Farming: Crops and Livestock 
Subsistence farming throughout Taney County has long been important, though much less farming is done today than in the past. The gravelly loam in some areas allowed farming to become a profitable venture; in other areas, particularly in the shallow soil of the White River glades, farming has been much more difficult because of the chert-choked soil and drought conditions (Rafferty 144).
Early settlers in isolated areas relied heavily on the indigenous resources--game, fish, berries, nuts, and plants. Still, most also produced some crops for their own use, generally including corn, some wheat, tobacco, hemp, cotton, and assorted garden vegetables (149). Inadequate transportation systems, though, made commercial farming ventures unfeasible in most of the county. Only livestock, which could be driven to markets, provided economic gain in the early settlement of the area. Gradually, other farming provided supplemental income for farmers.
Hemp and Tobacco
Hemp and tobacco were important crops for some early farmers, particularly those who had access to waterways, by which they were able to transport their harvest to commercial centers. Both were most successfully grown in the Missouri River Valley, though other areas of the state also produced these plants for their own use and sometimes for market. Hemp provided strong fiber for rope making, important on most farms, though some people braided their ropes from horse hair and animal fibers.
Tobacco farming, begun before the Civil War, became an important commodity for the state. Richard and Quarles opened a tobacco factory in St. Louis in 1817, with another factory owned by Lamme and Bingham being established in 1821 ("Tobacco Trade Boomed" 154). In 1827, Missouri farmers sold 1,350 hogs heads of tobacco through the New Orleans' market; by 1841 that number had grown to 12,000; and in the following year, the crop was estimated to be 20,000 (154).
By 1850, the tobacco industry began to grow even more rapidly, as more reliable roads were built and shipping points expanded. That same year, the eight-county area surrounding Springfield, MO, produced 78,614 hogs heads (Rafferty 148). St. Louis became the nation's largest tobacco manufacturing city during the Civil War. By the 1880s, the state contributed 27 percent of the United States' manufactured tobacco (Robert 133).
Tobacco farming gradually declined in Taney County, in part because of the construction of dams that flooded farmlands. A handful of natives, however, continue to grow tobacco for their own use.
Cotton
Even larger than tobacco farming for Taney County, cotton became the king cash crop between 1870 and 1920 (Ingenthron 317). Like tobacco, cotton was first grown for homestead use: settlers picked and seeded the cotton, carded and spun thread, and wove fabric to clothe their families. Even before the Civil War, though, cotton was being produced for economic gain. Most early settlers had large families, which made the strenuous labor of the industry more manageable. Missouri had relatively few slaves; most cotton farming in the Taney County region was done by white settlers (319).
During the Civil War, cotton farming ceased. It was revived after the war, and during the 1870s, W.G. Connor set up a cotton gin below Forsyth on Connor Bend of the White River. In 1886, he moved the gin and opened a country store, hiring 17 people to work the gin (319). Taney County marketed an estimated $100,000 worth of cotton that year. Several other gins were soon opened, some powered by water or steam, while others relied on animals.
Approximately 2,939 acres of cotton were grown in the county in 1890, when cotton sold for around $40 a bale. The industry provided jobs for many people involved in various phases of production. Nevertheless, there was a definite decline in the industry after the turn of the century: The cotton that sold for $100 a bale during World War I dropped to $15 a bale in the early 1930s (323).
Only 570 acres of cotton were planted in the county by the early years of the Depression. Ten years later, that number dropped to 25 acres. By 1960, it became illegal to grow cotton for commercial production (323).
Corn and Wheat
Where it was possible to grow, corn was another favorite crop, though it was not marketed commercially to any large extent. The crop was versatile: it could be ground into meal, fed to stock, or used in whiskey distilleries. Shucks were used for brooms, mattresses, and chair bottoms (Rafferty 149). Even the cobs could be put to use for fuel, toys, or decoration.
Wheat, like corn, was grown primarily for domestic use. Several mills in the area ground the grain for those families who were able to transport their harvest.
Garden Vegetables
Most early households grew a variety of garden vegetables for their own use. Such things as green beans, squash, cucumbers, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, and assorted greens were eaten in abundance during growing season. Some farmers sold vegetables to country stores and local restaurants. Gradually, farmers were able to can their surplus to use during winter months.
Pumpkins and indigenous persimmons were harvested in late fall, both for their color and their use in breads and pies, favored delicacies for the area.
