Who's Farming in Indiana?
History of Farming in Indiana
Indiana has a rich history of agriculture that dates back to before the discovery of the Americas. The first people to cultivate land here in the home of the Hoosiers were none other than the Native Americans. They first cultivated crops such as beans, squash, pumpkin, and maize, which is more famously known as corn, before being shaken up by the arrival of Europeans!
When Europeans arrived to the United States there was a monumental change in the way of life. In Indiana, and other midwest-states, Native Americans traditionally were hunters and gatherers, who on the side raised crops of their own. Once settlers found their way to the US, many took advantage of the cheap land found in Indiana. Due to the fact that the state is located deep into the midst of the country, and is primarily land-locked outside of Lake Michigan, there was not really any pull-factors except farm land!
Over time, Indiana became deeply cultivated in crops such as beans, wheat, and corn. By the 1850s, Indiana was officially connected to national markets through the implementation of railroad systems. After then, the spread of agriculture in Indiana only continued to spread. Today, Indiana is the 10th largest farming state in the whole nation, and is 5th place for the highest production of corn, soybeans, and hogs.
Meet the Farmers...
Traditionally, men were known to be the main farmers, not only in Indiana, but throughout the whole country. Today, the demographics for farmers in Indiana look a lot more equalized. If you take the maps below into consideration, it is clear that today there is no front-man for farmers in Indiana. Women and men of all races have farms all throughout the state, but I'd like to point out that many of these farms are mostly family run.
This image shows Centroids of Female-Operated Farms (pink) versus Minority-Operated Farms (blue) in Indiana, swipe the image to compare!
Centroids of Family Operated Farms in Indiana
What Does This All Mean?
Small farms and family farms are vitally important aspects of the economy in the United States. These farms not only keep large areas of land fertile, providing resource, but they also provide opportunity for marketing systems and agricultural companies.
On a more local level, small and family farms are important parts of many communities. Local farms create opportunity for events like farmer's markets, which help to keep money in that specific community. Direct producer-to-consumer interactions are beneficial towards recycling money in a community's economy.
So Why Indiana...
Indiana does a great job of representing a hopeful model for other places in the US in terms of farm-owner diversity. Contrastingly to how Indiana looked a century ago, there is no longer one idea of an "average" farmer. Both men and women of all races have opportunity to try their green thumb in Indiana's fertile soil and create a life for themselves.
Don't forget to support your local farmers!
Works Cited
“National Institute of Food and Agriculture.” Small and Family Farms | National Institute of Food and Agriculture, https://nifa.usda.gov/topic/small-and-family-farms#:~:text=Family%20and%20small%20farms%20are,of%20new%20enterprises%20and%20marketing
Isda. “About Indiana Agriculture.” ISDA, 30 Nov. 2020, www.in.gov/isda/about/about-indiana-agriculture/ .
“Food in Hoosier History.” Indiana Humanities, 6 Apr. 2010, https://indianahumanities.org/food-in-hoosier-history#:~:text=Indiana%20was%20among%20the%20nation's,promote%20agriculture%20throughout%20the%20state .
