Briefly … that's a lot to digest, but I get your point. I live in a modest-sized college town with a thriving farmers market. The market is (or has been) mostly a social event. Hmong farmers are the major producers (as well as being better gardeners).

The real money here is (and always has been) in Delta farmland and pine timber. Small hill farms like the one I grew up on couldn't change with the times. The financial crisis of the 80's destroyed the small farmers with debt, and many big farmers as well.