If I understood it correctly the implementation was made the reason our rural communities are shrinking is because of modern farming practices. It was also mentioned that to stay profitable you had to be able to seed and fertilize in one pass but it was hard to find operators for that million dollar piece of equipment. In other words you need the latest and greatest to be successful. Rather sad that farming has reached that point IMHO.

I look at the area I live in and the changes I have seen over the past several decades and wonder is this really better. BTO in this area last I heard is up over 50K. Nothing is taken to the local warehouse. Doubt many parts are bought at the local dealerships. Not saying the operation is not a success but I will ask how is this farming practice helping the local communities. 

Talking with a friend this morning at church and he was saying how several farmers in the area were ticked at him now because he did not chose them when he gave up some of the land he was farming. The names mentioned were all guys farming several thousand acres. The fellow that did get the chance to farm this ground is young with a growing family and lots of energy. Seemed like the correct choice was made to me.

Based on my personal experience you do not need million dollar equipment to be successful, you do not need GPS, autosteer, rate control, yield monitoring etc to be successful. I am not saying I do not use such equipment as I do, but I certainly do not need it and could do without if needed. 

Can think of several in this area that seed with some variation of a box drill. One that came back after using an air seeder. Interesting that the stands in those fields are as good and in many cases better than what an air seeder has done. In all the years I have used box drills I have broken one chain and I did not catch that till the next filling. Less than a half dozen times of an opener plugging. It is interesting looking at the air seeded fields around here and the results achieved. 

The fields that I seed are done with 50 year old box drills, harvested with a 42 year old combine and the grain is hauled to the local warehouse with a pair of 50 year old trucks and a young one of 34 years age. Is this a successful farm? Probably not in the eyes of many as there is little NEW shiny paint. However the bills are paid, the wife does not have to work, I have not worked off the farm for twenty years and we do support the local communities the best we can. That is successful enough for me. Seems like Mark 8:36 is a good fit here.