Five years ago, I decided to resign from my corporate job and started living a simple life as a farmer. I inherited a farm from my father, so I thought it was time to make that farm flourish by focusing on farming. Yet, I was not familiar with agriculture, and thus, I researched the subject matter and would like to impart what I’ve learned from my research.
Farming, of course, involves growing crops. But it is not solely growing crops; it also consists of rearing animals. Moreover, no two farms are the same. Each farm has its focus and products. Besides, some farms may not even sell anything. If you are a newbie in farming, it will help if you first become familiar with the different farming types.
Understanding the Different Types of Farming
There are different types of farms, and some farms may be categorized under multiple types of farms. For example, some urban farms are also micro-farms, and some commercial farms may also be crop farms. If you want to be familiar with the different types of farming, you can check out the following types of farming:
1) Commercial Farming
When you farm for profit, you are engaging in commercial farming. Commercial farming may involve a large scale growing of crops or rearing of animals. You will utilize machinery and modern farming technology for more efficient farming practices in this kind of farm. This type of farming may also involve monoculture, i.e., the growing of a single crop like coffee, wheat, or rice.
Commercial farming may be intensive with high levels of output and inputs per cubic feet of land. It may also be called industrial agriculture because of the heavy reliance on machinery and its massive production.
2) Pastoral Farming
Pastoral farming usually happens in cold and wet places where growing crops are not ideal. You will find rural farmers engaged in pastoral agriculture in lands with steep slopes. You will also find pastoral farmers in places with poor soils, incapable of supporting any crop. In such type of ground, heather and grasses grow, which are perfect for grazing animals.
Pastoral farming aims to produce livestock. It involves raising beef cattle, dairy farming, or sheep raising to produce wool. Pastoral farming in some regions is also called livestock farming or ranching. It may also involve mixed farming wherein crops are grown purely as livestock fodder.
3) Nomadic Farming
Nomadic farming involves farmers or pastors who move their grazing herds from one area to another. They do this in search of water and pasture. It is somewhat similar to pastoral farming. Yet, it differs because nomadic farmers do not stay permanently in one area. You will see grassy patches of lands and meadows in many prairie regions, dotted with herd animals. Some grazing animals include camels, cattle, sheep, donkeys, horses, and goats.
Genuine nomadic farmers follow an irregular movement pattern for their herds, and genuine nomadic farming happens in regions with little arable land. You will find many mobile farmers in central Asia, the Sahel Region of West and North Africa, and the Middle East.
4) Subsistence Farming
If you are growing food crops for your consumption or family consumption, you are engaged in subsistence farming. Subsistence farmers farm to survive or have something to eat for the day. The agricultural products in these farms are harvested for family consumption and not for selling, although subsistence farmers may sometimes sell their surplus crops.
The farm is more often sufficient to produce enough food for the family. You can find many subsistence farms in developing countries in off-grid areas.
Subsistent farmers may participate in trade. But this trade may involve the exchange of goods that are necessary for survival. Moreover, subsistence farmers only have small capital and are engaged in mixed cropping.
5) Arable Farming
This type of farming involves growing crops in warm climate regions. Arable farmers practice this farming along the gently sloping hills or flat land that has fertile soil. Since the soil is neither too wet nor dry, it is ideal for arable agriculture. The perfect ground for arable farming should be sheltered from inclement weather and suited for machinery use. On UK’s east and south sides, farmers practice this type of agriculture.
Crops grown in arable farming include vegetables, plants, cereals, and other plants that produce oils or cloth. Moreover, most arable farmers make use of crop rotation to maximize the use of land. Besides, you can best practice arable farming with pastoral farming because both types of farming complement each other.
6) Dairy Farming
Dairy farmers dedicate their farms to the production of milk. This type of farming can be small or large scale. Most dairy farms have cows, though some dairy farms focus on raising goats, sheep, yaks, or any other milk-bearing animals. Some dairy farmers grow crops that they can use for feeding their cattle. Besides, they may also raise heifers for sustaining the population of their dairy producing cattle.
7) Dry Farming
Dry farming or dryland farming involves the growing of crops in areas with limited moisture. This region consists of 20 inches or less of precipitation per year and does not have irrigation. Dry farmers depend on soil that can efficiently store moisture. The soil’s surface should be free of weed, though with enough vegetable matter for preventing erosion or runoff.
You can plant drought-resistant crops in such soil. You can plant sorghum because it emits a limited amount of moisture. You can also plant crops that are quicker to mature on this type of land.
8) Poultry Farming
Another type of farm is the poultry farm, which raises turkeys and chicken for consumption. Some of these farms raise chicken for their eggs. This type of farm can be small, medium, or large scale. Poultry farming can be intensive or free-range, likewise. Intensive farming produces most of the poultry meat and eggs consumed by the population. Free-range farming, on the other hand, makes use of lower stocking densities.
9) Meat farming
This type of farming involves raising animals for consumption or slaughter. It may be intensive and large-scale farming that includes high stocking densities. The livestock consists of poultry, cattle, and fish. This type of farming is often indoors, raising animals such as cows, turkeys, pigs, chicken, and fish. This kind of farming is also widespread in most developed nations because of the growing demand for animal meat.
10) Fish Farming
Fish farming is also called aquaculture. It is a booming type of farming and involves raising large fish quantities in large tanks, open ponds, or lakes. This type of farm is manageable and sustainable. It can produce clean products and a considerable amount of high-quality protein. You can engage in fish farming in lakes, fishponds, or aquaponic systems.
Conclusion
There are some other types of farming, like hay farming, flower farming, and orchard farming. But it will suffice for you to know the most common farming types as a sort of introduction to farming and agriculture. With this knowledge, you can quickly choose which kind of farming you would like to engage in.
Of course, farming is an exciting and fulfilling undertaking that can also net you a sizeable amount of profit. If done correctly using modern technology, you can monetize your farm while enjoying the other benefits concomitant with farming.
