There is evidence that people lived close to the glaciers as early as the period between the second and third glaciations, but it is not until the change in climate at the end of the last period of glaciation, at about 5,000 years ago, that agriculture as we know it came into being. There was extensive clearing of the area by the Anglo Saxons who maintained an agricultural economy similar to our own, with sheep, pigs and horses as well as arable crops. In mediaeval times the wealth of East Anglia was brought about by the wool trade. This wealth can be seen in the existence of many fine churches in the area such as those at Clare, Long Melford and Lavenham, and of course also the Cathedral at Bury St. Edmunds (though the building is earlier, its wealth continued).

The area also has a long tradition of arable farming, and root crops were introduced in the 17th century. During the Napoleonic wars, owing to the increase in grain prices, many Suffolk farmers ploughed their land to grow cereals and at this time 80% of the farmed land in Suffolk was ploughed land. And despite the fall in the cereals market in the 1830s, agreements between farmers and stock dealers meant that land was still ploughed rather than put to pasture.