History of Farming on the I&M Canal

The evolution of nineteenth-century agriculture in northern Illinois.

The first wave of settlers transplanted the time-honored extensive agricultural methodologies to the Midwest. But with a market-oriented base of farmers migrating to the northern counties from other northern states, this antiquated methodology was replaced with intensive agriculture which set the stage for commercial and monocultural agricultural processes.  Find out what these various farming methodologies are and how they transformed the lives of farmers throughout northern Illinois.

Presented by Dr. Wayne Duerkes.