Rayd1978

I live in mid-eastern Nebraska.   Around here it's mostly corn fields and cow pastures.  Soybeans are also fairly popular.   Other crops exist, but are an exception to the general rule.   Most of the state is fairly small towns scattered every 15 miles or so, or about a days ride by horseback.  Not that many people travel by horseback any more, except for fun.  I live near one of the larger towns, 20,000 people, which has a corn processing plant, meat plants, and several manufacturing plants.   Most of the small towns will say they're diverse if they have people of both Swedish and Norwegian ancestry; which is to say we tend to be very white.  The larger towns usually have a fair sized Hispanic population, and there are people from other races/cultures around, but they tend to be a small minority.

Our weather tends to be fairly extreme, with summer highs well over 100F(38C), and winters as low as -40F(-40C).   Rain is either non-existent, or comes down in buckets.  Wind is almost constant, but usually not too bad.   But sometimes it gets terrible and can blow over houses.   More common are tornadoes, which tend to be right around this time of year.  I've been in several, well, near enough to have been in serious danger.   It's something you just get used to, I guess.   They get commented upon, but mostly just hit a corn field and don't do any serious trouble.   Every couple years one hits a populated area, and that tends to make headlines.

Wildlife is somewhat lacking, the bison long gone.   Deer are still around, mostly near the rivers.  Raccoons and skunks are fairly common, and rabbits are everywhere.   Every once in a while is a mountain lion sighting in the area.  Coyotes are supposedly around, but uncommon.  We also get mice, ants, wasps, bees, flies, mosquitoes, ticks, and other vermin, but try not to think about them too much.  We do get part of the Sandhill Crane migration each year, but the majority of that is further west.

Most people are independent, but friendly.  Might live next to someone (next house over, a half-mile down the road) for years and never say hello, but if someone's cows get loose or whatever, everyone pitches in to help without a second thought.  With everything spread out, just about everyone over the age of 16 has their own car, or at least access to one.   Internet and cable TV were uncommon until about 10 years ago, but now you can typically get a cell phone signal in any town.   Are places between towns where might not get a signal, especially in the hills.

Smoking is pretty common, and alcohol use is standard.   Most small towns have several bars, one store, one gas station, and one or two churches.  Are several towns were locals are no longer allowed to drive, so they have a small fleet of driving lawn mowers to get around town.  I'm told opiate use is pretty high, but I havn't encountered it for myself.  Canibis and meth are around, but not particularly common, at least not right where I live.