Nomadic tribes began farming circa 10,000 B.C., during the First Agricultural Revolution. Furthermore, this is when the eight “founder crops” of agriculture first appeared: emmer wheat, einkorn wheat, hulled barley, peas, lentils, bitter vetch, chickpeas, and flaxseed.1)
The Industrial Revolution resulted in speedier and more effective agricultural technologies, which helped usher in the Second Agricultural Revolution in industrialized nations from 1700 to 1900. Many developing countries are still under the grip of the Second Agricultural Revolution.2)
The Third Agricultural Revolution, often known as the Green Revolution, occurred in the late twentieth century, coinciding with the world's exponential population expansion. It involves biotechnology, genetic engineering, chemical fertilizers, and agricultural mass production.3)
Subsistence farmers grow only what they need to survive on a daily basis. They are farmers who grow enough food for their families and themselves. The food is not intended for market sale.4)
Fruit growing first appeared between 6000 and 3000 B.C. Figs were one of the earliest fruit crops to be produced.5)
Americans spend 6% of their income on food, the lowest percentage of any country.6)
Soon after agriculture began, plows were created in the Middle East. The first plow, known as an ard, was most likely built from sharpened tree branches. The plow has been called one of the most important innovations in the history of mankind.7)
Around 7000 B.C., the Mesopotamians created the first primitive irrigation system. Around 4000 B.C., the first large-scale irrigation system was built in southern Russia. This system had canals up to 10 feet wide and over a mile long.8)
Arab scientists invented a windmill to pump water for agriculture around A.D. 644. 9)
Arabs added fertilizers to agriculture soil by the year 1000.10)
Mary Isabel Fraser visited China in the early 1900s and brought seeds back to New Zealand. In 1910, she grew the first kiwi crop.11)
Around the world, over 6,000 different types of apples are grown. China is the largest producer, followed by the United States, Iran, Turkey, Poland, Russia, Italy, and India.12)
Tractors were first used to pull plows through fields in the 1880s. By the 1920s, the contemporary all-purpose tractor had been created. Tractors can be used for plowing, planting, cultivating, mowing, harvesting, and moving soil and heavy equipment with various attachments.13)
On the outskirts of fruit plantations, farmers frequently plant tall, thick trees. These trees act as a windbreak, preventing soil erosion.14)
The tallest and most massive trees or shrubs may not always produce the most fruit. Controlling plant height allows for more fruit to be produced in less area. Farmers can also alter the form of a tree by pruning branches or coaxing branches to grow in a specific direction. The form of the tree influences its longevity and fruit size.15)
The Fertile Crescent was the site of the first planned plant sowing and harvesting.16)
Alligator meat must be purchased from farms because hunting alligators is illegal in the United States.17)
Peru and other Latin American countries have guinea pig farms. Every year, approximately 65 million guinea pigs are consumed in Peru.18)
The majority of livestock in the United States and other industrialized nations is farmed on vast factory farms known as concentrated animal feeding facilities, or CAFOs. The largest CAFOs hold poultry and may house up to 125,000 hens at any given time.19)
Beef cattle production is the single greatest part of American agriculture. The United States produces the most beef of any country. Every year, around 34 million cows are killed in the United States.20)
Country (1984), The River (1984), Out of Africa (1985), Giant (1956), and The Big Country (1958) are all popular farming films.21)
The United States has over 2 million farms, although it used to be over 2.2 million.22)
Approximately 98% of farms in the United States are run by families, family partnerships, or family enterprises.23)
Bananas are the world's most important fruit crop. They are the fourth greatest crop overall, behind wheat, rice, and corn. India produces the most bananas of any country. The Philippines, China, and Ecuador are the next three largest banana producers.24)
Farmers now produce 262% more food while using 2% less inputs (such as seeds, labor, and fertilizer) than they did in 1950.25)
In 2006, the average American farmer produced enough food to feed 144 people. In 1940, the average farmer produced enough food for 19 additional people (which was close to enough food).26)
Farming employs over 24 million Americans (17% of the total labor force).27)
Many historians believe that goats were the first domesticated animal. Goats are among the cleanest animals. They are far more discriminating feeders than cows, chickens, or even dogs. They will usually refuse to eat food that has been contaminated or has been on the floor or ground.28)
After chimps, dolphins, and elephants, pigs are regarded to be the fourth most intellectual mammal. A sounder is a group of pigs. Pigs can also run at speeds of up to 11 miles per hour, which is quicker than a 6-minute mile.29)
Bees pollinate about 100 agricultural crops in the United States. In fact, honeybees are responsible for one out of every three bits of food consumed by humans.30)