history

STATE INFORMATION (The Beginning)

Rhode Island was granted a Royal Charter in 1663 by Charles II of England. It guaranteed complete religious freedom to the petitioners John Clarke, Benjamin Arnold, William Brenton, William Codington, Nicholas Easton, William Boulston, John Porter, John Smith, Samuel Gorton, John Weeks, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, Gregory Dexter, John Cogshall, Joseph Clarke, Randall Holden, John Greene, John Roome, Samuel Wildbore, William Field, James Barker, Richard Tew, Thomas Harris, and William Dyer. These men occupied the Island of Rhode and the colony of Providence Plantations. The smallest state in the union now has the longest name: Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations.

Specifically, King Charles granted the Charter for the edification of the Christian faith and the conversion of the "poor, ignorant, Indian natives."

RHODE ISLAND (Today)

Smallest of the 50 states with an area of 1,231 square miles cut almost in two by 28-mile long Narragansett Bay.
The historic Rhode Island is called Aquidneck Island which is the local Indian dialect for peace.
Was the pioneer industrial state which has given way in the past half century to extensive tourism.
Eastern region is lowlands and western region is comprised of upland with about 20 hills exceeding 590 feet above sea level.
Glaciation has affected the whole state leaving rich outwashes of South County, disarranged drainage on hardpan and a patchwork of swamps and ponds. About 70,000 acres of the State is classified as having hydric soils. The deep well-drained podzal soils of Kent and Washington County have contributed significantly to their agricultural economy.
The 400 miles of coast, 32 saltponds and large numbers of freshwater ponds, streams and rivers provide many opportunities for recreation and commercial fishing.
About 90% of the State's forest land is privately owned and, except for some hardwood varieties, has little economic value. About 2/3 of the State is forested,
Five thousand miles of intrastate roads serve the 990,000 people who live in the State.
The State is governed by a General Assembly comprised of 50 senators and 100 representatives from 39 cities and towns. The governor is elected every four years. The two houses have been controlled by one party since 1920.
There are 5 counties, but no county government. The counties serve only as judicial districts.

RHODE ISLAND STATE SYMBOLS

Statehood: May 29, 1790 - the last of the 13 colonies to sign the Declaration of Independence
Nickname: Ocean State or Little Rhody
Bird: Rhode Island Red (Chicken)
Flower: Violet
Tree: Swamp or Red Maple
Motto: Hope
Symbol: Anchor
Song: Rhode Island

RHODE ISLAND AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
Commodity Net Farm Income Net Farm Income per Farm Operation Income per Acre Farn-land Value per Acre Real Estate Tax per Acre Cash Receipts Government Subsidies Silage Corn All Hay Fall Potatoes Sweet Corn Apples Cattle Milk Cows Hogs Layers	U.S. Rank 46 2 1 2 1 49 50 46 48 23 23 35 50 49 48 45

FARM NUMBERS

1986
1996
770 Farms
700 Farms
95 per Farm Average
90 per Farm Average
Total 73,000 Acres in Farmland
Total 63,000 Acres in Farmland

DEFINTION OF A FARM

Any establishment from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were sold each year or would normally be sold during the year.

R.I. Farm Assets
R.I. Farm Debt
R.I. Farm Equity
R.I. Farm Debt to Equity

425.9 Million Dollars
60.9 Million Dollars
364.9 Million Dollars
16.7 Ratio

Source: NE Ag Statistics 1996

1995 Rhode Island Agricultural Cash Receipts by Percentage

Hay
Potatoes
Sweet Corn
Other Vegetables
Apples
Berries
Other Fruit
Christmas Trees
Greenhouse/Nursery
All Other Crops
Total

Livestock Including Milk & Egg

0.5
1.9
2.4
3.7
1.8
1.7
0.5
1.2
61.2
12.5
87.5 Actual Value $70,051,000

12.5 Actual Value 10,008,000

AGRICULTURAL HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND

1636 Indians taught Roger Williams agricultural techniques. He established a farm on Prudence Island where he raised corn, tobacco, cattle and a herd of hogs.
Anne Hutchinson established farms on Aquidneck Island and pastured sheep and cattle on Conanicut Island (Jamestown).

1661 Western Rhode Island raised horses as a major exportable commodity to the West Indies.

1675 Indians under the leadership of King Philip drove out the British and destroyed their farms. Rhode Island had a Quaker Governor and did not organize any resistance to the Indian attacks.
South County and Aquidneck Island survived and prosperous farms raised sheep, cattle, horses, and hogs.

1718 Newport claimed to have exported 100,000 pounds of wool and eventually had 200 ships in foreign trade and twice as many in coastal trade.

1735 Potatoes, imported from Ireland, were now being grown and sold in Rhode Island. Tobacco was traded as early as 1727 and James Brown supplied Martinique with supplies from Providence.
Almost all New England communities had dairy farms with 4 to 8 cows per farm. However, South County was the only true dairy section of New England. Large estates there milked upwards of 100 cows. The quality of their product was the best in the country. If cheese was of top quality, it would invariably be called Rhode Island cheese. The value of the product was due to the very rich pastures of South County and the labor of milking and caring for the large herds was done mostly by slaves.
South County was also noted for the production of very fine horses. A highly valued horse of this era was the Narragansett Pacer. The superior breed was in such demand in the West Indies that one plantation owner, Robert Hazard, shipped 100 head a year to the islands. Their smooth gait made them a favorite with the ladies also. This breed died out after the Revolutionary War and, except for one foal born in 1985, there is not a trace of this breed left.
Farmland acquisition - Starting in 1658 a group of merchants developed huge estate plantations on the western side of Narragansett Bay. One estate was re- ported to be nine miles long and three miles wide. The rich pasturage, hardwood forests, and large dairy operations made Rhode Island a prosperous agricultural colony.

1776 And then came the Revolution. (Watch for more Rhode Island Agricultural History.)

Source: The Long Deep Furrow