There's a lot about Leo Sanchez and his farm in Salinas,California that seems unusual. (9)The national average farm size is around 440 acres, but his is only one acre. The average age of farmers hovers around 58 years old, but he is just 26. And Sanchez constantly attempts to improve everything from seeding techniques out in the field to the promotion and sale of his produce online. This is evidence of an experimental approach. It's an approach not dictated by the confines of conventional, large-scale agriculture led by international corporations.

(10)While farming is often difficult for both the body and mind, Sanchez says he and many of his fellow young farmers are motivated by desire to set a new standard for agriculture. Many of them are employing a multitude of technologies, some new and some...not so new. (11)Recently, Sanchez bought a hand-operated tool which pulls out weeds and loosens soil. It actually dates back to at least 1701. It stands in sharp contrast to Sanchez's other gadget: a gas-powered flame weed killer invented in 1997. He simply doesn't discriminate when it comes to the newness of tools. If it works, it works. Farmers have a long history of invention, and it's no different today. Young farmers are guided by their love for agriculture and aided by their knowledge of technology. To find inexpensive and appropriately-sized tools, they collaborate and innovate. Sometimes the old stuff just works better or more efficiently.