The beginning of Latvia's second independence period in 1991 created many new opportunities for the Latvian people. The transition from collectivization to a market economy was seen as a chance to recreate a lost past. The government moved rapidly early in the first decade of independence to reestablish a peasant farm framework. Small peasant farms increased quickly, going from less than ten thousand to over one hundred thousand in fewer than ten years. The average size increased from about seventeen to twenty-four hectares. Latvian independence also brought the realization that farmers must compete with the other nations of Europe and the world. The agricultural model on the ground may resemble the 1930s, but the reality is that Latvian farmers cannot operate their farms as in the past.; Descriptive and inferential statistics, including hypotheses testing, correlation analysis and principal component analysis, were used to identify and analyze the salient characteristics of the rural Latvian landscape synthesized through research surveys and interview instruments. The new breed of Latvian farmers is a middle-aged man or woman, educated, and willing to bring to agriculture a spirit of entrepreneurship that was lost during fifty years of occupation. Women and men, though similar in their representation of Latvian farmers, do exhibit some noteworthy differences. The current structure of peasant farming is deemed not to be the best model for the future. Changes in agriculture, though inevitable, will come slowly. Latvian farmers express a strong skepticism about the future. Farm consolidation is a virtual certainty. Population dynamics, in both the rural and urban areas, mean a shortage of labor. Efficiency is hampered by outdated equipment and technologies. The Latvian family farm, and the familiar landscape of single farmsteads that dot the countryside, will remain for the foreseeable future. Land, in particular, continues to be a strong influence in Latvian tradition. The rural scenery will eventually change. Its look will depend on the next generation and what they consider is important enough to preserve.
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