Agriculture

From butter churns to diesel tractors, the Museum's agricultural artifacts trace the story of Americans who work the land. Agricultural tools and machinery in the collections range from a John Deere plow of the 1830s to 20th-century cultivators and harvesters. The Museum's holdings also include overalls, aprons, and sunbonnets; farm photographs; milk cans and food jars; handmade horse collars; and some 200 oral histories of farm men and women in the South. Prints in the collections show hundreds of scenes of rural life. The politics of agriculture are part of the story, too, told in materials related to farm workers' unions and a group of artifacts donated by the family of the labor leader Cesar Chavez.

John Deere Plow
John Deere Plow, 1830s
Ira Wertman, a farmer in Andreas, Pennsylvania, raised fruits and vegetables and peddled them with this truck to retired coal miners near Allentown. He also used the truck to take produce to market and haul supplies from town to the farm.
Description
Ira Wertman, a farmer in Andreas, Pennsylvania, raised fruits and vegetables and peddled them with this truck to retired coal miners near Allentown. He also used the truck to take produce to market and haul supplies from town to the farm. Pickup trucks have been versatile aids to a wide range of agricultural, personal, and business activities. Early pickup trucks were modified automobiles, but postwar models were larger, more powerful, and able to carry heavier loads. Some postwar pickups were used in building suburban communities. Others were used for recreational purposes such as camping, hunting, and fishing. By the 1990s, many people purchased pickups for everyday driving.
date made
1949
maker
General Motors Corporation
ID Number
1999.0057.01
accession number
1999.0057
catalog number
1999.0057.01
In its search to develop electric power through chemical reactions, Allis-Chalmers in 1951 began research on fuel cells. In October 1959 near West Allis, Wisconsin, this fuel cell tractor plowed a field of alfalfa with a double-bottom plow.
Description
In its search to develop electric power through chemical reactions, Allis-Chalmers in 1951 began research on fuel cells. In October 1959 near West Allis, Wisconsin, this fuel cell tractor plowed a field of alfalfa with a double-bottom plow. Fuel cells produce electrical power directly through a chemical reaction, without heat, smoke, or noise. Unlike standard batteries, fuel cells do not store energy but convert chemical energy to electric energy.
This tractor has 1,008 fuel cells joined in 112 units of 9 cells each arranged in four banks that produced power to run a standard Allis-Chalmers 20 horsepower dc motor. Using a fuel cell to produce power was not a new idea in the 1950s. Over a century earlier, Sir William Grove originated the idea of a fuel cell that would run on hydrogen and oxygen. Over the years inventors experimented with a number of fuels and configurations. The search for an efficient and economical fuel cell unit continues.
Location
Currently not on view (fuel cell)
date made
1959-10
maker
Allis-Chalmers Company
ID Number
AG.76A8
accession number
232284
catalog number
76A08
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1896
ID Number
NU.69.127.612
catalog number
69.127.612
accession number
286471
This model accompanied the patent application for William N. Whiteley’s improvement in harvesters that received patent number 197,192 on November 13, 1877.
Description
This model accompanied the patent application for William N. Whiteley’s improvement in harvesters that received patent number 197,192 on November 13, 1877. The combined reaper and mower had a single large wheel with a driver’s seat to steer the horses and manipulate the mower, reaper, or rake attachments This harvester model was manufactured under the brand name “Champion.” The Champion was sold by a variety of company’s across the country from its home in Springfield, Ohio which is still known as the “Champion City.”
A reaper is a machine for harvesting grain crops, especially wheat. Drawn by horses (or a tractor), a reaper uses a large blade to cut wheat stalks. Early reapers required farmers to rake wheat off the machine by hand. On self-raking models, automatic rakes pushed the wheat across a platform and deposited it on the ground in bunches. Workers followed the reaper, gathering and tying bundles of wheat, called “sheaves.” They stacked the sheaves into piles, called “stooks,” for protection from wind and rain. Later, workers threshed and winnowed the wheat to remove edible grains from the inedible chaff.
date made
1877
patent date
1877-11-13
inventor
Whiteley, William N.
ID Number
AG.197192
accession number
89797
catalog number
197192
patent number
197,192
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1898
publisher
Underwood & Underwood Illustration Studios
maker
Strohmeyer & Wyman
ID Number
2006.0142.21
accession number
2006.0142
catalog number
2006.0142.21
Parity is a continual theme of the American Agriculture Movement. Farmers were seeking 100% parity meaning they would be guaranteed a price for their commodities at least equal to the cost of growing or raising that commodity.
