>With today's economy and IT Managers standing on corners in Charlotte, NC with street signs trying to find ANY work (after having sent out literally HUNDREDS of resumes)

Its unfortunate that there are skilled IT professionals too proud to work outside of IT. However, if times are tough, you'd better learn how to wrap a burrito, drive a truck, or fix a leaky faucet.

Working with technology is a luxury, not a guarantee.

>I think it would be even more difficult for an 'ex' farmer to find a 'relevant' job as you suggest.

I disagree. Hard working people like farmers are exactly what this country and economy needs, they just don't need them working on farms.

>The real issue IMHO is how much reliance do we want to put into ONE location for our food source? And how much control over what we eat do we want to give them? Talk about a monopoly...(not to mention an easy site for destruction of our food source by terrorists).

Thats not addressing my point. Whether there is one farm, or thousands of farms is irrelevant. Whether there is thousands of farms or hundreds of thousands of farms is what I am suggesting needs a little recalculating.

>but I respect and appreciate those that do

As do I. However, I have a difficult time respecting the mindset that because one comes from a familiy of farmers, they are magically protected from the reality of the economy and modern farming.