Working the Land in America
One of first things the early European settlers did was to clear the forests for agriculture. They found that maize, or Indian corn, grew well and they copied the native American’s production methods. This involved planting maize on small mounds called ‘hills’.
Crops in America
Maize was used on the farm in the early years but a market developed for it during the 1700s. By the 1800s, most maize was planted in flat rows and by 1820, it was being exported to Ireland in times of food shortage (get closer by clicking on the images).
The crop was harvested by cutting the p...
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Fencing
As the great forests were being cleared to make farmland, their timber was put to many practical uses, one of which was fencing. The split chestnut fence, adjacent to the Fulton House at the Ulster American Folk Park, was originally from Virginia (pictured left, get closer by clicking the i...
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