Are you single in the country? Are you a lonely farmer or rancher? If you are a cowgirl, cowboy, or just a regular old country bumkin, Farmers Only is a dating site that can help match you with the love of your life.
If you are struggling to find the partner of your dreams but would never consider of leaving the countryside to join them on your quest to find true love, with this online dating site, you may not have to. FarmersOnly is a dating an matching site that caters specifically to those who are interested in Rural Dating, Christian Dating, Small Town Dating, and just plain old Country Values.
Farmers Only History and Mission
Brought into the national spotlight by launching a series of YouTube videos in 2007, Farmers Only was launched by Jerry Miller, an agricultural marketing agent in 2005. Jerry lived in the country and saw many of his friends struggle like square pegs in round hole to find love through city singles parties and mainstream dating sites with little to no success.
National media considered the site, at first, to be little more than a hoax, and the ubiquitous country living jokes soon ensued. Now, however, it is estimated that the farmers dating service has over a million users and has seen paid endorsements from celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Carrie Underwood, and even basketball superstar, Carmello Anthony.
City and Rural Folks
Nevertheless, the contest between city folks and rural "folks" continues, and in fact, it had been a well-documented feud throughout history. The educated, "refined" city dweller scoff at the country lifestyle, and the countryman wants nothing to do with the ridiculous city ways. It is an ongoing disagreement that had endured since at least the time of the Greeks, and it has been documented in fables, like The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, one of the more popular tales from Aesop's Fables.
Farmers Only plays on this juxtaposition to attract like-minded clientele to their website and sign up for their dating services. Their member numbers are relatively low compared to Zoosk and other dating sites, but that works in the site's favor. There really is no need for a fancy matching algorithm and member profiles to feature a pretty plain-jane cockpit with access to a secure online chat room and a hot-or-not style "Discovery" game and phone texting services.
City Folks Just Don't Get it: Farming is Hard
Other than that, Farmers Only relies entirely on like-minded people performing manual searches to find relationship naturally. In fact, the company's ads are simple, the services are simple, and heck, even the registration process is simple, offering only a 4-question sign up form so that users are up and running in less than a minute.
Once logged in, the users get an editable username and the option to add more details about themselves, like an avatar, likes and dislike, and other biographical information. And all that simplicity is good, according to Jerry Miller, because farmers and ranchers don't have a lot of free time, they work long hours, and they work on weekends. So simple is kind of a necessity.
LifeStyle
Further, Miller adds in this online article by The Guardian, that many people refer to the area where he lives (America's grain belt) as "flyover country" as they traverse their way from L.A. to New York or Boston and back again. Miller witnessed many friends who were lacking in love struggle with loneliness because they had chosen the "simpler" lifestyle.
Admittedly, a farmer's day is not exactly conducive to dating: get up at the crack of day, feed animals, do barn chores, fix stuff, clear fields, have lunch, plant field, work well into the evening, have a late supper, go to bed early. This may not be true every day, but, you get the general gist of it.
Dating Mobile Apps
That said, though, country folks are just as tech-savvy as the rest of us, and Farmers Only knew that they had to develop a mobile dating platform for both Android and Apple. And it is a good thing that they did, as the mobile apps account for around 2.5 million visitors each month.
Still, the full computer website is true to its roots and still accounts for about 50 percent of logins. And the site itself offers a blog with allegorical and whimsical stories, recipes, farming tips and tricks, and a link to the Farmers Only online store, which features hand gadgets and tools.
The Farmers Only Process: Quick and Simple
The process is really is quite easy, as reported in this article. When you come to the Farmers Onl y website, you will be approached by four questions in order to register: what are your email address, your zip code, age, and sexual orientation of you and the person you want to meet?
After filling out that info, you will be assigned a username and a profile. You may change the profile name or leave it, and you may also you upload a picture and fill out as much information as you are comfortable providing.
Matching Process
As discussed, there is no enhanced matching algorithm. But instead, the site uses a process that is decidedly more granular and manual in nature. The "discovery" feature offers a like-dislike (hot or not) game. This is where you choose to form a basic set of personality traits, and mark them as like or dislike.
From here, your profile is pretty much set up. And you can perform a standard search using a limited set of filters to narrow down your potential matches. The standard search allows you to search by age range and a few other criteria. But filters like marital status, ethnicity, body type, and relationship desired can only be unlocked with a paid account.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly
Search results are, evidently, displayed in groups of 15. And all you have to do is click on a profile to connect with a person you like. (Beware though, if you come on too strong you can be blocked.) Secure online chat also offers a convenient venue for protected conversations online. And a convenient "who's online" menu allows you to monitor your favorite connections.
Advantages
From your console, you can also keep track of likes, dislike, and passes, and other sections include an email inbox. Also, a list of who has been checking out your profile online, a link to the Farmers Only store, and a link to the FarmPhone service. It transforms site messages into phone texts for a monthly service fee.
Everything on the Farmers Only website is laid out in a simple and easy-to-read manner. And registration is quick and easy (though some reviewers claim it is a little too easy). The site has a lot going for it, which helps to explain its longevity.
The Cost of Farmer Online Romance
A Premium FarmersOnly.com membership has a going rate of $21.95 per month. But, if you pay for three months upfront you'll save 10%, for a total cost of $39.95. Moreover, 6 months in advance costs just $65.95, according to one reviewer's website.
One thing to watch out for, however, is that regardless of your membership option the site will automatically bill the credit card on file unless access is canceled in advance of the renewal date. Farmers Only offers no refunds for missed cancellations, and once membership is canceled, your account stays intact but reverts to the free version.
It is worth noting as well that Farmers Only claims to enforce a strict privacy policy and uses industry-standard hardware and software to ensure the privacy of its users, their personal information, and their correspondence. Indeed, Ask Men online gives them an 8 out of ten for safety in their review.
Don't City Folks get It, Though?
But, for one reviewer, safety also translates to the big burly arms of a farmer. According to Carolyn Castiglia, a self-admitted city girl, and blogger, there is a real and universal appeal to the thought of having a meaningful relationship with a rugged farmer of high moral fiber.
In her article on Your Tango, she relays her thoughts the romanticized notion of living the simple life. That is plowing the fields, planting his crops, tending herds, and putting family first. In fact, this glossy view of farming has been popularized by TV shows like Green Acres, the Ranch, and Heartland.
What She Did
And, even though Farmers Only boasts that "city folk just don't get it," she thought she clearly did. So much did she get it that she decided to set up an account. And right away she found guys on that she thought "were legit hard-working blue-collar guys who like ridin' four-wheelers and fixin' busted cars."
Carolyn goes on to say that, by and far, most profiles that were matched to her profile talked about emotional intimacy. And she was particularly enamored with one young man who spoke being able to shoe one's softer side in public.
Not Everyone Loves a Farmer
But not everyone is so accepting of the profiles they have found on Farmers Only. And one site even all but condemns the dating service based on its poor web traffic, and "non-existent security measures."
Best Company sites a lack of profile verification, bot profiles, and catfishing scheme as an epidemic on Farmers Only. And review site further maintains that the internal interface "looks like it hasn't been updated in 15 years." Moreover, they claim that the mobile app keeps crashing and is all but useless.
Below, their list of faults leaves little room for praise. And in fact, the only praise received was that the site had successfully narrowed the dating pool to make it easier for farmers to find farmers.
- Poorly designed site
- No messaging with a free account
- Expensive for limited features
- No matching algorithm
- Low traffic volume
- Low user volume
- Poor safety features
- No verification
- Negative mobile app reviews
While these findings are in sharp contrast to most reviews we have seen, it is not out of the realm of possibilities, especially when dealing with an antiquated site and potentially aging technologies.
Other Reviews
The realities of using any dating site or social site, for that matter, is that the person you are talking to on the other end is not who they claim to be. We strongly encourage you to do your due diligence and ask a lot of questions online. Also, on the phone, and even in person before you commit to a relationship. If you are initially skeptical or feel some unexplained apprehension about something, it may be for good reason.
Dating is hard. And an online dating site may make it more convenient, but dating sites are not magic pills for successful relationships. They are tools to help you form connections. Farmers Only has seen some success, but that doesn't mean you don't still have to protect yourself. You wouldn't go into a crowded grocery store and shout you a physical address to everyone there. So don't feel obligated to do it in a chatroom.
Farmers Only Wrap-up
Since FarmersOnly success, many competitors have popped up around the web as rival dating sites. ChristianMingle, Zoosk, Farmers Meet, Farmers Only Dating, Redneck and Single, and Hillbilly Dating are just a few of the competitors.
However, farmers and country folk alike are, admittedly, creatures of habit. And Miller's rural dating site and its cheeky back-country-centric Youtube videos are unlikely to be dethroned by these other niche competitors.
Although Farmers Only doesn't have deep pockets or a fancy matching algorithm like Zoosk, the site has been connecting rural folks. For over a decade with the easy-to-use, simple, intuitive matching website.
And that, no doubt, is exactly what Jerry Miller intended.
Featured Image is via free images (logo, text and banner added)
