Rural Life in Texas

Between the years of 1846 and 1860 most Texans lived and worked on farms or ranches that they owned. At this time land was very cheap so the number of farms grew from 12,000 to 43,000. Many people focused mainly on food crops such as wheat, oats, corn, and sweet potatoes, for their farms, but few were able to make good profit. Cotton and sugar cane were the primary cash crops; they would be shipped to other states up North for good money. Raising livestock was also a way to make good money. Farmers raised milk cows, chickens, hogs, and sheep to make money for meat, milk, wool, and eggs. So in conclusion, farming was very important in this time period.