Wheat: A Domesticated Crop

The term Neolithic Revolution, commonly given to the changeover from food gathering to food producing. The same tools were used but it was not one single revolution event.The term Agricultural Revolutions is more precise because it emphasizes the central role of food production and signals that the changeover occurred several times. The adoption of agriculture often included the domestication of animals for food.Early farmers used fire to clear fields of shrubs and trees and discovered that ashes were a natural fertilizer. Farming was formed in the Middle East in 10,000 BCE in the "fertile crescent" of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Grains were abundant in that area such as emmer wheat, barley, oats, rye as well as pulses

The emergence of agriculture was a major stepping stone in human history. During this birth of agriculture, also known as the Neolithic revolution, humans began inhabiting permanent settlements, grow their own crops, and domesticate both plants and animals for food (Weisdorf, 2005). Considering humans have been hunter-gatherers for the majority of their approximately 7 million years of existence, the emergence of agriculture in the Old World only occurring 10,000-5,000 years ago, marks a significant transformation in food sustenance techniques (Weisdorf, 2005). However, this turning point in history is associated with both positive and negative implications. There is much controversy over whether or not the introduction of

After 11,000 B.C., technology in the Fertile Crescent developed immensely. Inventions including flint blades for harvesting, baskets and containers for collecting crops, and underground storage pits made it possible for food production to occur. “These cumulative developments constituted the unconscious first steps of plant domestication” (Diamond 111). Utilizing the further geographical advantage of rich soil, people of the Fertile Crescent leapt into the world of food production. Food production, in turn, yielded large food surpluses stored in baskets, allowing the society to move toward a sedentary lifestyle and a more organized, specialized community. Simple agricultural tool advancements led to a

What are the 5 areas of independent domestication of plants (food production)? 10. What are the 4 areas that are possible sites of independent domestication of plants? 11. What 3-4 other areas received "founder packages" from Southwest Asia? CHAPTER 6: To Farm or Not to Farm 12. Why did hunter-gatherers evolve to become farmers in some areas and not in others? CHAPTER 7: How to Make an Almond 13. What does "plant domestication" mean? 14. Why is it important to understand when and why people became farmers? 15. What made some plants easier and more attractive to domesticate than others?

Used since the dawn of human domestication of agriculture and livestock, the basic premise of artificial selection involved early farmers selectively saving seeds to breed plants with certain characteristics (Evolution of Corn, n.d.). In more recent times, the aim has shifted from simply creating sturdier, tastier fruits and vegetables to being able to create as much food possible in order to meet human demands. Shaped by our modern global economy’s demand of efficiency, rising industrialization over the 20th century, and growing population, agricultural practices of genetic manipulation of crops has grown immensely over the last century. Taking a step beyond selectively saving choice seeds, the discovery of “hybrid vigor” by genetic engineers lead to farmers being able to interbreed

It is possible that a social hierarchy was created when such densely packed communities were created, as now human interaction became all the more important, as the relationships between neighbors, and social groups would most likely create tension in the situation. It was also during the time of the Early neolithic in which the first clues of plant domestication began to appear. Though it was the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period in which domesticated crops including wheat, barley, lentil, peas, and legumes were found. These domesticated grains showed an increase in size and durability . Animal domestication was quick to follow, as Sheep were found to be domesticated in Turkey, Iraw, and Iran, while the reduction in size of the animals, and the discovery of the animals outside their habitat became common finds. Finally, it was during the Late Neolithic period in which a reduction in the number of large villages across the Middle East began. We can see the shift toward a way of life focused on the grazing of domesticated animals, as villages began to shrink, and the population became once again scattered across the land. It was also during this period in which a decline in the role of hunting for subsistence became apparant, as well as Late Neolithic societies reliance on plants that were domesticated during the Early Neolithic periods. We can see from this that the origin of agriculture in Europe came from the usage of Middle Eastern

Numerous studies attest that fat composition within in animal (specifically cattle) depend and vary on the diet of that animal (Daley et al. 2010). In the case of cattle, grass-fed and grain (concentrate)-fed are amongst the two largest diets used, and this difference in diets is also correlated with a difference in fat composition (Daley et al. 2010). In general, grain-fed cattle have a higher body fat percentage make up, increasing from 9.76g/100g of muscle in grass-fed crossbred steers to 13.03g/100g of muscle in grain-fed steers (Daley et al. 2010). This is a 34% increase due to a diet change, which is a considerable increase since animal fats are connected to health risks; providing the argument that grass-fed cattle are healthier (Daley et al. 2010).

