Farming In North America
And How to Keep it More Sustainable
Intercropping
Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops in proximity. The most common goal of intercropping is to produce a greater yield on a given piece of land by making use of resources that would otherwise not be utilized by a single crop. Intercropping has to have a lot of planning like how much water,sunlight and type of soil is needed to make the crops grow as big as they can.
Soil Fertility
Keeping your farm's soil healthy is essential, as crops get most of their nutrients directly from the soil. In fact, according to the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, farm sustainability depends more on soil than on any other factor, including human help and intervention. That doesn't mean farmers can't do anything about the health of their soil, though. In fact, a number of techniques are available to help improve its health. Tillage practices, which consist of plowing, turning and airing the soil, have been around for centuries and are still as useful as ever. Many farmers leave some crop residue on the ground before they till to add to the richness of the soil. Adding organic matter, such as manure or cover crops, can also help the soil. Other organic compounds that can be added to the ground as fertilizers include alfalfa meal, wood ash, animal byproducts, rock and mineral products, and alumino-silicate materials.