New Jersey Farming
The state of New Jersey has been a part of the United States since before it was a country. When the land was occupied by Native Americans, the ground was cultivated and the fertile soil used to plant and fish in the Atlantic Ocean and the many rivers. It is believed that because of the high fertility of the ground, the populations who lived there were less adept at hunting and defense, thus making them easy targets for the European settlers, first from the Netherlands and then the Swedes before falling under the control of the British. Even as a colony of Great Britain, New Jersey was integral because of its agriculture and fertile soil which grew foods not just for people within the colonies but that could also be exported back to England. It was believed that the vast majorities of people living in New Jersey at the time were farmers or were engaged in an industry which benefited from farming. Even in the modern period, farming and agriculture are still integral parts of New Jersey's economy. However, as with most things in history, the agricultural profile of the New Jersey farmer has changed considerably since colonial times with the industrialization of the trade.
During the American Revolution, the land that would become the state of New Jersey was an integral part of the war effort, not only because of the harvests but the farmers themselves. It was stated that farming was the backbone of the national endeavor to become a sovereign nation.[footnoteRef:1] Many New Jersey farmers became Minutemen.[footnoteRef:2] The Minutemen were able to fulfill an important role in the American Revolution. For many communities, these men were the first line of defense before the more organized Continental Army could arrive. The people who were recruited to be Minutemen were traditionally under the age of twenty five and had to have certain physical characteristics which made them adept at soldiering. Young men who had been raised on rural farms and had many years spent in intensive farm labor were perfectly suited to this task. They were an elite group, chosen for enthusiasm, reliability, and their physical strength (Minutemen). It was extremely important that these specially chosen men be in the best physical condition so that they would be best able to fulfill their roles within the community and within the context of the larger military endeavor. [1: "Two of republicanism's staple ingredients were the stubborn quest for independence -- personal and political -- and the related belief the farming and handicraft production were the most moral of all livelihoods" (Green 67). ] [2: Reports of the Minutemen's brave stand against the far more armed and well-organized British Redcoats has become synonymous with the mythology of the Founding Fathers and the Shot Heard 'Round the World. However, following this heroic endeavor, the Minutemen spent the majority of the remaining part of the war performing far less legendary activities such as guarding armories, and fighting Native Americans on the frontier. ]
New Jersey was nicknamed "The Garden State" in 1926 to reflect its verdant landscape and rich soil (Barna). The American South was heavily agricultural and the north became more focused on industry and manufacturing, except for New Jersey. However, that changed when the ground started to be less hospitable and the harvests less bountiful. The majority of New Jersey settlers were farmers, but after a century in the New World, there were massive crop failures in the state.[footnoteRef:3] Part of the reason for this was that over planting had taken much of the nutrients out of the soil and had made it more difficult for healthy plants to grow. In the 1850s, surveys were taken of the land to better support the farmers and ensure a better harvest (Historical). At that time, much of farming was done by hand wherein employees or slaves would harvest the product and then it would be sold and shipped to wherever in the world it was destined to be sent. It was difficult work. People had to dig the holes and plant the seeds and drive the mules which pushed the plows. The harvest would be by hand with the use of a few tools. Often, people on the farm would be severely injured, some even killed by the literally back breaking labors that they had...
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