Milk, Honey, and Plants: All About Agriculture
Agriculture, or farming, includes growing and harvesting a wide variety of things that people eat and use, including crops, animals, and animal products. Both plants and animals are grown to produce food, including animal products like milk, eggs, and honey. They can also be used to make non-food products, like cotton, wool, and leather, which are then used to make things like clothing and upholstery. Trees are also an agricultural crop; they can be cut down to make lumber for construction projects or paper, or people can harvest their fruits or their sap to use for food.
Finding the Right Conditions
Agriculture takes place on farms and ranches and at orchards all over the country and the world. Different plants and animals can be grown in different places, depending on the type of soil and the climate. All plants and animals need water and food to survive, but the required amount of water and type of food can vary. Farmers commonly focus on raising livestock and plants that are more likely to thrive in their region. However, fertilizers and irrigation can help to make an area more hospitable to a certain type of food or feed crop.
- Global Variability in Climate, Crop Suitability, and Crop Yield
- Agricultural Regions
- The Effect of Climate and Soil Upon Agriculture
- Cattle and Land Use: Arable Land, Marginal Land, and How Cattle Use Each
- Where Does the World's Food Grow?
- Crash Course Geography: How Do We Produce Food?
Growing Methods
Farmers may take different approaches to maximize the quantity and/or quality of their products. For instance, most farmers who grow plants rotate which types of crops are planted where each year. Often, the main reason for this is the nitrogen content of the soil. Some plants consume a lot of nitrogen as they grow, while others put nitrogen back into the soil. By alternating these types of crops from year to year, the nutrient content of the soil stays balanced. Planting the same crop in the same place year after year leads to lower crop yields, both because the plants can't get enough nutrients and because it's easier for pests and diseases to take hold. Of course, farmers can also apply pesticides and fertilizers to counteract these problems, but these chemicals can be bad for human health and for the environment.
- Crop Rotation in Farm Management
- How to Start Farming: Planning a Crop Rotation
- Crop Rotation Fact Sheet
- Diverse Crop Rotations Can Help With Drought Resistance
- Small Grain Crop Rotations
Food Distribution
When an agricultural product is ready, it can be harvested, either by hand or using machines. These products can then be packaged and sent off to be sold. Some agricultural products are sold at farmers' markets nearby, while others are put on trucks and shipped hundreds or even thousands of miles. Still others are sent to be processed in factories before they are sold. For example, a farm that grows tomatoes might ship them to a factory that will turn them into tomato sauce and pack the sauce in jars to be sold in supermarkets.
- How Food Distribution Works
- Marketing Fresh Produce to Food Retailers
- From Farm to Table: The Agricultural Supply Chain
- Food and Beverage Manufacturing, From Farm to Factory to Table
- Where Does Beef Come From? A Geographical Perspective
Life Cycles of Plants
Agriculture is largely a seasonal business, as it depends on the growing cycles of plants and animals. Every spring, farmers plant seeds that will grow into that year's crops. Some plants are grown to make feed for livestock, while others produce vegetables or fruits that can be harvested and eaten at different points in their life cycle. Leafy greens are harvested early, before the plants can flower, while broccoli is harvested when it grows flower buds but before those buds open. Some plants are grown for their flowers: A few types of flowers, like squash blossoms, can be eaten, but farmers who focus on honey production will also plant flowers because they make nectar to feed their bees. And many plants are harvested after they flower and produce fruit, including most foods we think of as fruits. Farmers also grow some plants for their seeds, like beans and wheat.
- When to Harvest Different Vegetables
- Vegetable Harvest Guide
- Do You Know Which Part of the Plant You're Eating?
- Edible Flowers From Vegetable, Fruit, and Weed Plants
- The Seeds We Eat
Pollinators and Pollination
Farmers do a lot of work, but the unsung heroes of agriculture are pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and other flying creatures help to transfer pollen from one flower to the next, which fertilizes the flowers so that they can produce fruit and seeds. For food crops, this means more fruit and seeds for people to eat; for feed crops, this means that the plants will make seeds and reproduce, creating more nutritious food for livestock.
- The Importance of Pollinators
- Crop Production Frequently Limited by Lack of Pollinators
- How Much of the World's Food Production Is Dependent on Pollinators?
- The Value of Birds and Bees
- How Much Does Agriculture Depend on Pollinators?
- 75% of Crops Depend on Pollinators
Renewable Energies in Farming
Green energy has become an increasing part of agriculture as more farmers work to make their businesses more eco-friendly. Solar, wind, and biomass energy are all green energy sources that can be useful for farmers. Placing solar panels on farm buildings or wind turbines at the edges of fields can produce power to run irrigation pumps, lights, and electric fences. And biomass energy can actually be a potential source of profit, turning farm waste into fuel. Producing renewable energy can create an energy surplus that allows farmers to generate more income as they support a cleaner and greener future.
- Renewable Energy Production on Farms
- How Can Renewable Energy Benefit American Agriculture?
- Renewable Energy and Agriculture: A Natural Fit
- Sustainable Production and Use of On-Farm Energy
- Profitable, Green, and Efficient Farming Starts With Renewable Energy Sources
- The Push to Turn Farm Waste Into Fuel
Sustainable Gardening
Home gardeners can also adopt eco-friendly practices to make their gardens more environmentally friendly. For instance, harvesting rainwater to use for watering your garden lessens runoff and minimizes water waste. Composting your kitchen scraps can create healthy fertilizer for your garden. And just like large-scale farms, small backyard plots can benefit from crop rotation, naturally improving the quality of the soil and deterring pests.
