8 Managing plants – Crops and pastures Whether you produce animals or harvest plants, the basis of any farm is still its plants. For a farm to remain sustainable, certain minimum productivity levels must be maintained, using preferred plant species on an ongoing basis. | .8 Managing plants -Crops and pastures Whether you produce animals or harvest plants the basis of any farm is still its plants. For a farm to remain sustainable certain minimum productivity levels must be maintained using preferred plant species on an ongoing basis. These plants may be pasture species fodder crops grain vegetables fruit or other harvested plants. This chapter shows you some of the techniques that are important to ensure sustainability of plant growth. Selection criteria for plants What crops are currently in demand You need to attempt to gauge future demand particularly if you are looking at growing crops that are long-term investments and may take several or more years to reach a marketable stage eg tree fruits nuts timber . Also look at the stage of demand for a crop. Is it a new growing market or is it one that everyone is getting into resulting in a possible glut on the future market Select crops that are in high demand where possible to remain economically sustainable. Which crops are suited to growing in your locality Some alteration to the soil and climate of the area may be beneficial in the long term. Examples are the introduction of windbreaks to prevent erosion installing irrigation systems or the creation of a microclimate to encourage growth of a particularly suitable plant. What resources do you have to produce different crops This could include suitable land equipment staff materials or the financial backing to obtain these. Investment in equipment and materials must also be balanced with the amount of return you can expect. What expertise or knowledge do you have with regard to growing different crops Can you obtain that knowledge For new or experimental crops determine what 130 Sustainable Agriculture information is available on their culture and find out what grower support exists eg department of agriculture . Trying crops new to your area or still in an experimental usage stage can be costly but it has the potential to be very .
