Cannabis is actually very good for agricultural land. Its roots go deep and break up hard compacted clays, introduce organic matter a couple of feet below the surface and hold soil that is prone to erosion very tightly. When plowed under it introduces almost as much nutrients as stinging nettles so it’s a good cover crop too.
You sound like one of my skunk-farming friends up here in the Kootenays...
Around these parts, growing a few pounds of bud is like old-time farmers sending cream off to town for the cash.
Between that and garlic and pine mushrooms, a lot of old hippies manage to put together a living in these isolated valleys.