. It's just 3 miles from Denmark, Wis. pop 1,400. We are also about 12 miles from Green Bay, Wis pop. 102,000 and growing. We love the country life.

Eileen, 1/3 of an acre is a really good sized garden. I would love to have a pond. It's neat that you have lived there for that many years. One can really put down roots.

Marlingardener, I can just see you on that horse Glad your hubby turned into a gardener with your help and isn't afraid of bugs and such. My Mom was just the opposite. She loved nature and taught us kids to love it to. If she found a spider in the house she would catch it and let it go outside.

Cherylad, that is neat that you were able to move back to your childhood home. Sounds like you have enough to keep you busy. We also do not have any animals at this time. My step-daughter lives in Austin. Way to big for me. But she loves it.

Toni it sounds like you are thriving where you are. Yes, living on a hillside in Vermont would be lovely. I love rolling hills and mountains. Forget the pine box though. At least not yet I hope.

 

Country all the way. Used to swim in the crick as a kid and smoke corn silk too! My place is part of the old farm and I own 3 acres. I have been in the country except for the 22 years I spent in the US Navy.

 

I was born and raised in the city, but we had a cottage in lake country. I always told my Mom that when I grew up I was going to have a farm and lots of animals (I had no pets growing up and always wanted a dog and horse). I now live on 2.5 acres in an old farm house in farm country . I have a dog and cat, but no horse - but I'm surrounded by horses as my neighbor breeds them. I get to enjoy the horses without all the work!!

 

When you grow up in Wyoming, even if you're in the middle of town, you're in the country. My husband and I both grew up here. I've known him my whole life (I used to throw rocks at him when I was little because he used to tease me). I would definitely say I'm a country girl with metropolitan leanings. I love visiting the big cities and experiencing all the people, sights, food, sidewalk cafes, art, atmosphere, but in the end, I miss the country and can't wait to get back home.

My husband hates big cities. He'd rather be out in the middle of nowhere. It's probably a good thing. He works for the Division of Wildlife and spends all his days out... in the middle of nowhere.

My husband still teases me. He told me that I couldn't be a country girl and nearly pass out just because a spider crawls on me. He called me a pseudo-country girl. I didn't have a rock to throw, so I sprayed him with the hose instead.

 

We lived in Kenosha. Right on Lake Michigan for some of the time. We had some acreage in Ojibwa, Wi for awhile. That's up by Ladysmith.
We have a son who lives in Oshkosh. His wife is from Shawano. They met at the University of Wisconsin when law students gave a malpractice party for the medical students. He was voted best pediatrician in Oshkosh last year. She has her own practice.
dooley

 

All of your stories are great to hear.

I grew up in the middle of the nowhere! 1/2 mile to the closest neighbor, not quite hollering distance unless you could hear my dad or the neighbor having a fine old hissyfit. Looking back, if I had been older it might have been funny to see, as it was.... not funny to a child.

Got married to Kevin at the ripe age of 20. Lived in a little town of 3,000 for 2 years and then built a house next to his parents and now live on 8 acres, most of it ravines and woods. We actually have to garden on the neighbors farm for a large patch for most of our corn.

Had 4 children, which all still live at home and range from 15-20 years old.

So we are pretty much rooted right here, not much of a chance of moving anytime soon.

 

Wow Dooley, small world. My Mom lives in Appleton. :-D

Miss Liberty, that is so neat that you have know your honey so long. I would have used the hose also. I to enjoy the food, sidewalk cafes, art and people watching the big city offers. But I sure do love the peace and quite of the country.

Netty, I to grew up in the city. We couldn't have a dog since we rented. After my Mom bought our first home we were able to have pets. I loved it. I also wanted a horse and had quite a statue horse collection. :-D Sounds like you live in a very neat place. I would love to be surrounded by horses. I thought of getting one but like you said. They are alot of work. One just can't pick up and go away for a few days when you have animals that big. Our little dog goes with us everywhere we go. She is such a good traveler.

Carolyn I bet it would have been pretty funny to witness if you weren't in the thick of it so to speak.
You two have quite the house full. It's great in having ones family close by.

 

I grew up with the sounds of a city around me, the sounds of commerce. Even as my world expanded, the agrarian world always remained elusive. During occasional trips into the countryside fields, barns, and animals in pastures passing by were but fleeting glimpse into a realm I could not touch. In my world chickens came without feathers, eggs in cardboard containers and milk in glass bottles left by an unseen milkman on our doorstep each morning. I have never touched a live chicken, milked a cow or picked an egg from a nest box. I probably never will. I appreciate those who's daily toil and hard work makes these possible. I enjoy the happenings of members who share their daily lives in the rural farmlands. It has open up a world that I could never have imagined. From this city kid to the country kids, Thank you.

Jerry

 

Jerry, you write wonderfully. Very nice use of the American Enlish language there.

Back on topic; You could say I have a split personality when it comes to the question posed. I was born and schooled in the 'burbs of a smallish city. (Dayton, Ohio) I spent summers from age 8 to 16 (learned that chasing girls was more fun than farming) working family farms in Relief and Flat Gap Ky.

I have always flower gardened, and usually grew peppers and toms. Now I have a full acre lot and the gardens mysteriously seem to grow a bit every year. Sadly, I think I have more than I can care for properly. Just wait until semi-retirement!