Shaping Somerset From the Ground Up

Ashley Walters, Kevin Taylor, and Pat Benner

Table of Contents

Geological Past

Native American Heritage

1600-1700’s

Settlement Patterns

Green Gold

Canning Industry

World War II Era

How has the Industry Changed?

Challenging Obstacles

A Dangerous Occupation

Current Conditions

Number of Farm Operators Decreased

Somerset County Agriculture Profile (Graphs)

A Farmer’s Perspective for the Future

Maryland Agricultural Land

Preservation Foundation

Ethanol Facts for the Future

“Where the Green Grass Grows”

Bibliography

Geological Past

Quaternary Period

1.6 million years old• Sand, gravel, silt and

clay, and peat• Fertile deposits occur

as fluvial sands and marsh muds settle from upstream floodplains

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Native American Heritage

• The Accohannock Tribe is one of the oldest tribes in Maryland.

• They were the first inhabitants and stewards of the land.

• The Accohannock Indians and the settlers of Somerset benefited from a strong and peaceful relationship.

1600-1700’s

• Changes in colonial policy caused dispersion and assimilation which dismantled the culture.

• The Chief was forced to cede all authority and lands to the King of England.

• With the loss of its land, self-government of the tribe were destroyed.

Settlement Patterns

Settlers showed a preference for the bay side of the peninsula and parcels of land directly on rivers and their tributaries.

http://www.delmarvasettlers.org/profiles/thornton.html

Green Gold

• Tobacco farming flourished. • Plantation owners searched

for labor, it came via slave ships from the West Indies and Africa.

• One hundred million pounds of Oronoco gold poured out of Somerset.

• Tobacco was the medium of exchange. “Tobacco is the current coyn of Maryland, and will sooner purchase commodities from merchants than money” (John Wennersten) Tobacco’s reign lasted into the 20th century.

Canning Industry

• The depression of 1819 damaged tobacco business.  Many farmers diversified their crops. 

• Hemp wheat and pork were important crops. Fruit and vegetables also became important when the railroads connected Somerset farmers to large markets. 

•   Canning increased due to fruit and vegetable cultivation.  Tomato canning was second only to seafood packing in importance. 

World War II Era

• Most drastic changes in farming occurred during this time

• Poultry industry was introduced & many farmers converted to this industry

• Major advances in technology

• Tractors being used instead of horses

• Farmers no longer grew vegetables to be sold @ auction blocks

How has the Industry Changed?

• Dairy & hog farms no longer exist due to environmental & labor problems

• Drastic loss of land due to sea level rise & development

• Costs for farm land and equipment is prohibitive

“The economy has made the farmer change. . . A farmer has to have lots of land to pay prices.” –Randy

Schrock

Challenging Obstacles

• Most farmers have to depend on government subsidies

• Unpredictability of weather

• Receiving fair market prices

• Foreign competition

“Everything a farmer buys is at retail but what he sells is at wholesale.”-Randy Schrock

A Dangerous Occupation

• Farming is considered one of the most hazardous occupations in our country.

• 850 deaths and 140,000 disabling injuries occur annually

• Approximately one in every six Delmarvan farmers has a disability.

• “When disability strikes a farm family, everything changes except perhaps the desire to continue farming.”

Current Conditions

• Agriculture is the largest industry in Somerset County. 54, 823 acres is used for farming.

• Average size of farms in acres (190) has increased.

• 26 % of Eastern Shore land is classified as agricultural.

“Those who love the land stay, those who don’t sell.” Patti Butler

Number of Farm Operators Decreased

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1982 1987 1992 1997

Numberof Farm

Operators

PrincipalOccupation:Farming

PrincipalOccupation:Other

• Major decrease in the number of farms• Bulk of farming is corn, soybeans & grain, no

vegetables• Less people live on farms• Most farmers are forced to diversify

Somerset County Agriculture Profile

Number of Farms Decreased 30%While Average Size of Farms Increased

28%

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1982 1987 1992 1997

Farms/Acres

Numberof Farms

AverageSize ofFarms(Acres)

Source: United States Census of Agriculture, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997.

Somerset County Agriculture Profile

Number of Farms

435 420 413 345 314 301

Average Size

(acres)

160 162 149 161 180 188

Land in Farms

(acres)

69,618 67,924 61,654 55,657 56,424 56,650

Farms / 1974 1978 1982 1992 1997 2002

Size

Cattle 3,652 2,905 2,818 2,276 1,916 2,366

Hogs 3,810 5,837 14,804 7,222 2,082 65

Sheep 415 (D) 79 (D) (D) (D)

Somerset County Agriculture Profile

Livestock 1974 1978 1982 1992 1997 2002

Inventory

(D) Not published to avoid disclosure of individual operations.

Somerset County Agriculture Profile

Agricultural Industry Direct Output Amounted to $94 Million in 1999

Source: 1999 IMPLAN Multiplier Reports. Minnesota IMPLAN Group, Inc. Stillwater, Minn.

2%2%3%

4%

89%

Poultry and eggs ($83,491,000)

Feed grains ($3,529,000)

Oil bearing crops ($2,715,000)

Vegetables ($1,938,000)

Other commodities ($1,969,000)

A Farmer’s Perspective for the Future

• Fewer farmers

• Ethanol plants

• Ag Land Preservation

• Larger farms

• More technological advances

“The future of farming is going to

be corporate.”-Randy Schrock

Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation

To preserve productive farmland and woodland for the continued production of food and fiber for all of Maryland’s citizens;

To curb the expansion of random urban development;

To help curb the spread of urban blight and deterioration;

To help protect agricultural land and woodland as open space;

To protect wildlife habitat; To enhance the environmental

quality of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

Ethanol Facts for the Future

• FACT: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ethanol production adds 25-50 cents to the value of a bushel of corn, or as much as $5.5 billion over the entire corn crop.

• FACT: Ethanol production is the third largest use of U.S. corn, utilizing a record 1.43 billion bushels of corn in 2005.

“Where the Green Grass Grows”

Mike Dryden, “I was born behind a mule,

I like to see things grow.”

Bibliography

."Accohannock Indians." Skipjack.Net. 17 Aug. 2006 <http://skipjack.net/le_shore/accohannock/>."Ethanol Protects the Environment." Renewable Fuels Association. 17 Aug. 2006 <http://www.ethanolrfa.org>.Fitzgerald, Bob. Personal interview. 16 Aug. 2006.Handley, Shari, comp. "Accohannock Indians." Skipjack.Net. 17 Aug. 2006 <http://skipjack.net/le_shore/accohannock/>.Jones, Natasha, comp. ""'as Our Province Depends Wholy Upon Trade':." Delmarva Settlers. Salisbury University. 17 Aug. 2006 <http://www.delmarvasettlers.org/profiles/thornton.html>.Maryland Geological Survey. 05 June 2000. 17 Aug. 2006 <http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/geo/som.html>"Overview of the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation." Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation. 01 Nov. 2005. State of Maryland Department of Agriculture. 17 Aug. 2006 <http://www.malpf.info>.Schrock, Randy. Telephone interview. 15 Aug. 2006.