What did your ancestor’s Connecticut farm look like?

I’ve spent a lot of time explaining why New England farms are different from farms in the Midwest over the last few weeks. Since the reasons are grounded in history and can help you better understand why your ancestor’s farm did or did not look a certain way, I thought a blog post might be helpful in answering a few questions.

1. Many Connecticut farms are small. Aren’t they just hobby farms? A 2024 study put the average Connecticut working farm size (businesses) at 74 acres. It’s not a significant decrease from Connecticut’s average working farm size in the 1800s. The state charted a peak of 106 acres in 1850 and decreased to an average of 86 acres in 1900. I suspect none of those farming in 1850 thought their farm was a hobby!
2. There aren’t very many of them, are there? In comparison to the 19th century, the number of farms has significantly decreased. A 1900 census survey numbered 26,948 farms; that 2024 survey, 5,058. The shift had to do with late 19th and early 20th century shifts in agriculture: competition with Western farms stressed the finances of farmers, while the Great Depression wiped many out completely. (The long standing comment that New England “grows rocks” is a valid one: hence the stone walls.) Dairy hung on a bit longer, but eventually the value of their land led many families to sell out. A few families have continued to farm against the odds. Others have started from scratch.
3. Why doesn’t Connecticut grow wheat or other grain crops? It did. In fact, during the American Revolution, Connecticut was referred to as the Provisions State. Yet, during the early 1800s, the state suffered a number of crop losses. That factor, combined with competition from larger farms in the Midwest and West, reduced the value to farmers in growing wheat and other grain crops. (That competition also made New England farms generally less viable.)

Those farming in Connecticut today are bringing forward an agricultural tradition that has deep roots in the state. But it’s one that looks very different from farms in the Midwest and West.