Definition

1. Noun:

   • The practice or business of cultivating land and raising crops and livestock: "Farming" refers to the activity of managing land to produce food, fiber, and other products through agriculture.
   • Agriculture considered as an occupation or way of life: "Farming" can describe the profession or lifestyle centered on agricultural work.

2. Adjective:

   • Relating to agriculture or rural life: When used as an adjective, "farming" describes something connected to the practice of farming or to farming communities.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Modern farming requires significant investment in technology.
  • He chose a life of farming over a career in the city.
• Adjective:
  • The region is known for its farming communities.
  • They discussed new farming techniques at the conference.

Advanced Usage

• "to go into farming": to start a career in agriculture.
  • After university, she decided to go into farming.
• "subsistence farming": farming that provides only enough food for the farmer's own family, with little or no surplus for sale.
  • Subsistence farming is common in many developing regions.

Variants and Related Words

• Farm (n/v): The land and buildings used for agriculture; to work such land.
  • They own a dairy farm. (n)
  • He farms 500 acres. (v)
• Farmer (n): A person who owns or manages a farm.
  • The farmer markets his produce locally.

Synonyms

• Agriculture: The science or practice of farming.
• Cultivation: The preparation and use of land for crops.
• Husbandry: The care, cultivation, and breeding of crops and animals.

Related Phrases

• Factory farming: A system of rearing livestock using intensive methods, often with the animals confined indoors.
  • There is growing debate about the ethics of factory farming.
• Organic farming: A method of farming that avoids the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
  • Consumer demand for organic farming products is increasing.

Adjective

1. relating to rural matters
   • an agrarian (or agricultural) society
   • farming communities

Noun

1. agriculture considered as an occupation or way of life
   • farming is a strenuous life
   • there's no work on the land any more
2. the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock