John Reynolds (agriculturist) facts for kids
John Reynolds (born 1703, died 1779) was an important farming pioneer from Adisham, Kent, England. He lived at a place called Dane Court.
Contents
Who Was John Reynolds?
John Reynolds was the son of Thomas Reynolds, who was a "Yeoman." A Yeoman was a farmer who owned his own land. John Reynolds took over his family's farm and made it much bigger. It grew to be about 520 acres!
He was very interested in finding new and better ways to farm. His smart ideas and hard work helped change farming for the better.
Amazing New Farming Ideas
John Reynolds came up with many new ideas for farming. These ideas helped farmers grow more food and take better care of their animals.
New Crops for Animals
One of his big ideas was to use a plant called kohlrabi as winter food for farm animals. He brought kohlrabi from the Netherlands in 1767. Back then, people called it "turnip-rooted cabbage." Before this, it was hard to find enough food for animals during the cold winter months. Kohlrabi gave them a good, healthy meal.
He also brought another important plant to England: the Swedish turnip, which is also known as a Rutabaga or "swede." This was another great crop for feeding livestock.
Clever Ways to Grow Food
Reynolds also found a smart way to grow melons. He used something called "manure hot-beds." This meant using animal waste to create warm beds for plants, helping them grow even when the weather was cooler.
Many of his other new ideas were written about in books like Dossie's Memoires of Agriculture and Arthur Young's Agricultural Calendar.
Getting Recognized
Because of all his efforts to make farming better, John Reynolds got special attention. The Royal Society of Arts noticed his work. This important group gave him a silver cup to honor his contributions to modern farming.
After he passed away, a special tribute was put up in Adisham's church to remember him. Much later, a historian named Maurice Crane lived in Reynolds' old house. Crane helped bring attention to John Reynolds' important farming improvements in modern times.
