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Transformation of Organic Household Leftovers into a Peat Substitute
Published on: July 9, 2019
Household and farm transitions in environmental context
Susan Hautaniemi Leonard1, Glenn D Deane, Myron P Gutmann
1University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
Population and Environment
|June 7, 2011
Summary
Farm structure and land use in the Great Plains were influenced by farmer
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Economics
- Rural Sociology
- Environmental History
Background:
- Debate exists on whether farm extensification/intensification aligns with farmer life course and farm family cycles.
- Existing theories need validation within diverse agricultural development contexts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test farm- and life cycle theories in the context of US Great Plains agricultural development (1875-1930).
- To analyze the relationship between family, farm, and land use patterns over time.
Main Methods:
- Utilized unique longitudinal data linking families to farms across 25 Kansas townships.
- Employed multilevel statistical modeling to account for environmental diversity and temporal trends.
Main Results:
- Farmer's age, household size, and structure significantly correlate with farm extent and land use intensity.
- Environmental variation, particularly aridity, was a primary determinant of farm structure.
- Findings support the simultaneous influence of life course and environmental factors on farm development.
Conclusions:
- Validates farm and life cycle theories in the historical context of the Great Plains.
- Highlights intergenerational motivations in farm development, including both sons and daughters.
- Emphasizes the critical role of environmental conditions in shaping agricultural systems.
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