1. Von Thünen Model Learning Targets:
I can apply geographic models to explain the location of economic activities and land use patterns in the United States and the world.
I can identify the regions and produced commodities of Minnesota Agriculture.
HomeWork & Reminders:

2. The Von ThünenModel
Created by a farmer in northern Germany named J.H. Von Thünen in 1826 to explain the importance of proximity to market in the choice of crops on commercial farms.

3. The Assumptions of this Theory
The city is located in the middle of an "Isolated State" which is self sufficient and has no external influences.
The Isolated State is surrounded by an unoccupied wilderness.
The land of the State is completely flat and has no rivers or mountains to interrupt the terrain.
The soil quality and climate are consistent throughout the State.
Farmers in the Isolated State transport their own goods to market via oxcart, across land, directly to the central city. Therefore, there are no roads.
Farmers act to maximize profits.
The Assumptions of this Theory
From “A Model of Agricultural Land Use” (from Ken Keller)

4. Minecraft Ring example
What are the four rings?
Why are they located there?

5. Concentric Rings There are 4 rings around the city
Dairy & intensive farming are closest.
Why? Because fruit, milk, and other dairy product must get to market quickly.
Remember that there were not refrigerated Oxcarts!

6. Timber & Firewood for Fuel and Building Materials are next
Concentric Rings
Timber & Firewood for Fuel and Building Materials are next
Why? Because it is heavy and difficult to transport
Remember this is before
central heating and electricity

7. (like for making bread)
Concentric Rings
Field Crops
(like for making bread)
Why? Because grains last longer than dairy, & are lighter than fuel, so transportation costs are less.

8. Why? Because animals can walk themselves to be, um… butchered.
Concentric Rings
Ranching
Why? Because animals can walk themselves to be, um… butchered.

10. A lot has changed since the Industrial Revolution.
We have highways & railways,
so why study this model?
This model helps us understand
the balance of
land cost & transportation cost.
As one gets closer to the city,
the price of land increases. $

11. Von Thunen in Minnesota
You will each receive a copy of a MN county map
As you see each type of agriculture, label it a different color on your map. There will be some overlap between colors!

12. Color 1:
The City
Color 1: Shade in the ‘market area’ for MN (the Twin Cities metro area)

13. Color 2: Dairying & specialty/ vegetable farming

14. Color 3:
Cash Crops

15. Color 4:
Mixed Farming/
livestock

16. Color 5:
Extensive livestock/
cattle ranching

17. Extensive grain farming
Color 6:
Extensive grain farming

18. Now, try to draw circles/lines where there are separations between each type of agriculture.

20. Questions: answer on the handout.
Compare von Thünen model of agricultural zones with the map of "World Agriculture". Does the von Thünen model help (at least a little) to explain the spatial distribution of agricultural regions in the United States?
Discuss the problems with Von Thünen’s Model. What did Von Thünen have to assume (assumptions) in order for his model to be correct?
Now, look at your Minnesota map of agricultural land use. Explain how well Von Thünen’s model works in Minnesota today.
Explain how well does it work in the USA today.

21. Von Thünen in the USA Both of these maps use NY as the only market,
but the map on the right also considers the different climates