The Self-Sufficiency Specialist. Alan Bridgewater

side of this coin is that the physical realities of country living can also sometimes be harsh, cruel and relentless.

       Is there less pollution in the country? There are fewer car fumes and factory smells, and noise and light pollution are low, but some farmers still use some nasty chemical sprays and dips, and country roads can be noisy and busy.

       Is it possible to buy land? Yes, agricultural land – a small field, small wood or patch of scrubby land – is generally low-cost and readily available. That said, you can easily rent fields, spreads and woods.

       Is the weather in the country different? The weather is not in any way better or worse, but in the country it makes more of an impact. Whereas adverse weather in the town can make things a bit difficult – the paths a bit wet, the trains running slowly – the same weather in the country can bring everything to a standstill.

       Will my children have things to do? If your kids want to build a camp in the fields, climb trees, ride horses or join the village youth club, that is great. Rural activities can be good fun and cheap. On the other hand, they might, to some extent, miss out on visits to the cinema and such like. This needs thinking about.

      The reality of keeping livestock for food production will at some point have to be faced.

      A good-sized piece of land will allow you to have a large wind turbine that will produce all or most of your electricity.