The Agricultural Facets Of Appalachia Essay - 1676 Words

Appalachian Agriculture The agricultural facets of Appalachia have been influenced over time due to the introduction of various types of foreign farming practices, government enforced regulations, foreign animals and plants, and westward expansion. â€Å"Rapidly evolving technologies and fluctuating costs influence the nuances of sustainability, but the essence of the concept is protection of both the land and the people who occupy it† (400). Beginning simply with subsistence farming and hunting and evolving into modern large-scale industrial agriculture Appalachian agriculture has negatively influenced the natural landscape of the mountains and its forest which resulted in a poor economy that was only advanced after more productive farming methods were invented and practiced. Native American agriculture was largely subsistence farming and hunter-gatherer ontogeny, based on the idea the hunters and the animals shared a mutual understanding and respect and not taking more than absolutely necessary. â€Å"By the Mississippian period (A.D. 900-1550), the largest group of indigenous people within southern Appalachia, the Cherokee, had become proficient in growing crops† (428). It wasn’t until the Spanish settler’s introduction of foreign flora and fauna in the region that the subsistence farming and hunting began to shift to marketable and large scale agriculture in order incorporate new foods into their diets such as peaches, watermelons, and sweet potatoes, as well as domesticatedShow MoreRelatedThe Progressive Montessori School System1748 Words   |  7 Pagesonce produced thirty of the populous little brown bats now produced one on a good night. I applied for the master’s program at Portland State University with two objectives, to experience life in an urban environment outside of Appalachia, and to advance my geographic scholarship and research . As a master’s student at Portland State University, I have had the opportunity for inter- and intra-disciplinary exploration, professional development, and scholarly growth. My thesis, Who’s