5.1 Introduction to Agriculture

Agriculture is best defined as 

• the hunting and gathering
• the altering genetic material of plants
• the cultivation of plants/domesticating animals
• using technology to increase production

The cultivation of crops using a relatively large amount of resources

• subsistence agriculture

• intensive agriculture

• extensive agriculture

• dairy farming

system of crop cultivation using small amounts of labor and capital in relation to area of land being used

• intensive agriculture

• extensive agriculture

• commercial agriculture

• commercial farming

Growing crops for profit using a relatively large amount of resources

• intensive commercial agriculture

• extensive commercial agriculture

• capitalism

• pastoralism

Using a great deal of resources to produce just enough food for the farmer and their family

• shifting cultivation

• primary agricultural system

• tertiary agriculture

• intensive subsistence agriculture

raising livestock by moving them from open field to open field

• feedlot system

• shifting cultivation

• pastoral nomadism

• dairy farming

Raising a crop in a field for a year or two and then moving on to a new field

• crop rotation

• shifting cultivation

• subsistence agriculture

• pastoral nomadism

Growing food for profit using relatively little resources

• extensive commercial agriculture

• intensive commercial agriculture

• commercial gardening

• plantation agriculture

A farmer growing food for just their family using relatively few resources

• mixed crop and livestock farming

• market gardening

• extensive subsistence agriculture

• pastoralism

Raising cattle by grazing them on large portions of private land

• commercial agriculture

• pastoral nomadism

• shifting cultivation

• livestock ranching