Family farms have been disappearing for a long time. Suburban sprawl brings increasing land values. Increasing land values bring developers who can only afford to build houses that will sell for half a million or more. This is what happened to Long Island. Sure, there are a few farmers out in Sagaponack that are holding out. But with values for development land rising, even in a declining real estate market, how long can these farmers resist the lotto size payouts for their land.

This has been happening in a steadfast manner since World War II. I remember my family bought a house in a small development that, at the time, seemed out in the middle of nowhere on Middlebelt Road near Detroit in 1962. This was a farmer that had sold out early. But out on 26 Mile Road, there's still a hold out.

"Fred doesn't feel threatened by Vince or Joe or big-time developers by any name because, well, it's just the way things go. "Ain't nothin' you can do about it," he says, shrugging, "because you know it's gonna happen."

Macomb farm lives as others fall - Detroit Free Press