Fallow Fields

With a good system of crop rotation, and especially with the addition of any sort of fertiliser you may be able to come up with, it's possible to grow crops on a plot of land for upwards of 2 to 3 years at a time with good results. Ultimately, though, you must let the land rest if you hope to continue farming there in the long run. Allowing a plot of land to rest for a period of time is known as letting the field go fallow, and there are several reasons for this. Allowing a field or plot to lie fallow means that you don't grow anything new on it, don't harvest anything, and don't graze any animals on the land for at least a year. Sometimes a field will lie fallow for two, three, or even four years, but the traditional standard on many farms was to let a field lie fallow once every 2 to 3 years. This fallow period allows the land to replenish many of its nutrients. The root networks of various grasses or ground covers (like clover) have a chance to expand and grow, which further strengthens the soil and protects it from erosion.