About 10,000 years ago, humans first developed the rudiments of farming including dairy jobs. As prehistoric people figured out that sees grew into plants, and certain seeds became certain plants, the idea of planting for future food took hold. The first evidence of farm job from archaeological records show that man first planted about 9000 B.C. According to archeological findings, it took another 1000 years for farming to become a primary source of food.
Farming job was initially far more difficult than hunting; methods for developing fertile farmland and domesticating animals were learned by trial and error. However, as the skills were developed, it became easier for some groups to do farm jobs. This allowed them to develop permanent shelters and live in one region for several years. Likewise, this ability to remain in one place led to the development of villages, and then cities. It was only through the use of farming that people could remain in one location throughout the year, and develop the land for communal living and farming.
As the skills in agricultural jobs of farmers increased, it allowed for better production of food. Both animal husbandry and planting skills developed. As the quantity of food increased, this allowed some of the village members to work on something other than food production. Carpentry, pottery, weaving and such became the work of some of the village members, and farming was the work of the other part of the population. Farming skills increased as new methods were developed. Leaving part of the farming land fallow, or unplanted, for a season allowed the ground to restore some nutrients needed for farming. Planting certain types of plants, like legumes, replaced minerals in the soil. This allowed for farmland to be used for much longer without depleting the soil entirely of its value.
The development of machines and tools assisted the farmer in food production. Prehistoric man developed the sickle for harvesting. The Egyptians developed irrigation and, at the same time as the Mesopotamians, a plow pulled by oxen. In the Middle Ages, horses were used for pulling plows. This shortened the time needed for plowing since horses worked faster than oxen. Jethro Tull developed the first modern farming machine around 1700, when he designed and built the first mechanical seed planter. This started to make agricultural jobs more efficient. The agricultural revolution, from 1700 to the mid-800s saw a boom in the ability of farmers to produce crops. Crop rotation allowed farm land to be used continually, and animal breeding improved dramatically. Because of the increase in production, towns became much larger as more people were able to move away from the farming communities and rely on work and markets in the cities.
As machinery improved, so did the size of the farm. When engines were used for tractors, the land that could be worked for farm jobs had also increased its size. With pumps for irrigation, harvesters, and all of the other mechanical elements that now do the work that used to be done by hand, the production level has increased to the point where the United States produces more food than can be used in the country. Food is sent overseas, and farmers are paid to leave some land unplanted so the price of food does not drop too low.
Agriculture is one of the most progressive and dynamic industries in the United States. Science and technology are playing a bigger role in agriculture, and as a result, the United States is unsurpassed in its production and quality of food. Scientists applying the principles of biochemistry, chemistry, physics, mathematics, genetics, microbiology, and other disciplines to the production and processing of farm products have unlocked many of nature's secrets and this knowledge has been used to the farmer's advantage.
As the proportion of human labor for agricultural jobs used in the production of farm goods has dropped approximately one-half, the proportion of capital represented by feed, machinery, fertilizer, and so on has increased tenfold. The farmer now relies heavily on these technological advancements to sustain and increase production. But today's farmer's population trend shows a different pace as the number of farms in the United States has declined. This is due in part to the fact that technology has allowed a family to operate a much larger farm than it did during the time of horse-drawn equipment, and in part to the growth of large-scale farms run by corporations. Truly, technological innovations has brought a significant change to farm employment as well, as its to farm production.
