Im very similar you Frank..................my bitches are housed outside (always have been from pups, and have never been inside the house. They are socialised and good around the kids, but I the only one that does anything with them.
They get daily excercise ...good grub, and ran - 3 times a week on the lamp.
We do deal with the pest control on aprox 19,000 acres of land all in, and run 4 lurchers between us;...so they need to be upto the task.
I keep them them besause I love the sport,...not for money, although whatever is caught is feed the dogs, ferrets, and occasionally me