Question for the small town folks (farm, village, friendly, community)
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With the size of today's equipment, pulling over on the shoulder accomplishes nothing.
Just dispensing some advice. You wouldn't believe how many city folk that pass through on our country roads think the farmer should 'just move out of my way'.
The reason why some small town folks are leary of outsiders moving in is they have been duped by some new people who moved in that they knew nothing about.
A very nice couple with a lot of kids moved to the edge of my hometown. Everyone commented how nice and friendly they were.
Yup, constantly borrowing things from neighbors, things missing after their kids came over to play.
When they finally moved after a few years, they had conned the meat market out of a quarter of beef, the one man auto repair out of installing a new water pump in their car,the hardware store owner who came out at night and installed a new well pump.
Yup, such friendly people !
After they moved it was found out they did the same in the town of 900 pop ( 40 miles away) where they used to live.
Not everyone moving to a small town is "June and Beaver"
fool me once, shame on you
fool me twice,shame on me
Yup, there are unscrupulous people everywhere you go. You get newcomers who fleece the local population, and old-timers who fleece the newcomers. It happens. Once you're around long enough, folks get to know you so they (hopefully) aren't concerned that you're going to fleece them, and you'll either be told or find out for yourself the folks who are likely to fleece you.
Yup, there are unscrupulous people everywhere you go. You get newcomers who fleece the local population, and old-timers who fleece the newcomers. It happens. Once you're around long enough, folks get to know you so they (hopefully) aren't concerned that you're going to fleece them, and you'll either be told or find out for yourself the folks who are likely to fleece you.
Very true !
In the farming community, the feed mill/grain elevator or cafe is a good place to get " educated"
Some people may call it gossip, but sure is good to find out who doesn't pay his land rent, who says " I'll pay you with my next milk check" ( and you gotta keep calling him for months). Who borrows machinery and doesn't bother returning it.
I think farmers " get the word" on deadbeats quicker than people in small towns.
The local hang-out is also a great place for newcomers to find out who in town does honest business, or who might be able to provide the services you need with good quality and fair rates. Most business in the country is by word-of-mouth "Oh yeah, Bob'll do that for you; but Mike'll do it better/faster/cheaper". It's good to know your options
I moved to a tiny community recently and have no trouble meeting people and making friends with the locals. there are 6 little words that really help when you are the new guy meeting locals:
Every situation is different, just like each of us is. There is no one easy answer to this thread. I would guess that some towns are going to be more welcoming than others. Also each "out sider" would be seen differently than the next.
I find most small towns under 10,000 people very friendly. If you live in a rural area, then join a church. If you aren't religious, volunteer your time in the local charities. Meals on wheels is a great way to get to know older folks who have family in town. Get to know people in a relaxed manner and you should have no trouble fitting in right away. Just don't be a know it all or use the phrase, "the way we did it in the city".
If you live in a neighborhood, then have a yard or garage sale, and the neighbors are bound to show up and you can get to introduce yourself through this venue. Then you can invite some neighbors over for a coffee or have a small cocktail party where you set a time to arrive and a time to leave, say between 5 pm and 7 pm on a weekend evening. After that. then have small dinner parties making sure you invite your closest (in proximity) neighbors first, then others later after that one. Keep them small to no more than eight people so you can pay attention to every guest. Just have more frequent ones with different people and I am sure people will respond in kind in which case you will get to know more and more people...
Good luck
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There Is My Place
