Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “Mark Oppold”
From Dust to Renewal: How the Great Depression Sparked U.S. Soil Conservation When the winds of the 1930s carried dust across America’s plains, it wasn’t just soil that disappeared—it was hope. Out of that devastation came a powerful movement that would forever change the way farmers and ranchers cared for the land. I’m Mark Oppold, and in this American Agriculture …
Exploring the Debate Over the Biggest Barns in the United States By Mark Oppold – American Agriculture History Minute When it comes to American agriculture, size has always mattered—and few farm structures spark more debate than barns. As Mark Oppold explains in this American Agriculture History Minute, identifying the largest barn in the United States depends on how the term …
Pioneers Moving West and the Unexpected Settlement of Ohio As early American settlers crossed the Appalachian Mountains in search of new opportunities, many expected to continue westward through the Great Plains and eventually reach far-off destinations like California and Oregon. But as Mark Oppold explains in this American Agriculture History Minute, a surprising number of these pioneers found their permanent …
A National Moment in Agricultural Advancement In the mid-1800s, agriculture was the driving force of American life, shaping communities, economies, and national expansion. Recognizing the importance of strengthening agricultural knowledge and innovation, the Iowa General Assembly made a landmark decision in 1856: it enacted legislation to create the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm. This initiative marked one of the …
In the early decades of the 19th century, the United States was a nation built on agriculture. As Mark Oppold explains in this American Agriculture History Minute, no one at the time would have been surprised to see that the U.S. economy was overwhelmingly agriculturally based. Farming was not simply an industry—it was the core of daily life and national …
Agriculture in the American South Agriculture in the southern United States developed quite differently from that in the Midwest or New England. While northern regions focused on diversified farming, smaller plots, and self-sustaining communities, the South evolved around a plantation-based system that defined its economy, society, and land use for generations. Land Ownership and Social Divides In the southern states, …
A Myth of Responsible Farming Many Americans like to believe that early farmers and ranchers were responsible caretakers of the soil—working the land with the same respect and sustainability that define modern agriculture. Today’s producers take pride in soil conservation practices, using science-based management to maintain soil fertility for generations to come. But historical evidence tells a different story. The …
The Power of Radio in Rural America Radio is one of the most influential innovations in the history of American agriculture. In the early 20th century, long before the rise of television or digital platforms, radio served as the lifeline connecting farmers to the information they needed most. From market prices to weather forecasts, radio broadcasting became the central communication …
The Struggle to Move West Westward expansion in the United States did not happen quickly or easily. The journey beyond the original colonies demanded courage, endurance, and determination. Settlers faced political restrictions, natural obstacles, and the daunting task of surviving on unfamiliar land. The American dream of heading west began as a slow, hard-fought process—one that would eventually define the …
The Dawn of Soil Conservation in Early American Farming In the early years of American settlement, the nation’s farmers often took the vastness of the land for granted. As Mark Oppold explains in this American Agriculture History Minute, early settlers “tended to be careless with the use and care of their soil.” With the seemingly endless frontier before them, many …
