I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Early settlers discovered that the Great Plains were not all that great. They found very harsh climate with tornadoes, blizzards, drought, …
American Agriculture History Minute: Homestead Act of 1862
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The federal government issued 160-acre tracts to about 400,000 families who settled a new land under the Homestead Act 1862. Even …
American Agriculture History Minute: Western Great Plains Becomes Open Cattle Range
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The western Great Plains became open range country hosting cattle ranching. In the spring and fall ranchers held roundups where the …
American Agriculture History Minute: British Attempt Restriction of Westward Expansion
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The British government attempted to restrict westward expansion with the ineffective proclamation line of 1763 that was abolished by the new …
American Agriculture History Minute-Northwest Territory Established
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Today, when we think of the Northwest territory, we think of Montana, Utah, Oregon, and Washington state. But in 1788, American …
American Agriculture History Minute: Mid-1800s Rapid Agriculture Growth
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The history of agriculture in the United States, of course, goes back to the first English settlers. In colonial America, agriculture …
American Agriculture History Minute-Northwest Territory Established
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Today, when we think of the Northwest territory, we think of Montana, Utah, Oregon, and Washington state. But in 1788, American …
American Agriculture History Minute: New Opportunities Opened in Agriculture
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the American victory in the War of 1812, plus the building of canals and …
American Agriculture History Minute: One-Room Schoolhouses Built by Farmers
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. 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: Farmland Auctions
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. A farmland auction usually draws a good-sized crowd, but on a bitter, cold February morning in 2025, temperatures outside in central …
American Agriculture History Minute: Earliest Recorded One-Room Schoolhouse
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. One-room schoolhouses are part of American agriculture history, the Eureka Schoolhouse in Springfield, Vermont, one of the earliest recorded one-room schools …
American Agriculture History Minute: Farmland Values
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Farmland values have always been part of American agriculture history. Recent stories indicate that farmland values in some areas of the …
American Agriculture History Minute: One-Room Schoolhouses
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. One-room schoolhouses are a part of American agriculture history. Early settlers knew the importance of education, and since a large portion …
American Agriculture History Minute: Ethnicity Develops Early Farming Techniques
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Ethnicity certainly has made a difference in agriculture history in the United States. German Americans brought with them practices and traditions …