I'm confused about what "the main source" does in this sentence. Do you mean that farmers need the extra income in order to afford shingles, firewood, etc.? If so, you can drop "the main source" since it's implied anyway. Also, I agree with Jonathan that "no longer were farmers" sounds a little formal and old-fashioned. However, I still think you could use it, particularly if you want to emphasize the change over time, rather than the continuity of whose needs you're describing. So, you could either say, "No longer were farmers in search of extra income for shingles, firewood, and other wood products," or "Farmers were no longer in search of extra income for shingles..."
I hope that helps!