Darby Rural is a place where real life happens.  Rural Life. 
We are passionate about Rural Life, Small Town Life and the Good Old Days.  The values, wisdom and quality of life experienced in rural areas, small towns and in the past can affect the world in powerful ways that should not be ignored.  This site has been created to glean the ideals from rural life and apply them today and in the future, no matter where we live. 

What is the rural ideal?

1. Awareness of your role in a greater story
2. Live simply in the country or a small town (or want to)
3. Care about and participate in the lives of neighbors (not about proximity)
4. Self sufficient and hard working
5. Demonstrate a conscious effort to promote and protect rural values

We hope to create a community where we can discover and share the benefits of rural life together.  This will happen when people work together in relationships where they expect to give and receive.  We are calling this community Fort Darby.  For now, it is a place to belong to that exists mostly in our hearts and minds.  It is a common bond that connects us no matter where we are physically.  We are currently developing a virtual location that will provide vision and momentum.  When the time comes, we will work together to build a real place; a community with an address and buildings.  Until then, live it where you find yourself and visit us every Friday afternoon from 4:30 - 6:00.  Fort Darby, a place where people work and play together, sharing life in all its wonder.

Please enjoy the site and contribute whatever you can:
Opportunities for you

• Decide why rural life is important and valuable to you.
• Commit to living your rural life intentionally wherever you go.
• Look for opportunities to discuss the significance of rural life.
• Encourage others to live their rural life with intention.
• Foster and protect rural life in your community.

More Tangible Opportunities

• Send us a note or a story about your rural life (you do not have to live in the country).  It can be a story from your past.
• Share wisdom (quotes or anecdotes) you have gained from rural living (This can be from neighbors, friends and relatives, even choice tidbits you have read).
• Send us pictures of your rural life past or present (black and white acceptable).
• Tell us about people you think epitomize rural living.
• Interview people who remember the good old days and send in the results.  Email Old Days Stories
• Volunteer to help in your community
• Donate money to our rural education fund (starting December 1, 2007):  these funds will be used to offset costs for 4H groups, FFA clubs in local schools and fund college scholarships for kids from our community who would like to pursue agriculturally related careers.  Checks made out to Darby Rural Education Fund.
• Help us find land.  We are looking for 50 - 100 acres for the future Fort Darby.  Our current budget is very small.  You are welcome to contribute to that as well (starting January 1, 2007).  As of now, we are basically looking for free land from someone who believes in the cause!  Checks made out to Fort Darby Property Fund.
• Recommend resources.  As we build our community, we are looking for rurally minded business that live up to the rural ideal.  We will evaluate these businesses for qualification and add them to our resource page. 
• Send us your ideas for how Darby Rural can foster and protect rural life.