They created towns where people could trade and socialise
New crops
A religious group called the Mennonites found that “Turkey Red” wheat grew well in Kansas, leading to excellent grain exports. They had emigrated in 1873 from Russia, where they had farmed similarly tough land.
New inventions
New inventions helped solve some of the farming challenges:
Windmills (1854) were used to pump water out of the ground for crops.
Barbed wire (1874) was used to fence off crops from livestock.
Sulky ploughs (1875) were able to plough the tough Plains ground.
The Timber Culture Act (1873)
Homesteaders could claim a further 160 acres of land if they agreed to plant trees on a quarter of it. Trees were important because they acted as a wind break and provided timber for building and fuel.
