Farm and farming

Farm and farming, setting and activity of the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock. Since the 1800s scientific advances have made farms increasingly productive. In the United States farms are either specialized or mixed. About 95% of U.S. farms are specialized; they raise the best single crop or livestock for their environment. About 5% of U.S. farms are mixed, producing a variety of crops and livestock. Scientific techniques have been developed to help crop farmers nourish their soil, irrigate dry areas, control pests (such as insects), and plant and cultivate their crops. Livestock farmers must feed, shelter, and provide grazing land and health care for their animals, as well as breed and finish (or fatten) them. Farm management includes everything a farmer does to make farming profitable.