A year-and-a-half ago my husband, son, and I moved to Southampton County from Hampton.

The reason we moved was to own some land and start a Christmas tree farm, carrying on a family tradition.

Since we’ve been here, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting many different people, but the one question that seems to be on all of their minds is, “What made you choose Southampton County?”

Let me see if I can put it into words. Everyone we pass in the car waves. We never walk into Ace Hardware without being greeted and asked if we need help finding anything. We love the enjoyment of going into Mabel’s Barber Shop in Franklin and hearing a good story, some which could curl your hair.

Here are some more reasons:

Meeting and greeting folks at the snack bar in Parker’s Drug Store

Going into For Pete’s Sake restaurant in Courtland after church on Sunday and seeing all the regulars

Having a drink at the bar in Fred’s and reading all of the heartfelt messages written there after the flood

Finding some of the best fried chicken at Bill’s Grill in a Sunoco station

Attending local events like We Be Jammin’ and the Fall Festival, not to mention the County Fair

Enjoying a personal tour of the agricultural museum at Heritage Village by a gentleman who has real passion for the collection.

Sitting in a pew at Franklin Baptist Church, enjoying a concert by the Community Choir

Good food, good music and great people at events out at the Bronco Club

Visiting friends downtown at the Franklin Farmers’ Market and seeing the beautiful horse farms around the area

I could go on and on listing reasons we chose this area, but you should already know.

Maybe people who have been here all of their lives take all of this for granted, but I can assure you, you don’t find this sort of lifestyle everywhere. Whenever we go back to Hampton and have to deal with the traffic, crowded stores and rude public servants, we can’t believe we ever lived there at all, and we can’t wait to get back home.

When it comes right down to it, however, we only need sit on our back porch in the evening and look out over our farm. With the distant sound of train whistles, we love to “listen” to the quiet serenity that is to us Southampton County.