Introduction to Farming
Farming is the process of growing plants and raising animals to give us food, clothing, and other useful items.
Farmers look after plants and animals on a piece of land known as a farm.
Example:
A farmer plants wheat in his field.
Another farmer has cows that provide us with milk.
Farming is one of the oldest jobs in the world!
Why Is Farming Important?
Farming helps us in a lot of ways:
Provides food: Vegetables, fruits, grains, milk, eggs, and meat all come from farms.
Gives us clothes: Cotton is grown on farms and is used to make clothes.
Wool comes from sheep.
Used in medicines: Some plants are used to make medicine.
Example:
Apples from apple trees make healthy snacks.
Cotton is used to make T-shirts and dresses.
Types of Farming
Farming happens in different ways depending on the land, weather, and what people require.
Crop Farming
This is the process of growing plants that provide us with food.
Examples of crops:
Wheat: Used to make bread and chapatis.
Rice: A main food in many countries.
Corn: Used for food and making popcorn!
Sugarcane: Used to make sugar.
Fruits and vegetables: Like mangoes, bananas, carrots, tomatoes.
Animal Farming (Livestock Farming)
This is when animals are raised for milk, meat, eggs, and wool.
Examples:
Cows: Give us milk.
Chickens: Give us eggs and meat.
Sheep: Give us wool.
Goats: Give us milk and meat.
Buffaloes: Help in ploughing and also give milk.
Mixed Farming
This is a combination of crop farming and animal farming.
Farmers grow plants and also keep animals.
Example:
A farmer grows rice and also keeps cows and chickens.
Types of Crops
Different crops are grown in different seasons.
Kharif Crops (Rainy Season)
These are grown in summer and harvested in autumn.
Examples:
Rice
Maize (corn)
Millet
Cotton
Rabi Crops (Winter Season)
These are grown in winter and harvested in spring.
Examples:
Wheat
Barley
Mustard
Peas
Zaid Crops (Short Summer Season)
These are grown between Rabi and Kharif seasons.
Examples:
Watermelon
Cucumber
Muskmelon
Steps of Farming
Farming is not just about planting seeds.
It has many steps:
Ploughing the Field
Farmers dig and turn the soil with a plough to make it soft for planting.
In the past, bullocks were used for this job.
Now, tractors are used.
Sowing the Seeds
Seeds are planted into the soil.
Farmers choose good-quality seeds for planting.
Watering (Irrigation)
Plants need water to grow.
Water is given through canals, wells, or tube wells.
Adding Fertilizers
Fertilizers are added to make the soil rich in nutrients, helping the plants grow healthy.
Natural fertilizers like cow dung are called manure.
Removing Weeds
Weeds are unwanted plants.
Farmers remove them to stop them from harming the crops.
Protecting from Pests
Farmers use natural or chemical sprays to protect crops from insects and animals.
Harvesting
When crops are ready, they are cut and collected.
Storing
Crops are kept in godowns or storage houses to keep them safe from insects and rain.
