Farming is a tough but rewarding job that’s existed almost since the very beginning of civilization. Just because we’ve been working the land since ancient times doesn’t mean all our techniques and equipment have to come from back then, though. Over the years, there have been plenty of technology and ideas that have come to make farming a much easier and more rewarding endeavor. These are three examples of modern innovations bringing farming into the 21st century.

1. Automation

Automation is one of the chief innovators of the farm, making things easier for farmers by taking others time-wasting or annoying jobs out of their hands. Automatic gates for farms, automatic seed throwers, and similar inventions streamline the process in various small ways, even giving farmers a bit more leisure time in certain circumstances.

2. Crop Theory

Farming has come a long way since people first stuck some plants in the ground and hoped for the best. Farmers, biologists, and many others have actually taken the time to explore how and why certain plants grow under certain conditions, improving the yield of crops and making farming an overall more sustainable and easier to accomplish task. Courses in agriculture are even available at many colleges now, with handbooks and guides on how to make the most of your farm through techniques like crop rotation are also available to give people the extra guidance they might find useful.

3. Upgraded Machinery

Gone are the days when all you have to work with are a pitchfork and an old mule. Farming in the 21st century comes with all sorts of new machinery to make the job easier and more efficiency. Mechanized tillers, tree pickers, and more are all available to assist in doing work around the farm, reducing the stress on the human body while oftentimes getting better results than someone doing everything by hand. Even the old faithful tractor has gotten some new updates in fuel efficiency, durability, many other areas.

Just because farming is an old occupation doesn’t mean you have to be stuck in the past to do it. Using these three innovations, farmers can make life easier and more profitable for themselves.