Today there was an article in the Chicago Tribune talking about "lifestyle farmers," which they defined as peoples' lives being tied to agriculture, although they don't earn their full-time living from it. Supposedly, there are 1.6 M lifestyle farmers nationally, and 27,000 in Illinois.

Have you heard of lifestyle farmers? Some of the terms they said that others are using are "sundowners," "U-turners," "hobby farmers," "ruralpolitans," "micropolitans," "gentlemen farmers" (sounds British!), & "X-urbanites."

I have never heard the term "lifestyle farmers." It sounds pretty yuppie to me!

The variations on "farm" are interesting. My cousin in Phoenix owns a 4-acre "farm." In Indiana, 4 acres would never be considered a farm - a garden, perhaps, but not a farm, unless the term were to be modified into "mini farm," which is what small farms are called here.

To be considered a farmer around here, you must farm hundreds or thousands of acres. Even if you own farm ground and rent it out to someone who farms it, you're not considered a farmer, but a landlord.

I agree, Sunflower. I am from Wisconsin where the smallest farm you could have was 120 acres (tiny!). We had 240 acres, and many had 480 and more. Yet, in the Chicago area I have a friend who has 15 acres, and that's a farm to her.

Here in Oregon they're usually called "Martini Farmers." They usually grow a few christmas trees, thereby getting the farmland tax exemption, and enjoy having ten or twenty acres to themselves.