Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “American Agriculture History Minute”
A Nebraska Community Shaped by Westward Migration Every September, thousands of people gather in Grand Island, Nebraska, for Husker Harvest Days, one of the nation’s major agricultural events. But the community’s connection to American agriculture reaches back much further than the modern farm show. Located along the Platte River in central Nebraska, Grand Island occupies a landscape that played an …
Company logos can become powerful symbols of American agriculture. The leaping deer associated with John Deere and the checkerboard pattern long connected with Ralston Purina are instantly recognizable examples. But one of agriculture’s most distinctive symbols—a bald eagle perched on a globe—has a remarkable connection to the Civil War and a famous Wisconsin military mascot. In this installment of the …
The First Crops of Plymouth Colony When the first settlers established Plymouth Colony, agriculture was essential to their survival. Many of the crops they initially planted had been brought with them from England, including barley and peas. These familiar crops provided an important starting point as the settlers adapted to the growing conditions and agricultural realities of their new home. …
The Wisconsin Agricultural Scientist Who Helped Shape Organic Farming Long before organic farming became a familiar concept to American consumers and farmers, agricultural scientists were exploring ways to improve soil health and develop farming practices that worked with natural processes. One of those largely overlooked figures was Franklin King, a Wisconsin agricultural scientist whose work helped lay foundations for practices …
How Buffalo Helped Transform the Grain Trade The movement of grain from farms to markets has always depended on transportation and efficient handling systems. In the early 1840s, a major innovation emerged in Buffalo, New York, that would dramatically change the way grain was moved, stored and loaded onto ships. The story of the modern grain elevator can be traced …
A Little-Known Figure in American Agriculture American agricultural history is filled with innovators whose contributions helped shape regional economies and agricultural industries. One of those lesser-known figures is Étienne de Boré, remembered for his role in the early development of Louisiana’s sugar industry. Born in 1741 in a small village along the Mississippi River in what is now Illinois, de …
A Leader Who Helped Shape Modern Agriculture American agriculture has been advanced by farmers, scientists, inventors and researchers—but some of the most influential contributors never farmed or developed an invention in a laboratory. E.T. York was one of those individuals. Born in Alabama in 1922, York built a career around agricultural education, administration and public policy. Through his work in …
An Agriculture Teacher Who Helped Launch the FFA The Future Farmers of America, now known simply as FFA, has become one of the most recognizable youth organizations in American agriculture. Its roots can be traced to a Virginia agriculture teacher who believed high school students interested in farming and agricultural careers could benefit from learning, leadership and fellowship. Henry Groseclose …
Native Americans and the Agricultural Landscape The landscape encountered by the first European settlers in North America was not simply a wilderness of untouched forests and pristine land. Long before European arrival, Native American communities had been actively managing and shaping their environments in ways that supported food production, settlement and survival. As Mark Oppold explains in this installment of …
Norman Borlaug stands among the most influential figures in modern agricultural history. An American agronomist born in the heartland, Borlaug dedicated his career to increasing agricultural production and helping address the challenge of feeding a growing world population. Born in Cresco, Iowa, in 1914, Borlaug maintained a lifelong connection to American agriculture. His work ultimately extended far beyond the fields …
