Definition

Noun: - A type of agriculture: This term refers to an agricultural system where a farmer grows crops and also raises livestock (animals for food or other products) on the same farm. The activities are integrated, meaning the crops can be used to feed the animals, and the animal waste can be used to fertilize the crops.

Usage and Examples

• General Statement:
  • Mixed farming is common in many parts of Europe.
• Describing a Specific Farm:
  • Their family practices mixed farming, with fields of wheat and a herd of dairy cows.
• Discussing Benefits:
  • Mixed farming can reduce risk because the farmer is not dependent on a single product.

Advanced Usage

• Economic and Environmental Context: The term is often used in discussions about sustainable agriculture, farm economics, and land use.
  • The shift from mixed farming to monoculture has impacted rural biodiversity.

Variants and Related Words

• Mixed Agriculture: A synonym with identical meaning.
• Diversified Farming: A broader term that includes mixed farming but can also involve other non-livestock enterprises.
• Agroforestry: A related system that integrates trees and shrubs with crops and/or animal farming.

Synonyms

• Diversified farming
• Integrated crop-livestock system

Related Concepts (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• Monoculture: The agricultural practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land, which is often contrasted with mixed farming.
• Subsistence farming: A farming system where the focus is on growing food for the farmer's own family, which may or may not involve mixed methods.
• Sustainable agriculture: A farming philosophy that aims to protect the environment, which often employs mixed farming techniques.

Noun

1. growing crops and feed and livestock all on the same farm