North York Moors National Park
 

Learning Zone

What types of farm are there in the North York Moors?

 

Different areas of the National Park support different types of farms.

The types of crops that a farmer can grow and the kinds of animals he can keep depend on:

  • the type of soil and the rocks underneath it (geology),
  • the shape and height of the land (topography)
  • the weather (climate)

Arable farms grow cropsCattle and arable crops such as wheat, barley and potatoes require flat or gently sloping land with deep, fertile soil, sheltered from strong winds. High up on the moors it is too cold, wet and windy for crops to grow. Here only the hardiest breeds of sheep can survive, eating tough grasses and heather.

Arable farms grow crops such as wheat, barley, oats and potatoes.

Pastoral farms keep livestock (animals)Pastoral farms grow fields of grass and keep livestock such as cattle and sheep.

Mixed farms grow crops and keep livestock.