Food from the Land Areas and Conditions II:

Crops  Crops can be divided into;  Cereals, oilseeds, forage, fruits and vegetables, and specialty crops. A. Cereals are those crops which produce grain that could end up on our table for breakfast.  They include oats (Cheerios or Oatmeal), wheat (Puffed Wheat or Toast), and barley (bread). They grow in a period of 60 to 90 days. A. Oilseeds produce the various oils we use for cooking, as well as other products.  Canola, sunflowers, and flax are the common oilseeds planted in North America

C. Forage crops are grown as feed for animals.  Alfalfa, clover and in some cases some cereal crops, are grown to feed livestock. D. Fruits and vegetables are exactly as the type suggests.  This group includes potatoes, cucumbers, apples, cherries, and so on. D. Specialty crops are all those that do not fit into the other categories mentioned.  Cotton, for example, is grown for its textile qualities, maple trees are grown for maple syrup, canary seed is grown as bird seed.

Livestock  Livestock refers to the animals that are raised on farms.  Some common types of livestock are;  cattle (beef and dairy), hogs, poultry and horses.  There are other types of animals raised on farms that do not fit into these classifications.  Elk and bison are now being raised for their meat, rabbits are grown for their hair, mink are raised for their furs, sheep are raised for their meat and wool, and ducks and geese are raised for their meat and feathers.

SOILS

Soils  Soil is a combination of minerals, organic matter, air and water.  About one-half of the total volume of a good quality soil is a mixture of weathered rock and decomposed plant and animal material, called humus.  The remaining half consists of pore spaces where air and water circulate.

Soil Formation  Soil formation is the complex interaction between several factors, including;  parent material, organic material, time, climate and slope. A. Parent material is the foundation for the soil. Bedrock is weathered and eroded producing the mineral matter for the soil. B. The organic material is made up of decayed remains of plants and animals. C. Time is required for weathering to take place both on the parent material and the organic material.

Range of Soils  Soils range from sandy soils which have larger mineral particles and more pore space to clay soils which have smaller mineral particles and smaller pore space.  Sandy soils allow water to flow through the soil quickly while clay soils hold the water in the soil.  A loam soil is a soil that has a well balanced mixture of sand and clay together with humus.  A loam soil is the best soil for agriculture.

How are soils Analyzed? Soils are analyzed in layers or horizons.  The O Horizon consists mainly of organic material. This upper portion is primary plant litter such as loose leaves, and other organic debris.  A Horizon, also known as the topsoil. This zone is largely mineral matter, yet biological activity is high and humus is generally present. This fertile soil is finely textured.

 B Horizon, or subsoil. Some geologists refer to this as the zone of accumulation. Minerals that have been washed down, or leached, accumulate here.  C Horizon, this is the coarse, less weathered parent material that is slowly being broken down by groundwater to provide minerals for the soil. All of this lies well below the reach of most plant roots.  D Horizon or bedrock. Its depth is well below the surface and has little to do with soil fertility.

Four Main Soils for Agriculture  Agriculture in Canada is located where the following four main soil types are found. 1. Grey-Brown Forest, or Podzol Soils 2. Black Prairie Chernozems 3. Dark and Light Brown Soils 4. Semidesert Soils

1. Grey-Brown Forest, or Podzol Soils  These soils are located in the eastern part of Canada,  mainly in southern Ontario and Quebec.  They are abundant in organic matter or humus.  High amounts of precipitation make leaching a problem in this region.  Farmers often have to apply fertilizers to maintain the high levels of cropping.  Corn does especially well in this region.

2. Black Prairie Chernozems  Moving westward to southern Manitoba, precipitation decreases.  The soil changes from grey-brown soil to the black prairie chernozems.  Humus from the lush prairie grasses has added depth to these soils.  Soil bacteria are active for long periods of time each year resulting in the thick A Horizon.  Less precipitation results in reduced leaching.  These are the best soils in North America.  Wheat, corn, and other grains are common in this soil region.

3. Dark and Light Brown Soils  Farther west, through southern Saskatchewan and Alberta, there is a transition from dark brown to light brown soils.  Increased dryness produces less natural vegetation.  This results in a shallower humus layer.  This soil is considered to be neutral soil, in that it is neither acidic nor alkaline.

4. Semidesert Soils  Semidesert soils are found along the western border of Alberta adjacent to the Rocky Mountains.  These soils are affected by salinization.  As water on the surface turns into a vapour, the soluble minerals are left on the topsoil.  Water works its way up to the surface and is also evaporated.  The minerals do not evaporate and are left on the soil.  As a result, soil fertility declines.  Summer fallow encourages salinization in areas prone to the condition.  As the machinery works the fields, it brings up these minerals.  In addition, gullying also devastates farmland as water run-off erodes the topsoil.  As a result, many farmers let natural grasses grow and then raise cattle on the Semidesert soils.

Map  Use an Atlas and locate where each soil is located in Canada.