So You Want To Live In The Woods?
I asked AI to provide the Top 10 Bad Things about Living In The Woods and, par for AI’s course, it provided a list that is not really accurate to my personal living situation. Here are my responses to AI’s list and my list about the worst things about living in the best place.
Disclaimer: I live in a farm and woodland area where there are large properties within reasonable proximity to micro and small cities. This might not be the case for some people living out in the wild. My comments below are specific to my experiences.
Top 10 Bad Things About Living In The Woods (according to AI)
Living in the woods can be an amazing experience, but it's not always rainbows and sunshine. Here are the top 10 bad things about living in the woods:
1. Isolation: Living in the woods means living in a remote area, which can be isolating. It can be difficult to get to know your neighbors or to make new friends.
Country folk are both friendly and keep their distance. I know all of my neighbors and they’ve been helpful. Still, people keep their distance. There’s a reason people move to large or remote properties. Isolation for me is one of the biggest benefits of living in the woods.
2. Wildlife Encounters: While it can be exciting to see wildlife up close, it can also be dangerous. Depending on where you live, you may encounter bears, snakes, or other dangerous animals.
This is one of the most exciting things about living in the woods. You see some wildlife all the time, but with trail cameras, it will surprise you what lives on your property. I routinely put food out for the wildlife and cherish their presence. Snakes are not my favorite creature and definitely made my list below.
3. Limited Access to Amenities: Living in the woods means being far away from stores, restaurants, and other amenities. This can make it difficult to get groceries or to find things to do.
The next town, about 4 miles away, has a Piggly Wiggly that has everything you need and some of what you want. Their steaks are phenomenal and reasonably priced.
There is also a small town with most of what you want within 10 miles and large cities are about 50 miles away.
4. Lack of Public Transportation: Without access to public transportation, it can be difficult to get around if you don't have a car.
There is no public transportation here, but this does not affect me.
5. Lack of High-Speed Internet: Depending on where you live, it may be difficult to get high-speed internet. This can make it difficult to work from home or to stay connected with friends and family.
This was concerning since I work remotely from home. When we moved here, we thought we had internet, since this was actually one reason we selected this property location. I still remember the phone call to the local internet service when they said, “Oh we don’t offer enough speed for online meetings. You probably shouldn’t sign up with us.” Um, what?
Verizon to the rescue. In this area, Verizon focused on internet service via hotspot devices in rural areas. Two plans got me through the first half of my first year. It was fairly reliable and allowed me to work, however; it was not cheap!
This year, the county passed a program promoting high-speed internet in rural areas. They footed the $8K bill for installing lines on my property. I still can’t believe I have reliable, high-speed internet now.
6. Challenging Weather: Living in the woods can mean dealing with extreme weather conditions, such as heavy snowfall or high winds.
I love inclement weather, and the cleared area of my property that houses our home and yards are surrounded by a fortress of trees which shelters us.
7. Limited Job Opportunities: Living in a remote area can limit job opportunities, which can make it difficult to find work.
I'm thankful to have a great job that I can do from my home office. The work is challenging, meaningful, and pays more than I could earn locally.
8. Maintenance and Upkeep: Maintaining a home in the woods can be challenging, especially if you have a large property.
No lie, this is work. But, it is also oddly enjoyable! We enjoy this and call it Farm Fit. It’s like having our own boot camp every day.
9. Limited Healthcare Access: Depending on where you live, it may be difficult to access healthcare facilities or to find doctors who are willing to travel to your area.
We have healthcare within 10 miles for private care and 50 miles for the VA.
10. Inaccessibility During Emergencies: Living in a remote area can make it difficult for emergency services to reach you quickly in the event of an emergency.
Well, I can’t say I don’t wonder what to do in the event of a tornado, but the weather patterns here have been kind and the house and property have been sturdy. The nearest storm shelter is about 4 miles away, which means you’d have to drive to get there. Hang on, Toto!
While living in the woods can be a wonderful experience, it's important to consider these potential challenges before making the move.
This is true. For me, the benefits far outweigh the challenges.
My List For the Worst Things About Living In The Woods
Spider webs
I walk our trails multiple times a day. If you’re not waving a long stick out in front of you while you walk (except during winter), they you’re going to eat spider webs for your entire hike in the forest. There is some instinctive repulsion to having webs on your face. For sure.
Ticks
Ticks carry diseases and pulling one off of you is gross. There is so much wildlife here, though, that it is something you have to deal with. Tall boots, spray, and cold weather make ticks manageable. Oh, and the dogs are lucky to take medicine once a month that instantly kills any fleas or ticks if they bite the dogs. This makes any kind of home infestations nearly impossible.
Snakes and Spiders
I’ll admit that I have a general policy that the best snake is a dead snake. Luckily, my run-ins have been with non-venomous snakes, like the one that fell out of a tree and nearly landed on my head. I am getting better. I actually have three snakes on the property that are still alive.
Gnats
This one only gets bad for about a month and a half during the summer, but prepare to have 20-30 gnats flying around your face at all times when you’re outside. The summers in NC are so humid, that you don’t want to go outside much, anyway. I still fish and tolerate them, though. It’s just never going to be fun. Oh, and some advice: keep your mouth closed!
Flies
There is a type of fly here. I’m not sure what it is, but for about 3 months out of the year, it will follow you and try to land on your head while you’re hiking. The fly is large and will stay with you for at least 200 to 300 yards before falling back. Annoying. Is this what having a kid is like? Kidding (pun intended).
Poisonous plants and trees
If you can identify them, then they aren’t really an issue, but beware that brushing up against the wrong tree can cause you itching and pain for several weeks. Poison ivy is rampant in summer, but seems to not affect us.
Having to come back inside the house
This is the worst thing about living in the woods. At some point, you have to come back inside the house until the next day. Having a cute house and Wifey are critical.