Living Local

[CrealCritter]

Just curious... Who is living local as much as they can? What I mean for example is instead of going into the city for "services" like a hair cut, you find someone local instead.

We are doing our best to shop local as much as we can. Both my wife and I don't like to go into the city much at all. Plus with the gas prices, we now plan our treks to the city. The closest small town has livened back up. What used to be abandoned buildings 4 or 5 years ago are now shops, restaurants, barbershop and local farmers market, I like to shop the second hand/resale store in town. I find lots of good stuff in there, plus I get to meet new people that live close by. Added bonus I get to hear about local word of mouth news. It's really nice to see the small town come back to life.

There are a lot and I mean A LOT of local resources and knowledge, I never know existed before. Need a part, a service, new heals on your boots? Jump on the country grapevine and lo and behold so and so has it or will do it and it's like next to nothing, might even be free or a barter. As compared to "swipe your card" in the city.

It's good to meet the people in your community. I've found out most of them are like minded, good hearted people. I mean where in the city can you pick up a bolt and have a cup of coffee and sit down and talk about whatever, for free?

Good Ole Country Livin' - I feel another song coming on

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[baymule]

We are located between 3 small towns. I said we. Anyway I’m 9 miles to each of 3 small towns. For big stuff I go to Tyler. My neighbor has a HVAC business, knows everyone. If I need to know “who” for anything, I just ask him.

 

[CrealCritter]

We are located between 3 small towns. I said we. Anyway I’m 9 miles to each of 3 small towns. For big stuff I go to Tyler. My neighbor has a HVAC business, knows everyone. If I need to know “who” for anything, I just ask him.

Good to hear from you Bay.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Perris]

We've been supporting local businesses for years, with all the benefits you outline CC, and I was delighted to find that the Covid lockdowns gave a huge boost to localism right across the UK. Local suppliers of goods and services thrived, and small towns boomed in the urban commuter belts, since the commuters were spending their money locally instead of in the cities. Restaurants that switched to take away food did well in towns, and even in very rural areas like here, pubs in the middle of nowhere that switched their kitchens to take away trade thrived. Amazon did very well too of course, as did other online shops.

When things reopened, charity/resale shops were inundated with stuff, as a lot of people used lockdown time for a good cleanout, and they've been doing brisk local trade ever since, as it is become fashionable to reuse, repurpose or recycle instead of replace - there are even very popular TV shows about it now. I've heard that one of them, the Repair Shop, broadcasts in the USA, though I don't know what channel; I love that show. Money for nothing is another good one, and is on the repurpose theme rather than repair. The shows aren't in any sense local, involving people and things all over the country, but they do stimulate people to do the same sort of thing locally. So Repair Cafes are springing up all over the place to help people get started.

 

[Okiepan]

Absolutely, I always try to support local businesses either at home or when I travel , Try to avoid chains , For instance my local feed store is always cheaper than a chain one , The local cafe is real cooking not like a chain which has processed microwaved non edible something.
Just my 2 cents .

 

[Mini Horses]

I love local! Unfortunately it's often difficult for the smaller shops to stay open. Many rural living people travel to work and it only makes sense to buy on way to and from. It very rare that I buy from a fast food, although many are fairly close. We have few actual small shops in my location.

 

[CrealCritter]

I thought I had a song coming on, but I got two verses written down and a chorus. Then poof it vanished, happens...

Good-ole Country Livin'

Well I seen a lot of cities and taken what the cities got to give.
Then I traveled through the country and decided that's place I'm gonna live.
Now my home is concrete, concrete even above my head.
But soon, it'll be good-ole country livin', where I'll make my bed.

Good-ole
Good-ole
County Livin'
That's Right!

When I get there, I think I'll take an overdose of fresh air.
I won't worry any more and live my life without a care.
Maybe plant a garden, raise some cattle and find a wife.
We'll have a whole lot of childern, yea, that'll be my life.

Good-ole
Good-ole
County
County Livin'

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Britesea]

We discovered that there is a tool "library" close by. They accept donations, decent used tools of all types. They sell the extras at the local Farmers Market in order to raise money to buy more tools. You borrow the tools- anything from automotive to plumbing- for a set amount of time, just like a book lending library. It's a great idea. DH is looking over his tools and deciding which ones he will donate. No real worries about donating something he might need, as all he would have to do is borrow it again; and this way he can make a little more room in his very overcrowded shop.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

One small town has a WalMart and all the normal fast food chains, so I dont co sider it small at all, though population is under 7k. The other small down is under 1,000 people and have more bars than anything else, lol. We are smack in the middle.

I try and buy as much local as possible--veggies from the local CSA, honey from the lady that has hives at the local CSA, coffee from the small town coffee shop that roasts their own beans, feed from the feed store in town, milk from one of 3 creameries within 30 min each way. We shop at the two local thrift shops instead of Goodwill and only go to Wal-Mart for things we just can't get elsewhere. I prefer Target IF we are going into MN but sometimes I do have to give in. I do like Aldi more than Wal-Mart but we don't have one close.

 

[CrealCritter]

We discovered that there is a tool "library" close by. They accept donations, decent used tools of all types. They sell the extras at the local Farmers Market in order to raise money to buy more tools. You borrow the tools- anything from automotive to plumbing- for a set amount of time, just like a book lending library. It's a great idea. DH is looking over his tools and deciding which ones he will donate. No real worries about donating something he might need, as all he would have to do is borrow it again; and this way he can make a little more room in his very overcrowded shop.

What a great thing that is

Jesus is Lord and Christ