>>216105373
its crazy because farmers used to be such a huge percentage of the population. my grandfathers were farmers, on both sides. However, presently, small farms are so inefficient, like you say, that almost nobody is a farmer now. For decades, the situation has been trending towards big farms. This isn't good, though. Big farms don't produce anything on the same quality as small ones. It's like the difference between a pig raised in the woods eating acorns and foraging vs one raised in a cement warehouse eating slop
back in the day, when everyone had like 8 kids, farms were so efficient that a family could feed itself and have enough left to sell to be well-off. equipment was also far cheaper than it is today.
Also becoming a farmer today is like becoming a scientist. You need a lot of education to be a good farmer