I have a big problem with children being cheap slave labor for the two farms.
Letting females have the hogs, beef cattle, and horses has never lived on a farm. Hogs are a very big challenge; they root, and are excellent escape artist. Beef cattle are big against any person. Being crushed between cattle or a wall or stampeded. Take 1,000-pound cow, a hoof on a human foot, and see the damage that can cause. Being kicked by cows is not a fun experience either. Is a child able to have their own gardens, plant flowers, taking care of and training other children.
Letting males have milk cows, chickens, horses, haying, planting, cultivating, and harvesting is daunting for adults. Milking cows twice a day for 365 days a year regardless if you feel like doing so. Eggs have to be gathered every day. Hay, planting, cultivating, and harvest involve equipment that is unforgiving on who gets hurt. Losing fingers, arms, legs, and your life are very big dangers. What could possibly go wrong with children operating machinery?
Having children (the more the merrier) for the farm is a thin vail for cheap slave labor. The more children the bigger the farms will grow. Is anything ever said about paying the children? They are going to be working 365 days a year and sometimes sun up to sun down in planting and harvesting seasons along with their other daily chores.
Farming is demanding, dangerous, and unforgiving. It is nothing like the simplistic picture told in this story. I have been there, done that for 12 years through school. I did not have as much involvement when I went to university for 4 years. I had to live at home during university so I was still involved.
Cheap child labor, which is why there are child labor laws.