Hand-held corn planters such as this occupy an important place between ancient manual methods of planting and the modern mechanized agriculture of today. Between the mid-1800s and the early 1900s numerous designs for hand-held corn planters, also known as "bill picks" or "corn jabbers" were developed. The idea was to make planting corn seeds as simple, efficient, and regular as possible. This one-handed device made a small hole in the soil and deposited a seed in one motion. With a corn planter like this, a farmer could plant 2-4 acres a day, instead of only 1 acre using traditional tools.
Science Tuesday: Food (August 2017) Science Tuesdays is an ongoing educational experience, offering science programming based on changing themes each month. Science Tuesdays take place throughout the day on Tuesdays at the Museum and include a variety of activities and interactive displays.
Maker/Donor
Jacobson's Department Store Jacobson's was a regional department store that was founded in 1868 by Abram Jacobson in Reed City, Michigan. It operated mostly in Michigan and Florida, however, there were stores in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Kansas. The store originally focused on ladieswear but later expanded to include menswear and children's clothing. Jacobson's declared bankruptcy in 2002 after 164 years of service.