The First Steel Plow | Adventures in Research (07-24-51)

Summary

Episode Summary: "The First Steel Plow | Adventures in Research"

Podcast: Old Time Radio Westerns
Host: Andrew Rynes
Episode Release Date: June 15, 2025
Episode Title: The First Steel Plow | Adventures in Research (07-24-51)

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Introduction

In this captivating episode of Old Time Radio Westerns, host Andrew Rynes transports listeners back to the 19th century to explore the transformative story of John Deere and his invention of the first steel plow. Through rich storytelling and immersive soundscapes, the episode highlights how Deere's innovation revolutionized agriculture and played a pivotal role in the development of the American Midwest.

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Setting the Scene: The Struggles of the Frontier

The episode opens with Paul Shannon narrating the challenges faced by early settlers in the American Midwest. Business was bleak, and the transformation of the wilderness into productive farmland seemed a distant dream.

Paul Shannon (02:26): "Bad business is hardly the state of affairs to be desired by anyone. Yet it was just such a condition that indirectly led to the birth of an idea and brought about the transformation of the Middle West from a wilderness into what is now known as the breadbasket of the world."

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John Deere: A Man of Resilience

John Deere, a skilled blacksmith from Hancock, Vermont, finds his livelihood threatened as farmers abandon the region due to unforgiving soil conditions. Despite financial strain and the pressure to abandon his trade, Deere remains steadfast in his commitment to his craft.

John Deere (04:34): "This is my work, Leonard. There ain't anything in the world I'd rather do than this."

His conversation with Leonard Andress, a fellow settler considering a move westward, underscores Deere's internal conflict between staying in Vermont and seeking new opportunities in the fertile lands of Illinois.

Leonard Andress (05:16): "If business don't get better, I'm going to some other town around here."

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The Journey Westward

Encouraged by Leonard's decision to scout the rich soils of Rock River in Illinois, Deere decides to join him, hoping to find a market for his blacksmithing skills. Upon arrival in Grand Detour, Illinois, Chesapeake faces immediate challenges as the soil proves too fertile for his traditional wooden plows, leading to decreased productivity.

John Deere (08:17): "I thought it was good soil."

Leonard Andress (08:16): "That's just it. It's too good. So blame black and rich and sticky."

Frustrated by the limitations of wooden plows, Deere begins contemplating a more robust solution—one that can handle the rich, sticky soil without frequent maintenance.

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The Birth of the Steel Plow

Determined to overcome the challenges posed by the fertile soil, John Deere embarks on designing a self-scouring plow made of cast iron. His meticulous process involves repurposing a broken circular saw blade and utilizing high-quality materials to ensure durability and efficiency.

John Deere (12:02): "I'm trying to make a plow that'll turn over your fields without any soil sticking to the moldboard. A self-scouring plow."

Despite skepticism from his peers, including Leonard, Deere perseveres, driven by his unwavering belief in his invention.

Leondard Andress (13:24): "But John Deere, in the face of the skepticism of his fellow citizens, worked on his great idea, as it came to be known, adjusting here, cutting there, and hammering it to the shape he desired."

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The Trial and Triumph

The pivotal moment arrives when Deere tests his steel plow in the challenging fields owned by Lewis Crandall. The breakthrough is monumental—the plow effortlessly cuts through the stubborn soil, leaving the moldboard impeccably clean without the need for constant scraping.

Leondard Andress (15:00): "Look, look, it's cutting it like. Like a nice cutting butter. Look at it go, Thomas. How easy and smooth."

The successful trial not only validates Deere's invention but also earns him the respect and admiration of his community.

Leonard Andress (15:30): "A cheer for John Deere everybody. Great."

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Impact and Legacy

Paul Shannon concludes the narrative by emphasizing the profound impact of Deere's steel plow on American agriculture. The self-scouring plow enabled the continued settlement of the Midwest, transforming it into a pivotal agricultural hub—the "breadbasket of the world."

Paul Shannon (15:46): "Through this invention of a self-scouring plow in 1837 was brought about the continued settlement of the west and its development into the breadbasket of the world."

