The hygiene hypothesis, as it’s called, says that our immune system needs to spar with relatively harmless germs and foreign substances in its earliest years so it can calibrate itself. Or in other words, growing up in a “dirtier” environment such as a farm actually boosts our immune system and physical health. Plenty of research has shown that growing up in rural environment is associated with lower rates of autoimmune disorders, but now a new study has found that it might even be better for our mental health. Take a look here to see why kids raised on farms are healthier in two important ways.