In the 1800s, farming in the York, Maine area was initially a family-based, subsistence focused activity that shifted to more commercial and specialized operations by the late 19th century. The primary focus for many families in the early 1800’s was on growing crops and raising livestock for their own consumption, not for large-scale commercial markets. The early century saw local farms producing a variety of crops for family use, but the economy struggled after a trade embargo crippled port-based commerce in York. The embargo of 1807 and subsequent War of 1812 disrupted the port-based economy, which had been a center for trade. As the century progressed, the decline of the port led to farming and fishing becoming the dominant industries, with a gradual move towards larger, more specialized farms focused on crops like apples and hay, and later, dairy, sweet corn, and poultry.
The harbor silted up during the trade embargo, permanently limiting the return of large commercial shipping and forcing the region to rely on local industries like farming and fishing.
As railroads opened up more distant markets for these goods emerged. New machinery and farming techniques were gradually adopted, although oxen and horses were still the primary power sources.