maps of farms in the U.S.

[Linus Van Pelt]

From the New York Times, a while back, but I looked at it again now thinking of where José Bové would be from if he were an American (the internet is a weird and wonderful thing...)

Two interesting observations:
1. Notice how the organic farming map (the large one at the top) would compare to a map of areas of  white liberal voting, especially off the west coast.
2. In the map of all farms (top left of the four smaller ones), notice that the highest density of farms remains in the east, and appears to be greatest in non-coal areas of central Appalachia. This reiterates a point I have made before: that the small family farm, while in decline, is less dead than folks from the plains states or the produce giants of CA and FL often think.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Clearly North Dakota's entire economy is nothing but farming.

[Bacon King]

Interesting that there's so many orchards in Southern Georgia vs. South Carolina. IIRC SC outpaced us in peach production sometime in the 90's (after development around Macon, Columbus, Albany, etc suburbs led to the removal of so many peach orchards). Do pecan growers count as orchards? I usually associate orchard with fruit tree farm, but pecans are the only tree-based farm I can think of that's really prevalent in that area.

Also, it's neat that you can see the outline of the Vidalia onion growing area quite clearly in the vegetable map

[fezzyfestoon]

Oh, look at that.  That urban wasteland New Jersey is chock full of farms!  Surprise!

[Speed of Sound]

Oh, look at that.  That urban wasteland New Jersey is chock full of farms!  Surprise!

My girlfriend would love to shut up the guys down at college with these maps. She's from Southern Jersey.

[JohnnyLongtorso]

Oh, look at that.  That urban wasteland New Jersey is chock full of farms!  Surprise!

One of them is Jon Runyon's.

[Bo]

Interesting that most of these organic farms are in the North and the West Coast. I guess the lack of organic farming explains why the South is America's fattest region.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I also love this idea that farmers are conservative.  The farmers tend to be fairly liberal compared to most people in rural areas.

I should add:  In the upper midwest.  There are still many small family farms here.  Those are the more liberal ones... because generally Democrats have been more attuned to issues facing small farms while Republicans have pushed to make it harder for them while making it easier for corporate farming conglomerates.

[Verily]

I also love this idea that farmers are conservative.  The farmers tend to be fairly liberal compared to most people in rural areas.

Depends on the kind of farm. The types of farms in Minnesoter, I agree. Not so much in many other places.

[TeePee4Prez]

Oh, look at that.  That urban wasteland New Jersey is chock full of farms!  Surprise!

My girlfriend would love to shut up the guys down at college with these maps. She's from Southern Jersey.

Most people have that misconception.  There's a reason it's the Garden State.  You drive down Route 55 then 47 to the NJ Shore you'd think you're in the rural South.  Pull off some of those 6XX county roads and you could easily mistake parts of South Jersey for coastal Mississippi/Louisiana at least during the summer with local bars lined up with motorcycles with Confederate flag decals along with a crabbing/fishing marina right down the road with that really tall grass on the side of the road.  Large rural black population as well.

[Verily]

Oh, look at that.  That urban wasteland New Jersey is chock full of farms!  Surprise!

My girlfriend would love to shut up the guys down at college with these maps. She's from Southern Jersey.

Most people have that misconception.  There's a reason it's the Garden State.  You drive down Route 55 then 47 to the NJ Shore you'd think you're in the rural South.  Pull off some of those 6XX county roads and you could easily mistake parts of South Jersey for coastal Mississippi/Louisiana at least during the summer with local bars lined up with motorcycles with Confederate flag decals along with a crabbing/fishing marina right down the road with that really tall grass on the side of the road.  Large rural black population as well.

Confederate flag decals? Rural blacks? Someone is overplaying his hand. There are a ton of blacks in Bridgeton and Salem, and Vineland is heavily Hispanic, but there are few minorities in the rural areas. Of course, there are few people in the rural areas, considering it's all cranberry bogs and the like.

[fezzyfestoon]

Yeah, there aren't many rural blacks at all.  The cities are much more black.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

There do appear to be some townships in Cumberland and Atlantic counties with double digit percentage black populations, though they may not exactly be rural.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Township,_Atlantic_County,_New_Jersey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buena_Vista_Township,_New_Jersey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfield_Township,_Cumberland_County,_New_Jersey

[Vazdul (Formerly Chairman of the Communist Party of Ontario)]

There do appear to be some townships in Cumberland and Atlantic counties with double digit percentage black populations, though they may not exactly be rural.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Township,_Atlantic_County,_New_Jersey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buena_Vista_Township,_New_Jersey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfield_Township,_Cumberland_County,_New_Jersey

These areas tend to be the exception rather than the rule. Most "Pineys" tend to be poor whites.