Description
Parity is a continual theme of the American Agriculture Movement. Farmers were seeking 100% parity meaning they would be guaranteed a price for their commodities at least equal to the cost of growing or raising that commodity. Many consumers feared that if the price of raw crops went up, then the price of the finished product in the store would rise exponentially as well. Many farmers felt it was not the price of the raw product that drove the price of the finished, but rather the production of the finished product that consumers paid for in the store.
The farm crisis of the late 1970s and 1980s was triggered by several factors stemming from the early 1970s. When Earl Butz became the Secretary of Agriculture in 1971, he changed farm policies that provided supports to farmers who did not plant a certain percentage of their land, and instead asked farmers to plant “fence row to fence row” in order to increase production. New foreign markets had opened up, inflation was high which increased land values and interest rates were low which provided extra incentive for farmers to increase their landholdings and purchase modern equipment that made output from the land more productive. Many farmers took advantage of this confluence of factors to increase their income by following this advice.
In the late 1970s, the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates in an attempt to bring down the rate of inflation. This happened at the same time foreign markets dried up and a trade embargo was placed on the Soviet Union. These factors meant farm income dwindled at the same time interest rates skyrocketed, eating up what little income remained for farmers. The members of the American Agriculture Movement were highly involved in protests through the late 1970s and 1980s, speaking to officials at all levels of U.S. government in an attempt to raise awareness of the growing farm crisis. Concern over the 1977 Farm Bill ignited the concern for many farmers who believed the bill would adversely affect farm income by lowering commodity prices to less than the cost of production. Farmers began to protest at all levels of government, most for the first time, in order to bring this to the attention of policy makers as well as the people.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1993.0188.046
accession number
1993.0188
catalog number
1993.0188.046
This Drambuie Liqueur crate side was used by the Drambuie Liqueur Company, Ltd. of Edinburgh, Scotland during the early 20th century.
Description (Brief)
This Drambuie Liqueur crate side was used by the Drambuie Liqueur Company, Ltd. of Edinburgh, Scotland during the early 20th century. The crate bears an image of the Drambuie bottle, which reads “The Isle of Skye Liqueur” and “A Link with the 45.” There is a crest on the right side of the label with a ribbon that reads “Remember the Gift of the Prince.” In 1745 Prince Charles Edward Stuart led an uprising to retake the British throne from the Hanoverian King George II. When the coup failed the Prince had to flee from the Isle of Skye, and legend holds that he gave the recipe of his personal golden elixir to his supporter Captain John MacKinnon, which later became Drambuie.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
Drambuie Liqueur Co., Ltd.
ID Number
1979.0441.144
accession number
1979.0441
catalog number
1979.0441.144
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
NU.68.263.736
catalog number
68.263.736
accession number
281689
A poster giving examples of egg sizes and how to cook fried and poached eggs.
Description
A poster giving examples of egg sizes and how to cook fried and poached eggs.
date made
1967
copyright date
1967
associated institution
U.S. Department of Agriculture
maker
U.S. Department of Agriculture
ID Number
ZZ.RSN81724Y42
This Chere Best brand apple crate label was used by the Columbia Fruit Packers Inc. of Wenatchee, Washington during the early 20th century. The label was lithographed by Stecher-Traung of San Francisco, California.
Description (Brief)
This Chere Best brand apple crate label was used by the Columbia Fruit Packers Inc. of Wenatchee, Washington during the early 20th century. The label was lithographed by Stecher-Traung of San Francisco, California. These apples came from the Wenatchee Valley region of Washington, which is colloquially known as the “Apple Capital of the World.”
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
Columbia Fruit Packers, Inc.
ID Number
1979.0441.112
accession number
1979.0441
catalog number
1979.0441.112
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1879
ID Number
NU.69.127.694
catalog number
69.127.694
accession number
286471
This shipping crate side contained Rose of Virginia brand apples that were grown and packed by E.W. Barr of Winchester, Virginia during the early 20th century. The crate side has an image of a rose stenciled in the center.
Description (Brief)
This shipping crate side contained Rose of Virginia brand apples that were grown and packed by E.W. Barr of Winchester, Virginia during the early 20th century. The crate side has an image of a rose stenciled in the center. Winchester, Virginia is well known for hosting the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
E. W. Barr
ID Number
1979.0441.203
catalog number
1979.0441.203
accession number
1979.0441
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1891
ID Number
NU.NU61826.1
catalog number
NU61826
accession number
210914
This shipping crate side originally contained Providence River brand cove oysters packed and shipped by the Fait & Winebrenner Company of Baltimore, Maryland during the early 20th century. The shipping crate was made by J.M. Thiemeyer & Company Box Manufacturers.
