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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “American Agriculture History Minute”
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Ohio was considered the early agricultural capital of the U.S. in the early 1800s as western expansion continued. Many settlers, after the hard trek over the Appalachians, fell in love with the plains of Ohio and industries continued to grow. By 1810, Dayton had a tobacco processing plant. Cincinnati was known …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. At the age of 13, with the aid of his father, he was given an apprenticeship at a nearby orchard, and thus began his interest in growing and harvesting fruit. At the age of 18, Chapman moved from the frantic family life in Massachusetts. He had 11 younger siblings. He headed …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. When considering top agricultural states in the country, New Mexico most likely doesn’t come to mind. But New Mexico is often the largest producer of pecans in the US, competing with states like Georgia and Texas. They have a diverse agriculture, including cattle, onions, alfalfa, cotton production, hay, and dairy. New …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Colonists had more access to land in the U.S. than they did in Europe, but the acquisition came with some problems. European agricultural practices greatly affected the landscape. Colonists brought livestock over from Europe, which caused many changes in the land. Grazing animals required a lot of land and food, and …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Early colonists had to learn the hard way about soil stewardship. The practices associated with keeping livestock also contributed to deterioration of the land. Colonists would cut down trees, allow their cattle and livestock to graze freely in the forest areas, but never plant more trees. The animals trampled and tore …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Barns differ in size and shape, and many still stand as a testament to America’s agriculture history. One of the largest barns still in use, a museum, is the Cooper Barn in Colby, Kansas. The largest round barn once used on a working farm still stands near Red Cloud, Nebraska, near …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Growing corn was one thing in American agriculture history, but harvesting it, certainly another. Imagine doing the job by hand. No combines, no tractors, just a man, a horse, and a wagon. Beginning in the 19 twenties, labor saving machinery was available for corn harvest. But even into the 19 forties, …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Barns were and are a centerpiece of family farms as settlers continued across the heartland. One of the largest barns in the US still stands in western Kansas, the Cooper Barn in Colby, Kansas, now a museum. The barn spans an enormous 114 feet long, 66 feet wide, and stands over …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. President Thomas Jefferson believed in the future of agriculture. In fact, he believed it to be the cornerstone to the success of the country’s new independence. It said Jefferson gave Meriwether Lewis specific instructions in the summer of 1803 before he and William Clark set out on their 1804 expedition. His …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Any modern traveler now retracing the steps of Merriweather Lewis and William Clark after they left the Missouri River and proceeded west would likely wonder how areas of the Dakotas, Montana and Idaho could ever be agriculturally productive. After all, President Thomas Jefferson gave specific instructions to the two that he …
