Answer:
Because the soil was rocky and the climate was
often harsh, colonists in New England only farmed enough
to feed their families. Some of these crops included corn, beans, and squash. The New England
colonies, however, were full of forests, giving the colonists the important natural resource of trees.
These trees provided wood that colonists were able to use to build homes, buildings, and ships.
Lumber became very important to the shipbuilding industry because they built ships for the colonies.
Ships and lumber were also exported to England.
Hope this helps :D