Crops
A majority of early settlers to Nodaway County came from Kentucky and Tennessee. Those who farmed continued the practices they were used to there. They planted hemp, tobacco, buckwheat and bluegrass. These first settlers also stuck to land they were used to, near trees and water. It took enormous effort to clear land of trees for farm use. Most farms stayed small, around forty acres.
The first generation cleared the way for the next generation of Midwestern farmers. Instead of clearing land, they could focus on production and surplus. By the 1880s farms grew because of more market access through the railroads and increased production and efficiency. Large families were typical at this time as children were seen as labor that could make farms larger and more efficient. Railroad access to markets changed what farmers were growing. Corn and wheat became popular. Grains were easier to ship to more distant markets because they stored well. Crop products were still diverse. Farmers did not believe in “putting all their eggs into one basket.”
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Farmers also faced a variety of natural hazards, click on the additional resources tab to view some of these 1935-1953 climatological reports.