7 INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED HOW FARMERS PRODUCE FOOD
7 Inventions That Changed How Farmers Produce Food – Agricultural has been around since the dawn of creation. Growing one’s own food was the only way to eat. At one time, food production was hard, laborious work. Thanks to certain agricultural inventions, it has become much easier for farmers to produce food. Here are 7 of those inventions.
1. Reaper
For several centuries, small grains were harvested by hand. Grains were cut with sickles, raked, and then tied into sheaves. In 1831, at the age of 22, Cyrus McCormick created the first grain harvesting machine in the United States. The reaper made it possible to harvest large fields in one day and allowed farmers to have bigger crops.
2. Thresher
At one time, in order to remove kernels from the straw, grain had to be spread out on a threshing floor where it was beaten by hand. In some cases, animals trampled on the grain to separate it. The invention of the threshing machine made this process much easier. Two brothers, Hiram and John Pitts, invented the first American thresher in 1830. The threshing machine helped speed up the process of separating grain.
3. Steam Engine
At one time, plowing and harvesting the field was done with the power horses or oxen. Since these animals could only move so fast, it took a lot of time to work in the field. Portable steam power was first used with threshing machines in 1849. The invention of the steam engine increased threshing production by 100 times.
4. Combine
Combines are a must-have piece of equipment on any large farm. This machine combines three harvesting operations. These operations include reaping, threshing, and winnowing. The earliest combines in the country showed up around 1835. This is when Hiram Moore built and patented the first combine harvester. In 1839, this large machine was pulled by 20 horses. The first self-propelled combine wasn’t built until 1886.
5. Automobile
The first automobile in America was designed in 1893. In 1908, Henry Ford invented the famous Model T. These inventions led the way for the first steam and gas-powered farm wagons. These wagons helped farmers move around the farm, as well as transport livestock and equipment. Farm wagons eventually evolved into the modern day pick-up truck, which helped farmers complete chores more quickly.
6. Tractor
No farm would be complete without a tractor or two. These machines helped farmers increase productivity, which led the way to larger farms. In the early 1900s, tractors were powered with steam engines. These large, heavy machines weighed up to 60,000 pounds. Combustion engines eventually replaced steam engines. This helped to decrease the size of the tractor. Because of the tractor, horses and mules were no longer necessary. This allowed farmers to sell more of their crop, instead of saving a large portion of it to feed their livestock.
7. Hydraulics
When pressurized fluid powers an engine, it’s called hydraulics. This technology is used with several types of agricultural equipment. This includes hydraulic drives on tractors, self-propelled sprayers, self-propelled harvesters, and truck loaders. Some believe that hydraulics is a key factor in how the agriculture industry has transformed over the years. Hydraulics reduces the amount of manual power needed and increases overall efficiency and productivity. Hydraulics also provide less downtime between agricultural operations and reduces the risk of injury.
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