Soil is not just dirt with nothing alive in it. Soil is a living ecosystem with bacteria, fungi, worms and insects in it. It is made of mineral particles, organic matter, water and air. Earthworms live in soil and help break down dead plant material.

Farmers make choices about a field. Crop rotation means growing a series of different crops in the same field over the seasons. Irrigation brings water to crops through pipes, canals or sprinklers instead of relying on rain alone. Drip irrigation puts water right at the plant, which wastes less water than some other methods.

A seed has a tiny baby plant inside it. A seed coat protects it, and a food reserve feeds the baby plant. Seeds need water and warmth to start growing. Pollen carries a plant's male cells, and pollination helps a plant make seeds.

Bees help fruits, nuts and other foods grow by visiting flowers. Bees also make honey from the nectar of flowers. In the hive, bees fan their wings to dry nectar into honey. Honey bees make honey to store as food for the winter.

Some farm animals, such as cattle and sheep, eat grass in open fields called pastures. Some crops, such as oats and alfalfa, are grown to feed farm animals.

A dairy farm milks cows to get milk. Some chickens on farms, called layers, lay eggs, and in the United States the eggs are cleaned and kept cold after hens lay them. Some fish and shellfish are raised on farms, which is called aquaculture.

Cooling fresh produce right after harvest helps it stay good for longer. Trucks carry food from farms to markets. Food travels from a farm to a store and then to your home.

Words to know

• ecosystem: living community
• rotation: taking turns
• pollination: seed-making help
• irrigation: watering crops