Are the Boomers coming home?

I would like to share more of the great reporting from the Wall Street Journal, but it is subscription only. At the risk of crowding the copyright laws, consider this quote from a story about where retirees are headed today:

But today, while weather and leisure remain important, retirees are telling builders, developers and researchers that they are looking primarily for what Mr. Lydens has found in Mount Airy: a community where they can make friends and connections quickly, whether it's a small town or a walkable neighborhood in a big city. A close second and third on the priority lists: a home that's near grandchildren, and a setting where one can indulge a post-work passion, such as a second career, a newly adopted sport or even, for a growing number of people, farming.

My guess of the future is a three-sector form of agriculture:

• Industrial producers - farmers using large equipment and technology to produce food, fuel and fiber.
• Agarain producers - smaller farms using far less technology and making conscious choices to sell into a specialized food market such as CSA.
• Hobby/lifestyle farms supported by retirement funds, off-farm income, security and quality of life desires.

All three of these categories can be successful, I believe. The crucial factor is not trying to bridge two business plans.

How they work together - if at all - is another question.