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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “This Land of Ours”
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. In 1885, Harriet Strong made a study about the shortage of water in Nevada, including control of floodwaters and water storage. She advocated conservation as a flood remedy, proposing a succession of dams to conserve the water for irrigation purposes and the generation of electricity. In 1887, she was granted a …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Wheat production grew as new railroads connected farms and markets. In between 1875 and 1890, bonanza farms, as they were called, were created especially in the Red River Valley. They were funded by rich businessmen from the east. Wheat farms covered thousands of acres, hundreds of horses used, and huge teams …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Early settlers in Minnesota soon discovered they could not grow the same variety of wheat as their counterparts in Nebraska and Kansas, and they soon discovered a more suitable spring wheat. However, they had not yet developed a process to remove the dark bran to produce pure white flour. That all …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. It was called the National Road. No, not Route 66. That would come nearly 100 years later. This National Road, built in 1810, was the first road, though paved in gravel, to cross the Appalachians, connecting Ohio and states west with the east coast. Prior to this, once settlers crossed the …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. Once early settlers crossed the Appalachians, many had had enough of that kind of rough travel and settled in what is now eastern and central Ohio. Europeans continued to rely on agriculture as a primary means of feeding their families and of course, withstanding the winter to come. Most raised wheat …
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. In 1820, Ohio Governor Ethan Brown established the Ohio Canal Commission, the purpose of surveying a route for a canal that would connect Lake Erie with the Ohio River. But the U.S. government stood in the way, refusing to sell the land that was needed and the Commission was dissolved. Well, …
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 …
