In the 1880s, this farm, like most in the area, produced vegetables, meat, grain, and dairy products for home use and sold or traded the excess. Improvements in farm machinery made agriculture more economical and efficient, providing cash to purchase an ever-increasing number of manufactured goods. After the Civil War, technological improvements and a less costly labor force let American industry manufacture consumer goods that eased the workload and contributed to a more comfortable lifestyle. Newspaper and magazine advertisements and colorful trade cards attracted families to these products, which they could purchase at area stores and through mail-order catalogs. Local families depended on area merchants for items not raised on the farm, including coffee, spices, tea, and foods produced more economically elsewhere and shipped in. Meal preparation became easier and the diet less monotonous with luxury items such as canned fruits and vegetables, oysters, and tinned meats. Advances in transportation and technology allowed farmers to sell excess crops and livestock to growing city populations outside the local area. Rail transportation and improved roadways made shipping faster and opened more markets, while refrigeration and better methods of preserving food made shipping and storing perishable foods easier.