Getting and keeping the land -- The coming of the Belgians -- The Louwagies -- Rivalry with the French-Canadians -- "Big barns and little houses" -- Quick to forsake the land -- Plowing with pencils -- The trinity of faith, land, and family -- Hector and Ida Louwagie -- Peasant-capitalists.

Information about the newest wave of immigrants to southwestern Minnesota--Africans, Asians, and Hispanics. Responds to such questions as who the newcomers are, why they came, and what they experience upon arrival there. Gives special attention to matters of social services, housing, school, and crime. Seeks a comparative understanding of migration patterns and the different experiences of several food-processing cities in southwestern Minnesota.