Friday, we had pleasure of visiting the Living History Farms of Iowa. The Living History Farms is a live interactive history museum and tour of the epic transitions of agrarian Iowa to the technology advanced agricultural landscape that is rural Iowa today. Although we had another event scheduled and was short for time, it was exciting to physically step into different points of history. The outdoor to or extended to 500 acres, beginning with the 1700 Ioway Farm, the 1850 Pioneer Farm, to the 1900 Farm. At the 1700 Ioway Farm, we were able to the hunter-gatherer period of prairies that were Iowa before its takeover by Europe. It was fascinating to see some of the efforts of the late native americans to manipulate the land and soil. Their efforts were furthered by some of the the hand tools they construct to help till and manage the soil. It was also interesting to the social setting of the Iowa natives. We saw their huts, fire pits, and community quarters.
Even more interesting was the 1850 Pioneer Farm where we saw a few innovations of colonial Iowa including early settlement homes and first uses if confined or fenced-in livestock. It was amazing to see the transition from bone blades for digging and planting to wood and metal tools like shovels and crop curlers.
Lastly, we journeyed through 1900s Iowa, where we saw a landscape much like what Iowa is currently. The was a large white-painted wood home in front if a large red horse barn and right of a two acre field plot. There we saw, what one might call, an early tractor. It was tillage tool attached to rear of a horse drawn carriage. Much like the technology of today, tools could be attached and detached to the carriage as needed.
Seeing all of this while considering the technological advancements of today, I cognitively began to beg the question of the future of farming in America. If we could advance so much within a century, where would technology be on the next decade? Will we have robotics so advanced that farmers are no longer needed or replaced with designated monitors? These are questions to think about as we continue our journey.