Deere developed and manufactured the first commercially viable cast-steel plow in 1827

One of the interesting facts about John Deere is that Deere developed and manufactured the first commercially viable cast-steel plow in 1827. The wrought-iron-framed plow was made of polished steel. This made it excellent for the tough soil of the Midwest, where it outperformed other plows. By early 1838, Deere had finished his first steel plow and sold it to Lewis Crandall, a local farmer who promptly spread the news about his success with Deere's plow. Following that, two neighbors placed orders with Deere. Deere was producing 75-100 plows each year by 1841.

Deere teamed with Leonard Andrus in 1843 to make more plows to meet demand. The cooperation, however, became strained due to the two men's stubbornness - while Deere wanted to sell to clients outside of Grand Detour, Andrus opposed a proposed railroad through Grand Detour - and Deere's skepticism of Andrus' accounting techniques. Deere ended his collaboration with Andrus in 1848 and relocated to Moline, Illinois because the city was a transportation hub on the Mississippi River. By 1855, Deere's factory had sold over 10,000 of these plows. It was dubbed "The Plow that Broke the Plains," and it is remembered by a historical marker in Vermont.