Why did small farmers rarely grow cash crops?

Small farmers rarely grew cash crops due to limited resources, such as land, capital, and access to markets, which made it difficult for them to compete with larger agricultural operations. Additionally, their primary focus was often on subsistence farming to meet their own family's needs, leaving little surplus for cash crops. The risks associated with cash cropping, including price fluctuations and potential crop failure, further discouraged small farmers from diverting resources away from food production.