Farmers - Small Acreage Landowners

Farmers – Small Acreage Landowners

• Family Farm
• Usually under one thousand acres and less.
• Not for large business type operations

Smallholding

A smallholding or smallholder is a small farm operating under a small-scale agriculture model.[1] Definitions vary widely for what constitutes a smallholder or small-scale farm, including factors such as size, food production technique or technology, the involvement of the family in labor, and economic impact.[2] Smallholdings are usually farms supporting a single family with a mixture of cash crops and subsistence farming. As a country becomes more affluent, smallholdings may not be self-sufficient but are valued primarily for the rural lifestyle that they provide for the owners, who often do not earn their livelihood from the farm. As sustainable food and local food movements grow in affluent countries, some of these smallholdings are gaining increased economic viability. There are an estimated 500 million smallholder farms in the world, supporting two billion people.[3][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallholding]

Please add all profiles of an ancestor who farmed or ranched that owned under 1000 acres. Sharecroppers are welcome under this project as well. We are wanting to track all farmers who settled on land owned or rented and farmed or raised a few livestock.

This project was added for our proud, hardworking average farmers and ranchers that don’t fall under a large plantation owner, or large landowner and qualify for Geni -https://www.geni.com/projects/Farmers-Growers/25820 that is specifically for large business-type operations.

The largest percent of our ancestors fall under this category, they usually owned under 1000 acres, and worked the land with the assistance of family members and maybe a few hired workers.

Before the Civil War aka War of the States, they owned no slaves or very few.

They were the backbone of our society, honest, working long hours, and living off their land.

Very few built up to the Grower and large Rancher Status, but they were proud and the forefathers of many governors, senators, doctors, attorneys, schoolteachers etc. They taught their children to work hard for an honest day's pay.

Many of our ancestors were farmers in the early 1600s through the 1900s and back in history, but not in a large business operation. They were proud farmers who helped build our society.

Conditions for Farmers in the Late 1800s | Synonym

Because of the nature of the land distribution of American farms in the late 1800s, many farming families lived a life of relative isolation. Those who gained land under the Homestead Act, for example, usually received 160 acres to settle, so their closest neighbors were miles away. Conditions for Farmers in the Late 1800s (synonym.com) What was the challenge faced by farmers in the late 1800s? Farmers faced many problems in the late 1800s. Some of them included unpredictable weather leading to ruined crops, transportation problems making it hard to get crops to market, and many found it difficult to get credit. Reference: brainly.com/question/8861954#:~:text=Farmers%20faced%20many%2…

What tools did the farmers use in the 1800s? During the early 1800s, farmers still used a variety of wooden tools. One of them was the grain shovel. These shovels were used to move grain, as farmers believed metal shovels would bruise seeds.

What Tools Did Farmers Use in The 1800s? - Blurtit employment.blurtit.com/711092/what-tools-did-farmers-u…

What problems were farmers facing in the late 1800s?

Farmers faced many problems in the late 1800s. Some of them included unpredictable weather leading to ruined crops, transportation problems making it hard to get crops to market, and many found it difficult to get credit. Reference: brainly.com/question/8861954

The Differences Between Small and Large Family Farm Operation [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_farm]

Several kinds of US family farms are recognized in USDA farm typology:

Small family farms are defined as those with annual gross cash farm income (GCFI) of less than $350,000; in 2011, these accounted for 90 percent of all US farms. Because low net farm incomes tend to predominate on such farms, most farm families on small family farms are extremely dependent on off-farm income. Small family farms in which the principal operator was mostly employed off-farm accounted for 42 percent of all farms and 15 percent of total US farm area; median net farm income was $788. Retirement family farms were small farms accounting for 16 percent of all farms and 7 percent of total US farm area; median net farm income was $5,002.

The other small family farm categories are those in which farming occupies at least 50 percent of the principal operator’s working time. These are:

Low-sales small family farms (with GCFI less than $150,000); 26 percent of all US farms, 18 percent of total US farm area, median net farm income $3,579.

Moderate-sales small family farms (with GCFI of $150,000 to $349,999); 5.44 percent of all US farms, 13 percent of total US farm area, median net farm income $67,986.

Mid-size family farms (GCFI of $350,000 to $999,999); 6 percent of all US farms, 22 percent of total US farm area; median net farm income $154,538.

Large family farms (GCFI $1,000,000 to $4,999,999); 2 percent of all US farms, 14 percent of total US farm area; median net farm income $476,234.

Very large family farms (GCFI over $5,000,000); <1 percent of all US farms, 2 percent of total US farm area; median net farm income $1,910,454.[24]

Family farms include not only sole proprietorships and family partnerships but also family corporations. Family-owned corporations account for 5 percent of all farms and 89 percent of corporate farms in the United States. About 98 percent of US family corporations owning farms are small, with no more than 10 shareholders; the average net farm income of family corporate farms was $189,400 in 2012. (In contrast, 90 percent of US non-family corporations owning farms are small, having no more than 10 shareholders; average net cash farm income for US non-family corporate farms was $270,670 in 2012.)[20]

To figure the dollar amount today vs a different time in history. [https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1850] You can input the year from the Census Record.

$100 in 1850 is worth $3,336.27 today $400 in 1850 is worth $13,345.08 today

Perhaps this gives you an idea of the income of our ancestors. Keep in mind the average Family Farming Families lived off their land, it was their main food source, they bartered for other items and the food they needed. They didn't have food costs to consider.

Please add additional links and information to this page that pertain to small acreage farm owners from all over the world.