How to earn a living in the country without farming

This book is repository of ideas for gaining a cash income as country folk. In the first part of the book, Osgood discusses the temperament necessary to make a go of it in the country. He stresses that country living isn't for everyone because of the hard work and skills that are required. A person who chooses to live in the country has to be self-disciplined, resourceful and creative. Osgood reviews some reasons why people might want to move to the country, and gives a few examples of people who have done so successfully. Following this introduction, Osgood turns to enumerating a variety of jobs, professions, and occupations that country people have used to earn a living. His discussion is based on the results he received from surveys distributed to people living in rural areas. These jobs are organized into several groups, including: wages and factory jobs, services and business, professions, arts and crafts, and products from the land. He points out that if you're going to work outside of your home, remember to find housing close to the job, since automotive costs can be quite expensive and there is little public transportation available in rural areas. Since rural wages are usually low, such costs can eat up an inordinate chunk of wages. One couple that he interviewed gave some wise advice, "In the first place, don't think of yourself as a specialist, but cultivate a wide range of abilities so that if one of your attempts at earning a living fails, you can fall back on other competencies." They went on to say "Simplify your way of life and dramatically cut your income requirements." Osgood suggests that if you run your own business, keep it small, so that you don't need to hire outside help (which can be expensive, and also make your business subject to OSHA regulations). Each section of the book is rounded out with examples of people who have created their own niche in the country, from rural garage mechanic to freelance photographer to dressmaker. At the end of the book are an annotated list of resources for country living and an index.