[RockChucker]

The Amish live where the land is cheap. The soil merely needs to be suitable for hay, at best. Their gardens can be abundant, thanks to horse puckeys, but their land can be marginal.

More and more are living by cutting cants for pallets. Others make kitchen cabinets. More and more are cutting custom lumber (top grade) for trim work, etc.

The ones who exclusively farm probably have no mortgage or debt. I don't see what crop you could raise and make a monthly mortgage payment (except maui waui). Even during a good year, an 80 acre farm produces at best around $6,000 before expenses.

[upcountryhorseman]

You are right an 80 acre layout won't do it. You need
about 350 acres, using horses for power.