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A Rural Routine That Defies Time And Calls Attention For The Autonomy, Physical Strength And Clarity Of An Elderly Who Refuses To Exchange The Countryside For The City
Living Alone, taking care of one’s own livestock, preparing one’s own food, and still riding a horse every day is not a common reality for most Brazilians over 80 years of age. However, in the interior of Minas Gerais, this is exactly the routine of José, known by everyone in the region as “Zé Chato”. At 86 years old, he maintains an active life on a six-acre farm, where he does absolutely everything on his own.
Early on, Zé Chato wakes up to take care of the cattle, open gates, check fences, and tend to his animals. Even living alone, he shows no signs of fragility. On the contrary: his posture, sharp memory, and physical disposition catch the attention of those who visit him. According to him, exchanging the countryside for the city would mean “sitting on the couch and losing the right to ask God for health,” something he does not accept.
The information was shared in a video published on YouTube, on a channel dedicated to stories from the countryside, which recorded the farmer’s complete routine, his spontaneous speeches, and technical details of the property, revealing an increasingly rare reality in rural Brazil.
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Daily Work, Own Livestock, and Impressive Numbers
Despite already being in his 86 years, Zé Chato remains responsible for all the production on the farm. He milks four cows, producing between 10 and 12 liters per day, a quantity sufficient for his own consumption and small sales. Part of this milk is turned into artisanal cheese, made by the farmer himself, who jokingly says, “when it turns out well, he made it; when it turns out badly, it was his granddaughter who did it.”
In addition to the cattle, he raises four pigs, raises gentle calves, feeds the animals daily, and even plants corn exclusively for his own use. According to the account, at one point he managed to store 17 sacks of corn, specifically to avoid buying in the city, where the price reached R$ 100 per sack at the end of the year.
Even so, when he needs to expand the pasture, Zé Chato rents areas from his own son, paying R$ 200 per month to keep part of the herd. This close family relationship ensures security but does not interfere with the farmer’s independence, who insists on emphasizing that he lives alone and takes care of everything without regular assistance.
Furthermore, he prepares his own lunch, takes care of the house, organizes the property, and still finds time for small talks with neighbors and visitors, always with good humor and quick responses.
Horse, Mare, Living Memory, and a Way of Life That Resists
Another detail that surprises those who know Zé Chato is his relationship with riding animals. Already at 86 years old, he rides the mare every day, both morning and afternoon, to roam around the farm, check the cattle, and go through the gates. The mare, named Canária, is described as gentle and well-trained, responding to simple voice commands.
In addition to her, the farmer also has a female donkey named Gaúcho, equally mild-mannered, a result of years of experience taming animals. According to Zé, one of the activities he engaged in the most throughout his life was taming horses, donkeys, and cattle, including for work with ox carts, which is now almost extinct.
The farmer’s memory is impressive. He remembers precisely events from decades ago, such as a ox cart parade in 1998, held to raise donations for the local asylum. He can also tell you exactly his date and time of birth: September 19, 1939, at 9 a.m., on a Saturday, information passed on by a midwife of the time.
For Zé Chato, living in the countryside is not just a choice, but a philosophy. He states that he prefers daily work, contact with the earth and animals to any urban comfort. “If I go to the city, what am I going to do? Watch television all day?” he questions, reiterating that constant activity is what keeps his physical and mental health.
And you, would you exchange the comfort of the city for a simple life in the countryside, working every day to maintain health, independence, and dignity even at 86 years old?
Na verdade, tem 86 anos, pois só completa 87 em 19 de setembro de 2026.
87 ou 82 E que quem escreveu foi inteligência artificial maís artificial que inteligente kkkkkk
Que conta mais maluca
Tem 87 anos
As vezes já faz 5 anos que publicaram a matéria kkkk