A rich man is not he who has a lot, but he who needs little.
>A rich man...who needs little
This guy is rich in several ways. A farm in Wales is still a pretty valuable asset, especially in a valley rather than on a hill. Owning a farm gives you a lot of financial independence, which can take a lot of stress away!
It was a lovely article, but...An old country man told me that the three rarest things were
1) a dead donkey 2) a red headed parson 3) a contented farmer
Here are the tests I would apply before I would agree he had reached some zen state of contentedness
1) how would he feel if a parcel of land came up for sale next to his. Would he itch to buy it. Most farmers would move heaven and earth.
2) How would he feel about me walking through his fields to share what he has got?
3) Is his stocking rate excessive?
4) If someone told him that by managing his flock differently he could damage the ground less and improve water quality in the river, would he take that advice?
5) If there was an awkward corner of his land next to my house that was not useful to him, but it was perfect for me, would he sell it to me at a fair price?
6) Why is there no succession plan. When he dies his sister will move into a home and the farm will be liquidated, the flock of sheep sold, the land broken up, the house sold off...because he didn't let anyone else in.
I'm afraid I have met enough like him to remain cynical.
Most of us race to increase our passive income, when maybe the healthiest choice would be to run to decrease our expenses.
I imagine the farmer you're telling us about doesn't want attention, material possessions, or any kind of excess at all. This person is happy to build something slowly over time, in small increments. They're happy with what they have, who they are, and that they exist.
I think there are elements in your portrayal that we can all strive for, whether this person was a farmer, carpenter, or programmer, doesn't really matter.