Description (Brief)
This shipping crate side originally contained Providence River brand cove oysters packed and shipped by the Fait & Winebrenner Company of Baltimore, Maryland during the early 20th century. The shipping crate was made by J.M. Thiemeyer & Company Box Manufacturers. The wooden shipping crate side has an interlocking F and W symbol in the center, and contained 24 20-ounce cans of oysters.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
Fait & Winebrenner
ID Number
1979.0441.347
catalog number
1979.0441.347
accession number
1979.0441
This shipping crate side contained Cascade Brand yellow cling peaches that were packed by the Western States Growers Company during the first half of the 20th century. The crate contained six gallon-sized tins of peaches.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
This shipping crate side contained Cascade Brand yellow cling peaches that were packed by the Western States Growers Company during the first half of the 20th century. The crate contained six gallon-sized tins of peaches.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
Western States Gro. Co.
ID Number
1979.0441.216
catalog number
1979.0441.216
accession number
1979.0441
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
NU.68.21.71
catalog number
68.21.71
accession number
276536
Labels are an important marketing device. They often go beyond merely identifying contents and are designed to help establish brand distinction and generate customer loyalty for a largely interchangeable product.This Rose brand apple crate label was used by J.M.
Description (Brief)
Labels are an important marketing device. They often go beyond merely identifying contents and are designed to help establish brand distinction and generate customer loyalty for a largely interchangeable product.
This Rose brand apple crate label was used by J.M. Wade of Wenatchee, Washington during the early 20th century. This label was lithographed by the Ridgway Lithograph Company of Seattle, Washington. The label has a blue background with an illustration of two large red roses in the center. These apples came from Wenatchee, part of a region that claimed to be the “Apple Capital of the World.”
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
J. M. Wade
ID Number
1979.0441.126
accession number
1979.0441
catalog number
1979.0441.126
This shipping crate side contained Murphy’s Select brand California tomatoes that were packed and shipped by the Murphy’s Brothers Company in California during the early 20th century. The crate side has a four leaf clover logo in the upper right.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
This shipping crate side contained Murphy’s Select brand California tomatoes that were packed and shipped by the Murphy’s Brothers Company in California during the early 20th century. The crate side has a four leaf clover logo in the upper right.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
O. P. Murphy & Sons
ID Number
1979.0441.229
catalog number
1979.0441.229
accession number
1979.0441
The American Agriculture Movement was started in the fall of 1977 in response to the 1977 Farm Bill which had the adverse affect of dropping commodity prices to a level lower than the cost of production.
Description
The American Agriculture Movement was started in the fall of 1977 in response to the 1977 Farm Bill which had the adverse affect of dropping commodity prices to a level lower than the cost of production. In February of 1979, members of the American Agriculture Movement organized a tractorcade, a protest on tractors, in Washington, D.C. Farmers from around the country, some driving from more than 1500 miles away, arrived by the thousands. On February 5, they convened in Washington, D.C. from four different directions. In order to accommodate both the protesters and the city’s residents, the D.C. police required them to park on the National Mall and restricted their protests to specific times during the day.
The farm crisis of the late 1970s and 1980s was triggered by several factors stemming from the early 1970s. When Earl Butz became the Secretary of Agriculture in 1971, he changed farm policies that provided supports to farmers who did not plant a certain percentage of their land, and instead asked farmers to plant “fence row to fence row” in order to increase production. New foreign markets had opened up, inflation was high which increased land values and interest rates were low which provided extra incentive for farmers to increase their landholdings and purchase modern equipment that made output from the land more productive. Many farmers took advantage of this confluence of factors to increase their income by following this advice.
In the late 1970s, the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates in an attempt to bring down the rate of inflation. This happened at the same time foreign markets dried up and a trade embargo was placed on the Soviet Union. These factors meant farm income dwindled at the same time interest rates skyrocketed, eating up what little income remained for farmers. The members of the American Agriculture Movement were highly involved in protests through the late 1970s and 1980s, speaking to officials at all levels of U.S. government in an attempt to raise awareness of the growing farm crisis. Concern over the 1977 Farm Bill ignited the concern for many farmers who believed the bill would adversely affect farm income by lowering commodity prices to less than the cost of production. Farmers began to protest at all levels of government, most for the first time, in order to bring this to the attention of policy makers as well as the people.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1993.0188.033
accession number
1993.0188
catalog number
1993.0188.033
The American Agriculture Movement was started in the fall of 1977 in response to the 1977 Farm Bill which had the adverse affect of dropping commodity prices to a level lower than the cost of production.
