Early Transportation on the Farm Machinery, livestock, and crops have always needed to be moved around farms or transported to market. In the earliest days of American agriculture, two-wheel carts …
How Soybeans Became America’s Leading Crop
The Rise of Soybeans in U.S. Agriculture Soybeans may seem ubiquitous in today’s American agriculture, but their widespread cultivation is a relatively recent phenomenon. According to Mark Oppold, host of …
Joseph Dart and the Invention That Revolutionized Grain Shipping
Joseph Dart: A Pioneer in American Agriculture Joseph Dart, though born in Connecticut, left a lasting mark on American agriculture after moving to Buffalo, New York. Dart is best remembered …
Harriet Strong: Visionary Behind Hoover Dam and Water Conservation
Harriet Strong: Pioneer of Water Conservation and the Vision Behind Hoover Dam A Visionary for Water Management In 1885, Harriet Strong conducted a groundbreaking study on water shortages in Nevada, …
Bonanza Farms: How Railroads Transformed Wheat Production in America
Railroads Spark a Wheat Boom In the late 19th century, wheat production in the United States expanded rapidly as new railroad lines connected farms to distant markets. These rail connections …
Minnesota’s Wheat Breakthrough
How Minnesota Found Its Perfect Wheat Early Challenges for Minnesota Settlers When early settlers arrived in Minnesota, they quickly realized that wheat varieties successful in Nebraska and Kansas failed in …
The National Road: America’s First Appalachian Highway
The National Road: America’s First Gateway Across the Appalachians Connecting East and West When most people think of iconic American highways, Route 66 often comes to mind. But nearly a …
Ohio’s Early Agriculture: Corn, Wheat, and Tobacco
Settling Ohio After the Appalachian Crossing Once early American settlers crossed the Appalachian Mountains, many chose to stop rather than continue westward. After enduring difficult and often dangerous travel, these …
How the Ohio and Erie Canal Helped Shape Ohio
The Ohio and Erie Canal: A Turning Point in Ohio’s History In the early 19th century, Ohio leaders recognized the need for better transportation to support agriculture, commerce, and settlement. …
Ohio: America’s First Agricultural Capital
Ohio’s Early Role in American Agriculture In the early 1800s, Ohio was widely considered the agricultural capital of the United States. As westward expansion pushed settlers beyond the Appalachian Mountains, …
Johnny Appleseed: John Chapman’s Legacy in American Agriculture
Early Life in Massachusetts John Chapman, famously known as Johnny Appleseed, holds a lasting place in American agricultural history. Born in September 1774 in Massachusetts, Chapman grew up in a …
Colonists’ Livestock and the Transformation of Early American Land
Colonists and the Transformation of Early American Agriculture The arrival of European colonists in North America brought more than settlers—it introduced new agricultural practices that reshaped the land. While colonists …
New Mexico: A Surprising Leader in American Agriculture
New Mexico’s Agricultural Significance When most people think of top agricultural states in the U.S., New Mexico might not immediately come to mind. Yet, this southwestern state plays a vital …
Colonial Farming and Soil Stewardship: Lessons from Early America
In the early days of American colonization, settlers faced steep learning curves when it came to managing the land. Soil stewardship was not yet a science, and many early practices …