One of the provisions of the Homestead Act was that the land had to be improved. To do this the settlers had to "break-up" the sod that was covered with prairie grass. Walking plows, which had no seats, and were pulled by oxen or horses, were one of the early methods used to break-up the sod and expose the rich, deep, dark loam soil that had the qualities to retain moisture, never bake, or heave, and a fertility that seemed to be inexhaustible. Later gangplows pulled by horses were used.
The next step was to seed the land which was done sometimes by hand and sometimes with a seeder that was hooked behind a wagon. When the latter method was used, they could seed up to 50 acres a day. The land was then dragged.
When the grain had matured, it was cut down by using a scythe and gathered into bundles by hand. Flails and other methods were used to loosen the grain from the chaff.
As the years went along, more machinery was to appear on the scene. The larger the machinery the more horse power it required- also the more land that could be worked in a shorter period of time. Evidence of these facts was very apparent when the bonanza farms were in operation. After these farms reached their peak, the land was divided into smaller units and sold to individual farmers.
The main crop was wheat. Gradually other crops were introduced to the area, such as barley, oats, flax, and later corn. Grasses, too, were planted to be used as forage for the livestock. Potatoes as well as other garden vegetables and fruits were also grown. Just about every farm would have a few cows, pigs, chickens, and maybe a few ducks, geese, and turkeys. The farms were very self-sufficient as far as producing the materials necessary to keep a person alive. As time went on more and more products were purchased from the local stores that once had been raised on the farm.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 93