Crops and Livestock in Macomb County

The main occupation of the population in Michigan in the 1800s and early 1900s was agriculture.

In the 1880s the main crops in Michigan were:

Wheat State wide in 1880 estimated 1,834,529 acres

Corn yield in 1881 was 40,460,901 bushels of ears or 20,230,450 bushels of shellec corn

Clover much was damaged by wet weather in 1881

potatoes average fifty-five bushels per acre

Macomb County had a population of 31,627 in 1881 with 296,055 acres of accessed land

Michigan also produced 88 million in agricultural products, 60 Million in Timber, 2 million in salt, 1 million in fish and 8 million in copper (up north).

Every farm had its garden with numerous vegetables and most had an orchard with apples, pears, peaches, plumbs etc. Of c_ourse most farms had a raspberry patch perhaps the most tastee of all.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s the raising of cattle for meat and dairy farms were a big item.

Farms had many animals. Some were raised for food like pigs, swine, chickens, turkeys, ducks, sheep, goats, cattle, rabbits, and fish. They produce meat. Some produce eggs and the makin's for butter, cream and cheese. Sheep, goats and rabbits yield wool or mohair. Animal hide produces leather. Bladders and horns were used as containers. Parts of animals had other uses.

Some animals were used for labor such as oxen, horses, mules, donkeys, pigs, cats (for rodent control) and dogs.

They produce lots of manure for fertilizer. Grazing animals kept the lawn trimmed.