The End of the Country Road
When “good roads” first became a political issue, rural people were decidedly not the ones advocating for them.
Speaking for Rural America, 100 Years Ago
In the early 20th century, the Country Life Movement tried to make rural life appeal to women. But it ignored many truths about farms and women alike.
Bees and the World-Wide Farming Web
Connections between beekeepers in the 17th and 18th centuries created the early “world-wide farming web”—a way to share information across long distances.
The Feminist Evolution of the Iowa Porkettes
In Iowa, between 1964 and 1991, groups of women—the wives of pork farmers—boosted the supposed benefits of pork-heavy diets. They were the Iowa Porkettes.
The Forgotten Movement That Changed American Women’s Lives
Chatauquas changed the lives of Midwestern women between 1878 and 1900, setting the stage for new gender roles in the twentieth century.
Did Youth Farming Programs Really Fight Juvenile Delinquency?
Summer jobs for teens are becoming a thing of the past, but considering these beet farm jobs, maybe we shouldn't romanticize them too much.
Populism for Beginners
If the appeal of Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, and Brexit can all be described as "populist," then what is populism?
Are We Entering a New Golden Age of Guano?
A history of civilization could be written in fertilizers. And the history of guano—bird poop—tells us a lot about slavery, imperialism, and U.S. expansion.