Farms/Farm Life
By: Matthew Haschalk
Introduction
The farmers in the colonial times planted crops by hand on plantations. Most farmers used tools you have probably never have seen or heard of like harrows. Also, not all of the crops were food such as cotton because it is made into wool. Almost all farmers lived on plantations. Plantations are usually down south by a river because the water is used to import and export crops. Farming was of big importance in colonial times.
How farm tools are used
In colonial times there were different kind of tools. Most farm tools were homemade. Hoes were used to dig or turn over dirt. Mattocks were used like pickaxes and were used to cut roots of trees or crops. Scythes were used to cut crops. Did you know that harrows and plowshare are almost the same thing but harrows are pulled by animals like horses?Plowshares are pushed by hand by the workers rather than using the animals. Farm tools were simple in the colonial times and the farmers used them for their jobs or tasks.
Crops
There were a variety of different crops grown in the colonial times such as corn, cotton, vegetables, and fruits. Corn is a food that farmers grow in the summertime. Corn was one of the top crops grown because colonial people found it easy to plant and grow. Cotton is another crop that was grown as seed, then put in the ground to make a cotton bush. The next step is spin the cotton into wool which is then used to make clothes. Vegetables were grown alot for food in gardens because they were usually easy to maintain. Fruits were grown on an orchard because fruits are typically grown in trees like apple trees, orange trees, and banana trees. Fresh crops were frequently seen in colonial times.
Plantations
Did you know that slaves worked on plantations? Slaves did most of the crop planting and taking care of the plantation. Sometimes slaves worked sixteen hours a day. Plantation is another word for a large farm. On plantations, the farmers plant cocoa, coffee beans, rice, turpentine, sugar cane, and tobacco. These are some cash crops. Cash crops are sold for money. Corn, wheat , and rye are also grown on plantations. Farmers were thrifty when they sell cash crops.
Conclusion
Farmers were needed back in colonial times to produce crops and was the start to how we farm in today's life style. Farmers used a variety of tools to plant crops as well as harvest the crops. Crops weren't just food and were used to provide many different products. Plantations ranged from ten thousand acres to fifty thousand acres. The plantations were also different shapes like squares and rectangles. Farming has grown into something different today because we have technology to assist with farming and making tasks like planting easier.
Glossary
- harrow- a cultivating implement set with spikes, springs, teeth, or disk used for pulverizing and smoothing soil.
- Turpentine- a type of with a strong smell that is used to make paint thinner (it's a plant that is mixed with oil)
- Plantation- a large area of land in a hot part of the world where crops are grown.
Sources
Books:
- The Georgia Colony, Denis Brindell Fradin, ©1990
- The North Carolina Colony, Denis Brindell Fradin, ©1991
Online:
- Steffen Jerome O. ''Pioneer Life in American'' world book 2015, web, Mar. 5 2015
- Pollard James E.''Fruits'' world book student world book, 2015, web, Mar. 5 2015
- Salvador Ricardo J.''Corn'' world book student world book 2015, web' Mar 5 2015
- Popp, Michael. ''Plantation'' world book student world book 2015, web, Mar. 6 2015