The Oldest Crop Fields In The United States, Morrow Plots, Are Right Here In Illinois
Whether you love agriculture or are in the mood for a brief history lesson, these details about a hidden gem at the University of Illinois are truly remarkable. You’ll never believe the stupendous gifts this state has given the world.
The only experimental field older than Morrow Plots is at a research station in England. Our unique field is housed in a university that many people have visited, and you may have even seen it before. Scroll on for more details.
The University of Illinois in central Illinois is home to the oldest experimental crop field in the United States that is still in use today.
Morrow Plots was founded in 1876 and contain- the second-oldest experimental fields in the world. It originally contained 10 plots, though only three remain.
In 1968, the fields were designated a National Historic Landmark, and much of the planning of the university's building has to be designed around this field.
The plots provide excellent data on a variety of issues such as soil carbon sequestration, long-term effects of fertilizers on soil bacteria, crop rotation, and natural soil nutrient depletion.
Corn, soybeans, wheat, and other crops are grown in these half-acre plots. It was through these experimental crop fields that it was determined that crop rotation was an ideal best practice.
Morrow Plots is still the main focal point of the University of Illinois, and it keeps the college at the forefront of agriculture innovations and technology.
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
