Farmer Dating

*Warning this blog post contains spoilers*

We’ve been enjoying watching the new TV series Love in the Countryside for two weeks now and the show has highlighted some of the aspects of dating a farmer, that many people might not understand.

It’s hard to meet people

Lots of the single people who are feature on the programme highlighted the fact that it is difficult to meet people in the countryside, especially if you are a farmer. Farmhand, Buzz says “everyone knows each other”, before joking that there’s always the worry that you’ll accidentally date your cousin, or your cousin’s cousin. Livestock farmer Richard said that it was particularly hard for gay people in rural areas as he has to travel for more than two hours to go to a gay bar.

The difficulty in meeting someone when you see the same faces every week, is one the reasons that Emma and Lucy set up Muddy Matches. They wanted to create a website where farmers and country-minded people could meet other people who understand the country way of life.

You might not have home comforts

Fast broadband, central heating and reliable mobile phone signal are all things that most people take for granted, but in really remote areas you might not have the typical home comforts that you are used to. We’d love all rural singles to be able to access Muddy Matches to find their ideal countryside match, but sometimes it’s a matter of standing on top of a hill to get signal of any kind. However, it’s all worth it if farming is in your blood.

Farming stays with you

Each year thousands of people leave the countryside to working in towns and cities across the UK, Ireland and across the world. Ed’s date Rebecca moved over to Hong Kong to study, but the lure of the British countryside and the farming life that she left behind encouraged her to apply for the show.

You have to make time for love

When sheep and cattle farmer Christine talks about meeting people, she says that she is concerned about leaving her farm during calving time. As important as it is to look after your farm, it is also important to look after yourself and to meet someone special by finding a trusted person to look after your farm.