Farming in Early Idaho

The Bowns were prosperous early Idaho Farmers. They raised hay and grain to feed their cattle. They made money from selling their cattle, and used that money to hire workmen to build their homes. Those workers used the money they earned to buy things from the store and to pay for their own homes. In this way, Boise and the towns around it slowly grew into what they are today.

Idaho's towns and cities are still growing. Think about the following questions:

Why do cities and towns come to be located where they are?
Why do you suppose Boise is located where it is?
How does your family's work help our cities grow?

Mr. Joseph Bown was a good farmer. He probably used tools very much like the ones on display in the Bown House. The picture at the top of the page shows a pioneer farmer plowing with a horse.

This tool is called a Broadcast Seed Mill, used for planting seeds such as wheat. It is shown upside down so you can see the fan blades that scatter the seeds. This allowed the farmer to scatter seeds more evenly than casting them by hand. People today sometimes use a similar spreader to plant lawn seed.

You may see your parents using some of the same tools that he used. Some of the other things that the Bown family used may seem a little odd today. Think about the following questions.

What are some of those tools that your parents might still use?
Why would Mrs.Temperance Bown use a button hook?
Would you want a butter churn for Christmas?
Where would you use an awl or a spoke shaver?
How do farmers today plant seed crops?

In Joseph Bown's day, average farmers grew only enough food to feed their own families. If a farmer had any extra food, it was sold to make money to buy things that the family could not make for themselves. Today, one farm family can feed over 80 people. Think about the following questions.

Why can farms today feed so many people?
Where were the tools and supplies made?
What kinds of things would you buy in 1879 because you
could not make them yourself?
What kinds of things do you buy today because you cannot
make them yourself?

When you visit the Bown House, you will find out more about early farming methods and how the farm family lived during the long, cold winter months. Also, be sure to visit the Geography Room!

Find a partner, gather your resources, and try your hand at solving our "Farming in Early Idaho" crossword puzzle. Click here.