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Lecture seven entitled, "The Farmer is the Man," was about agriculture and the changes it has undergone on the plains. We discussed alot of things such as the hardships farmers went through in the early part of the century. Through the Homestead Act and other movements like the Railways expanding westward, unoccupied land was up for grabs and so many families crossed the ocean to claim land for themselves. Before long the Great depression set in and people were faced with a hardship like no other causing many farmers to shut down their operations. Through perseverence and determination, agriculture came through and is now quite prosperous. Adaptation to the land and developing technology has been imperative for agriculturalists to thrive. Many new crops have been implemented in areas suitable for production while technological advances like irrigation pivots and highly detailed farm equipment have made farming much more efficient.

In looking back on this lecture I have to give kudos to Dr. Isern for the outstanding title!! The Farmer IS the Man!! Like many of my classmates I was born and raised in agriculture. Growing up on a third generation farm I was able to witness many advances to our operation. My great grandfather used to tell me stories of his farming experiences. The thing I have found most fascinating is the difference in the amount of production we are now able to create in comparison to what my great grandfather's generation could. He would speak of picking rock on his twenty acres of land all by hand that would take a month and now I can go over 2,000 acres of land with a rock picker in a week. The advancements really have come a long way and still...The Farmer IS the Man!!

A point of inquiry I have is why didn't we go into more detail during this lecture? Agriculture has shaped each and every one of us and our ancestors in some way, shape or form. Its evolution plays such an important role in the history of plains that I feel it is a topic that deserves more attention.