Alfalfa is one of the most important crops in the United States, due to its excellent quality, high yield, wide adaptation, disease resistance, excellent feeding quality, and soil benefits. It makes a tremendous contribution to Minnesota’s agricultural economy and to food production, but it often goes unrecognized. It’s like the restrained, subdued classmate beside the flashy, noticeable kids.
Indeed alfalfa made Minnesota’s dairy industry possible. Because of its superior protein content and very digestible fiber, it has often been used as feed for high producing dairy cows. In addition, it is fed to horses, sheep, and beef cattle because it is a good source of vitamins and minerals as well as protein. Alfalfa has a future as a basis for biofuel.
Alfalfa is an excellent crop to be planted in rotation with corn. Due to its nitrogen-fixing quality, alfalfa will replace nitrogen in the soil which the corn has withdrawn. Plus, it offers better carbon sequestration than soybeans. It improves soil structure, adding valuable organic matter to the soil. Alfalfa is a high yielding perennial plant that can withstand dry seasons and much of the plant is usable. In 2011 Minnesota farmers produced 4,070, 000 tons of alfalfa, harvesting 3.7 tons per acre. The harvested acreage that year was 1,100,000. Minnesota ranks 6th nationally in the production of alfalfa. Most of our alfalfa is grown for hay, but a small percentage is harvested for seed.
Jerry Fruin of the University of Minnesota’s Department of Applied Economics said that, “economical returns on alfalfa have been surpassed only by sugar beets in southwestern Minnesota for 25 years with returns generally superior to corn or soybeans.”
Alfalfa, also known as lucerne, is a nutritious and versatile crop with a long and storied history. Though it may seem humble today, alfalfa has actually played an influential role across continents and cultures over thousands of years Let’s explore the winding origin story of this remarkable plant
A Crop With Ancient Roots
The origin of alfalfa can be traced back over 6000 years to the arid environments of Iran and parts of Eurasia. Early farming communities in these regions likely began cultivating alfalfa as a hardy fodder crop for their livestock.
Alfalfa was mentioned in ancient Sanskrit writings as a valuable forage crop There is evidence that alfalfa was grown in ancient China and the Middle East more than 3,000 years ago The ancient Greeks and Romans relied on alfalfa as an important food source for their horses and cattle. Roman writers like Pliny the Elder wrote about alfalfa cultivation in the 1st century AD.
So even in ancient times, alfalfa was clearly recognized as a nutrient-dense crop that could sustain livestock through harsh conditions. The deep taproots of alfalfa make it far more drought-resistant than many other forage plants.
Spreading Through Trade Routes
As with many valuable crops, alfalfa spread along early trade routes like the Silk Road. Merchants and armies traveling between Asia, Africa and Europe brought alfalfa seed with them. Alfalfa most likely spread to areas like Turkey, North Africa, and the Iberian Peninsula through these early overland and maritime trade networks.
By medieval times, alfalfa was being grown across the Islamic world from Spain to Central Asia. The Arabic name for alfalfa, al-fiṣfiṣa, reflects the crop’s Middle Eastern origins. Spanish conquerors later introduced alfalfa to the Americas in the 16th century as fodder for their horses.
Taking Root in the New World
After its trans-Atlantic journey, alfalfa was slow to take hold in colonial America. The colonies along the eastern seaboard found it difficult to establish vigorous stands of alfalfa. But once alfalfa was introduced to California in the 1850s, it quickly flourished across the American West.
The arid climate and well-drained soils of the western states were an ideal match for the deep-rooted alfalfa plant. Ranchers began cultivating alfalfa as a high-protein livestock feed. By the early 1900s, alfalfa hay was being grown extensively and shipped around the country by railcar.
The Arabic name gave way to the Spanish “alfalfa” as production boomed in California and the Southwest. Today the US remains the world’s largest producer of alfalfa, though it is now grown globally across Europe, South America, Australia and Asia.
A Model of Resilience
Looking back, it’s quite remarkable how alfalfa adapted and spread to such diverse locales over thousands of years. From its origins on the Iranian plateau to its current worldwide reach, alfalfa is a testament to the resilience of nature.
This humble forage crop with purple flowers has sustained livestock and nourished soils across cultures and continents since ancient times. Alfalfa’s deep roots and hardy nature allowed it to travel far from its ancestral home. The fascinating origin story of alfalfa is one of purpose, promise and possibility.
Why is Alfalfa Acreage Decreasing in Minnesota?
Despite its excellent value, acreage planted to alfalfa has been decreasing over the years. One major reason is that alfalfa receives no direct government subsidy. It must compete for economic viability with a wide mix of crops, many of them subsidized. For this reason prices for alfalfa seed can be costly.
Because of the high cost of alfalfa, some farmers are substituting other crops, such as straw and corn silage for their animals. Though such feed stuffs are cheap, this practice is a false economy. Studies show that alfalfa has a greater percentage of protein than grass hay. Animals fed alfalfa hay tend to gain faster and maintain themselves in better condition than otherwise fed. Also, dairy production is decreasing in the state. With fewer dairy farmers, there are fewer buyers for alfalfa hay.
How Alfalfa Came to Minnesota
In 1857 Wendelin Grimm and his family emigrated from Germany and settled in Carver County. A farmer, Grimm brought with him a small container of “ewiger Klee” (German for “everlasting clover”) or alfalfa seeds which had done well in his home country. The first winter most of the alfalfa was killed with Minnesota’s harsh conditions. Grimm collected seed from the surviving plants and planted them again. He continued this practice for a number of years, eventually creating a strain that could reliably survive the frigid winter. Grimm’s neighbors began to notice his success and asked for his seeds. In time this alfalfa made the Midwest dairy industry possible and became the basis for all varieties since.
In 1903 Grimm alfalfa was officially recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and became the dominant strain. Grimm’s achievement has been cited as one of the most important breeding advances in the United States’ history.
The Grimm Farm in Carver County is maintained by the Three Rivers District Park. It is open to the public at specific times during the year.