Lot of interesting stories out there.
 Started out buying where we are at in 1969. House and 80 acres. Not much of a house, land was fair but needed a lot of work. No room at family farm. Best advice the old man ever gave me was when I wanted to try farming he said you want to farm go farm. Future wife had enough saved for downpayment on the place and we struggled for awhile. Worked three jobs for a number of years. Lot of family help with labor but no money.Things kind of fell in place after a few years and now it makes me wonder why we struggled so. Kids aren't interested in farming, Grandkids enjoy the farm but it will go when we quit.Been a good life with the usual pitfalls,nothing worse than many have endured. Have been trying to help a couple of the younger generation get started and they have already surpassed us. Still a good feeling. 
   Why do we live here in snow belt? Mostly cause thats where the families are and so didn't move that far away.  Grand parents moved her because land was cheap and poor but it beat the hell out of the coal mines in southern Pa. and the black lung that went with it.