Farm Name
If I were to have a farm it would be called “Baldwin Farms.” I like this name because it is simple and straight to the point.
Crops and Livestock
On my farm I would reserve 20 acres for the livestock. 18 acres would be given to the goats. On this land there would be a little shed where they could rest and/or stay warm seeing as it gets awfully cold and windy during the winter in southeast South Dakota. They goats would graze the fenced in land freely. Besides grass, they would be fed hay twice a day, in the morning and at night. The other livestock animal I would have would be donkeys. There would be 2 acres set aside for them. They would be fed hay freely throughout the day and corn twice a day. Also, they would be able to graze the two acres they lived on. The donkeys would have a shelter as well so they could keep warm and rest. I would plant three crops on my farm. The main crop would be corn. There would be 90 acres on corn planted. I would divide the remaining 90 acres between sunflowers and apple trees. I would plant 45 acres of each crop.
Sustainable Practices
The first sustainable practice I would implement would be rotational grazing. I would block off smaller areas of grass from the goats so they wouldn’t be able to graze the whole 18 acres at one time. This would increase the soil fertility, the soils resistance to drought, and forage production. Next, I would feed my donkeys corn and apples grown on my own farm. A small portion of what is grown would be set aside for them to enjoy. This would decrease the amount of transportation that is done with the food, seeing as their food would be grown right there on my farm. Transportation uses nonrenewable resources so we should try to utilize it as little as possible. The sunflowers planted on my field would be able to provide pollen for the bees in the area. Seeing as there would be a fairly large amount of them planted, a pollen shortage is not an issue the bees would have to worry about. I would try to use all the technology available to me as well. I would use a geographic information system in order to get a better understanding of my fields and what parts need certain attention. In addition I would use global positioning systems so I would be able to pin-point exactly what areas should be tended to more. I would use machinery controls to make the process of applying the fertilizers as smooth as possible. The final sustainable farming practice I would perform would be remote sensing. Although this is somewhat similar to the use of technology, it would still be beneficial to do. Through this method I would be able to take photos of my land and analyse them. I could choose the best locations for all of my crops and livestock. This method would ensure that my farm will produce at the highest rate possible.