How Early Fencing Challenges Sparked Innovation in American Livestock History In today’s American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold highlights a lesser-known but significant figure in agricultural innovation: Michael Kelly, a …
How Native Crops and European Grains Shaped U.S. Agriculture
The Crop Exchange That Built American Farming In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold revisits a pivotal moment in agricultural development—when cultures collided and crops crossed …
America’s First State Fair and Its Agriculture Roots
How Farm Family Rivalry Sparked a National Agricultural Tradition In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold explores the spirited origins of an enduring tradition in U.S. …
Cotton, and Cotton Gin, Helped Shape American Ag Economy
From Columbus to the Cotton Gin: The Crop That Changed a Nation In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold shares a pivotal chapter in American farming—how …
Massey-Ferguson: A Legacy in Agriculture
In the ever-evolving world of agriculture, few names carry the weight of tradition and innovation like Massey-Ferguson. But how did this iconic brand come to be? It all began in …
Before Tractors: The Thresher That Changed Farming
Long before tractors revolutionized American agriculture in the 1930s, a different machine was already transforming the harvest: the threshing machine. In 1847, Daniel Massey launched the Newcastle Foundry in Ontario, …
Windmills and Their Lasting Legacy in American Agriculture
Ag History Minute: From Ancient Innovation to American Farms In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, we take a closer look at one of the most enduring tools …
Agricultural Trails Shaped the West
American Ag History Minute: Santa Fe, Oregon, and California Trails In this edition of the American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold takes us back to a pivotal time in westward …
From Cross-Check Rows to Modern Planting: Corn Planting
Evolution of Corn Planting in the U.S. In this edition of American Agriculture History Minute, Mark Oppold takes us back to the late 1700s and early 1800s, a period when …
Birth of the Rotary Corn Planter: A Milestone in Agricultural Innovation
American Agriculture History Minute: Deere and Mansour’s Breakthrough in the 1800s In the mid-1800s, the American agricultural industry faced a critical need: a more accurate corn planting solution. Rising to …
American Agriculture History Minute: One-Room Schoolhouses-an Important Part of American Agriculture History
Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute says One-room schoolhouses are an important part of American agriculture history. Early settlers knew the importance of education since a large portion …
American Agriculture History Minute: Why a Farmland Auction Draws a Crowd
Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute looks into why a farmland auction usually draws a good-sized crowd. But, on a bitter, cold February morning in 2025, temperatures outside in …
American Agriculture History Minute: One-Room Schoolhouses Move West with Agriculture
I’m Mark Oppold with an American agriculture history minute tells us today about how One-room schoolhouses are part of American agriculture history. The Eureka Schoolhouse in Springfield, Vermont, was one …
American Agriculture History Minute: Farmland Values and Location
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute discusses farmland values having always been part of American agriculture history. Recent stories indicate that farmland values in some areas of the …