Looking back to the beginning of this thread, I think you have got to go when you are ready.

I enjoyed my work in the electronics industry, but my health put me out of that. My husband enjoyed his work, but he was made redundant, so that was that. Our son tried indoor work but hated it, and went for forestry, and now we have followed him into running a family forestry business in our 50s.

We also had the dream when we were young; in those days it was 'the Good Life', and a few magazines which seem to have become defunct in the intervening years. We managed to get a 1/3 acre plot with house, and have been sporadically growing fruit and veg, but valuing our freedom to do other things, we have never got animals.

Basically, if you hate your work, think about changing, either to a job you can enjoy, or taking the plunge. It is hard work, muddy, wet, cold, and filling in paperwork, looking for work/markets, and something eating your hard won crops drives you up the wall.

Best of luck to all of you.

I've never met anyone who regretted getting out of the city. Besides, you can always visit the city for a weekend, you can't 'visit' a way of life.

Debbie quoted her Mum as saying 'not everyone can be happy' (my mum too!) but only people who have regrets say that. I intend to be happy as much as I can, no apologies.
No matter what you do, someone will give you a negative opinion. But thats all it is - their opinion. Age dosen't matter, if anything, at least if you don't like it you are still young enough to go back.

Go for it, think of it as an adventure, take one day at a time, and laugh at your mistakes...(then tell us so we can laugh too ) The very best of luck.

I have just picked up on this thread and have found the range of views both interesting and informative. We are in our early 50s and are looking a couple of years into the future when kids (well I call them kids but they are a bit beyond that really) have finally got to the stage where our location is not so crucial for getting to college etc. So I am hoping that at that time we can make a move.

As somebody said above you have to go at the right time. That's what we are going to work towards. We are in good steady jobs but really do want something different. Yes there will be pressure and stress - that's just life, but we've already got that anyway.

What I do beleive that is no experience is wasted. I am slightly jealous of those who have made the move when they are younger, but that is not the way that our lives have gone so I will settle for what we can plan and work towards.

Hemelquin, having made the move about the same age as you, there are plusses and minuses. To go on the self sufficiency route or work on the land needs a reasonable amount of physical fitness. On the other hand, you usually have a bit more money and experience behind you. All the best to you for the future.

I think part of the problem is that people still are driven by the old Protestant Work Ethic and feel deep down inside that you stick to the job you know and keep on at it for the rest of your working life. Wrong. These days you can change tracks as often as you like (within reason). So if you start with the country living and it doesn't work for you, you are still young enough to change careers and go back to the rat race if that is your comfort zone. My breaking point was realising that I was earning enough to pay someone else to live my life for me. OK having a cleaner and a gardener and someone to do the ironing is nice. But what that really reflects is that your job has taken over your life and as well as the necessary evils, you don't have time for the more pleasurable things in life.

So go for it while you are young and can change your mind, or wait until you are of an age where all that work has produced sufficient capital for you to do it in style.

I think the point about the job is whether you enjoy it. I enjoyed by 'normal' job but had to give up through ill health. I did get someone to do the cleaning, but I don't enjoy that and I'm not that good at it.

If you're happy living your new life, that's great. Nobody but you can make the decision about what you do. Good luck to you Ozzibain.

Do it when your young you will have more energy and time to get another life if it all goings pear shaped.

True Castle Farm, but a number of people in their 50s get made redundant, get restless, and often have enough behind them to buy the land, take a risk etc.

And I, being in my 50s have found it does wonders for your health too (at least your mental health - none of that stress that a management role forces upon you whether you want it or not. I have lost weight (needed to do that) without dieting, am more flexible and have identified a number of other health benefits along the way. You just have to remain aware that your body is an aging machine though, and things can go wrong. So don't bite off something that will be a burden if your health goes downhill.

Only just found this thread and couldn't resist putting in my threepennyworth!

I've always lived in the country but worked in the town in office/secretarial type jobs (because that's what girls did when I left school). When our daughter was around 10 my mother in law died leaving us some money. We bought a 6 acre field in the next village for daughter's pony. This meant a 1.5 mile journey each way but was the only land we could find. That was 20 years ago. Over the years I got a few sheep and had lambs, then some Kune Kune pigs, some Dexter cows. At home I had some hens free ranging in the garden. This was all gradually built up over the 20 years and we were still working full time. In 2008 the house (ex Council house) next to our field came on the market. We managed to sell our 4 bed detached house and buy it. I retired (aged 60!) in August and am now fully living the 'good life'.

I wish we could have done this earlier because although I love every minute and especially appreciate having time to do things properly, instead of having to rush around watching the clock, I do not have the energy I had 20 years ago.

If its what you really want and if you do appreciate that you will have no money and will always be tired then go for it as soon as you can. Do not leave it until you are too old to properly enjoy it. I am enjoying it but realise that realistically in 10 years time it will probably be all over as we won't be able to manage the heavy work involved.

Life is very short - don't waste it doing something when you'd rather be doing something else.

Di

you only get one life so live it,if it doesn't work out at least you tried,better than in 20/30 years time wishing you had gone for it and didn't

I've done everything at warp speed - I was a building manager looking after 117 brand new high-end manchester apartment by age 20 and I could see a lucrative and glamourous but stressful and dull life yawning out before me...I imagined the next 50yrs sat behind that desk/on the bus...before retiring to a croft. I spent every day obsessing about clothes and calories. So I decided that, OK, I may not be able to afford that croft, or a house, or land etc. But there was no garantee I ever would, or that I wouldn't get run over by a bus before I retired etc etc, and I could compromise a bit and make a start now and ENJOY the next 50yrs instead - and binned it.

I rent land, I don't live in an area I ever wanted to, I can't afford all the pedigree herefords I want and sometimes I think about my old paycheques and shed a little tear...but I'm doing what I love and it's nice enough here and 100% preferable to being back in Manchester. Besides, I reckon with the recession my nonjob would have been out the window anyway at least in farming you know that people always gotta eat!

If you know that is the way to go at an early age, and you don't like your job, fine. We all have to do our own thing when we are ready I think.