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Farming has been vital to human beings since the beginning of civilization. Not only do we need it to provide food for ourselves, but, for some, to make an income, and it helps to boost the economy. Farming in Minnesota is, and almost always has been, a major career for many. Starting in the 1800’s though is when technology began to play a big role and improve the lives of farmers throughout the state.

But let’s start with how people came to Minnesota in the first place. The earliest known settlers were Frenchmen who came to Northern Minnesota in the 1650’s. Shortly after these explorers, a man named Daniel Greysolon went to Duluth and held a meeting with the Dakota Indians near Mille Lacs. Here Greysolon successfully claimed the region for King Louis the fourteenth back in France. There were many opportunities for exploring, fur trading, and missionaries who came to Minnesota during the two centuries before its statehood (Advameg).

Technique wise, farmers were pretty old fashioned. In the 1700’s, oxen and horses were used to drive wooden plows. All sowing and cultivating was done by hand, using hoes, sickles, and flails. Crops too were a new thing in Minnesota. The first crops grown were from the Native Americans, including maize, tomatoes, pumpkins, grapes, and cotton. Then came a wider variety from Europe, such as clover, small grains, and more fruits and vegetables (New York Times).

In 1820, the new Land Law allowed purchasers of public land to buy eighty acres for only a $1.25 per acre. The farm population continued to grow from there, with farmers making up sixty eight percent of the labor force in 1839. Even though their percent in the work force continued to go down, their population continued to increase by at least 2,000,000 every five years across the nation (New York Times). Immigrates and settlers from eastern states contributed a lot to that population during 1845-1855 in Minnesota (Advameg). 

The disadvantages then were that free land was becoming scarce. The Graduation Act of 1854 was then passed to reduce the price on unsold public lands. Also the Homestead Act, passed in 1862, gave 160 acres to any settlers who could work that land for five years. By the 1890’s, most immigrants were becoming farmers. This led to a great rise in the agriculture production, an increase in land cultivation, and an increase in farm specialization (New York Times).

A five finger scyth at Hancock Village, Massachusetts

Some of the first farming tools were the cradle and scythe, which were introduced in the late 1790’s. The cradle is “…an arrangement of fingers attached by a light framework to the snath of a scythe” (American Artifacts); the scythe being “an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or reaping crops” (Wikipedia). Along with these were the cotton gin and the first cast- iron plow. In the early 1800’s the iron plow, with interchangeable parts, was also introduced. From there the demand for agricultural products brought more improvements and adaptations to technology, increasing farm production.

Threshing rig of C. R. Chrislock, Goodhue County.

Photograph Collection 1880-1889

Location no. SA4.6 r70

Negative no. 45655

In the late 50’s and early 60’s, horse power, instead of hand power, became more common and efficient. Other additions, such as the gang and sulky plows, spring- tooth harrow, steel plow, and silos were introduced (New York Times). The gang plow was simply a “combination of two or more plows in one frame” (Dictionary) and the sulky plow allowed “…the operator to ride [the plow] while driving three horses” (John Deere). The spring- tooth harrow also helped improve farming. It was “…an all- purpose tillage tool, ideal for seedbed preparation and weed killing” (Pioneer Equipment).

John Deere Sulky Plow

Though all this technology seemed positive, it made farmers need more money to buy the bigger and better machines, but the inventions kept coming, increasing commercial farming. Some of these new up-and-coming inventions were the grain drill, grain elevator (New York Times), and the mowing machine: “an agriculture machine armed with knives or blades for cutting standing grass…drawn by…horses…” (Free Dictionary). Even irrigation and fertilizers were added to the new list of these many new technologies.

Clois David Stone on mower. Mag and Tom [horses]

By this time farmers could produce one hundred bushels, that is two to two and a half acres, of corn with a walking plow, harrow, and planting by hand. Eleven to thirteen days were needed to produce one hundred bushels, or five acres, of wheat. This was while using a walk plow, brush harrow, sickle, and flail. The 1890’s were quickly growing in machinery and commercialization. This decreased the labor hours for those two and a half acres of corn to only a day and a half with a two- bottom gang plow, disk and peg- tooth harrow, and two- row planter. Wheat production was also significantly dropped within the century to only two days for five acres with a gang plow, seeder, harrow, binder, thresher, and wagons and horses. Because of this, Minnesota became one the main wheat growing states in the country, along with California and Illinois (New York Times). 

Also a major concern was “…discontent grew among Minnesota farmers, who were plagued by high railroad rates, damaging droughts, and a deflationary economy” (Advameg). A man named Oliver Kelley decided that enough was enough and started the National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry. Kelley had a dream to make all farmers equal. He said, "Encourage them to read and think; to plant fruits and flowers, - beautify their homes; elevate them; make them progressive…I long to see the great army of producers in our country, turn their eyes up from their work; stir up those brains, now mere machines ... set them to thinking, - let them feel that they are human beings, and the strength of the nation, their labor honorable, and farming the highest calling on earth (Historic Society).”

