Methods For Growing Seasons
Preliminary maintenance of soil with rototillers can begin prior to the actual planting season for a specific growing zone. Rototilling is one of the methods farmers use to allow aeration of their planting beds. If fertilizers are needed, this is added prior to the first planting as well as at intervals during the growing season.

Rotating Crops – A Reliable Method Of Soil Preservation
Rotating crops is a tried and true method of preserving soil and helping it retain its nutrients. Corn crops are often rotated with a soy crop to avoid depleting the soil of valuable minerals needed to promote healthy plant growth. Another method is to allow the soil to lie fallow for several years. This is a method used by farmers with large acres of crops. In turn, rotation can take place in designated areas of the farm so alternative crops can be produced for market.

One way they are adjusting to achieve these goals is to use different tilling methods to retain the nitrogen in the soil that is vital to plant healthy instead of it releasing into the atmosphere and highly contributing to the greenhouse gases. Also farmers are using biomass energy to power their equipment or other facilities. In addition, they are changing the way pesticides are applied or changing to pesticides that are more environmentally friendly, because these pesticides not only affect the crops but also affect the surrounding ecosystems and poisoning the water. Also using corn power to fuel farm equipment is a great way to utilize more corn that is grown all over the country; directly benefiting the farming industry and helping the environment as well.

With these changes, farmers can lessen the negative impact on the environment and reduce the greenhouse gases that are emitted.

Cell phone apps are multiplying for agriculture as well. Farmers can manage multiple tasks (something they are very proficient at doing), and perform multiple operations and what used to be called “paperwork” while on the tractor or combine.

Farming can be a very isolating occupation, getting information and news used to be left to whatever time was left at the end of the day, and that was usually late. Chatlines, blogs and other social media are now used to exchange ideas, opinions and news in groups that farm and ranch. Today, agriculture is not any less labor intensive but technology lets farmers get more done than ever before. Computers, software, smartphones and tablet computers let farmers multitask efficiently and not be doing clerical management at night or hiring a non farm labor employee to do it. The money goes further because of technology in farming.

Farmers have discovered that less tilling of the soil is beneficial to crops and the atmosphere. Studies have shown recently that, over tilling, the soil decreases its ability to grow crops. Exposing the soil to the air releases carbon into the air. Organic carbon is essential for healthy soil. Less tilling of the earth also means less carbon is released into the air.

Modern farming today for the most part produces the same crops on a large scale year after year. Gone are the small truck farms to feed families, and selling the extra out by the road. Farmers back then knew the value of diversification and crop rotation. Many farms today focus on one product because the farm is set up to raise that one product, or so they believe.

Planting several varieties of crops in the same area can benefit the farmer. Plants not only take from the soil they also return nutrients to the soil, as well. Planting crops together will help balance out the soil. One variety takes nutrients from the soil and the other returns those same nutrients. Using this farming practice will help reduce the need for fertilization.

Certain plant varieties naturally repel pest that can damage plants. Planting varieties that repel pests in with others that are susceptible to pests can cut down on the use of pesticides. Farmers today are starting to understand and realize the benefits of nature’s naturally occurring biological processes.