Every farmer has to make sure wind or rain doesn’t erode the precious topsoil. This page helps you understand what types of things erode soil and what farmers do to make sure they their land they bought doesn’t get ruined. The Family Farm Project owns this page.

Go to Soil Erosion.

Directions

Read and study the information on the pages. If you see a brown “Go” button at the bottom of any page, be sure to click to get more information.

Study Question(s)

• In your own words, what is erosion?
• Why would erosion be a problem for farmers?
• In your own words, explain how each of the following types of erosion control work.

• Windbreaks: plant trees along the borders of their fields to cut down on wind erosion.
• Cover crops: plant crops that will grow during the most erosive fall and spring months.
• Grassed waterways: fill in natural depressions with grass where run-off water goes.
• Contour cultivation: plant and cultivate their crops to follow the contours of a field.
• Strip cropping: alternate a field with strips of different crops or fallow.