Photos of Farming in Idaho - early 1900's
Grubbing the sagebrush from the desert soil using horse drawn equipment - and
preparing for farm use.
Jack Rabbits were a continual nuisance - and would eat the
hay and other vegetation quicker than the cattle would.
Community rabbit drives, where the rabbits were "herded" into an enclosed area
and clubbed to death
were a common event in early years.
The excavating of canals in the region such as the Aberdeen-Springfield Canal
allowed
farmers to finally bring the water to the dry land
and raise crops on what was previously arid desert land.
Sheep were sometimes used to keep the vegetation down along the canals
Early farmers sometimes planted orchards of apples, plums,
apricots, pears
irrigated by the newly built canals.
Control Gates along the newly built canals were used to control the flow and distribution of water from the Snake River
Besides potatoes - Sugar Beets were found to be an good crop for the Idaho
region.
An early example of horse drawn "combine harvesters" used to harvest
grains
Iron wheeled tractor used at harvest time
Sheep herding in the Blackfoot, Idaho Region
Hives of Bees - in the Idaho area - used to produce "clover honey" - from the
alfalfa grown in the area
A new type of Cowboy in a car ...
Horse drawn wheat harvesting equipment
Aberdeen Research and Extension Center - early 1900's
An early chicken farm
Potato Harvest Time
The American Falls Dam (first built in 1925) greatly affected agriculture in the region.
Life wasn't all work and no play - the Eastern Idaho State
Fair surprisingly began as early as about 1902.
It is uncertain if this photo is related to the fair or not - but this is an
early "Merry Go Round"
powered by steam in the Blackfoot, Idaho area about 1905 .
. . . and if farming really made you crazy - maybe you
ended up in the Insane Asylam ("Blackfoot South")
(in Blackfoot since 1887)