Iowa Farms

Verlyn Klinkenborg has a hopeful piece in today's NY Times, about farms in Iowa. After falling drastically for years (though acreage farmed stayed fairly constant), the number of farms has started to climb back up--4,000 new small farms since 2002. These new farms are more diverse,and, while the average age of farmers has climbed, these new farms are run by younger farmers.

For a look back at life on Iowa farms before their decline, I recommend Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Kalish.