Name(s):

Period: Agriculture Brochure Packet:

LT:

Directions:
1.) In a group of 2-3, choose one of the following Agriculture Methods:
- Subsistence Farming
- Crop Rotation
- Slash And Burn
- Industrial Farming
- Terrace Farming

2.) Read through your chosen topic

- Underline what you think is an important information
- Make note of facts
- These facts will help you decide where to put your information for the brochure (sections will be
titled in)

3.) Look at the prefilled brochure. Online and physical options are available in google
classroom, and in the room
- Write in the important information you found in the article, in their designated sections
and in your own words.
- Each section should have 2-3 complete sentences
- Draw, or find photos that go along with the information.

Our Group: _________________________

Our checklist:
History of the Method
What is the Method and what tools are used
What are the benefits of this method
What are the negatives of this method
Where is this Method commonly used?

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Sources for Subsistence Farming:

History of Agriculture and Subsistence Farming:

Around 12,000 years ago, something big

happened that changed how people lived. Before
that, humans used to wander around, hunting and
gathering food. But then, they started doing
something new called agriculture, which means
growing their own food. This change was so
important that it's called the "Neolithic Revolution."

Instead of moving around, people started to build permanent homes and farms.
This made life more stable, and they didn't have to worry about finding food all the time.
With agriculture, cities and civilizations started to grow. More food could be produced,
and the world's population went from five million people a long time ago to eight billion
today.

Different parts of the world started farming for various reasons. In some places,
the weather changed in a way that was good for growing plants. In other areas, there
wasn't enough natural food, so people had to figure out how to grow their own. No
matter why it started, farming played a huge role in shaping the modern world.

Benefits and Negatives of this Method:

Some farmers are not very rich, and they do something called subsistence
farming. It means they grow just enough food to survive and don't have a lot extra.
These farmers often depend on the weather, especially the rain, to grow their crops. If
the weather changes, like if there's too much or too little rain, it can be really bad for
them.

Imagine if you only had enough food for the year, and something happened to
your crops because of the weather. That's what can happen to these farmers. They
might not have other ways to make money, so they end up selling their animals or land
just to get by. Some even have to move to cities where it's hard to find a good place to
live.

In places like India, many people work on farms to make a living.about 50-75% of
the labor population is dependent on agriculture. If the weather keeps changing
because of things like climate change, it makes life even tougher for these farmers and
workers. It's important to not only help them improve their farming but also give them

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other ways to make money and take care of their health and education. The way these
farmers live is really sensitive to changes in the weather, and with our planet getting
warmer, it's becoming even more challenging for them.

How does this Method work, and what tools are used:

Farmers, even from a long time ago until now, have different ways of growing
their crops. Some big farms today use chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides, but
others, especially smaller farms, use more natural methods. Subsistence farmers, who
grow food for their families, use things like animal poop and leftover plant material to
help their crops grow. They also have a cool system where anything not eaten by
people goes back to feed the animals. It's like a circle where everything is used and
nothing is wasted.

If you've ever been on a road trip and seen those huge fields of just corn or soy,
that's what we call monoculture. It's when they grow a lot of the same thing in one
place. But for small farms that need to support a family, it's better to have a mix of
different crops and animals. This is called polyculture, and it's more friendly to the
environment.

With polyculture, different plants help each other out. Some plants give nutrients
to the soil, and others use those nutrients. It's like they're friends helping each other
grow. This way of farming also helps the soil stay healthy over time, and the farmers
can grow more food. So, while big farms might grow a lot of one thing, small farms
prefer having a mix of plants and animals to make everything work together.

Where is this method currently practiced in the world?

In many parts of Africa, a lot of people depend on something called subsistence

farming to live. This means they grow their own food on their land to survive. In places
like Tanzania, almost a third of the money the country makes comes from farming. And
a big chunk of the population, about three-quarters, live in rural areas and do this kind of
farming.Subsistence farming isn't just in Africa – it happens all over the world, like in
Asia, India, the Philippines, and many more places. The way people farm can be
different because the places they live are different. Some people might not have things
like clean water or electricity, and not everyone has good healthcare. This can make life
tough, especially for kids in poorer countries, where not having clean conditions can be
a big reason for getting sick.

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Sources for Crop Rotation Farming:

History of Agriculture and Crop rotation Farming:

A long time ago, during the Roman

Empire, farmers in Europe had a smart way of
growing crops called crop rotation. They divided
their farms into three parts and rotated what they
planted each year. In one part, they planted food
like wheat, in another part, they planted barley or oats for their animals, and in the third
part, they let the land rest without planting anything. This resting time helped the soil get
back its nutrients.

As time went on, in the 15th century, European farms got bigger. Farmers started
trying different schedules for rotating their crops. In the 1700s, a guy named Viscount
Charles Townshend, also known as "Turnip" because he introduced turnips to the
rotation, came up with a four-year rotation plan. They planted wheat, barley, turnips, and
clover, a special plant that helps the soil. This way, the soil stayed healthy, and the
farmers could grow different things each year.

Benefits and Negatives of this Method:

Why does it matter how farmers grow different plants? Well, just like we all have
different favorite foods, plants have different needs too. Some like more of one thing,
and some don't. If a farmer keeps planting the same plant in the same spot every year,
it's like having the same meal over and over. The soil gets tired, and bugs and diseases
can easily make a home there.

So, instead of doing that, farmers use something called crop rotation. It's like
playing a game where they change which plants they grow and where they grow them.
This helps the soil stay healthy without using artificial stuff. Plus, it stops bugs and
diseases from sticking around too much.

The cool part is, when farmers use crop rotation, they don't need to use a lot of
chemicals to keep bugs away. It's like a natural way of keeping everything balanced.
And it's not just good for the soil, but it also brings in different insects and helps plants
grow better. But, just like anything, there are some challenges, like figuring out the best
plan and sometimes making a little less money. But in the end, it's good for the farm and
the environment.

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How does this Method work, and what tools are used:

Crop rotation is like a smart way of growing different things in the same area to
keep the soil super healthy and happy. Instead of always planting the same stuff,
farmers switch it up and grow different crops one after another.

Imagine a farmer grows a big field of corn. After getting all the corn, instead of
planting more corn, they might plant beans. Why? Because corn takes a lot of a thing
called nitrogen from the soil, and beans give that nitrogen back. It's like giving the soil a
little break and a tasty snack!

Some farmers like to keep it simple and switch between two or three crops.
Others get fancy and grow lots of different crops in a special order. It's like making sure
the soil gets different kinds of food to stay strong and happy. But to do this, farmers
need to plan things carefully. They divide the land into sections and make sure not to
grow the same or similar plants too close together. It's like making sure each type of
plant has its own space. And if things need to change, like growing something different
or adding special plants, farmers make adjustments to keep everything in tip-top shape.

Where is this method practiced in the world?

This special way of farming is used in lots of places, even in the United States.
Here, farmers switch between growing plants that give back nitrogen to the soil (like
soybeans) and plants that really like nitrogen (like corn). It's like giving the soil a good
mix of different foods.

In the U.S., where the soil is already super good for growing things, they can do
this rotation to make sure everything stays healthy. But in some other countries, where
the soil isn't as lucky, they use an even older trick called three-field rotation. This means
they use a field for farming only one or two years out of three, letting it rest the rest of
the time.

There's also something cool called modern fertilizer that helps farms grow more
food. Scientists are always trying to find better ways to make farming even better and
friendly to the environment. It's like a big puzzle to figure out how to grow more food and
keep our planet happy at the same time.

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Sources for Slash and Burn Farming:

History of Agriculture and Slash and Burning Farming:

A long time ago, people who hunted and gathered food

used a method called slash-and-burn. It worked well
because they could move around to different places. They
would cut down plants, burn them, and then grow crops in
the ashes. Some of the foods we love, like corn, sweet
potatoes, and peanuts, were first grown this way.

In Central America and Mexico, people have been doing this for a really long
time. But now, with more and more people needing to live off the land, it's causing some
big problems. The way they do it today is harming the environment a lot and it's not a
good way to keep going because we are running out of natural resources.

Benefits and Negatives of this Method:

People sometimes grow certain plants in a way that's been done for a long time.
These plants are good at growing back quickly after the land is disturbed. They take
breaks from farming, so plants and animals can grow back, keeping the area diverse.
The soil also bounces back fast with nutrients and good stuff.

This method, called slash-and-burn farming, is less intense than the big farms we
see. Indigenous people use it to grow their food and keep their cultural practices. But,
there are some big problems with this way of farming. It leads to cutting down a lot of
trees, which is bad for the environment. Animals lose their homes, and there's more air
pollution and carbon in the air, which is not good for our planet and climate change.
Accidental fires can also happen.

Slash-and-burn farming causes soil to wash away when it rains a lot and blow
away during droughts, leading to erosion, landslides, and dirty water. So, while it helps
people feed themselves, we need to find better ways to grow food without causing these
problems.

How does this Method work, and what tools are used:

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 Slash-and-burn farming is like a special way of growing food. First, people cut
down all the plants in one area and set them on fire. The ashes left behind have
nutrients that help the soil grow crops.

After burning, they use that cleared area, called swidden, to plant food for a little
while. But then, they let it rest for a longer time so that plants can grow back. This way
of farming is also called shifting cultivation because they shift, or move around, where
they grow crops. It's like giving the land a break so it can stay healthy and keep growing
food.

Where is this method practiced in the world?

Even today, in places like Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Central Africa,
there are farmers who grow food in a way that's good for the environment. These
farmers live in hilly areas with lots of trees. When they cut down trees for farming, they
leave the stumps behind. This helps stop the soil from washing away, and it creates
communities of tiny living things that make the soil healthy.

These farmers also plant seeds without using big machines. They do it by hand,
without digging up the soil too much. This way, the soil stays in good shape, and the
underground world of tiny creatures is not disturbed. It's like a gentle way of growing
food that takes care of the land.

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Sources for Industrial Farming:

History of Agriculture and Industrial Farming:

Modern agriculture started getting big in the 1800s

and 1900s because of changes in how we farm and process
food. When we say "industrial," it means using big factories
and a lot of technology to grow crops and make food. They
use a bunch of stuff like lots of water, special seeds, chemicals, and pesticides to get
more crops. They focus on just a few types of plants and animals.

"Modern" is important because it brought new ways of eating, with more

processed and easy-to-make foods that are not very expensive. This way of farming
and eating has changed a lot in just the past 100 years, much more than it did for
hundreds or even thousands of years before.

The big change happened in the 1940s and 1950s with something called the
Green Revolution. It used science and technology to make new crops and ways of
farming, especially in places like Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Even though it has
changed over time, we still use the ideas from the Green Revolution today. This way of
farming and eating is not just in one place—it's global, happening all over the world.
This global farming system has big effects on the environment and people, and some
experts think it's a major part of a time called the Anthropocene, where humans have a
huge impact on the planet.

Benefits and Negatives of this Method:

Big farms called CAFOs can cause pollution and harm animals. Laws were made
to regulate them, but they haven't worked well. Animals in these farms may face
problems like crowded cages and no pain relief during procedures.

These farms also hurt the environment. They produce a lot of waste that can
pollute water and air. Employees and nearby communities may face health risks too.
Despite these issues, the number of animals in these farms keeps growing.

On the other hand, big industrial farms have some benefits:

​ - They can make a lot of food quickly.

​ - Food might be cheaper for people.
​ - They push scientists to come up with new tools and machines.

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 ​ - They create jobs and help local economies.
​ - They find ways to make food last longer, reducing waste.

So, while these farms have problems, they also bring some advantages in producing
food.

How does this Method work, and what tools are used:

Big farms that produce a lot of crops and animals are called industrial agriculture.
They often use chemicals on plants and give antibiotics to animals, even if they're not
sick. This can be harmful to the land, animals, and the environment. Sometimes, they
also change the genes of crops and use a lot of pesticides. In recent years, big
companies have taken over farming, and small farmers are struggling.

Now, let's talk about something called CAFOs. People often call them "factory
farms." These are places where many animals are kept together in one spot and are
given food, instead of letting them graze. According to the EPA, a big CAFO might have
at least 1,000 cows, 700 dairy cows, 2,500 large pigs, or 82,000 egg-laying hens. These
farms can cause problems for the environment and the animals.

Where is this method practiced in the world?

Big farms that grow a lot of our food in the United States use a system called
industrial agriculture. This means they focus on growing a ton of one crop at a time, use
a lot of chemicals to help the plants grow, and raise animals in big farms called CAFOs.
The farms mainly grow a few crops that are used for animal food, biofuels, and
processed snacks.

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Sources for Terrace Farming:

History of Agriculture and Terrace Farming:

A long time ago, the Inca people in South America

came up with a clever way of farming on the mountains.
They made steps in the hills to grow crops, and this is called terrace farming. It's like
making giant stairs for plants!

Now, in places like Asia and islands with hills, people use terrace farming to grow
food. Countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia do it, and even the
Philippines' Cordilleras has special rice terraces that are considered really important.
Terrace farming isn't just for rice; they also grow things like potatoes and maize on these
steps. The Inca people in the Andes, who lived in the mountains, were the first to figure
out this cool way of farming.

Benefits and Negatives of this Method:

Terrace farming is like giving the land a special makeover that helps both people
and nature. Here are some good things about terrace farming:

​ - It makes hilly fields easier to farm, so we can grow more food.

​ - It helps save water by slowing it down and collecting rain.
​ - It stops soil from washing away, keeping it safe.
​ - It helps keep the water clean by letting heavy stuff settle down before flowing
away.
​ - It turns hills into good places for growing food, increasing the amount of food we
can make.
​ - It adds variety to the environment, making it more interesting.

But, like anything, there are some challenges with terrace farming:

​ - You need special machines to level the soil.

​ - It takes a lot of hard work and can cost a bit.
​ - The land might need extra care after terracing.
​ - Trained people are needed to make the terraces.
​ - Before starting, you need to check if the soil is good for it. Some soils might not
work well.
​

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How does this Method work, and what tools are used:

Terracing is a way of turning hilly areas into farmland. The special thing about it is
that it involves digging and moving soil to make flat areas and ridges. This helps water
flow down the hill, preventing erosion and making sure the crops get enough water. It's
like giving the hill a makeover so that it can be a great place to grow food!

Making bench terraces is like creating giant steps on a hill to grow crops. First,
you start at the top and make flat areas by cutting into the hill and filling in the gaps. It's
kind of like making stairs for plants!

To make sure these terraces stay strong, people might use stones, plants, and
special techniques. This is important because it takes a lot of hard work, mainly done by
hand, because the land is tricky and it needs a lot of time and effort.

Where is this method practiced in the world?

Nowadays, people in Asia use terrace farming a lot, especially in the mountains
where they grow rice. But the cool thing is, terrace farming can be helpful for any hilly
places, whether they're for growing rice or other crops. It's like a good idea that can
work for different types of land.

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