The rise of food production in the Fertile Crescent was made possible by the Mediterranean climate.  In contrast, Mesoamerica, New Guinea, and the Eastern US were limited in the available large seed grasses, domestic able animals, edible pulses, and high protein domestic plants. Arrival of appropriate founder sort speed up the food production where suitable plants were previously lacking.  Local inhabitants routinely master their local ethno biology (thus few domestications have occurred in modern times).  However, there can be reactionary populations resisting change.  Of 200,000 wild plants, only about 200 have been domesticated for consumption, and 12 species account for 80% of world food tonnage.

The Farmers 6000 (also known as F6) is a robot build to farm goods and plant trees on a spaceship. The F6 will help develop a healthy environment, and provide fresh fruits and vegetables. The F6 will cover all jobs a regular farmer has, from seeding a plant, to fixing a plant. The F6 is also very friendly with humans, and enjoys the pleasure of making people happy.

Agriculture, Domestication, Germs and Steel. Those are the reasons that the world is the way it is currently. Everything first started with Agriculture, looking for a good land to stay or still hunting and gathering. Animal Domestication, being able to have animals to help with crops and advancing. Germs, Diseases started to quickly spread throughout civilizations and end up killing of half of them. Steel, this quickly started to grow out as only certain people were allowed to make steel as some civilizations could not.

One of the most influential of agriculturists, Norman Borlaug has impacted millions of lives. Bringing new techniques to modern day farming and experimenting with the production of crops in third world countries, he created a disease-resistant, high-yielding wheat variety that he could breed with wheat from all over the world. Borlaug’s research and observations helped feed the world while influencing agriculture in a way no one had seen before.

The ongoing argument concerning the rise of civilization is centered almost wholly around the domestication of plants and animals. The prevailing view of V. Gordon Childe’s principle “that social structure and organization were bent to the demands of technology.” (Childe 1954:23-4), is now directly challenged by what archaeologist Klaus Schmidt is determining from the excavation of Gobekli Tepe; “that far from causing sedentism, agriculture actually responded to it.” (James

Wheat is not the “healthy whole grain” it was pretending to be. Like a faithful spouse exposed as a philanderer and polygamist, wheat is not to be trusted. Held up as an icon of health, it is in reality a major contributor to the world’s worst epidemic of obesity and an astounding list of health problems, from simple annoyances like dandruff to incapacitating conditions like dementia.

I grew up in a small, rural southeastern Wyoming town that boasts a population of 3,500 people. Life is slow and simple. As children we walked and biked the town, never feeling unsafe. The town is situated near two beautiful state parks – Glendo and Guernsey. It is also close to two state historic sites; The Oregon Trail Ruts and Register Cliff. Register Cliff is where emigrants carved their names into the soft sandstone to document their journey along the Oregon Trail. Then there are the mountain to the west of town that provide beautiful scenery and provide a sense of direction, as people travel across the vast Wyoming landscape. If you are looking for authentic Mexican food then Wheatland is the spot to stop and have lunch or dinner.

Agriculture was the most important economic activity in America from the founding of Virginia in 1607 to about 1890. Although farming declined rapidly in relative economic importance in the twentieth century, U.S. agriculture continued to be the most efficient and productive in the world. Its success rested on abundant fertile soil, a moderate climate, the ease of private land ownership, growing markets for farm produce at home and abroad, and the application of science and technology to farm operations.