More Modern Farms example essay topic

In recent times small-scale American farms have been diminishing. The environment, larger corporate farms, and advances in technology and machinery have been causing economic difficulties for small family farms for years. The farming techniques practiced in 1700 were somewhat limited by lack of technological advancements which we have in modern times. Farmers raised corn, beans and squash. Women did the farming while men were responsible for hunting and making tools. Families were subsistence farmers, raising just enough for their family to survive throughout the year.

Many built separate summer and winter lodges in areas where climate was an issue. The split rail fence, wheat field, rooting pigs and log house became popular in the 1800's. During this time farms were in transition between subsistence agriculture (producing enough for the family to survive) and becoming a profit-making farm. Most farms in 1850 averaged 199 acres in size, with farmers cultivating anywhere from 25 to 40 acres. Corn, wheat and potatoes were the three major crops in 1850. Most farmers used their corn crop to feed the pigs that were then sold for profit.

Wheat and hogs were cash crops for farmers, and potatoes were a staple with nearly every meal and lasted throughout the winter months. Around 1850 many pioneer families finally earned enough money to purchase more modern technology and work new land such as the Louisiana Territory. Eventually settlers would move westward in search of rich agricultural land. During these times it was not surprising to see women preparing food over an open fire although wood-burning cook stoves were available.

Log houses were built as temporary structures that pioneers improved or replaced once the farm was established. Pioneer families relied on poultry for three major purposes: meat, eggs, and money. Pioneers who raised pigs usually built a smokehouse to help preserve the pork. In 1850, barns were of less significance to the farm than in later years. Barns were used to store tools and some crops, rather than to house animals. Larger barns that are associated with the more modern farms were not built until around the 1870's.

Around 1870 there was an unexpected drought which decreased the average size of small farms by nearly 68%. This means that now the average farm size would be around 136 acres instead of 199 acres. This is only one example of how the environment puts pressure and stress on the agricultural industry. Dramatic changes in farming occurred between 1850 and 1900. The end of the Civil War led into the Industrial Revolution, and changes resulted throughout the barnyard. Instead of doing chores by hand, farmers used modern machinery to cut hay, plant corn, and bind oats.

Inside the farm kitchen, the wood-burning cook stove and the Mason jar made food preparation and preservation much easier. Post-Civil War towns soon became popular. The major theme of these communities was the interdependence between farmers, craftsmen, and merchants that worked and lived in and around the towns. These locations acted as supply centers for farmers in the surrounding areas. Many of these little towns included general stores, banks, newspaper stands, a church, cemetery, drug stores, carpenter's shops and warehouses. In these towns early evidence of the Industrial Revolution could be seen with mass-produced furniture stocked in warehouses, factory goods in the general store, and laborsaving machinery in the carpenter's shops.

When railroads began to arrive in towns and craftsmen gradually began to disappear as a result of being undersold by eastern factories, the towns shifted heavily to service and retail functions. The large barns were the center of daily activity on turn-of-the-century farms. Most farmers used the barn for multiple purposes, such as storing hay and oats, stabling animals, milking cattle, and storing tools and equipment. Farmers harvested hay in June, July, and August, and then stored it in the barn to feed the animals during the winter months. Hay-mows, centrally located in the barns, held more than 30 tons of loose hay. By 1900, most farmers used draft horses for hard labor.

The 1,200 pound animals plowed the fields for corn and oats, planted the crops, cultivated the fields, brought in the hay crop, picked field corn, and hauled manure. These farms would not have been as successful without the aid of the horses. New technology had reached most farms in 1900, by way of the hand-crank telephone, Acorn cook stove, and updated farm equipment, such as the horse-powered plow, planter, hay press and more. Corn, oats, and hay were the most common crops at the turn-of-the century. Some commonly raised farm animals included sheep, chickens, hogs, cows, beef cattle, ducks, geese, and turkeys. Around the beginning of the 20th century, small farms began to see more competition by bigger commercialized farms.

At this time gas-powered tractors became a new trend for farmers. One could then begin to see that these were not exactly cheap and therefore larger farms were mainly able to buy more of these and therefore come up with even greater production while the small farmer was beginning to get left behind by the upcoming larger commercial farms. Today, big commercial farm production capability outweighs smaller farms by a large amount. Commercialized farms only consist of about 3% of all farms but still have an output greater than 40% whereas the other 97% of smaller farms combine for a little more than 60% of the national agricultural output. On the same hand, between 1-8% of total profits usually ever get into the hands of the farmer. A change in modernized machinery has lead to a more productive and less time consuming jobs for farmers.

Labor which was once completed in 20 hours could now be done in just 3-4 hours. Once again for farms which could afford more of these machines would be the ones which would become more productive and these were mostly the larger farms. Today, farmers do not feel directly concerned with government and tend to be highly critical of bureaucracy and regulations. However, they do expect the government to play an active role in supporting organic farming.

This seems to present an unsolvable contradiction. Some organizations work to improve relations between farmers and government by exploring and testing new policy instruments such as area contracts and also by getting farmers and government officials directly involved in the same projects. In conclusion, my opinion is that there is not much room for small farmers to get ahead in the future. The world itself is becoming so much more technologically advanced and people with the big money are the ones which can afford to buy better tools and workers which are crucial to produce massive amounts of product. Farms will continue to get larger and fewer as our nation ages.

Profit margins will most likely continue to narrow. The division of time between labor and management will change. The successful farmer will spend more time behind a desk crunching numbers and less time driving tractors or feeding hogs. Labor and management may also become more specialized. Farmers will focus on either crop or livestock production.