John Deere's legacy, as highlighted in the episode, extends beyond his invention. His dedication exemplifies how innovation and resilience can drive societal change and economic prosperity.

Henry Ward Beecher (Quoted by Paul Shannon,16:35): "Augments the power of man and the well being of mankind. Such a man was John Deere."

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Conclusion

Andrew Rynes wraps up the episode by inviting listeners to reflect on the enduring influence of historical innovations like the steel plow. The story of John Deere serves as an inspiring testament to the power of ingenuity and perseverance in shaping the course of history.

Paul Shannon (17:43): "These programs are broadcast to Armed Forces personnel overseas through the facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Join us again next week for another transcribed story of science on Adventures in Research."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Paul Shannon (02:26): "Bad business is hardly the state of affairs to be desired by anyone. Yet it was just such a condition that indirectly led to the birth of an idea..."

• John Deere (04:34): "This is my work, Leonard. There ain't anything in the world I'd rather do than this."

• John Deere (12:02): "I'm trying to make a plow that'll turn over your fields without any soil sticking to the moldboard. A self-scouring plow."

• Leondard Andress (15:00): "Look, look, it's cutting it like. Like a nice cutting butter. Look at it go, Thomas. How easy and smooth."

• Paul Shannon (15:46): "Through this invention of a self-scouring plow in 1837 was brought about the continued settlement of the west and its development into the breadbasket of the world."

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Final Thoughts

"The First Steel Plow" episode masterfully blends historical narrative with engaging audio production, bringing to life the story of a simple yet revolutionary tool that reshaped the American landscape. John Deere's journey from a humble blacksmith to a pivotal figure in agricultural innovation serves as a profound reminder of how individual determination can lead to monumental societal advancements.

For those who haven't listened, this episode offers a rich exploration of American history, innovation, and the enduring spirit of the pioneers who shaped the nation.

Transcript

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[Advocate]

By the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund.

[Andrew Rines]

Welcome to the Oldtime Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines, and I'm excited to bring you another episode absolutely free. This is one of over 80 episodes released monthly for your enjoyment. Now let's get into this episode.

[Paul Shannon]

Adventures in Research. Bad business is hardly the state of affairs to be desired by anyone. Yet it was just such a condition that indirectly led to the birth of an idea and brought about the transformation of the Middle west from a wilderness into what is now known as the breadbasket of the world. This is Paul Shannon bringing you another transcribed story of science produced as a public service in cooperation with the Westinghouse Research Laboratories and today telling you the story of John Deere and how he invented the first steel plow.

[Teen]

Use of flavored tobacco by teens is a crisis. Tobacco companies use flavors like cotton candy, watermelon ice, and cool mint to hook kids like me. They seem harmless, but they are. Addiction to nicotine sets us up for a lifetime of health problems. Oregon legislators can do something about it. Passing Senate Bill 702A will keep flavored tobacco away from kids. But there are just a few short weeks left for lawmakers to act. Take action to protect kids like me@v flavors hookoregonkids.org paid for by the Campaign.

[Advocate]

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[Teen]

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[Advocate]

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[Paul Shannon]

In the year 1834, John Deere, the village blacksmith of the small Vermont town of Hancock, found his business falling off.

[Leonard]

Business is bad, eh, John?

[John Deere]

Yes. I'm getting worried, Leonard. My wife and four children to think of. Well, this. This can't go on much longer.

[Leonard]

Did you ever think of going into some other business, John?

[John Deere]

No, and I don't intend to. This is my work, Leonard. There ain't anything in the world I'd rather do than this. I suppose you don't understand.

[Leonard]

Well, if you ask me, it's about the dirtiest work I know of.

[John Deere]

Dirty, yes, but. Well, Leonard, it's not easy to describe how I feel. But it's like this. When you take a piece of iron and from it make a shovel or a hoe or a pitchfork, a tool that someone can use to earn his daily bread with, well, then you know that what you're doing is worth getting.

