The Roots of Agricultural Excellence Mark Oppold, in his American Agriculture History Minute, highlights the remarkable journey of Eugene Funk—a figure whose contributions helped shape modern corn production in the United States. Eugene Funk was born into a family deeply rooted in agricultural success. He was the grandson of Isaac Funk, one of the earliest settlers in McLean County, Illinois. …
Pioneering the Midwest: How Settlers Turned Iowa’s Prairies into Farmland
The Great Migration West By the 1850s, America’s westward expansion had surged into a defining movement. Families from the eastern states packed their wagons and made the long journey toward the fertile promise of the Midwest. The banks of the Mississippi River soon filled with settlers camping along the shoreline, waiting patiently for ferry boats to carry them across into …
Post–Civil War Wheat Crash: How Farmers Turned to Corn and Livestock
The Civil War’s Wheat Boom During the Civil War, wheat became one of the most valuable crops in the United States. With soldiers and civilians alike needing bread and other staples, demand soared—and so did prices. Farmers across the Midwest and East quickly responded, planting more wheat than ever before. Fields that once held diverse crops were converted to wheat …



