10/16/2026
PLOW DAY FACTOID! Join us October 31st for plowing to follow immediately after our membership meeting at 10am.
In 1837, blacksmith John Deere changed farming history when he developed a polished steel plow in Grand Detour, Illinois.
At the time, farmers in the Midwest struggled to plow the thick, sticky prairie soil with traditional iron and wooden plows. The soil clung to the plow, forcing farmers to stop frequently to scrape it clean.
John Deere used a broken steel saw blade to create a smooth, polished plow that allowed the soil to slide off more easily. His invention made plowing faster and less labor-intensive, helping farmers cultivate more land.
By 1849, Deere was producing about 2,000 plows a year. His business continued to grow, eventually becoming
Deere & Company, one of the world's best-known agricultural machinery manufacturers.
The steel-blade plow helped transform farming in the Midwest, making it easier for settlers to cultivate the rich prairie soil and prepare fields for planting. It laid the foundation for the John Deere name that farmers still recognize today.
The original surviving plow believed to be substantially similar to Deere's first 1837 design is part of the Smithsonian's collection. It was made around 1838 and donated by Deere & Company in 1938.
