My wife and I have been thinking hard lately about an acreage around Springfield.  Not too far outside of the city so she can still have and do her nice city things but it is outside enough that it has these new experiences for us:

Propane tank.
Septic tank.
Community well.
Small community of 24 total homes to be built.
Stunning Platte River view.

What wisdom can you all impart to me about living like this?  I certainly don't mind a little work taking care of the land, it's a bit over 3 acres.  What sorts of things am I not aware of that will inconvenience or kill me out there?  Internet suck or does Century Link Prism work out there?  Wife has to remote in to work quite a bit so that is a valid concern for her.

So am I screwed?  Too soft to hack living like a real man?  In for the most awesome experience of my life?

Thanks everyone!

Id check to see if there is a Home Owners Association setup. While they do keep the place looking nice with rules, they can also limit what outdoor activities you can enjoy.  Stuff like no farm animals, noise restrictions, building restrictions.

Septic tank isn't to bad they have to be pumped every now and then. The better you treat the system the better it will serve you. Learn to compost your table scraps so they don't go down the sink disposer. Try to limit your bleach use.

What is the propane going to be used for? Ours is used for heat, hot water, and cooking. This winter it was filled November first and lasted to the end of Feb. We have a 500 gallon tank but they only fill them to 80% (400 gallon) to leave room for expansion. Propane was 75  cents a gallon when it was filled in Nov. When we had it filled at the end of Feb it was 85. Generally you want to have your tank filled in the late summer / fall before they start drying corn. Its like anything when the demand goes up so does the price.

Do you like the amenities of living in town?  Like quick trips to the store?  You will quickly learn to plan for trips and groceries, etc.
Do your research on the internet thing.  Hardwire may be available.  Not all satellite offerings are the same.  Contact the public service commission for all providers in your area.
Snow moving?  We do our own now.
Do you have kids?  Plan on ways to entertain them.  We live in a rural development that has kids in their class.  Play together all the time.
Is the association active?  Is there somebody that is trying to run the association?  Or is it more laid back or not existent?
Have you done a perc test on your property?  Or are you buying a pre-existing home?  If pre-existing, verify that the septic is working.
Community well.....how is this maintained?  What will be future costs when things need replaced?

Thanks for the questions and insights so far.

We will be building new.  The neighborhood just got started about two years ago.  Looks like a farmer sold off the land and a developer got it rezoned for residential.

There is an HOA.  I don't know anything about it's members at this time but I have read the rules and for the most part they seem to be geared towards keeping it like a nice and quiet little rural place.  I didn't see anything I had a problem with.  One plus is that the family next door to the lot I want is an FFL!  

One real estate lady was telling us that septic would add about $15K to the construction cost.  She didn't seem to know too much other than that so I think she must have been talking about an ATU system from what I've read.  Gravity systems sound like they're less than $5K but I haven't spoken to a professional just yet so my knowledge is limited there.  Anyone know much about the different types?

Propane it looks like would run the heater/fireplace/hot water.  Not 100% sure.  I just saw tanks next to the few houses that are already there but I haven't researched much beyond that.  Online searching seems to indicate a 500gal above ground system is usually $2-4K.  That sound right?

The well thing is something I need to learn more about.  I know it's a community well and I'd bet that maintenance and such would be divided by the homeowners.  How do they measure and bill for water usage then if it's not a utility?  Do you essentially get it for free after you pay your hookup fees?  That sounds like a too good to be true type of thing so I probably sounded very naive right there.

Town isn't that far really.  Yes, we'd have to plan a little bit better but my wife keeps a good pantry anyway and I've bailed her out a time or two from my "downstairs pantry".    It's only about 6-7min to the interstate or about 15min tops to Gretna.  We wouldn't be TOO far out in the sticks.

Rick:  You raised one of my concerns: The gravel road in winter.  There is about 1mi of this before reaching Buffalo Rd which is paved nicely.  I have a 4x4 truck and my wife has an awd Explorer but is the ice/snow on those things really that much worse?  You mentioned the frost coming out of the road in the spring.  Does that just make the road squishy and sloppy or is it it's own kind of slippery like no other you've driven before?  I kind of worry about my wife on stuff like that...

Thanks again everyone.  Please continue to reduce my ignorance as we contemplate this choice.  I really appreciate the help!

I am 5 minutes to a small town.
I am 20 minutes to downtown Lincoln.
That quick trip to the store is 45 minutes to an hour.

That whole community well thing may not be a bad thing.
I would have a lot of questions to get comfortable.
Water quality regulations keep changing, though.
Ask a lot of questions about permits, water quality, maintenance, new equipment, etc.

Septic is only workable after a successful perc test.
Get a reputable guy to do the test if you go that route.
3 out of 5 houses in my development have septic.
There lots were in the better soil.
2 of the three had to extend their systems because they were not working properly.
Either the perc test was "fudged" or the system was too short to begin with.
We have a lagoon.
A close in lagoon will be around the same cost as a septic system.
The further away from the house you go with the lagoon, the deeper it will be and dollars go up.