Colorado Farming and Ranching Farming!
There was farming in Colorado in the mid-1850's
Crops, Animals, Land ...I want to know more!
Chapter One
Crops
Coloradans loved to grow crops. Some popular crops were and are wheat and corn! The first store opened in Denver, CO, in 1858.
Many farmers used up all the rich soil and water which caused the Dust Bowl. People in Kansas didn’t have enough water to grow crops there. Some people lived too far away to get water from Colorado easily. Millions of dollars were spent to get water delivered from Colorado. Mountain water was taken to people in big populations like cities.
Chapter Two
Animals
Some popular ranching animals were cattle. Most men worked with cattle and a few women worked as cattle girls. Ranchers and farmers roped and tied the cattle and cows down to brand them. Most women ranchers were either the rancher's wife or a rancher herself. The great plains made year round food for cattle. The first cattle in Colorado were longhorn cattle. The first cattle came from Texas in 1859!
Chapter Three
Free Land
Many farmers and ranchers used a lot of land. Farmers and ranchers got a lot of that land from the Homestead Act! Farmers would get 80 to 160 acres of land (an acre is almost as big as a football field). Settlers had to live in Colorado for five years and farm on the land to own the land. Farmers would have to plow up the sod to get to the rich soil underneath the sod. (Sod is a thick layer of grass). Some farmers would build their houses out of two feet of dry sod to keep their houses cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The settlers that plowed up the sod were called sodbusters. Many droughts caused farmers to lose good land. During drought season it was very difficult to grow crops with scarce water and if grasshoppers got were the crops were, they would eat up all the crops. The crops would be gone in 2 hours! That would cause a disappointment for a farmer.
In conclusion there was a lot of farming going on in Colorado. Many people farmed and ranched in the olden days. Now you know a lot more about farming and ranching than your friends!
There was farming in Colorado in the mid-1850's
Crops, Animals, Land ...I want to know more!
Chapter One
Crops
Coloradans loved to grow crops. Some popular crops were and are wheat and corn! The first store opened in Denver, CO, in 1858.
Many farmers used up all the rich soil and water which caused the Dust Bowl. People in Kansas didn’t have enough water to grow crops there. Some people lived too far away to get water from Colorado easily. Millions of dollars were spent to get water delivered from Colorado. Mountain water was taken to people in big populations like cities.
Chapter Two
Animals
Some popular ranching animals were cattle. Most men worked with cattle and a few women worked as cattle girls. Ranchers and farmers roped and tied the cattle and cows down to brand them. Most women ranchers were either the rancher's wife or a rancher herself. The great plains made year round food for cattle. The first cattle in Colorado were longhorn cattle. The first cattle came from Texas in 1859!
Chapter Three
Free Land
Many farmers and ranchers used a lot of land. Farmers and ranchers got a lot of that land from the Homestead Act! Farmers would get 80 to 160 acres of land (an acre is almost as big as a football field). Settlers had to live in Colorado for five years and farm on the land to own the land. Farmers would have to plow up the sod to get to the rich soil underneath the sod. (Sod is a thick layer of grass). Some farmers would build their houses out of two feet of dry sod to keep their houses cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The settlers that plowed up the sod were called sodbusters. Many droughts caused farmers to lose good land. During drought season it was very difficult to grow crops with scarce water and if grasshoppers got were the crops were, they would eat up all the crops. The crops would be gone in 2 hours! That would cause a disappointment for a farmer.
In conclusion there was a lot of farming going on in Colorado. Many people farmed and ranched in the olden days. Now you know a lot more about farming and ranching than your friends!