Lifestyles

If you own land in the country, you may qualify for a USDA grant or loan guarantee for a value-added business on your property.

Take a trip to your local hardware store, and you'll find racks of shovels of nearly every size and shape imaginable. Before buying a shovel, think about how you're going to use it.

If your grandparents farmed, chances are they got a brand new copy of the Old Farmer's Almanac each year.

You may have recently received a 2007 Ag Census form in the mail. Here's what that means.

Farmer's markets are a great way for city residents and non-gardeners to get fresh produce straight from the grower. For acreage owners, this can mean extra income.

It's a good idea for every household to have an emergency kit in case of a natural disaster or other emergency. But when you live in the country, it really is a necessity.

Someday, organisms called cyanobacteria -- which can be converted into biodiesel when exposed to the sun -- may be fueling our vehicles.

We've got answers to ten commonly asked questions on rural living, ranging from nuisance wildlife to renting cropland.

Before you complain to your farming neighbors about the smells coming from their farm, educate yourself on what they're doing and why.

Keeping track of the weather is important when you live in the country, far from the storm sirens in town.

There's no better place for kids to grow up than in the country, but along with all the benefits come some very real dangers.

While a handshake between hunter and landowner may once have been sufficient, today it's a good idea to have hunters sign a legal agreement.

There's nothing quite like a live auction. You'll find stuff you didn't know you wanted and have a blast bidding on it.

If you're concerned about rising oil and gas prices, consider collecting firewood to keep your house warm this winter.

Different kinds of firewood burn differently, and no matter what kind of wood you use, it has to be properly dried.

During the holiday season, mantles, stairways and front doors are festively decorated with holly, mistletoe and fresh evergreens. Each of these types of greenery has its roots in history.

Although living the country life has many perks, building a sense of community can sometimes be difficult for the rural homeowner. When you're physically separated from your neighbors, it's often necessary to make an extra effort to encourage communication. The country wave, perhaps accompanied by a friendly smile, is one way to accomplish this.

Respect and friendliness are key ingredients to being a good neighbor, regardless of where you live. However, since rural residents tend to be a bit more isolated than their urban counterparts, building a sense of community often takes extra effort.

Betsy's best

• Betsy's advice: Gardening in the shade
• Betsy's advice: Soil problems
• Betsy's advice: Answering reader mail
• Betsy's advice: Dogs, lawns and compost
• Betsy's advice: Answering reader mail
• Betsy's reflections: Pop-Pop's turkey farm
• Betsy's reflections: Living in the country list
• Christmas with Betsy: Mom's pecan pie
• Christmas with Betsy: A special gift
• Sharing holiday stories with Brent Olson

From my place to yours

Living the Country Life editor Betsy Freese shares snapshots from her country home. She talks about her family, their many animals, and projects around her acreage.

• My favorite pond
• Making hay, and a little profit too!
• Planning for spring planting
• Waiting eagerly for spring
• Fencing and wood chippers
• Hacking down my hackberry
• Rebuilding a beautiful, functional barn
• The family values of chores
• Controlling wildlife
• New at raising chickens

So you're living the country life

Brent Olson has lived in the country his whole life, and he manages to find the humor and enjoyment of the lifestyle, even in his native Minnesota winters. Well, maybe not those.

• Getting ready for the long, cold winter
• Tidying up for fall
• Knowing when to quit and enjoy summer
• Your place is a work in progress
• Getting ready for graduation
• Excuse the mess; we're remodeling