The History of Agriculture
Pro-Soil is very interested in both the future and past of agriculture. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and animals. Agricultural products include food, fibers, fuels, and pharmaceuticals among others. The history of agriculture is a central element of human history, as agricultural progress has been a crucial factor in worldwide social and economic change. Wealth-building and job specializations rarely seen in hunter-gatherer cultures are commonplace in agricultural and agro-industrial societies, when farmers became capable of producing food beyond the needs of their own families, others in the community became free to devote themselves to projects other than food acquisition.
The first signs of farming began in the areas of present day Turkey and the Middle East about 10,000 years ago in settlements known as Jericho. These people were supported by farming of wheat, barley, peas and lentils. Archeologist believe the earliest settlers in this area were a small group of hunter-gathers until they began to taking wild grasses and use the seeds for food and planting for the next year’s food. These types of people lived in smaller groups because they had to be mobile to find more food. It was not until man began to plant and harvest crops that large permanent settlements could be established.
Farming changed very little from early times until about 1700 when the agriculture revolution took place and greatly in the production of crops. In the 1850’s, the industrial revolution spilled over to the farm industry with new mechanized methods which increased production rates. These new implements combined with crop rotation, manure and better soil preparation lead to a steady increase of crop yield. The invention of steam power and later gas powered engines brought a whole new dimension to the production of crops.
Today farmers are no longer waiting on revolutions to increase crop yields. They now turn to the power of biological farming and soil management to increase production. At Pro-Soil Ag Solutions we offer below ground management products to help out the present-day farmer. Our products improve soil health by stimulating and feeding native microbial life in the soil which creates a higher yielding crop. To learn more about how you can increase your crop yield, contact us today!