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At 70 Years Old, Mr. João Dias Wakes Up Early, Cooks on the Wood Stove, Raises Animals, Grows Beans and Cassava, and Lives in Peace on a Farm 8 km from the City, Showing That Happiness Also Resides Outside Modern Rush
In times of fast-paced living, screens dominating daily life, and relationships increasingly mediated by technology, the story of Mr. João Dias, known in the region as Mr. Joãozinho do Marimbondo, stands out precisely for going against the grain. At 70 years old, he lives alone on a simple farm in Bairro Marimbondo, rural area of São Pedro da União, in southern Minas Gerais, about 8 kilometers from the city. There, surrounded by chickens, pigs, a garden, a wood stove, and farming tools, he maintains a way of life that resists time.
The routine starts early. Mr. João wakes up around 6 a.m., prepares his own coffee, takes care of the animals, tends to the garden, does his own laundry, cooks his own food, and organizes every corner of the farm. He goes to bed early, around 8 p.m. or 8:30 p.m., and maintains a steady work rhythm, even though he is retired. For him, standing still is not an option.
The story gained attention after being recorded on video by a local channel that visits rural communities to showcase simple characters from the Brazilian interior. The information was shared by an independent rural content channel, which highlighted Mr. João’s life as an example of simplicity, autonomy, and tranquility in the countryside.
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A Lifetime in the Countryside and the Conscious Choice to Live Alone
Born and raised on the Marimbondo Farm, Mr. João never left there. He was born in a mud house, where he lived for decades, and spent his whole life working on the land, weeding, planting, raising animals, and providing for the family. Unlike many siblings, he never got married — a personal choice, he says, made calmly and without regrets.
Throughout the conversation recorded in the video, Mr. João explains that he had some relationships with women but chose not to pursue them further. For him, peace is worth more than conflict. “Once you start fighting, it doesn’t work,” he sums up, with the simple wisdom of someone who has learned by observing life around him.
This decision is also linked to another significant chapter in his story: the care for his parents until the end of their lives. When his mother and father grew old, Mr. João stayed on the farm to take care of them. His father passed away about 18 years ago, and his mother, 4 years ago. While his siblings were already married, he took on this responsibility naturally, sharing the care with his sister Maria.
This period further solidified his connection to the land and the home where he was born. Everything there has history: the granary, the pigpen, the wood stove, the pan for frying meat in fat, the hanging tools, and even the mancebo, an old utensil used to pound grains, now rare to see.
Self-Sufficiency, Daily Work, and Knowledge of the Land
Even living alone, Mr. João does not depend on anyone to keep the farm running. He has been cooking since he was 15 years old, a skill learned from his mother, and prepares simple meals like beans, cassava, fried pork in fat, and free-range chicken. He primarily uses the wood stove, both for cooking and for heating the space on cold days.
In farming, he raises chickens, cares for the chicks from birth, protects them from predators, builds simple structures with cans and wood, and performs the manual management as has always been done in the countryside. He also raises pigs for fattening, keeping the pigsties clean and organized.
In the crops, Mr. João plants carioca beans, cassava, okra, cane, and other crops for personal consumption. In one of the harvests shown in the video, he estimated harvesting almost half a bag of beans, a quantity sufficient to last a good part of the year. When necessary, he replants during the dry season, following the traditional agricultural calendar.
Additionally, he takes care of the garden, the flowers, cuts firewood, does laundry, sweeps the yard, and organizes each space of the farm. He walks barefoot almost all the time, an old habit of someone who grew up in the countryside and feels more comfortable in direct contact with the earth.
Despite the simplicity, Mr. João does not live isolated from the world. He has a television, watches mass and soap operas, but does not use a cell phone and does not have his own internet. For him, excessive technology is more of a hindrance than help. He prefers conversation, visits, the silence of the countryside, and the sounds of animals.
Tranquility, Natural Risks, and a Way of Life That Endures
Life in the countryside also has its risks, and Mr. João knows this. He reports the occasional presence of snakes, such as rattlesnakes, as well as wild animals common in the region. Nonetheless, he keeps the farm clean, organized, and observes the necessary precautions during his work in the fields.
Even with these challenges, he claims to live peacefully, without conflicts, without rush, and without external interferences. No one “bothers him,” as he puts it, and he also does not disturb anyone. This tranquility is noted by many visitors as one of the greatest treasures of his life choice.
Throughout the recording, residents of the region and followers of the channel emphasize that stories like Mr. João’s are living relics of rural Brazil. A way of life that is disappearing but still endures in small farms, far from the major urban centers.
More than a curiosity, Mr. João Dias’ journey transforms into a true portrait of Brazilian rural simplicity, based on daily work, autonomy, respect for time, and conscious choices. In an increasingly fast-paced world, his story raises an inevitable question: is living less connected and more rooted, for some, the true definition of happiness?
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