Soil Improvers
"The Whigs would hardly believe that a much larger portion of my time is taken up with devising ways & means to multiply the quantity & improve the quality of manure than in forming political plans or any such Matter."
Martin Van Buren, 1843
As an astute politician Martin Van Buren recognized the connection between farm practices and political power. In the early years of the republic Van Buren and others constituted a group known as "soil improvers," who hoped to reverse the common practice of moving west to new lands. Their goal was to create a more sustainable agricultural system while also preventing the loss of political power that would result from the depopulation of the northeast.
The rich soils of Lindenwald are far more than simply "dirt." They are the result of centuries of complex interplay between natural forces and human cultivation. Historian Steven Stoll explains that the soil improvers of Van Buren's day considered the farm field part of "a delicate system of return powered by the sun and managed by cultivators who saw soil as the totality of matter passing through their hands."
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Early in life Jesse Buel (1778-1839) was editor of the Argus, the official newspaper of Van Buren's political machine, the "Albany Regency." Later he devoted
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President Van Buren's land is now farmed by Roxbury Farm, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation using sustainable methods that would be recognized by the 19th century soil improvers. Guided by principles developed by Austrian thinker Rudolf Steiner in the 1920's that saw the farm as an organism, Roxbury's farmers compost manure and use cover crops (such as the clover seen here), crop rotation, and sophisticated plowing techniques. In doing so they sustain and improve the "living tissue" of soil on which we all depend for healthful food.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Horticulture & Forestry • Science & Medicine. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #08 Martin Van Buren series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1843.
Location. 42° 22.251′ N, 73° 42.269′ W. Marker is in Kinderhook
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A Bustling Household (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Marble Mounting Block (about 400 feet away); Fallen White Mulberry Tree (about 400 feet away); Fertile Political Ground (about 400 feet away); An Agrarian Lifestyle… (about 400 feet away); Farm Operations (about 500 feet away); “… a Farmer in my native Town” (about 500 feet away); 1849-50 A House Transformed (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kinderhook.
Also see . . .
1. Martin van Buren. The White House website entry (Submitted on June 10, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. 19th-Century Vegetables and Cultivation Techniques. Monticello website entry (Submitted on June 10, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Martin Van Buren National Historic Site. National Park Service website entry (Submitted on June 10, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
4. Van Buren, Martin, National Historic Site - National Park Service. Download National Register of Historic Places documentation (Submitted on January 17, 2024, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 17, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 10, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 166 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 10, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.