Seeds of Civilization: The Birth and Growth of Agriculture

Agriculture, an application of biology, emerged from small bands of hunter-gatherers who relied on the land and the bounty of berries and edible plants. This transformative process led to the domestication and cultivation of crops. The timeline and extent of this shift varied across different regions, influenced by environmental factors. Archaeological evidence traces its beginnings to the waning days of the Ice Age, around 14,500 to 12,000 years ago.

The earliest agricultural advancements were closely linked to the rise of ancient civilizations, particularly in fertile river valleys. These civilizations took root where annual river floods not only supplied water but also left behind nutrient-rich silt, a natural fertilizer. Notable cradles of agriculture include the Fertile Crescent between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in Mesopotamia, the Nile in Egypt, the Indus in India, and the Huang in China.

The reasons behind the adoption of agriculture and its consequences vary. Some experts argue that it arose to meet the growing food demands of burgeoning populations, needs that foraging and hunting couldn't satisfy. Alternatively, it's suggested that agriculture might not have been a response to food scarcity but rather coincided with significant population growth after stable food sources were established. There's evidence supporting both theories. In the Americas, villages sprouted after crop development, whereas in Europe, villages and towns emerged earlier, sometimes concurrently with agricultural advancements.

The success of agriculture hinged on nature's favor through climatic conditions and early farmers' ability to employ techniques like irrigation, crop rotation, fertilizers, and domestication. Domestication involved the deliberate selection of plants with desirable traits. Primitive tools used for gathering wild foods gave way to tools designed for production, including plows and those powered by animals.

Among the first domesticated crops were rye, wheat, and figs in the Middle East; rice and millet in China; wheat and some legumes in the Indus Valley; maize, potatoes, tomatoes, pepper, squash, and beans in the Americas; and wheat and barley in Europe. 

The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, a farmers' association, was established in the United States in 1867 with the aim of advancing both community well-being and the field of agriculture. The 1873 poster titled "Gift for the Grangers" was crafted to endorse this organization, featuring picturesque depictions of rural life. In 1870, a substantial 70–80 percent of the U.S. populace was engaged in farming, yet by 2008, this figure had dramatically declined to a mere 2–3 percent.