Figure 7.3 Example of interplantingLocally Grown—Farmers’ Markets
Farmers’ markets feature foods sold directly by farmers to consumers. Due in
part to the increased interest in healthier foods and an increased understanding of
the importance of maintaining small, sustainable farms on the fringe of urban
environments, farmers’ markets in the United States have grown dramatically.
Low Input
Depends on hand tools and natural fertilizers; lacks large-scale irrigation.
Monoculture
The cultivation of a single crop.
No Till
Inject seeds into slits or holes in the soil by a machine to minimize soil
disturbance. Low till techniques may reduce soil erosion, energy consumption,
and evaporative water loss, but crops may require frequent applications of
herbicides to control weeds that were normally controlled by tilling.
Organic Farming
A form of agriculture that relies on crop rotation, green manure, compost,
biological pest control, and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity
and control pests. This practice excludes or strictly limits the use of synthetic
fertilizers, synthetic pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives,