A Look Back: Key Turning Points in American Agriculture From horsepower to genetic engineering—three revolutions that redefined the American farm In today’s American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold reflects on …
Early Turnpikes Paved the Way for American Agriculture
The Forgotten Role of Roads in Ag History In today’s American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold highlights a surprisingly critical piece of infrastructure that helped shape the nation’s farming future—early …
Rubber Tires Revolutionized American Tractors
From Steel Lugs to Rubber: A Turning Point in Ag Innovation How Florida Growers and Harvey Firestone Changed Farming Forever In the early days of American agriculture, tractors and steam …
How Early Colonists Sent Letters Before the U.S. Postal System
Colonial Communication Before Post Offices In the early 1600s, communication between American colonists and their families back in Britain was a slow and uncertain process. Without an established postal system, …
Benjamin Franklin and the Postal Roots of American Agriculture
The Founding of America’s Postal System and Its Role in Agriculture In this edition of American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold reflects on how early American infrastructure helped support agricultural …
How the Erie Canal Transformed Early Agricultural Trade
Early Transportation Challenges in American Agriculture In the early 1700s, fur traders and trappers faced immense difficulties moving goods through New York’s rugged waterways. They relied on birchbark canoes to …
George Washington Helped Grow American Farming
When the Revolutionary War ended and America gained its independence, survival wasn’t guaranteed. What helped the new nation thrive was a growing agricultural economy. George Washington—more than a general and …
How George Washington Carver Revived Southern Agriculture
A Struggling Start for Southern Agriculture In the early days of American farming, pioneers in New England and along the East Coast found relative success due to favorable soil and …
Northwest Territory Opened New Frontiers for U.S. Agriculture
In today’s American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold highlights a foundational chapter in U.S. farming history: the settlement of the Northwest Territory—a move that paved the way for westward agricultural …
Legacy Barns: A Testament to 19th Century Midwest Farming
By the mid-1800s, Midwest farm families were settling in and expanding. Once their land was cleared and crops established, many pioneers shifted their focus to building newer, larger homes. It …
Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin Revolutionized American Agriculture
In the late 18th century, a young Massachusetts farm boy named Eli Whitney unknowingly set the stage for a major turning point in American agriculture. At just 12 years old, …
John Deere’s Steel Plow Revolutionized Midwestern Farming
In today’s American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold takes us back to one of the most pivotal innovations in U.S. farming history—the invention of the steel plow. As pioneers moved …
America’s First Turnpike Sparked Rural Expansion in 1794
Mark Oppold shares a fascinating piece of history in today’s American Agriculture History Minute—a look back at the first organized road improvement in the United States. In 1794, the Philadelphia …
Steamboats, Settlers Drove American Agriculture Westward
By 1790, the western boundary of the young United States had reached the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains—roughly 255 miles inland from the Atlantic. With a population nearing 4 …