Even More Changes in Agricultural Technology

After World War II, chemical and mechanical revolutions occured in agriculture! In 1933 new chemicals were developed to control insects, pests, and weeds. New biological technologies were developed to control characteristics of the animals and the crops. During the mechanical revolution, most farmers bought their own tractors and combines which were now gas powered. This meant that the farmer did not have to rely on his neighbor for the machinery to farm the land.

Photo by Gregory Spaid

A Farmer in 1980

• The farmer plowed the land quickly using gas powered machinery. Some farmers chose no-till farming.
• The farmers chose from many different types of chemicals to control insects, pests, and weeds. Of course, some farmers decided not to use any chemicals!
• The farmer planted crops with a sixteen row planter instead of a two or four row planter.
• The farmer harvested the crops using a gas powered combine which took one man to operate.

As you can see, farming has changed a lot in the last two hundred years! How much did you learn about the changes in technology? Take this quiz to find out!

"In 1936 I believe it was, just when I graduated from high school. A man down here by Gambier wanted me to plow five acres for him. And I went down there and I got there early in the morning and plowed all day. He gave me twelve dollars. And I worked all day with a tractor and a plow and made twelve dollars. Now today if they plow twelve hours they would probably plow sixty or sesventy acres. It is a different world altogether."

	If you were given twelve dollars to plow for twelve hours in 1936 and five dollars per hour to plow for twelve hours today, how much more money would you make today than in 1936?
	How many acres per hour would you plow if you plowed five acres in twelve hours?
	How many acres would you plow if you plowed sixty acres in twelve hours?

Take me back in time!