54 EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 344 



Farmers generally have not realized the full advantages which the 

 land and buildings of nearby summer properties offer to the organization 

 of farm enterprises. In areas of recent agricultural decline, where land 

 and capital improvements have been maintained, farmers can profit from 

 the productive use of resources that are now idle. Summer residents 

 generally are anxious to have fields kept clear and put to some "pro- 

 ductive" use, if the expense is not too great. Farmers who have 

 sought agreements with nearby summer residents have had little 

 difficult}' in reaching an understanding with respect to outlying fields. 

 Summer families have been reluctant to have outsiders around tin- 

 farmstead or buildings because they like privacy, but even in this 

 respect some agreements have been reached. Where land and capital 

 resources are adapted to agricultural use, farmers should consider the 

 possibilities of lease or other long-time agreement, so that such re- 

 sources could be included in the farm plan and rotation system, rather 

 than simply being used on a year-to-year "salvage" basis. 



Recent trends in both agricultural production and recreational de- 

 velopment undoubtedly will continue. When the present farm operators 

 retire because of age or alternative opportunity, many of their properties 

 will become summer homes. The decrease in number of operators and 

 the increase in number of summer residents will broaden the market 

 outlets for the remaining farmers. The types of practices mentioned 

 will aid rural people to take advantage of the expanded potential market 

 for products and services. 





