Corn, wheat and potatoes are the major field crops. Oxen do much of the heavy work around the farm as they are stronger than horses and do not require supplemental grain. In addition to the oxen, the site's livestock includes hogs, a milk cow, sheep, chickens and assorted poultry. The women cook in cast iron cookware, including Dutch ovens, over the open hearth. Other work includes spinning wool into yarn, quilting, making lye soap, dipping candles and tending the garden.
Women also work in the fields with the men, as needed.
The 1850 Farm was the first site our museum built. Just like the Iowa pioneers, we wanted a farm with fertile prairie soil, timbers and a nearby stream. Construction of the site began in 1970, and in 1984 the construction of a new log cabin was a feature of the interpretive program.