P . \ R T-T I M E F A R M 1 N G 



111 



The assumption that conditions in Flolden reflect apjiroxiniately tlie 

 agricultuTcal situation in tlie major part of the State would lead to the 

 conclusion that the total land area in farinin.ff and the number of operators 

 engaged in it are much larger in Massachusetts than reported by the census 

 figures. On the other hand, it also becomes clear that the number of 

 farmers listed by the census includes some operators farming on a part- 

 time basis. 



Chart 2. Number of Farmers and Part-Time Farmers in Holden. 



Occupations of Operators 



The occupational division of operators as demonstrated in Chart 3 

 indicates that the great majority (61 per cent) of part-time farmers 

 found their outside employment as industrial laborers or artisans. Most 

 of them derive from farming an essential sh.are of their income, which 

 becomes more important in time of slack employment when they tend to 

 expand their agricultural activities. The operators represented by office 

 workers and business and professional men were found to be less concerned 

 with the economic ad\antages that might residt froiu their farming opera- 

 tions. 



Acreage and Production in Farming and Part-Time Farming Enterprises 



The relative importance of part-time farming in the agricultural struc- 

 ture of Holden is well demonstrated by comparison of farm and crop 

 acreage in farming and part-time farming enterprises, and the value of 

 products obtained from each type of enterprise. 



Chart 4 shows that land in crops and also total value of products were 



