Built 1903 (1903) Designated NHL July 19, 1964 Area 28 ha Nearest city Terrell | NRHP Reference # 66000819 Opened 1903 Added to NRHP 15 October 1966 | |
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Porter farm chicken house guided tour
The Porter Farm, also known as Walter C. Porter Farm, near Terrell in Kaufman County in the U.S. state of Texas was the site of the first cooperative farm demonstration, organized by Dr. Seaman A. Knapp in 1903. The project successfully demonstrated methods expanding crop production. From this foundation project developed the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Extension Service.
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Knapp worked with Walter Porter to set aside 70 acres (28 ha) of the farm, on which the experimental use of fertilizers on some plots and rotation with nitrogen-fixing legumes doubled normal yields of cotton. Porter had been selected by the community to participate in the project, with $1000 set aside to cover potential losses. Porter profited from the experiment, and the money was unused. The success of this project led to the Extension Service programs, which went on to develop methods to combat boll weevil infestation in the area.