Field grass farming

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The field grass economy , even alternating field refers to a form of agricultural use, in which arable - and grassland use alternate.

distribution

It is widespread in regions where permanent arable farming or permanent grassland is difficult for site-ecological reasons, but arable crops still produce minimum yields.

There are regions in which

In contrast to the Egart economy , field grass farming focuses on the use of the fields . For both of them, barter economy is the umbrella term. Their main task is to on the one hand, the productivity of the soil for the cultivation of crops to obtain and also acceptable basic feed for the livestock supply.

development

The field grass economy is inextricably linked to the development of the cultural landscape , especially in the mountainous and low mountain ranges , and has two causes:

Fallow land as an alternative to the field grass economy

1. Securing rural self-sufficiency

Self-sufficiency with grain and potatoes ( and flax before the import of cotton ) had to be ensured. For this purpose - as everywhere in traditional farming - grassland was plowed up and agriculture was carried out for several years on its accumulated humus reservoir (up to 15% organic matter in the soil) . Hence the name "field-grass economy". With decreasing yields, the field was left to the fallow again and it developed from a spontaneous razing (self- rushing ) in connection with extensive, once or twice a year grassland use.

2. Increased need for arable crops

In order to obtain sufficient arable land for this type of farming, new areas were always reclaimed, i. H. taken into arable use. One spoke of a wild and tame field (tamed by upheaval). "Tame Field" is still recognizable in parcel names today by names ending with "Acker" (e.g. "Waldacker"). The usual crop rotation was oats - potatoes - rye . The plowed was always in an erosion- inhibiting manner, namely along the contour lines and usually on several sections of the farm (e.g. summer and winter mountain in the Black Forest ).

Development in the 20th century

In the development of agriculture , the field grass economy in Germany played an important role until the 1960s. The step towards intensification was the active sowing of grassland grasses and legumes instead of the previous spontaneous self-rushing . Until 1975, for example, field grass management in the Black Forest received additional support with the measure "Separation of forest and pasture " through de-hurst ( de-bushing ), pitting and plowing of pastures . After the Second World War, improved conditions for potato propagation, together with progressive mechanization , led to a large increase in the proportion of arable land. As a result, there were also extended crop rotations and larger fields.

literature

  • B. Andreae: The rock grass economy in Western Europe. In: Reports on Agriculture. NF 33, 1955, Sdh. 163.
  • T. Brinkmann: The crop rotation of the German arable farming. (= War Lectures of the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn a. Rh. , No. 74). 1942.
  • T. Goltz: History of German agriculture. Scientia Publishing House, 1963.
  • G. Könnecke: Crop rotations. VEB Deutscher Landwirtschaftsverlag, Berlin 1967.
  • K. Liebscher: Egart economy in the Alpine countries. In: Ber. Grassland day. Federal Institute for Alpine Agriculture, Admont 1954, pp. 53–63.
  • W. Simon: Economic field pasture. VEB Deutscher Landwirtschaftsverlag, Berlin 1966.
  • G. Voigtländer, H. Jacob: Grassland farming and forage production. Ulmer-Verlag, Stuttgart 1987.
  • F. Zürn: Yield and useful life of grass clover and alternating meadows in the Alpine and foothills of the Alps. In: Bayerisches Landwirtsch. Yearbook. No. 29, 1952, pp. 181-205.