Children of the Land: Adversity and Success in Rural America

TLDR

A century ago most Americans were tied to the land, but today only about 2 % farm and less than 25 % live rurally, making the exodus a major social transformation. The study examines whether the traditional strengths of farm families—intergenerational ties, youth work roles, parental dedication, and community engagement—hold for 300 Iowa children raised with land connections. The children proved highly successful academically and socially despite the 1980s agricultural crisis, supporting the hypothesis and offering pathways for youth in other high‑risk contexts.

Abstract

A century ago, most Americans had ties to the land. Now only one in fifty is engaged in farming and little more than a fourth live in rural communities. Though not new, this exodus from the land represents one of the great social movements of our age and is also symptomatic of an unparalleled transformation of our society. In Children of the Land, the authors ask whether traditional observations about farm families - strong intergenerational ties, productive roles for youth in work and social leadership, dedicated parents and a network of positive engagement in church, school and community life - apply to 300 Iowa children who have grown up with some tie to the land. The answer, as this study shows, is a resounding yes. In spite of the hardships they faced during the agricultural crisis of the 1980s, these children, whose lives we follow from the 7th grade to after high school graduation, proved to be remarkably successful, both academically and socially. A moving testament to the distinctly positive lifestyle of Iowa families with connections to the land, this book also suggests important routes to success for youths in other high risk settings.