"Father" Oliver H. Kelley

Along with their cause was The Farmers' Alliance movement, the Knights of Labor, and the Populist Party (Advameg). The Farmers Alliance movement “…was an organized agrarian economic movement amongst U.S. farmers that flourished in the 1880s. First formed in 1876 in Lampasas, Texas, the Alliance was designed to promote higher commodity prices through collective action by groups of individual farmers. The movement was strongest in the South… (Wikipedia).” It also helped to start the People’s Party, or the Populist Party. This “…was a short-lived political party in the United States in the late 19th century. It flourished particularly among western farmers… (Wikipedia).”

But none of these organizations could have predicted where farming was going to land today. As revolutionary as horse drawn power seemed to those farmers, it stands no chance against the technology that is out there today. Machines that run strictly on gas and motors are now the new thing. Some of this new equipment includes tractors, cultivators, corn and grain planters, hay balers, manure spreaders, and so much more. 

John Deere new 30 Series Tractor

What I found most interesting was how independent these machines are and how much more efficient farming is now. The Corn and Grain Planter, for example, “…puts the seeds directly into the remnants of the previous year’s crops without having to till or plow the soil (Cattlemen’s Association).” Also the combine has defiantly helped out farmers work load. It takes “…the entire plant…through the combine; the kernels are separated from the plant stalks. The kernels are stored in a large tank while the stalks go out the back of the combine onto the ground…when harvesting corn, the combine pulls the cob from the plant, separates the kernels from the central cob, stores the kernels in the tank and deposits the waste cob out of the machine (Cattlemen’s Association).” Men used to spend days just harvesting a mere five acres of corn, but now they have machines that are so advanced that they could easily beat out any old time farmers.

This is a high productive modern cultivator with low maintenance costs. Preserves the natural structure of the soil. It is a necessary addition for all agricultural activities.

Another interesting piece of equipment is the cultipacker. Its job is to get rid of dirt clods, air pockets, and press down all stones that get in the way to create a smooth seedbed. Then the rollers make sure that the ground around the seeds is firm (Wikipedia). But if you think that is cool, you will defiantly be excited for this next one. John Deere has just come out with the 4930 Self Propelled Sprayer. “This unit is made for commercial applicators and for large acreage farms…they’ve increased horsepower on the 4930 Sprayer…outfitted it… and designed it to maintain spray speeds in soft or hilly terrain (AgWired).” It is also “… equipped with the GS2 2600 Display, which is preloaded with GreenStar Basics Software, including Parallel Tractor manual guidance, on- screen and as- applied mapping, and full- foundation documentation (John Deere)”. Oh and a system called Load Command. It “…drastically decrease[s] load time by up to 80%. Now with the optional Load Command system, you can fill [with gasoline] a 4930 in as little as three minutes (John Deere)”.

John Deere self-propelled 4930 sprayer

I had the opportunity to interview a local farmer, DJ Janke. On his farm, they plant Pioneer soybeans and corn. I asked him how long it took to harvest five acres, to compare it to the day and a half it used to take to harvest corn. “Less than an hour,” he said, “And we have nine hundred acres of the stuff (DJ Janke)”. That’s while using a…“$260,000 combine, ripper, dragger, planter, drill, and tractor. They take up a lot of gasoline, so most people don’t keep track of that. They just pay for it (DJ Janke)”.

Other new technologies coming to farming are actually a blast from the past. Organic farming “…has become one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. agriculture. Organic foods now occupy prominent shelf space in the produce and dairy aisles of most mainstream U.S. food retailers.” Organic foods are being bought at a higher rate than ever before. So fast in fact, that organic farmers have a hard time keeping up with demand and often fall behind (USDA). “Organic farming…promotes the health of both consumers and the environment…Organic farming excludes the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and genetic engineering (Achoo!).”

A sign outside of an organic apple orchard in Pateros, Washington reminding orchardists not to spray pesticides on these trees.

Yes, unfortunately farmers do use a lot of chemicals in their crops today. Modern farming, or monoculture, uses all sorts of pesticides and fertilizers that are loaded with a variety of chemicals to help grow as many crops as possible. Most importantly to know is that when you eat a product that was made with these chemicals, a small percentage is going into you and being absorbed by your body (Achoo!). There are also problems with irresponsible farming, which hurts the environment. This includes erosion, taking of wildlife habitat, and dirtying rivers and streams.

All in all, farming has been an extremely important occupation throughout the world since the beginning of civilization. Even though it started out rough, technological advances in the 1800’s helped improve the lifestyle and techniques of farmers everywhere. Modern farming has become incredibly advanced with all of its machines and gadgets. Minnesota will always be a state where farming is not only a way to provide food, but a part of daily life.

Works cited will be included in a later post.