Description
The American Agriculture Movement was started in the fall of 1977 in response to the 1977 Farm Bill which had the adverse affect of dropping commodity prices to a level lower than the cost of production. In February of 1979, members of the American Agriculture Movement organized a tractorcade, a protest on tractors, in Washington, D.C. Farmers from around the country, some driving from more than 1500 miles away, arrived by the thousands. On February 5, they convened in Washington, D.C. from four different directions. In order to accommodate both the protesters and the city’s residents, the D.C. police required them to park on the National Mall and restricted their protests to specific times during the day.
The farm crisis of the late 1970s and 1980s was triggered by several factors stemming from the early 1970s. When Earl Butz became the Secretary of Agriculture in 1971, he changed farm policies that provided supports to farmers who did not plant a certain percentage of their land, and instead asked farmers to plant “fence row to fence row” in order to increase production. New foreign markets had opened up, inflation was high which increased land values and interest rates were low which provided extra incentive for farmers to increase their landholdings and purchase modern equipment that made output from the land more productive. Many farmers took advantage of this confluence of factors to increase their income by following this advice.
In the late 1970s, the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates in an attempt to bring down the rate of inflation. This happened at the same time foreign markets dried up and a trade embargo was placed on the Soviet Union. These factors meant farm income dwindled at the same time interest rates skyrocketed, eating up what little income remained for farmers. The members of the American Agriculture Movement were highly involved in protests through the late 1970s and 1980s, speaking to officials at all levels of U.S. government in an attempt to raise awareness of the growing farm crisis. Concern over the 1977 Farm Bill ignited the concern for many farmers who believed the bill would adversely affect farm income by lowering commodity prices to less than the cost of production. Farmers began to protest at all levels of government, most for the first time, in order to bring this to the attention of policy makers as well as the people.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1993.0188.023
accession number
1993.0188
catalog number
1993.0188.023
This shipping crate side has a label for Gilbert S. Graves Family Gloss Starch that was manufactured by the National Starch Company of Buffalo, New York during the late 19th and early 20th century. The crate contained 16 3-pound boxes of starch.
Description (Brief)
This shipping crate side has a label for Gilbert S. Graves Family Gloss Starch that was manufactured by the National Starch Company of Buffalo, New York during the late 19th and early 20th century. The crate contained 16 3-pound boxes of starch. The National Starch Company was one of the largest American producers of starch during the early 20th century, controlling a number of companies including the Gilbert S. Graves Company.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
National Starch Co.
ID Number
1979.0441.333
catalog number
1979.0441.333
accession number
1979.0441
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1858
ID Number
NU.NU65358
catalog number
NU65358
accession number
240108
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
NU.68.263.754
catalog number
68.263.754
accession number
281689
Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen ran against George Bush Sr. and Dan Quayle in the 1988 Presidential election.
Description
Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen ran against George Bush Sr. and Dan Quayle in the 1988 Presidential election. Some believe they had a relatively strong showing in the mid-west (as opposed to contemporary democratic candidates) because of the financial hardship farmers in those states had been experiencing since the late 1970s.
The farm crisis of the late 1970s and 1980s was triggered by several factors stemming from the early 1970s. When Earl Butz became the Secretary of Agriculture in 1971, he changed farm policies that provided supports to farmers who did not plant a certain percentage of their land, and instead asked farmers to plant “fence row to fence row” in order to increase production. New foreign markets had opened up, inflation was high which increased land values and interest rates were low which provided extra incentive for farmers to increase their landholdings and purchase modern equipment that made output from the land more productive. Many farmers took advantage of this confluence of factors to increase their income by following this advice.
In the late 1970s, the Federal Reserve Board raised interest rates in an attempt to bring down the rate of inflation. This happened at the same time foreign markets dried up and a trade embargo was placed on the Soviet Union. These factors meant farm income dwindled at the same time interest rates skyrocketed, eating up what little income remained for farmers. The members of the American Agriculture Movement were highly involved in protests through the late 1970s and 1980s, speaking to officials at all levels of U.S. government in an attempt to raise awareness of the growing farm crisis. Concern over the 1977 Farm Bill ignited the concern for many farmers who believed the bill would adversely affect farm income by lowering commodity prices to less than the cost of production. Farmers began to protest at all levels of government, most for the first time, in order to bring this to the attention of policy makers as well as the people.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1993.0188.048
accession number
1993.0188
catalog number
1993.0188.048

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