Lesson 4: Bountiful Midwestern Farms

The Midwest Region: Let’s review

The Great Plains and the Central Plains The Plains of the Midwest grow immense amounts of food for the WORLD. It is called the Bread Basket of the World http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQKwzhEXLEo 4:44 Plains are large areas of relatively flat land with tall grasses and very few trees The soil of the plains is very fertile and good for growing.

Yearly Precipitation of the USA The Great Plains and the Central Plains get different amounts of rainfall. The Central Plains receive 35-50 inches of rain on average. The Great Plains get 15-25 inches of rain. This greatly affects what kind of crops that can be grown .

Some questions…. How do you think rainfall amounts afftect the crops grown in each area? What happens to plant that don’t have enough water? What happens to plants when they have too much water?

The Corn Belt in the Central Plains The farmland of the Central Plains is know as the Corn Belt. This area gets plenty of rain, which is ideal for growing corn. Farmers who grow corn often switch between crops. One hyear they plant corn, the next they plant soybeans.

Crop Rotation The planting of different crops in different years is called crop rotation. Crop rotation allows for nutrients from one crop (plant) to help a different plant the next year. Soybeans leave behind important nutrients for corn to grow. A farm in IOWA has soybeans planted between corn fields. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VerhJJUsy_g 5:07

Bread Basket of the World Crops that do not require much rainfall grow well in the Great Plains. Wheat, Barley, and oats are three of those crops. These crops are grasses, that naturally would grow well with little rainfall. The farms are HIUGE!!!!! Some Great Plains farmers grow Central Plains crops with the use of irrigation.

Irrigation

Other crops of the Midwest Hogs, apples, cherries, peaches, plums, blueberries, mild and dairy products, poultry and cattle are all important foods that come from the Midwest. The Midwest is mostly rural. There is a lot a land for farms,

Summary/Review Why are soybeans important crop in the Central Plains? Why does rich soil, water, and climate make a difference in crop growth? Is the Corn Belt a good name for the Central Plains? Why or Why not? Is the Bread Basket of the World a good name for the Great Plains? Why or Why not?