Just the other day I was riding around on my hunting property, putting out corn for deer. I had stopped the truck several times already to chop limbs and small trees that were hanging over into the road after the storm to clear a few paths where we travel around on the property. It was during the middle of the day, and even though it is early fall now, it’s still pretty hot here in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Even though I was hot, sweaty, dirty, exhausted, and sporting a few new blisters on my hands, I couldn’t help but feel just how lucky and thankful I was for the opportunity to be doing what I was doing out there on a hot sunny Saturday in the fall. During that moment, as I had just hopped back into my truck and was getting ready to drive down to my next deer stand, I remember thinking to myself that there was really no place I would rather be at that date and time than right out there in the middle of the woods.

Spending hours working on a rural property that you own or even have some ownership in can be very rewarding. And I think a large amount of our population may underestimate that, or may just not have had the experience or opportunity to have ever felt it.

That feeling of ownership is something that is hard to explain, really, until you have sacrificed something to have felt it. In one form or fashion, most every landowner has to sacrifice something fairly substantial just to have a little piece of dirt on this big Earth to call his own. But boy can it be so very rewarding.

For example, I could ride around once a week putting out corn, fixing up deer stands and hunting areas, working on roads, gates, and sheds, or drive around a tractor plowing, planting or mowing, and reach a very high level of satisfaction. I could do all of this for a whole season or year, without harvesting a single nice buck, and still not regret the fact that I sacrificed something to have the land to do all of these things on, and the hard work and labor hours that I put into it.

That being said, all of my friends and family can tell you I am an avid hunter and love the opportunity to harvest a nice deer or turkey. However, I’ve found that it’s the hard work and time you put into accomplishing that that makes it so fulfilling and all worth it at the end of the day. Most of this is because just like with anything else, we know that if we put in the hard work and have a passion for something, the results will eventually come.

I use a hunting property just as an example, but there are really so many different possible uses for a rural piece of God’s green earth. Many people enjoy the aspect of a place just to get away and take a nice break from everyday life, and maybe to take their family for enjoyment that only something so natural and pure as woods, dirt and water can provide. The good thing is that in most instances, you’re not limited to what you can or cannot do out there. It’s yours to go enjoy however you may wish.

Whether it’s shooting guns, riding dirt bikes or ATVs, cutting trees, digging or playing in the dirt, fishing or swimming in water, looking for animals, building fires, camping, or just sitting and enjoying quiet peace and serenity, you can do as you please, because after all… THIS IS YOUR LAND.