Several of our early presidents saw themselves first off as farmers then second off as politicians.
Here are some of their thoughts on agriculture:
In his own eyes, Thomas Jefferson considered himself first and always a man of the land. He felt that “those who labour in the earth are the chosen people of God….” What made Jefferson unique in his time was his understanding of the interrelationship between humanity and the environment and how they shaped each other. This wisdom and his subsequent practices, such as crop rotation, use of fertilizer, and contour plowing, characterize him as one of America’s early agronomists.
George Washington played many different roles in the founding of our nation: Commander in Chief of the Revolutionary Army, first President, and leader of the Constitutional Convention to name but a few. And it is in these roles that we think of him today. However, if you were to ask him to describe his most important occupation, he would say quite simply that he was a farmer.
Just as he led his countrymen on the field of battle and in the executive office, Washington was a leader in the development of American agriculture. Washington’s passion was his land. He enjoyed the challenge of cultivating crops and learning what techniques and tools worked best for growing things. The same calm determination he showed under fire was evident in his constant experimentation and efforts to improve the productivity of his four working farms.
For more on early farming practices Larding the Lean Earth by Steven Stok Hill is rich in description of issues that plague us to this day; how do we keep our soil rich and productive and how do we grow enough food to feed people?
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