…much of the eastern United States. However, farmers also experimented with a variety of other crops, including oats, cotton, and even tobacco. The assumption was that if these crops thrived…
Ellis-Chalmers: Steam Power and the Machinery Behind Early American Agriculture
…relied on to process crops and support expanding agricultural production. Under Ellis’s leadership, Reliance Works began manufacturing equipment that supported the broader mechanization movement that was gradually reshaping American farming….
Fire Ant Control and Farm Policy Take Center Stage; Mike Johanns Shares Insight for Growers
…while many growers rely on spot treatments, the most effective control comes from broadcast applications that cover entire orchard floors. This method helps eliminate colonies more thoroughly, protecting both yields…
Colonial Fur Trade and Wheat Demand Shaped Early American Farming
…of the most profitable crops they could grow and export. Farmers Expand Flaxseed and Corn Production In addition to wheat, colonial farmers also increased production of other crops such as…
From Water Challenges to Agave Innovation: The Woolf Farming Story
…fall behind. The Woolf family has chosen to adapt—constantly pushing boundaries and exploring new opportunities. Diversification and the Reality of Water Scarcity Woolf Farming produces a wide range of crops,…
Agave Opportunity Grows in California; Wolf Family Pushes Innovation Amid Water Challenges
…limited water allocations—currently around 15 percent. That uncertainty is forcing farmers to rethink how they use their land and what crops can realistically be sustained in the future. For Stuart…
The Hard Lessons of the Great Plains: Early Settler Struggles
…farmers. Settlers faced extreme weather conditions, including tornadoes, blizzards, droughts, hailstorms, and floods. To make matters worse, swarms of grasshoppers regularly swept through crops, devastating entire harvests. These natural hardships…
Agave Innovation on the West Side; Stuart Wolf and Family Look Toward Farming’s Future
…back to 1974, when Stuart Wolf’s father first started the operation. Today, the company farms a wide range of crops including almonds, pistachios, tomatoes, grains, basil, garlic, onions, cotton, and…
California Water, SGMA, and the Future of Farming
…million acres of irrigated farmland produce hundreds of crops that feed the nation and much of the world. Environmental Regulations and Changing Water Policy Beginning in the 1970s, environmental regulations…
The Rise of Open Range Ranching on the Great Plains
…cattle were loaded onto railcars and shipped east to growing urban markets where demand for beef was rapidly increasing. The cattle drives themselves could cover hundreds of miles and take…
California Water, Energy, and Policy: Duarte, Vanden Heuvel Break It Down
…agriculture to flourish across the Central Valley. These projects helped create more than seven million acres of irrigated farmland producing hundreds of different crops. However, environmental regulations beginning in the…
Early American Farmers Move West After the Revolution
…agriculture did not happen immediately. Clearing land for crops required enormous effort, and many settlers lacked the time and resources to plant fields during their first seasons on the frontier….
Marietta and the Birth of America’s Northwest Frontier
…into the western frontier. Its location provided settlers with reliable river transportation, fertile farmland, and access to expanding trade networks. Early pioneers cleared land, built homes, and began cultivating crops…
The Growth of American Agriculture: From Colonial Times to the Mid-20th Century
…in farming technology and infrastructure, including better tools, improved seed varieties, and the spread of railroads, which made shipping crops more efficient. Mid-20th Century Trends After 1910, however, the number…