Glossary
Contour Plowing
Plowing fields along the natural curves of the land, rather than in straight lines up and down slopes. This practice creates ridges that slow water flow and minimize soil disturbance.
Example:
On a gently sloping hillside, a farmer might use contour plowing to create furrows that follow the land's elevation, reducing water runoff and soil loss.
Crop Rotation
The practice of growing different types of crops in the same area in sequenced seasons. This helps maintain soil fertility, reduce pest buildup, and improve soil structure.
Example:
A farmer practices crop rotation by planting corn one year, followed by soybeans the next, and then wheat, to replenish soil nutrients and break pest cycles.
Ecosystem Services
The many benefits that humans receive from ecosystems, such as clean air and water, pollination of crops, regulation of climate, and soil formation.
Example:
Healthy wetlands provide crucial ecosystem services by filtering pollutants from water and acting as natural flood control.
Green Manure
Crops grown specifically to be plowed into the soil while still green, or left to decompose on the surface, to enrich it with nutrients and organic matter.
Example:
After harvesting vegetables, a gardener might plant clover as a green manure crop, allowing it to grow for a season before tilling it back into the soil to improve fertility.
Hedgerows
Lines of shrubs, trees, or other vegetation, often planted along the borders of fields. They serve as windbreaks and provide habitat for wildlife.
Example:
The ancient hedgerows bordering the fields not only prevented wind erosion but also provided nesting sites for birds and small mammals.
Limestone
A calcium carbonate-rich rock used in agriculture to raise soil pH (make it less acidic) and provide essential calcium for plant growth.
Example:
If soil tests show high acidity, a farmer might apply limestone to the fields to neutralize the pH and improve nutrient availability for crops.
No-Till Agriculture
An agricultural practice where crops are planted directly into the soil without disturbing it through plowing or tilling. This leaves previous crop residues on the surface, maintaining soil structure.
Example:
After harvesting corn, a farmer might plant soybeans directly into the remaining stalks and leaves using no-till agriculture, which helps retain soil moisture and structure.
Pasture Rotation
Moving grazing livestock from one pasture area to another in a planned sequence. This prevents overgrazing and allows vegetation to recover, maintaining healthy grasslands.
Example:
Ranchers use pasture rotation to ensure their cattle graze different sections of land, allowing previously grazed areas to regrow and maintain healthy grasslands.
Shelterbelts
A synonym for windbreaks, referring to rows of trees or shrubs planted to protect agricultural land from wind and reduce soil erosion.
Example:
The prairie landscape was dotted with shelterbelts, providing crucial protection for crops and livestock from harsh winds.
Strip Farming
The practice of planting different crops in alternating strips along contours or across a field. This helps prevent erosion and improves soil health.
Example:
A farmer might use strip farming, planting alternating bands of corn and alfalfa, where the alfalfa helps hold the soil and adds nitrogen.
Sustainable Agriculture
Farming methods that meet current food needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It focuses on long-term environmental health, economic viability, and social equity.
Example:
A farm practicing sustainable agriculture might use cover crops and crop rotation to maintain soil fertility instead of relying heavily on synthetic fertilizers.
Terracing
Creating a series of level steps or platforms on a hillside to cultivate crops. This practice reduces the slope length and slows water runoff, preventing soil loss.
Example:
In mountainous regions, farmers often use terracing to grow rice, creating flat, step-like fields that prevent soil from washing down the steep slopes.
Windbreaks
Rows of trees or shrubs planted to protect fields from wind erosion. They reduce wind speed, preventing soil particles from being carried away.
Example:
A farmer planted a line of tall pine trees along the edge of their field as a windbreak to protect young seedlings from strong gusts.