Farming has been an essential part of the American economy, even before America existed as a country. It’s no surprise that many of our nation’s leaders have been farmers themselves, learning how to tend the land before they tended the country. Take a look at four farmers who also served as president of the United States.

1. George Washington

The Father of the Country was known as our first head of state, a politician and a brilliant general who won the Revolutionary War. However, Washington viewed himself as a farmer first, and owned a sprawling farm estate just down the Potomac River from the capital that would go on to carry his name.

Washington’s sprawling Mt. Vernon estate initially grew tobacco as the major cash crop. He quickly realized he could earn more profit by growing wheat in 1766. Washington kept up with the latest agronomy news and science of the time, and used that information to better his own growing practices. He even undertook experiments in farming, believing it was the duty of wealthy farmers to take the risk of failure and share the information with those who could not afford it.

2. Thomas Jefferson

Like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson owned a sprawling plantation estate in Virginia, the picturesque Monticello, which is a U.S. National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On the sprawling ground, Jefferson maintained several types of gardens. A terraced “hanging” garden was carved into the protected south side of Monticello Mountain, where he grew tomatoes, beans, beets, lettuce, cabbage and more. He also maintained a “laboratory” garden that he used to feed his family and experimented with 330 varieties of more than 70 species of vegetables from around the world. Jefferson also had a vineyard which grew a collection of old- and new-world grapes, although his success as a grape grower was not nearly as prolific as his success as a statesman and founding father.

3. Harry Truman

The 33rd president, Harry Truman, took the highest office at a difficult time in American history, right at the end of World War II following the death of the long-serving Franklin Roosevelt. Truman learned the skills and character traits that would take him to the White House from his time working on his family’s farm in Grandview, Missouri.

At age 22, Truman gave up his job at a bank and returned to the farm, which had no plumbing or electricity. He spent his nights in a shared bedroom with his brother and hired farmhands, and his days feeding livestock and milking cows. Truman worked on the farm until the United States entered World War I, and he served as first lieutenant in the Missouri National Guard.

4. Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter spent his childhood just outside of Plains, Georgia, where his family owned a peanut farm, warehouse and store. While his family would grow to find success, young Jimmy Carter spent his days stacking produce onto a wagon and hauling it into town.

The family business grew throughout the years. By the time Jimmy Carter was elected president in 1976, Carter Farms, which primarily grew peanuts, owned between 2,000 and 3,000 acres of land.

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