I spent my teen years growing up on a rural property on the outskirts of Melb. We lived 8kms out of the closest town (Hurstbridge) which didn't have a lot on offer, as gorgeous as it is.
Ok, I grew up in Hurstbridge! It really doesn't have a lot on offer but yes it is gorgeous! (Pac - why didn't we bump into each other as kids? That woulda been awesome!)

HB isn't "rural" and certainly wouldn't be considered a farm community. But - to offer a different perspective - I hated it. Wasn't to bad when we were little but once I hit 12, I joined a large choir and my involvement with them increased as I got older. I hated being so far from all the rehearsals and performances - Thursdays were such a scramble for all of us, my older sister basically had to look after herself until Dad got home or come with me and Mum as we drove for over an hour to get to the rehearsal, I had to get changed into my rehearsal uniform in the car and we always had Maccas as we'd go straight from school to the rehearsal which started at 5pm and finished 9pm and I was always starving. So my involvement there really coloured a lot of my experiences growing up.

It also frustrated me being an hour from the nearest decent shopping centre (using PT) and deciding to go to uni in the city meant an hour plus commute for me. As soon as I could, I moved in closer to the CBD.

So - I really think it depends on your kids. If they are happy being farm kids, then it'll probably work. But it wouldn't have worked for me. I'm not an outdoorsy person, don't really feel the need to "live off the land" (my DH does... he'd love to move to a farm), but maybe if I'd been brought up in that environment it'd be different.

We went out to visit a friend who is pretty rural by my estimate (hi ZF ) and DH was all set to move out there, he loved it. All I could think of was how far it was from the city! I think we will compromise in the near future and buy an acre-ish where we can have a cow, some chickens, some fruit trees and a decent veggie garden but somewhere relatively close to the CBD. There's one little spot we are thinking of