If you’re not already following Ruralist.ca, what the heck are you waiting for? I kid. But seriously, it’s a fantastic website that promises to grow up to be truly great.

I like to compare it to Etsy: Ruralist.ca will be to rural Ontario what Etsy is to all things handmade.

It begins with an online magazine, where you can see a curated selection of the best of what rural Ontario has to offer. Then, coming soon, is the List (RuraList, get it?), which integrates micro sites for the featured shops and shopping capabilities! For more on the List, check out what the Ruralists have to say about it.

Erin Roy and Erin Samuell have teamed up to make Ruralist.ca a reality. Erin Roy is the numbers and business whiz and Erin Samuell the photographic and graphics genius. I am lucky enough to know both of them, and I was invited to hear their ideas and contribute my opinion since the idea of the Ruralist was born several months ago.

I have also been editing many of the magazine posts and consulting on things like social media and web design, in an unofficial behind-the-scenes capacity. But, as of last week, I am no longer behind the scenes at Ruralist.ca. I am the summer intern!

That means that I can significantly expand my involvement in this exciting project, receive school credit for it, and dive in to help Erin and Erin as they ramp up the site in preparation for the unveiling of the List. They needed a third person and I was eager for an internship, and one day, something shifted and we realized I could come aboard in an official capacity in a way that would be beneficial to everyone involved.

And voila, here we are: I’m officially a Ruralist! Head over to Ruralist.ca to read my welcome.

Here’s a bit more about the Ruralist: