Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
1.3.2 Other Crops
Steve's son, William, has a small garden that supplies some fresh vegetables for the
family during the summer months, but this is not intended to supply all the family's
vegetable needs. There are black walnut trees that produce nuts and wild blackberries
growing on the farm, however, for the most part these are not used as food. He also has
two dogs. Otherwise there are no other crops or animals on the farm.
1.3.3 Farming Practices
Steve practices no-tillage and minimal tillage farming. In no-till, commonly used with
maize and soybeans, herbicides are used to control weeds, and seed and fertilizer are
placed directly into a field containing dead weeds and plant residues remaining from
the previous crop. Because crops are planted in the spring, most of the previous
year's crop residue has decayed over the winter. Dead weeds and any remaining
crop residue are completely gone by harvest time. Minimum tillage involves some
minimal working of the soil surface just before plating.
For winter wheat and barley the only field preparation is to use a field cultivator or
a disk that breaks and loosens the soil before planting. Planting is done with a planter,
little or no herbicides are used, and harvesting is done using a stripper head on the
combine as shown in Figure 1.43. No insecticides, other than those applied to seed,
are used in crop production.
In addition to being highly mechanized, computers and GPS (global positioning
satellites) play a large role in Steve's farming operation. Electronic equipment in the
cab of his combine is shown in Figure 1.44. Steve uses computers to keep track of
the economics of his farming operation. He has a computer in his house office
(Fig. 1.45), where his records are kept (see also below). In addition every tractor has
at least one computer associated with it and its operation. When planting, a computer
and GPS unit connected to the steering of the tractor means that he can plant in straight
Figure
1.43.
Combining barley.
