[RussEfarmer]

Everywhere in NC is simply beautiful, and while it may not be as exciting as other states to some, it has a deep heritage in farming. A lot of families who have been farming in North Carolina have been settled here since before the declaration of independence was written. Today people have recognized its beauty and started running here away from states with higher cost of living. Unfortunately because of this combined with poor development practices (urban sprawl, no incentive for higher density housing) its farmland is some of the most threatened in the country, only beat by Texas. It is forecast by the American Farmland Trust that by 2040 one million acres out of the eight million farmed acres will be lost to development. It makes me sad every day thinking about this, driving on our old roads and seeing farms that have been worked for centuries get sold off and paved over with crappy factory built suburban houses. Adding insult to injury the landscapers who make these suburbs constantly plant invasive garbage instead of a tree that actually grows here.

also kinda derailing the thread sorry LMAO