[Paul Shannon]

Your hands dirty for.

[Leonard]

I see what you mean. But now you aren't making so many shovels or hoes.

[John Deere]

No, I'm not.

[Leonard]

What are you gonna do?

[John Deere]

Well, if business don't get better, I'm going to some other town around here.

[Leonard]

John, let me tell you something. The reason you have been getting much business lately is because the farmers are leaving Vermont. One by one, they're getting Tired of this hard, mean soil here in New England and they're going away.

[John Deere]

Where to?

[Leonard]

West, John. Out west. The soil's rich and brand new. And they need people like you out there, too. To be frank, I've been thinking about it myself. Health hasn't been too good, and if it doesn't pick up, that's where I'm going. And soon.

[John Deere]

Well, here's your handrail, Leonard.

[Leonard]

Fine looking, John. You've got a wonderful talent in those hands of yours. How much?

[John Deere]

A dollar and a half.

[Leonard]

There you are. Well, good day, John.

[John Deere]

Oh, Leonard, if you decide what you're going to do, let me know, will you?

[Leonard]

Certainly, John. Certainly.

[John Deere]

John. What's troubling you? You've been quiet as a mouse all evening. Well, I've been thinking, Denny. What about, dear? A couple of weeks ago, Leonard Andress told me he was thinking of going out west. He left today to settle. Not yet. He's just going out to scout around. He said. I should have gone with him. Do you want to go, John? There's only one place I want to go, and that's where I can do what I know how to do. But they say there are many opportunities in the West. Why don't you go then, dear? No, no, not yet. I talked with Leonard before he left and he intends to come back and settle his affairs. When he does, he'll tell me how it really is.

[Leonard]

John, you wouldn't believe it. It's a different country. I found a place up Rock river in Illinois called Grand Detour. There's nothing there but an abandoned shack and a few Indians. But it's a wonderful sight for a town. Why, the soil's so rich and black up there that anything will grow.

[John Deere]

Are you going back, then for good?

[Leonard]

Yes, John. I'm going to start a settlement there. By the way, this will interest you. Old Amos Bosworth is coming with me.

[John Deere]

What? You mean he's given up his precious stagecoach business? Take a chance out there? That's right, Leonard. Count me in. If it's good enough for Mr. Bosworth, it's good enough for me.

[Paul Shannon]

And so, a month later, in 1836, John Deere, leaving his wife and family at home, journeyed to Illinois. He went to work immediately, constructed a forge out of clay in Riverstone, and again found himself in business. Soon he thought he would send for his wife and family and settle down to the life he had always wanted. However, things were not destined to be quite so easy. Because not long after his arrival in Grandviewshore.

[John Deere]

Here's my page here, Mr. Dear.

[Leonard]

Gag Neb's head.

[Paul Shannon]

Things busted again.

[John Deere]

This is the third time within three weeks. Mr. Newton. What's the matter?

[Leonard]

Yeah, it's just doggone soil out here.

[John Deere]

I thought it was good soil.

[Leonard]

That's just it. It's too good. So blame black and rich and sticky.

[Paul Shannon]

First year, you can get through it all right.

[Leonard]

Second, you can't. Not with a wooden plow, anyway.

[John Deere]

Well, did you ever try a cast iron plow? Nope, never did. Well, I'll fix you up one if you want. See how it works.

[Leonard]

Hey, here's your cast iron plow back, Mr. Dear.

[John Deere]

What's the matter this time, Mr. Newton?

[Leonard]

Ah, the soil again. It's as sticky it clings to the plow. No sooner do you go two or three paces than you have to stop and scrape off the mold board.

[John Deere]

Sticks to it, huh? Yeah, like glue.

[Leonard]

Well, thanks for the use of the plow, Mr. Dear. If I don't see you again, good luck to you. You'll need it if you're staying around here any longer.

[John Deere]

Where are you going?

[Paul Shannon]

Back home to Connecticut, I guess.

[Leonard]

I can at least turn over the ground there. Goodbye, Mr. Deer.

[John Deere]

Bye.

