The statement that most accurately portrays life in the backcountry is: "farms were small and farmers were self-sufficient, making and growing enough to support their families."
In many backcountry regions, particularly in colonial America, farms tended to be small, and settlers often focused on subsistence agriculture to meet their family's needs. This self-sufficiency was a significant characteristic of backcountry life, as opposed to the larger plantation system seen in more developed agricultural areas.