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Graham
Graham
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Other answers have considered soil quality. The major missing element for agriculture though is

No good quality human-edible plants which can keep you fed all year.

In order to make farming work, you need plants which you can eat, and they need to keep you going all year. Any gaps, you need to be able to store your produce to tide you over.

European and Asian agriculture is largely based on grains of various types of grass. If no current varieties of grass have big enough seeds with enough energy density to make it worthwhile collecting them for food, or if the grass itself cannot be eaten or stored effectively, then that won't work. This kind of farming never emerged in the Great Plains of the USA because there was never a form of grass which could be eaten.

Other agriculture relies on plants with edible roots. This is perhaps more reliable, because there are many suitable plants all round the world. However you need these roots to feed you all year. If they only have limited growing seasons because of the weather, or if they simply don't store well, then you're going to spend a lot of time hungry.

Animals simply don't have this problem. They feed themselves, and you can eat a few over the lean months.

When the good weather comes, of course you can pick fruit and vegetables in the area around you, taking advantage of a glut as it happens. You may even be able to store some of it. But that's luxury food. What really keeps you alive in winter is your animals.

Other answers have considered soil quality. The major missing element for agriculture though is

No good quality human-edible plants which can keep you fed all year.

In order to make farming work, you need plants which you can eat, and they need to keep you going all year. Any gaps, you need to be able to store your produce to tide you over.

European and Asian agriculture is largely based on grains of various types of grass. If no current varieties of grass have big enough seeds with enough energy density to make it worthwhile collecting them for food, or if the grass itself cannot be eaten or stored effectively, then that won't work. This kind of farming never emerged in the Great Plains of the USA because there was never a form of grass which could be eaten.

Other agriculture relies on plants with edible roots. This is perhaps more reliable, because there are many suitable plants all round the world. However you need these roots to feed you all year. If they only have limited growing seasons because of the weather, or if they simply don't store well, then you're going to spend a lot of time hungry.

Animals simply don't have this problem. They feed themselves, and you can eat a few over the lean months.

When the good weather comes, of course you can pick fruit and vegetables in the area around you, taking advantage of a glut as it happens. You may even be able to store some of it. But that's luxury food. What really keeps you alive in winter is your animals.

Other answers have considered soil quality. The major missing element for agriculture though is

No good quality human-edible plants which can keep you fed all year.

In order to make farming work, you need plants which you can eat, and they need to keep you going all year. Any gaps, you need to be able to store your produce to tide you over.

European and Asian agriculture is largely based on grains of various types of grass. If no current varieties of grass have big enough seeds with enough energy density to make it worthwhile collecting them for food, or if the grass itself cannot be eaten or stored effectively, then that won't work.

Other agriculture relies on plants with edible roots. This is perhaps more reliable, because there are many suitable plants all round the world. However you need these roots to feed you all year. If they only have limited growing seasons because of the weather, or if they simply don't store well, then you're going to spend a lot of time hungry.

Animals simply don't have this problem. They feed themselves, and you can eat a few over the lean months.

When the good weather comes, of course you can pick fruit and vegetables in the area around you, taking advantage of a glut as it happens. You may even be able to store some of it. But that's luxury food. What really keeps you alive in winter is your animals.

Source Link
Graham
Graham
  • 21.3k
  • 22
  • 96

Other answers have considered soil quality. The major missing element for agriculture though is

No good quality human-edible plants which can keep you fed all year.

In order to make farming work, you need plants which you can eat, and they need to keep you going all year. Any gaps, you need to be able to store your produce to tide you over.

European and Asian agriculture is largely based on grains of various types of grass. If no current varieties of grass have big enough seeds with enough energy density to make it worthwhile collecting them for food, or if the grass itself cannot be eaten or stored effectively, then that won't work. This kind of farming never emerged in the Great Plains of the USA because there was never a form of grass which could be eaten.

Other agriculture relies on plants with edible roots. This is perhaps more reliable, because there are many suitable plants all round the world. However you need these roots to feed you all year. If they only have limited growing seasons because of the weather, or if they simply don't store well, then you're going to spend a lot of time hungry.

Animals simply don't have this problem. They feed themselves, and you can eat a few over the lean months.

When the good weather comes, of course you can pick fruit and vegetables in the area around you, taking advantage of a glut as it happens. You may even be able to store some of it. But that's luxury food. What really keeps you alive in winter is your animals.