Almost all farms in Wright County had low wet spots that could not be used for farming until they were drained. Only the tops of the hills could be farmed. Farmers dug tile ditches by hand or hired others to dig the ditches. It was a good first job for immigrants before they had language skills to earn money to pay for their passage. Farmers at first just started at a low spot and dug a ditch from pond to pond. Later the county engineer would lay out the line. Draining ponds increased the land available for farming and the rich soil was discovered. Content can be used with the following standards: 4th grade SS 4.26 Changes to Agriculture in a lesson on farming methods used in the early 1900s. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions.
2018.054.025 [Spade, Ditching]
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