Most of Nebraska was once virgin grasslands, and the first settlers often lived in crude sod huts called soddies while working for years to transform the prairie into producing cropland. Water was often scarce, especially in the drier climate of central and western Nebraska, and windmills came into common use to pump underground water for livestock and farm use. Today Nebraska lies at the heart of one of the most productive farming regions in the world and produces 10 percent of the corn crop. Modern agricultural equipment and methods yield excellent crops of corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, milo, and other crops that help feed the nation.