…of Plantation Agriculture in Virginia and Maryland The story of plantation agriculture began in colonial Virginia, where fertile soil and favorable climate made the region ideal for tobacco farming. Tobacco…
California Agriculture at a Crossroads: Insights from Fresno County Farm Bureau President Ryan Jacobsen
…health of their soil, water, and ecosystems, and they treat their land with extraordinary care, often across generations. California farmers have become highly innovative, he said, not only in production…
From Barley to Cotton: How America’s Early Crops Shaped Agriculture
Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash The Roots of American Farming In the early days of American settlement, the first colonists arriving in Plymouth Colony faced unfamiliar soil, weather, and…
Ethnic Roots of Early American Agriculture
…frontier. The result was not a single style of American farming, but a rich blend of European agricultural traditions adapted to the fertile soils and open spaces of a new…
Edward Ring on California’s Water Crisis: Fixing a Broken System
…highest density of oil in the world. And that’s what’s causing all of this leakage.” The Case for Responsible Drilling Ring contended that the only realistic way to reduce methane…
Westward Expansion: The Harsh Beginnings of America’s Frontier Farmers
…Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. These pioneers left their homes in search of fertile soil and freedom. Upon arrival, they encountered a rugged wilderness filled with challenges—from wild terrain to…
How Early Farmers Learned to Protect Their Soil
…of diseases and harmful insects while replenishing the soil with diverse nutrients. Unlike continuous planting of a single crop, rotation balanced soil composition naturally. Corn used one set of nutrients,…
Kings River Packing: Eight Generations of Citrus Leadership
…weather, frost management, and block-by-block decision-making as soil conditions and microclimates vary. “There’s a lot of work to get done,” Silva said, highlighting the intense coordination required from November through…
Pioneering the Midwest: How Settlers Turned Iowa’s Prairies into Farmland
…represented both challenge and opportunity. The rich soil of the prairies promised abundant harvests, while the remaining timber offered essential resources for building and heating. As trees gave way to…
Inside the 2025 Almond Market: Supply, Pricing, Tariffs, and Global Demand
…Almond Production When asked whether California still has a competitive edge despite water restrictions, Toor didn’t hesitate. California’s combination of climate, soil, science, and expertise is unmatched. Australia is expanding,…
Building the Future of Ag Education at Merced College
…Jacobsen’s workday centers on education, his evenings and weekends are firmly rooted in the soil. “I’m still a farmer,” he said proudly. “My day job is as a community college…
Post–Civil War Wheat Crash: How Farmers Turned to Corn and Livestock
…had depleted the soil’s nutrients, leading to lower yields and declining quality. Farmers who had thrived during the war suddenly found themselves struggling to make a profit. Pests and Problems…
GUSS: Transforming Orchard Spraying Through Autonomy and Innovation
…GUSS introduced the Mini GUSS—a smaller version designed for vineyards and high-density orchards. Despite its compact size, Mini GUSS carries a 400-gallon tank and the same horsepower and fan as…
California Ag Tech on Display: TK, Bayer Crop Science, and John Deere’s GUSS Steal the Show
…prep the soil for the next season,” he said. “We’re getting ready for fumigation with products like Sectagon to make sure next year’s crops start strong.” He also predicted another…