Farming

• Subsistence is where farmers grow crops to feed themselves
• Commercial is when farmers sell their produce at the market
• farming is a primary economic activity
• Arable: grow crops such as wheat
• Pastoral: only have lives such as cows
• Horticulture/market gardening: intensive growing of veg,fruit,flowers
• Intensive: using artificial fertilisers, pesticides
• Extensive: soil isn’t fertile
• Inputs: things that enter the system

  eg) machinery
• Processes: tasks that change inputs eg) milking
• Outputs: results of processing

  eg) milk
• Primary activities: taking resources from the land or sea
• Challenges facing agriculture

  1. competition
  2. changing climate
  3. disease
• Factors that influence the type of farming in Ireland

  1. rainfall level
  2. soil
  3. relief
  4. family tradition
• Subsidy for farmers

  1. single farm payment
  2. agricultural environmental options scheme
  3. CAP
• Irrigation: artificial watering of the land

  eg) nile valley
• Case study:

  Fred and Mary Fitzpatrick own a mixed farm in Wicklow