3. Such places may be found anywhere, but areas near plentiful non- 

 farm employment opportunities, areas offering good views and some privacy, 

 and accessible small-farm areas tend to have more agriculturally idle places. 



4. A few places are owned by wealthy persons, but many are owned 

 by persons of modest means in about this order of frequency: Local nonfarm 

 workers; local and outside business and professional people, some active and 

 some retired; women heirs of farmers; unsettled estates; retired and semi- 

 retired farmers; and others too varied to classify. 



5. Some of the larger places were taken out of farmer ownership by 

 persons of wealth. Others are held by persons of moderate or small means 

 for reasons of sentiment, uncertainty, indecision, future plans, etc. Apparent- 

 ly a majority of the places below commercial size ceased to be farmed as 

 they became too small for complete farm units; the rather small acreages of 

 good land, their distance from active farms, and the value of old farm houses 

 have been against the incorporation of these small places into adequate size 

 farmer-owned holdings. 



*&■- 



6. The principal present use of most of these places is as full or part- 

 time residence of the owner. 



7. There are a few opportunities for developing dairy farm units on 

 places now idle or nearly idle. However, on most places the farm land could 

 best be used to supplement another farm — this applies even to the larger 

 places because adequate buildings are seldom available for a tenant-farmer. 



8. Principal reasons given by owners of idle land for not currently 

 renting included, in order of frequency, no inquiries from renters, rented for 

 partial use, mistrustful of renters, owner may farm in futue, owner partially 

 uses, place is for sale, and indecision as to future of place. 



9. About one third of the owners were willing to rent their farm land 

 and about one fourth might be persuaded. A few farmers wanted farm units 

 and more wanted some additional land. The farmers needing land might use 

 the better and more conveniently located pieces now idle. 



10. Owners often lack the interest or the means to make needed land 

 improvements. Farmers tended to be willing to fertilize and reseed if they 

 could get a long-term lease. Owners frequently indicated willingness to give 

 a long-term lease if the farmer made the improvements. Other owners would 

 not give long-term leases because of their uncertain plans. 



11. Owners often have little knowledge of agriculture, of how their land 

 might be used, or of what would be fair rental terms. Lease terms are not 

 well established. Potential suppliers and potential users were not well known 

 and were often reluctant to approach each other. 



12. Over half of the dairy farmers in two towns were using other 

 people's land in some manner. Some farmers were using several pieces of 

 "rented" land and some were using pieces several miles away. However, 

 much of this use is very light, leases are uncommon, most land improvements 

 (other than on farms rented as complete units) are made by the renter and 

 these are less than they would be if the renter's investments were more secure. 

 An imperfectly established rental market may help limit the amount of renting. 



