By the mid nineteenth century, the state, especially the southern portion, was dotted with family farms that produced a variety of crops, most of which were for use of the family and its animals.
Some farmers sold surpluses nearby, rarely producing farm products for distant markets.
After the Civil War, when railroads and industry began arriving in the Northeast in larger numbers, farming changed, with a larger focus on commercial operations.
Family farms did not disappear, but began to be outnumbered by larger operations that specialized in crops such as sweet corn, dairy products, potatoes, apples or poultry.
