Farms Around The World (1970)

There are farms and farmers almost everywhere. In Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, South America, and North America. And there are farms on islands like this one in the Pacific Ocean. Some farms are only a few acres in size. Others are very large and cover thousands of acres. There are farms wherever people can use the land to grow crops. On hills, on level plains, in river valleys, and even in forests. Most farmers raise crops that provide food. Some farmers raise crops that are used to make things. Cotton raised on this farm in Brazil is made into cloth. In Liberia, rubber trees are raised on farms called plantations. Sap from the trees is used to make rubber. In India, some farmers grow jute. Twine is one product made from jute. Trees in many parts of the world are a useful crop. How many products can you think of that are made from trees? Flowers are a special crop, like these roses grown in France. The petals are used to make perfume. Although all farmers raise crops, they work in many different ways. Some farmers still do much of the work by hand. Rice has been planted this way for centuries in Thailand. On some farms, all the work is done by people. On other farms, people use animals to help do the work. And still other people use machines to do most of the work. With machines, a farmer can raise and harvest more crops than a farmer who still does the work by hand. Sometimes farmers in the same country do the same job in different ways. Some Greek farmers cut grain by hand, while others do the same job with a machine. In China, some farmers harvest wheat by hand, while others do the same job with machines. Some Chinese farmers use water buffaloes to plow fields. And in the same fields, some are plowing with machines. With the help of machines, the crops we need can be raised by fewer and fewer farmers. Farmers around the world raise many different crops. Potatoes are grown on this farm in Austria. Peaches are grown on this farm in South Africa. And peppers on this farm in India. Many things influence the kind of crops raised by a farmer. First, different crops grow best in different climates. Some crops, like wheat, grow best where the climate is cool and dry. Rye, too, grows well in a cool and dry climate, as in Switzerland. Some crops grow best where the climate is warm. So, peaches grow well on farms in South Africa. And citrus fruits grow well in Italy. Some crops grow best in a moist climate. Tea grows well in Japan. Coffee grows well in Brazil. Soil also influences the kind of crops that may be raised. Some crops grow best in a heavy soil. And some in a lighter soil. What a farmer grows is also influenced by the customs of the people in his country. That's one reason why many farmers in Asia grow rice. And others grow tea. Family customs also influence the kinds of crops that are grown. These children have learned how to grow and harvest rice by working with their father. When they grow up, they'll probably be rice farmers, too. Another thing that influences the kind of crop a farmer may grow is the money he can get for it. Some crops can be sold easily like this sugarcane grown in Ecuador. Some crops are sold to other countries. Bananas grown in Honduras may be sold to the United States. Rubber from trees in Indonesia may be sold to Japan. And cotton grown by Brazilian farmers may be sold in Europe. So, climate and soil, people and money are a few of the things that influence the kind of crops a farmer may grow. Farmers work in different ways, grow different crops, and harvest them at different times in different parts of the world. Wherever it's harvest time in the world, farmers are busy. In places where there are few modern machines, farmers work many hours to harvest their crops. Sometimes farmers hire people to help them at harvest time. Crops such as grapes and lemons are usually picked by hand. Farmers work hard at harvest time to make sure that their crops are picked before they spoil. Even those who use machines to harvest their crops are hard at work. Machines are used on large farms where many acres must be harvested quickly. Harvest time is a busy time on farms around the world. Harvest time is a busy time on farms where simple tools are used and on farms where complicated machines are used. Harvest time is a busy time on farms that grow crops used to make things. Harvest time is a busy time on farms that grow food. Harvest time is a busy time for farmers around the world.