Strawberries and Tomatoes
Two domestic crops that fared extremely well in the cherty soil of the much of the county were tomatoes and strawberries. Both became productive enterprises: the entire family helped in planting and picking, and by 1900, the canning industry provided a much needed source of income--both for farmers raising the crops and for workers employed in the factories. Both tomatoes and strawberries provided profitable economic gains: they could be cultivated with little effort and required little tending. They were a welcomed supplemental income for many farmers, especially those who lived within ten miles of a shipping point or cannery.
The economy and climate worked against the canning industry in the 1930s and 40s: droughts forced canneries to close in the 1930s, and labor shortages during World War II caused rural factories to be moved to urban areas (Rafferty 159).
Fescue
Bluestem and prairie grasses gradually declined as fields were plowed and cultivated. Grazing areas became a mixture of clover, orchard grass, lespedeza, and fescue (147). Fescue became most popular because it fares well in the winter and provides ample grazing range for cattle. Some farmers also plant alfalfa to provide variety for their livestock. Oats, barley, and forage crops were also grown to feed livestock (152).
Mowing, raking, and baling these grasses for winter months continues to be an important sideline income for some farmers, though the large round bales have largely replaced the smaller rectangular bales put up by earlier generations.
Livestock
Cattle and hogs are the two most important livestock raised in the county since its settling, though some farmers also raised horses and Missouri mules.
Both beef and dairy cattle were kept by farmers in the area. After 1900, the dairy industry in southwest Missouri grew quickly, though other counties were more dramatically affected than Taney County, due to the poor roads and isolation of much of the county. The Springfield Creamery Company, established in 1910, was the first large-scale dairy industry in the area (162). Though some farmers shipped their milk via railroad, most processed milk products at home--separating cream, churning butter, and molding cheeses. Purebred Holsteins, Jerseys, Guernseys, and Brown Swiss were the most popular dairy breeds.
Beef cattle has far surpassed dairy cattle as the most popular and profitable livestock operation in Taney County. The Missouri Land and Livestock Company purchased 350,000 acres in southwest Missouri in 1882, where they raised Blooded Angus and Hereford cattle (166). Longhorn cattle from Texas were also driven through the state in the 1840s and 50s, headed toward Kansas City or St. Louis. Some of these remained in the area. Since 1970, southwest Missouri has seen an increase in the raising of beef cattle, though few farmers can rely on it as their sole source of income.
Hogs were allowed open range throughout the county until the 1960s, much to the consternation of many gardeners. Most farmers kept a few hogs for their families' use; others maintained larger herds, which were driven to markets in the north.
Sheep and goats were kept by some early farmers, though their popularity gradually dwindled. They supplied both wool and milk for homesteaders, and they were useful in keeping pasture areas clear of brush.
Poultry
Poultry farming in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas has grown tremendously since Taney County's settlement. Early farmers kept chickens, guineas, and sometimes turkey for meat and eggs. Gradually, poultry production became an important enterprise; in fact, by 1934, Springfield, MO, had become known as the The World's Poultry Capital (Rafferty 165). Since that time, northwest Arkansas has become the leading area for poultry production, though many farmers in the southwest Missouri continue to raise poultry for Tyson's, George's, and Campbell's Soup factories in Fayetteville and Springdale. In the West Fork of the White 
River, poultry replaced lumber as the chief farming activity (165). Some farmers in Taney County continue to raise poultry for commercial markets.
Works Cited
Ingenthron, Elmo. The Land of Taney: A History of an Ozark Commonwealth. Pt. Lookout, MO: School of the Ozarks P, 1974.
Photographs of poultry and soup from http://www.arttoday.com. member page. July 1999.
Photograph of cotton picking from Godsey Collection, Lyons Memorial Library, College of the Ozarks
Photograph of cows from http://www.arttoday.com. member page. July 1999.
Photographs of farmer's market, courtesy of Gaye Lisby, Branson Living magazine
Photograph of pumpkin taken by Bill Hartman, Ozarks Mountaineer file, Lyons Memorial Library, College of the Ozarks
Rafferty, Milton D. The Ozarks Land and Life. Norman, OK: U of Oklahoma P, 1980.
Robert, Joseph. The Story of Tobacco in America. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 1967.
"Tobacco Trade Boomed in Missouri During Last Century." Missouri Historical Review 46 (Jan. 1952), pp. 153-55.
