In 1976, when I photographed the auction of my great uncle's farm--- which had been in continuous operation since the 1760s,  ---I realized that small farms were beginning a decline which continues even now. In 1976, there were 3800 operational farms in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, my birthplace. Now there are fewer than 500. Farms are sold for a variety of reasons, many of them being bought by developers or by mobile home manufactures to be broken up into lots. As one farmer remarked, "another green space gone." I have photographed countless farm sales, and continue to do so.