Do farmers and ranchers raise just one thing?

Farmers and ranchers can raise one or multiple types of food. Some farmers may even decide to raise both crops and animals. It all depends on the size of their farm, available land and personal desires. For example, many farmers use crop rotation to preserve the quality of their soil; they plant one crop in the spring, and another in the fall or winter after harvest. The mixing of crops through rotation can slow the spread of pests and diseases during the growing season. The different crops can also reduce the effects of adverse weather. By requiring planting and harvesting at different times, farmers can work more land with the same amount of machinery and labor.

Some ranchers also raise multiple animals. For example, one of the most recent Faces of Farming and Ranching spokespeople Darrell Glaser, who manages Bar G Ranch, broods approximately 600,000 turkeys each year and maintains a cowherd that consists of 200 mother cows.