4 ms·
I think we just don't have a settled definition of efficiency. I've seen farmers claim that using the right rotations, edible cover crops, and grazing cattle an
by goda90 5y ago
I think we just don't have a settled definition of efficiency. I've seen farmers claim that using the right rotations, edible cover crops, and grazing cattle and free-range chickens leads to more calories per acre, more diverse crops and all without fertilizers or pesticides. But no claims about farmer and machinery time per acre. Factory farming is probably fewer farmers and fewer tractors per calorie.
- Ensorceled 5y agoAgreed. My grandfather raised 20-30 dairy cows on 200 acres. Horse and plow. Little fertilizer. Crop rotation (pasture/clover/hay). Lots of child labour. Wood lot for firewood at the back. Better for the land, but I wouldn't be that kind of farmer for anything. Now large dairy farms are running hundreds of head of cattle with only a couple of full time workers but tend to use quite a bit more acres per cow (or just plain buy hay and other feed from other places).
- goda90 5y agoTechnology is probably getting to the point where we can have better farms but less work than our grandparents needed to do. A tractor can still be used for sustainable planting and harvesting. Rotating a herd of cattle to promote soil growth can be done easier with an ATV and extra fencing than a guy on horseback.