Why would you move to the middle of farmland if you are scared of farm animals?

[RocketPanda]

I live in the countryside, surrounded by fields and until recently my nearest neighbour was a distant speck.
There was a derelict house that has been bought and renovated and I met my new neighbours yesterday. There's a big field between our houses and they asked was it used for animals. I said yes in the spring it usually has cows and calves in it. The husband said There better not be because he and their children are terrified of cows and big animals and can just about cope with hearing my donkeys.

Why on earth would you choose to move here then?

I think some people expect the countryside to be like a Pinterest page on Cottagecore. In reality it's not a the right place for everyone.

🤣

They'll just have to get used to it. You move to the country, you get country.

Regarding the earlier Escape to the Country reference, I sometimes wonder how some of them get on when they find out how much work it takes to maintain that kind of land they buy.

There are a lot of numpties about.

Our new neighbours are very concerned about the stray cats around a farm they've moved next door to. I've tried to explain the concept of farm cats. I know these cats get fed but they are kept in the barns to keep down the mice. This lady gets very anxious for them and has started feeding them. She keeps saying, 'but who is responsible for them?! Why's no-one calling the RSPCA?' I can't keep repeating myself. I'm so sick of talking about the bloody cats! It's a wheat farm! There are mice everywhere! She also doesn't like the enormous vehicles which 'shake her house'.

Absolutely everyone should be slightly scared of being in a field with cows. They're lovely animals, but their sheer size makes them dangerous, and fatal accidents regularly happen.

Presumably they're not living in the field with the cows just next door to them. They don't need to come into contact with them.

I got chased by sheep once, they had lambs and were very aggressive. It was out in open countryside not in a field. Definitely a bit scary in the moment (a bit like the film 'The Birds' with sheep in the staring roll), I'm now also very wary of sheep with young as well as cows. But not frightened of them in general.

I don't mind cows at all, grew up surrounded by farm land. Geese on the other hand are far scarier.

One of my earliest memories is a flock of sheep following the milkman to our house and trying to get in. It was a very remote settlement in Cumbria. I have never been scared of farm animals though.

I got knocked over when I was about 12 by a sheep it headbutted me in the stomach.

You have my dream life!

Bison

Most of the people moving out from urban to rural areas love it and cope absolutely fine. There are a smaller number who did not think carefully enough before they moved. There have been various mumsnet threads on this which have included how to stop a neighbour keeping bees, concerns around cockerels and hens and geese. As for cows, they are lovely creatures but be wary they can also be quite dangerous. I believe I am right in saying that statistically more people die from being crushed by cows than from contact with any other animal- far more than from dangerous dogs for example. So I would always make sure that they are given appropriate space. and never walk too close.

Love that 😁

People are stupid, that's simple.

The problem is when stupid people are given a voice! They are allowed to dislike country animals, farm vehicles, farm schedule, bells etc. What should NOT happen is to change, or try to compromise, farm life, remove bells that have been ringing for centuries.

We are even more stupid than they are by letting them having an impact.

I'd say I'm wary about cows. When I was young I used to ride a cow when my uncle brought the cows in for milking. I also remember having to herd cows out of my grandparent's garden after they broke in.

Of course people should be wary of cows. But they shouldn't move to the country and then be outraged at them being there!

That's nuts! But surely this is their chance to become accustomed to those animals whilst viewing safely from behind a fence??

It would be worth every penny!!

Deranged. If seeing cows from their window upsets them, what on earth are they doing there?

I don't think you can conflate living in the country with loving and tolerating all animals. However, he was out of line with his comment and they should have made enquiries before purchasing their property.

My grandparents had cows and my grandma was scared of cows, she hated milking her on her own. The cow would bully her and pin her against the wall when she was in a bad mood and she'd scream her head off and my grandad would have to run and rescue her!

DP's mum had horses but he was always scared of them.

Chickens scare me to this day 😅

The husband saying "There'd better not be"...

I'd love to know what he'll say or do if/when there are cows and calves in the field come spring.

If you remember, OP, could you return to the thread and update us, pretty please?

Most of the people moving out from urban to rural areas love it and cope absolutely fine

Yes this. I know several families who have done that move very happily (and did their homework first).

Agree too there's a smaller number of people who move somewhere and expect it to change for them.

Happens both ways, not only urban to rural. In cities, some people move there from rural areas - to places with flourishing nightlife... and then complain about the nightclub that's been there for decades and they've moved above or next door to.

Op do update even if it's next summer!!