A
few hundred years ago, almost everyone either
worked on the land or had direct links to it.
Then came the Industrial
Revolution. Much land was taken from the
poor people who worked it and they had to move
to the new industrial cities to find a way to
make a living. But even by the mid 1800s, more
than half Americans still worked on family-owned
farms. Today fewer than 2 per cent do — and family
farms are in big
trouble. But things are beginning
to change. Groups are getting together to support
small local farmers by organising farmers' markets.
Over 8,000 of these now operate across the USA
[more
on this... ].
Others lend a hand more directly: Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a really great
way to help local farmers make a decent living
as well as linking people to their own direct
— and cheaper — source of locally-grown
food.
What was the Industrial Revolution?