I live in the Wheat Capital of the World, and I couldn’t be more proud. Yes, things may be a little slower around here, but it’s far from boring. My family and I live on 82 acres of fertile Kansas soil, and we lease 50-some to a local farmer. We enjoy eggs from our free-range hens, venison from free-range whitetail, and will soon enjoy beef and pork from animals that we’ve cared for and raised. We live what I consider a “rural lite” lifestyle. Our neighbors are career farmers, but we only earn a small portion of our income off the land. I’ve come to love this life, despite how difficult it can be. Our girls frequently run barefoot through the grass and muck, and have been known to engage in some epic mud fights. The wind blows so fiercely that we can sometimes barely open our front door, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Here, you’ll find firsthand accounts of what life is like in the country.