When canning became en vogue, I was friends with this elderly lady from church... she's probably 95 now... For some reason she really liked me, but she was an utter crab to most.
Anyway, she chewed out more than one because they tried to tell her how to can. She probably weighed 100 lbs sopping wet but was in better shape than most 30 year olds.
I got a kick out of it.
She was a wealth of knowledge for anyone who cared to listen. She's still in that town, tearing into anyone who challenges her. I still get letters from her from time to time.
Sorry for the trip down memory lane.
Anyway,
@bigpaul , would there even be enough land there for the entire population to farm at a small scale if they wanted? How are soils there? Are they fairly depleted?