Living the country lifestyle has been a way of life for many and a dream for many more.

As agriculture changes with the times so has the countryside.

Where there were once modest farm houses every quarter of a mile, now, it’s not uncommon to see large, modern and extravagant houses scattered across the landscape.

Even in times of $12 soybeans and $9 wheat, these aren’t the homes of successful farmers.

Instead, they’re the homes of doctors and lawyers and successful businessmen and women who are trading the hustle and bustle of the city for a calmer, more relaxed rural setting.

One of the areas that has seen its fair share of urbanites moving to the country is in Douglas County, Kan.

According to Bill Wood, Douglas County K-State Extension ag agent, every year more land is taken out of production agriculture each year in his area.

“In 1987 there were 224,000 farm acres in Douglas County,” Wood explains. “In 2006 there were 202,000 farm acres.”

In that 19-year period, Wood says, one percent of the farm ground in Douglas County was lost.

“Not all of the land is being taken out of agriculture to build homes on but a percentage of it is,” he says.

According to him, developing new highways and roads as well as business development have taken a fair share of acres out of production agriculture.

“Even though one percent may not seem like a lot in 19 years I don’t think this will slow down,” Wood says. “We are right in the middle of Topeka and Kansas City and land is available here.”

Wood feels that, on average, when someone new moves from the city to the country they are purchasing around 40 acres of land to build on.

According to him, the homes they’re building range from $150,000 to multi-million dollar houses.

All of these new, urban-oriented neighbors only add to the changes and challenges of farmers and ranchers who have lived in the country for generations.