Eras of Agricultural History in New Zealand

This table of historical eras in the agricultural history of New Zealand, a foolhardy attempt at periodization, is my own construction.

Era of . . . , Dates	Description
Maori Husbandry, to 1860s	Traditional husbandry, emphasizing kumara, is galvanized by Maori adoption of European crops and techniques
Subsistence Smallholding, 1840s-1850s	Planned settlement emphasizes mixed farming on a small basis
Pastoral Eruption, 1850s-1860s	Australian and English pastoralists break out of the planned-settlement pattern and exploit the native grasslands
Commercialization, 1870s-1880s	Wheat boom leading to grassland farming, with refrigeration opening distant markets
Development, 1890s-1980s	Closer settlement, opening of the Great Bush, fertilization, land development, the quest for exports
Free Market, 1980s-present	Subsidies withdrawn and market forces rule