[Paul Shannon]

And so his plans altered, John Deere sat down to write his wife a letter.

[John Deere]

My dearest wife, I am taking a few minutes from my work to write you these lines. It is with the greatest sorrow in my heart that I must tell you. You will have to postpone your journey here to me because now the situation has changed. The settlers are beginning to leave here because of the tough prairie soil. Their plows will not turn it over cleanly. And what is needed is a plough that will. I've been spending much of my spare time thinking about how to make one, but till now I haven't.

[Leonard]

Oh, hello, John. Writing a letter home?

[John Deere]

Good day, Leonard. Yes? To Demi telling her about Newton and the others leaving.

[Leonard]

Oh, yes. Getting worried about that, too, John? No, this settlement isn't building up like I thought it would. I guess I should apologize for ever having talked you into coming here.

[John Deere]

No need to, Leonard. This is a problem that can be solved, and I'm going to do my best to try and solve it.

[Leonard]

Well, I sure hope you do. By the way, I wonder if you'd come out to my sawmill with me. One of my chains broke.

[John Deere]

Glad to, Leonard. Wait a minute. Could you? Until I finish this letter?

[Leonard]

The chain's over here. What's the matter, John?

[John Deere]

This circular saw blade.

[Leonard]

It's broken, John. Isn't good, Brennan.

[John Deere]

It's a shame, isn't it?

[Leonard]

Throwing away good Sheffield steel like that sure makes a good cutting edge. That's the unit.

[John Deere]

Yes. What a polish it has.

[Leonard]

Sure polished by miles of native timber.

[John Deere]

Nothing would stick to that surface, would it? Leonard, would you mind letting me have this blade?

[Leonard]

Oh, if it's of any use to.

[John Deere]

You, go ahead and take it, Leonard. If it turns out the way I want it to, it'll be of use to everybody around here. Hey, what you doing there, John? Chipping the teeth off this saw blade, Thomas. Anything I can do for you? No. The saw won't be much good without no teeth, will it? No, I don't suppose it will at the saw. It might be good for something else though, eh? It might be. For instance, for plowing maybe. You're aiming to make a plow out.

[Leonard]

Of that, er, circular saw.

[John Deere]

What I aim to do.

[Paul Shannon]

How do you propose to do that?

[John Deere]

Simple enough. Here, take a look at this pattern for the moldboard. Not much good at figuring out plans. Well, I'm going to lay this pattern on the saw and cut out around it with a chisel and a sledge. Mighty hard work. Not if you know how. And then I'll heat it on the forge and shape it a little at a time with my hammer. Look, you see those bars of iron there? Yeah. Well, I'm going to shape upright standards from them and from saplings. I'll carve the handle. How are you going to make the beam? I've got a good sound white oak fence rail that I think will do well. Little shaping with my axe and jaw knife will do it I think.

[Leonard]

There seems to be an awful lot.

[John Deere]

Of work for just one plough. What are you doing at fir? Well, I'm trying to make a plow that'll turn over your fields without any soil sticking to the moldboard. A self scouring plough. Self scouring plow, eh? Won't work John. Not in these fields around here. Thomas, whose fields do you think are the toughest in Grand Detour? Why, everyone knows Lewis Crandall's is why. Well, tell you what I'm going to do then. When this plow is finished, I'm going to test it in his field with his permission. In Crandall.

[Leonard]

No plow work in those fields, no plow.

[Paul Shannon]

But John Deere, in the face of the skepticism of his fellow citizens, worked on his great idea, as it came to be known, adjusting here, cutting there, and hammering it to the shape he desired. And then finally there it was, its steel blade gleaming in the sunlight and light enough for a Man to carry. To John Deere it was a thing of beauty. But to others.

[John Deere]

Well, Leonard, how do you like it?

[Leonard]

John, I hate to say this, but it doesn't look much different than any other plow.

[John Deere]

Maybe it don't. That don't matter. It's if it works that counts.

[Leonard]

And when will you know that?

[John Deere]

Tomorrow morning at Luke Randall's field. Will you be there?

