sustainable+farming+(Matt+Lamosek)

Sustainable Farming Sustainable farming is raising crops and livestock in such a way that benefits the economy, people, and the environment. In other words, sustainable farming incorporates several techniques and methods to promote a healtier community and an environmentally friendly method of income.
 * What is it?**

Common methods of farming include using chemicals such as synthetic fertilizers, like anhydrous ammonia and potassium chloride which are harsh on the environment (Sullivan 2003). In addition, synthetic fertilizers pose a huge threat for aquatic animals like fish. When excess chemicals are used and run-off occurs, these chemicals can get into the rivers, streams, and lakes and poison the fish population, likely killing them. One of the methods of sustainable farming includes using natural fertilizers, such as compost or manure, to nourish the soil for planting and to promote an overall healthier environment. Humans benefit as well from the use of natural fertilizers because of harsh fumes produced by some synthetic chemicals used in farming, which can be toxic to humans.
 * What problems does sustainable farming address and when is it useful?**

Sustainable farming also involves crop rotation. This is another environmentally friendly, or "green," method which promotes a healthy environment by returning nutrients to the soil. For instance, if a farmer plants corn in a field one year, he might plant a crop such as soybeans, which are legumes, the following spring. This allows for the farmer to take advantage of the nitrogen cycle, and return some of the nitrogen used by the corn back to the soil. Legumes return nitrogen to the soil in the form of ammonia which is used by soil bacteria to create nitrates and nitrites which are used by plants as a source of energy. This is both healthy for humans and the environment because it offers an organic alternative to harsh fertilizers.

From an economic standpoint, sustainable farming offers a way for farmers to produce several organic raised crops for sale rather than trying to focus on one crop in specific, like corn for example. This is beneficial for local farmers and their surrounding community because the people will be able to buy more of their produce from a single farmer, knowing that they are purchasing organic and locally grown produce. This also provides good social relationships with sustainable farmers and the community, as shown in the video below.

- This diagram is of the nitrogen cycle and how plants are broken down and return nitrogen to the soil in the form of ammonia so that soil bacteria can convert the ammonia into nitrates and nitrites for other plants to use.

media type="youtube" key="9rG3SBQYOms" height="344" width="425" - This video is of a farmer who uses sustainable farming and his take on how his organic farming methods and numerous crops help his business thrive within local and surrounding communities.

Sustainable farming is directly related to both the nitrogen cycle and the water cycle. As previously mentioned, organic fertilizers and crop rotation contribute to returning nitrogen to the soil in the form of ammonia to be broken down by soil bacteria and converted to nitrates and nitrites for plants to use. This conversion of ammonia to nitrates and nitrates is a major step in the nitrogen cycle as seen in the above diagram. Sustainable farming is also related to water cycle, specifically to the "run-off" stage of the water cycle. When synthetic fertilizers are used on fields in excess, run-off can carry those fertilizers into rivers, streams, and lakes. Many synthetic fertilizers are highly toxic to fish and other aquatic animals. With organic methods being applied in sustainable farming, this unnecessary contaminating of rivers, streams, lakes, and other bodies of water is completely avoided.
 * How does sustainable farming relate to one of the nutrient cycles discussed in class?**

Yes, sustainable farming is a very practical solution to protect the biosphere because it applies natural methods which are environmentally friendly and energy conserving to grow crops and raise livestock. This greatly reduces pollution, especially because of synthetic fertilizers being eliminated and organic fertilizers like compost and manure being used in their place. This also contributes to keeping the water cycle, pertaining to rivers, streams, and lakes, clean and free of unnecessary contaminants and pollutants.
 * Is sustainable farming a viable solution to protect the biosphere?**

One of the most beneficial things about sustainable farming is that there are no environmental consequences! In fact the only consequences impact the farmer are very small, like weed control. Since synthetic pesticides are not used, farmers have to resort to organic methods of weed control such as cultivating the weeds as opposed to spraying them. However, the environment is not harmed!
 * What are possible consequences to the environment?**


 * Resources:**

Miller, K.R., & Levine, J.S. (2004). //Biology//. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. (1997, December). //What is Sustainable Agriculture?//. Retrieved from http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/Concept.htm Ritter, M.E. (2006). //The Physical Environment: an Introduction to Physical Geography//. Retrieved from http://www.uwsp.edu/gEo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/earth_system/biogeochemical_cycles.html Sullivan, P. (2003). //Applying the Principles of Sustainable Farming//. Retrieved from http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/trans.html