I am wondering something else..are we prejudiced against people who were born on rocky soils? Do we think they do not make good farmers? Or perhaps are they adapting to what they are given? Sustainability perhaps? I know anything said here about the farmers of Palestine could be said about my ancestors..they were rock farmers who had to build up the soil by dragging baskets of seaweed up..surely someone with outside capital could have improved productivity..but should we sneer when people do the best they can with what they have at the time? mg