[Leonard]

I wouldn't miss it for the world. Oh, oh, almost forgot. Here's a letter I picked up at the post office for you.

[John Deere]

Yeah, it was from Demi. Thanks, Leonard.

[Leonard]

That's all right. See you tomorrow then.

[John Deere]

Dearest John, I hope you get this before you make your trial of the new plow because I. Because I know how much it's extremely success means to you and us. Not only because it will mean our being reunited, but that your faith in yourself and your idea will be justified. I am proud of you for having made the attempt. No matter what happens, John, all my thoughts will be of you already, John. Good.

[Leonard]

Up. He better get a good grip on them handles. John, I promise, give him a chance. Look, look, it's cutting it like. Like a nice cutting butter. Look at it go, Thomas. How easy and smooth.

[John Deere]

Yeah, but the dirt's sticking to the mold board, ain't it Leonard?

[Leonard]

Oh, look for yourself. She's clean. Clean as a whistle. It really works. It polishes itself. Look at that field. It's being turned over now. What do you say, Thomas?

[John Deere]

Well, I be horn swaddled.

[Leonard]

A cheer for John Deere everybody. Great.

[John Deere]

Cheers.

[Paul Shannon]

And that was the beginning of a new era for the United States. Through this invention of a self scouring.

[John Deere]

Plow in 1837 was brought about the.

[Paul Shannon]

Continued settlement of the west and its development into the breadbasket of the world. John Deere's business grew and expanded due to the tremendous demand for plows. Until the tiny smithy became a huge factory churning out thousands of clouds. An army of machines that fought the soil and won. Several years later Henry Ward Beecher wrote he that invents a machine augments the power of man and the well being of mankind. Such a man was John Deere.

[Advocate]

Nearly 90% of kids who vape say flavors are why they do it.

[Teen]

A lot of the flavors that I've heard are like peach, mango, watermelon. It makes it seem like more childlike and innocent. Oh, if I try this once it won't be that much of a problem. But then eventually it becomes a problem.

[Advocate]

It's time to restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products in Oregon and protect our kids from nicotine addiction. Urge lawmakers to Pass Senate Bill 702A hey take action@ flavorshookoregonkids.org paid for by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids action fund. Nearly 90% of kids who vape say flavors are why they do it.

[Teen]

A lot of the flavors that I've heard are like peach, mango, watermelon. It makes it seem like more childlike and innocent. Oh, if I try this once, it won't be that much of a problem. But then eventually it becomes a problem.

[Advocate]

It's time to restrict the sale of flavored tobacco products in order to Oregon and protect our kids from nicotine addiction. Urge lawmakers to Pass Senate Bill 702A. Take action at flavorshookoreegonkids.org paid for by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund.

[Paul Shannon]

And that's today's Adventure in Research. Produced in cooperation with the Westinghouse Research.

[Leonard]

Laboratory.

[Paul Shannon]

These programs are broadcast to Armed Forces personnel overseas through the facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Join us again next week for another transcribed story of science on Adventures in Research.

[John Deere]

Foreign.

[Andrew Rines]

This has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate this episode within your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to otrwesterns.com Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel by going to otrwesterns.Com Become one of our ranch hands and unlock some exclusive content. We want to thank our most recent ranch hands, Steve and Technogod, who joined us recently. You too can join by going to otrwesterns.com donate send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com and you can call and leave us a voicemail 707-986-8739 this episode is copyrighted under the Attribution Non Commercial Share Like Copyright. For more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.

[Teen]

Use of flavored tobacco by teens is a crisis. Tobacco companies use flavors like cotton candy, watermelon ice and cool mint to hook kids like me. They seem harmless, but they are. Addiction to nicotine sets us up for a lifetime of health problems. Oregon legislators can do something about it. Passing Senate Bill 702A will keep flavored tobacco away from kids. But there are just a few short weeks left for lawmakers to act. Take action to protect kids like me@.

[Advocate]

Flavorshookorgankids.Org paid for by the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids Action Fund.