How did the dust bowl effect the farmers?

Answer 1

Farmers were unable to grow crops because of a lack of fertile soil. There crops were their livelihood, as it was their main source of food and income. Also, the few crops they did have were eaten by swarms of rabbits which came down from the mountains due to a lack of food. Farmers would schedule days to go out and club tons of rabbits. Also, many people died of dust pneumonia, an infection caused by the vast amount of dirt particles in the air. They were constantly breathing in dust which would clog their lungs. There were many dust storms, almost like sand storms. The lack of plant life allowed the dirt to be blown away by the strong winds in the "bread basket" causing the dust bowl. Many farmers were forced to leave their homes in search of a better lifestyle.

Answer 2

Farming was very hard. The dust bowl was named because the vegetation that would normally hold the soil in place was not there. The winds would pull up the topsoil (dust) and throw it everywhere. Lack of moisture compounded the problem so entire regions became unable to farm.

Answer 3

It caused food shortages and caused many farmers to abandon their homes and head to the west. They could not eat because there was so much dirt in the food. People were wasting their money on food when they wouldn't even eat it. They had to kill jackrabbits by capturing them in a fence and people would hop over, kill them, and then eat them afterwards.

If you would like to read a fascinating book about the Dust Bowl era, try The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl. It read like a novel but is sadly true.

Answer 4

Many farmers lost their farms and homes, and had to move and seek other ways to make a living. It forced other farmers to make major changes to the way that they farmed to keep it from happening again.

Answer 5

Do to the dust bowl nothing could grow. The Dust Bowl was a period of severe dust storms that damaged the ecology and agriculture of the US and Canadian prairies.

Answer 6

They could not repay their loans or afford to buy basic necessities