Systems Module Geography Lessons

1. Systems ModuleGeography Lessons Lesson 7 Farming systems Aim- How does the farming system work?

2. INPUTS PROCESSES Ploughing Planting Weed & Pest Control Harvesting Silage/Grazing Shearing Milking Inputs are: Physical (climate, relief, soil) or Human (money,machines, labour)

3. OUTPUTS PROCESSES Ploughing Planting Weed & Pest Control Harvesting Silage/Grazing Shearing Milking Outputs are: Crops or Animal Rearing and / or Products

4. Geography of Food-IPO for short

5. The Farmer is very important and is the DECISION-MAKER. Each individual farmers decision on what crops to grow or animals to rear, and which methods to use to maximise output, depends on an UNDERSTANDING of the most favourable physical and economic conditions for the farm. Sometimes, the farmer may have several choices and so the decision may depend upon individual likes and expertise. On other occasions the choice may be limited by extreme physical conditions or economic or political pressures.

6. Farming can be classified by Inputs, Processes or Outputs INTENSIVE orEXTENSIVE ARABLE, PASTORAL or MIXED SUBSISTENCE or COMMERCIAL

7. Arable Pastoral Commercial Subsistence What are the different types of farming? Mixed Farming: Grows crops and rears animals Concentrates on rearing of animals. Only grows crops e.g. arable farms in East Anglia. Producing food only to feed themselves and their families. In LEDC’s most farming is subsistence. Farmers grow crops and rear animals to sell in order to make a profit. In MEDC’s most farming is commercial.

8. Classification by INPUT • INTENSIVE farming – high levels of input producing a high yield per hectare. Examples include, arable farming in East Anglia, England and rice farming in South East Asia. • EXTENSIVE farming – low levels of input producing a low yield per hectare. Example, sheep farming in North Wales

9. Classification by PROCESSES Arable vs. Pastoral Arable Growing and harvesting of crops Pastoral Specialise in rearing of animals Mixed Both pastoral and arable farming

10. Classification by OUTPUT • SUBSISTENCE farming Produce is consumed by the farmer, any surplus is usually sold to buy other goods • COMMERCIAL farming The majority of produce is sold to make financial profit

11. Farming system

12. Arable, pastoral or mixed?

13. Commercial or subsistence?

14. Farming system

15. What effects the distribution of farming in the UK? The main factors affecting the distribution of farming in the UK are: • Climate • Relief (shape of the land) • Soil type • Accessibility to the market and labour supply

16. FARMING IN THE UK Market Gardening involves intensive farming of high value fruit and salad vegetables in greenhouses

17. FARMING IN THE UK Sheep and beef cattle are reared for wool and meat, mainly in upland areas

18. FARMING IN THE UK Dairy Farming is the rearing of cows for milk, usually in flatter areas - good grass so lush pastures

19. FARMING IN THE UK Arable Farming in the UK is mainly cereal crops, but also vegetables and animal feeds

20. South Penquite Farm – a case study

21. The farm has a flock of 400 ewes and a herd of 60 cows as well as many horses, ponies, goats, donkeys and chickens. South Penquite Farm • South Penquite is a 80 hectare working hill farm situated high on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall.

22. South Penquite Farm

23. South Penquite Farm • The farm has achieved organic status under the guidance of the Soil Association. • It takes two years to convert the land over which time they have not used any pesticides or nitrogen fertilizers. • South Penquite started the conversion to becoming an organic farm in May 1999 and from June 2001 they have been able to offer organic beef and lamb.

24. Riding Holidays Field Studies Camping South Penquite Farm • The farm has diversified. • They offer a range of countryside holidays which include camping and horse riding. For the camping they have a limited number of pitches to minimize the impact on the environment. They also have facilities for field studies and opportunities for educational groups to learn about local environment.

25. Organic quiz!

26. Task 3 • Using the information from this case study farm, write a list of bullet point notes, based on what you have learnt about Organic farming

27. Homework • In preparation for your next Geography lesson, you need to have researched ‘Organic Farming’ and ‘Intensive farming’ finding as much information as possible to either bring to the lesson or have a list of useful websites ready for the lesson. • Without doing this homework, you will jeopardise next lessons work and consequently your grade for the work

28. Intensive Farming (i) Land is cultivated intensively season after season and year after year by better agricultural methods and manpower. (ii) It is carried on in densely popu­lated areas and the population pressure is high. (iii) Land holdings are smaller. (iv) Yield per person is less but per hectare it is more, e.g., Japan, India, and U.K. . (

29. Extensive Farming (i) Farming practice involving greater use of machinery. It is highly mechanized and the pro­duce is increased by bringing more and more land under cul­tivation. (ii) It is practiced in moderately populated areas. The popula­tion pressure is less. (iii) Farms are large. (iv) Yield per person is more but per hectare it is less, e.g., USA, Canada

30. Arable Farms Arable farms are mainly found in the eastern side of the U.K. Here the land is lower and flatter, the soil more fertile and the climate drier and sunnier. The ten main crops grown in Britain in 1996 were Wheat 1,976 Barley 1,267 Fodder crops 362 Oilseed rape 356 Sugar beet 199 Potatoes 177 Vegetables grown in the open 132 Oats and Other Cereals 114 Other crops not for stock feeding 78 Orchard Fruit 28 All figures are in 1,000 hectares.

31. Farming Problems The problems that have affected British farms include Overproduction Pollution by Chemicals Growth of Cities

32. Agricultural Issues Today Why the Decline? • Irregular hours • Children of farmers seek other opportunities • Once retired, who will buy their farms • Few young people can afford the capital cost of buying a farm • Start up costs are very high • Annual costs are high - veterinary, pesticides, equipment, vehicle repairs, seeds etc. • Debt or bankruptcy may result if prices of arm products do not increase faster than their cost of production • Damage of land

33. Damaging the Land Damage to the land occurs in three ways: • Poor farming • Erosion • Contamination

34. Damaging the Land Poor Farming • Damage occurs because of heavy leaching - soil loses nutrients because of excessive irrigation • Repeated use of heavy equipment - compacts the soil and loses its ability to absorb water • Unplowed land - chemicals used to control weeds

35. Damaging the Land Erosion • Heavy wind and water action erodes the soil away - blows the topsoil away Contamination • The use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides • Herbicides can be harmful to wildlife and humans • Pesticides will kill insects that destroy fruit, vegetables and grains etc. but also kill many successful species of insects