Tagged: Agriculture

This year, the Homestead Act of 1862 turned 150. That landmark piece of legislation opened up the Western territories to settlement. Almost anybody could receive up to 160 acres for free if they built a house and "improved" the land over the course of five years. Millions took part, and eventually, more than 10 percent of all U.S. land was given away.

A German peasant named Frederick Wohler was one of those early homesteaders. Wohler received the deed to 80 acres of farmland in north-central Kansas 138 years ago this weekend. And today, the Wohlers are still there.

The scarcity and sky-high price of hay is causing worry among some Colorado livestock producers.

Corn prices are going through the roof. The price of gasoline is rising again. Inflation, though, is still low.What's more, as Bloomberg notes today, investors are betting that inflation will remain low for years to come.