Rural Diaries – country life, the countryside and rural issues

Posted by Sally on May 3rd, 2008 in Country Dating, Country Living

Dating in the countryside community used to be a very different affair and dating for farmers is now becoming more difficult. Traditionally the farming family would work and socialise together but things have changed in the rural dating scene making it more difficult to find people to date.

One aspect is that farms are generally run by families, with father and son working side by side. The weekly trip to the mart would be a family affair and a great opportunity to meet up with other singles. Single sons and daughters would be sent down to the farm supply merchants to grab a bag of calf milk or chicken feed, allowing the local singles time to suss out the dating opportunities.

Now, anyone that says farming communities aren’t a hotbed of gossip has obviously never left the city. Many a time I have got back from the mart or feed merchant and rushed to phone a single friend to let her know who has just come back on the market. A day at the mart is a great day out to discover who is getting divorced, having an affair or has found someone and is now off the singles list.

Okay so we have small lives but the ride back from the mart has always been a competition for who has picked up the best gossip of the day and while we stood around for hours discussing the price of a tup we never stop scanning the room for who is who in the farming dating world.

Mothers will tell fathers that Bob’s lass over yonder has just returned from university and father will dutifully send his son over to mend Bob’s fence, just being neighbourly you understand. It’s amazing how many jobs can get done at Bob’s farm by the various local farming sons in the first month his daughter arrives home.

It is not all a one way street either, the moment a son arrives back from uni or working away on a contract job mothers around the area are furiously baking away and single daughters are sent to drop of their delights, in more ways than one.

This is just the way farming communities have handled dating since time began. That and the fact that every farmer with a single daughter can tell you exactly how many acres his neighbours with single sons own.

However with more and more farms having to tighten their belts the women from farming families are often turning to working away from the farm, taking on 9-5 jobs in offices and shops. The last time I visited the mart I was one of four women there and I was on a day off from work.

Even in farming communities we tend to be getting married later in life, usually for economic reasons and the days of Dad throwing a cottage up on a spare bit of land are pretty much long gone.

Opportunities to meet other farming singles are dwindling and leaving people either lonely or in relationship that are less than happy.

If you are in this situation or know anyone that is then log on to Country Couples online dating and friendship service where you can meet other rural and farming people for friendship or perhaps even find a partner to love. No need to be single, if you are just looking to widen your social circle then come and meet like-minded people.