Peopleneedfood.Plantsgiveusfood.Plantsneedgoodsoiltogrow.Soilhasmanyparts.Ithastinyrocks.Ithasolddeadplants.Ithaswater.Ithasair.Ithasverysmalllivingthings.Thesesmallthingsareimportant.Theyhelpdeadplantsbreakdown.Thismakesthesoilrich.Richsoilhelpsnewplantsgrow.

Farmerswantgoodsoil.Theygrowcropsinsoil.Cropsareplantsweeat.Cornisacrop.Wheatisacrop.Riceisacrop.Farmersgrowthesamecropeveryyear.Thesoilbecomestired.Thesoillosesitsgoodparts.Farmersputchemicalsinthesoil.Thesechemicalshelpplantsgrow.Thesechemicalsarecalledfertilizer.Fertilizergivesplantsfood.Buttoomuchfertilizerisbad.Itcangointorivers.Itcanmakethewaterdirty.

Thereisanotherway.Farmerscanchangethecropeachyear.Oneyeartheygrowcorn.Thenextyeartheygrowbeans.Beansaredifferent.Beansputgoodthingsbackinthesoil.Thismakesthesoilstrongagain.Thismethodiscalledcroprotation.Itisanoldmethod.Itisagoodmethod.Ithelpsthesoil.Ithelpsthefarmers.Theyuselesschemicalfertilizer.

Plantsneedwater.Raingiveswater.Sometimesthereisnorain.Thelandbecomesdry.Farmersbringwatertothefields.Theydigchannelsforwater.Theyusepipes.Theyusehoses.Thisiscalledirrigation.Irrigationisgood.Ithelpsplantsdrink.Buttoomuchirrigationisbad.Itcantakeawaythesoil'sgoodparts.Itcanmakethesoilsalty.Saltysoilisbadforplants.Farmersmustusetherightamountofwater.

Somefarmersliveonmountains.Thelandissteep.Theraincanwashthesoilaway.Thisisaproblem.Soillossiscallederosion.Farmersmakeflatstepsonthemountain.Thesestepsarecalledterraces.Terracesstopthewaterfromrunningfast.Thewaterstaysoneachstep.Thesoilstaysinplace.Plantscangrowontheseflatsteps.Thisisasmartidea.Itsavesthesoil.Itsavesthefood.

Peoplealsogrowfoodincities.Citieshavemanypeople.Citieshavelittleland.Peopleusesmallspaces.Theygrowplantsinboxes.Theyputboxesonrooftops.Theyputboxesonbalconies.Thisiscalledurbanfarming.Itgivesfreshfood.Itmakesthecitygreen.Itisagoodideaforthefuture.

Foodcomesfromanimalstoo.Chickensgiveuseggs.Cowsgiveusmilkandmeat.Sheepgiveuswool.Animalsneedfood.Theyeatgrass.Theyeatgrain.Farmersneedlandforanimals.Animalsneedspacetowalk.Theyneedcleanwater.Takingcareofanimalsishardwork.

Somefarmershavemanyanimalsinasmallplace.Thisiscalledfactoryfarming.Itgivesalotofmeat.Itgivesalotofmilk.Buttheanimalsarenothappy.Theygetsickmoreoften.Farmersusemedicinefortheanimals.Thismedicinecangetintothefoodpeopleeat.Somepeopledonotlikethis.Theywantanimalstoliveoutside.Theywantanimalstoeatnaturalfood.Thismeatandmilkcostmoremoney.Butmanypeoplethinkitisbetter.

Thesungivesusenergy.Plantsusethesun'senergytogrow.Thisprocessiscalledphotosynthesis.Leavescatchthesunlight.Theytakeinairfromthesky.Theytakeinwaterfromthesoil.Theymakesugarfortheplant.Thisishowtheplantgrows.Thisisthefirststepforallourfood.Animalseatplants.Peopleeatplantsandanimals.Allfoodstartswiththesun.

Afterwegrowfood,wemustkeepitsafe.Foodcangobad.Itcangetmold.Itcanmakeussick.Peoplefoundwaystokeepfood.Theydryfoodinthesun.Dryfooddoesnotgobad.Theyusesalttokeepfood.Theyusesmoke.Theykeepfoodincoldplaces.Todaywehaverefrigerators.Refrigeratorskeepfoodcold.Thisstopsbadthingsfromgrowingonthefood.

Wealsoputfoodincans.Weheatthefoodinthecan.Thiskillsthebadthings.Thenwesealthecan.Foodincanscanlastforyears.Thisisveryuseful.Peoplecaneatfoodfromfaraway.Peoplecaneatfoodfromdifferentseasons.

Today,foodtravelslongdistances.Abananagrowsinawarmcountry.Ittravelsonaship.Ittravelsonatruck.Itgoestoacoldcountry.Peopleeatthebanana.Thisneedsalotoffuelforshipsandtrucks.Thismakestheairdirty.Somepeoplewanttoeatlocalfood.Theygotoafarmer'smarket.Theybuyfoodfromnearbyfarms.Thisfooddoesnottravelfar.Itisfresh.Ithelpslocalfarmers.Itisbetterfortheair.

Manypeoplearehungry.Theydonothaveenoughfood.Thisisabigproblem.Someplaceshavewars.Farmerscannotgrowfood.Someplaceshavenorainforalongtime.Thelandistoodry.Peopleandanimalshavenowater.Wemustshareourknowledge.Wemusthelpthesepeople.Wemustteachgoodfarmingmethods.Wemustsavewater.Wemusttakecareofthesoil.

Allpeopleneedtoeat.Growingfoodisourmostimportantjob.Wemustunderstandtheland.Wemustunderstandthewater.Wemustunderstandtheplants.Wemustunderstandtheanimals.Goodfoodneedsgoodcare.Goodcareneedsgoodknowledge.Welearnfromthepast.Weworkforthefuture.Ourlivesdependonthiswork.

References

Brady,N.C.,