Farm and ranch are two words that we use interchangeably and many people do not understand the difference between farm and ranch. So in this article, we are going to describe the difference between Farm and Ranch.
What is a Farm?
Farm refers to an area of land and its buildings, used for growing crops and rearing animals. It is a section of land devoted to the production and management of food, either produce or livestock. It is the fundamental production facility in food production. A farm can be owned by a single person, a family, cooperation or a company and can have any extent of land.
A farm can produce one or more types of crops and can raise one or more types of animals as well. Some examples of Specialist farms(farms that produce one type of products) include dairy farms, poultry farms and mink farms.
In the past, farmers used simple tools like hoe, rake, shears, etc., but nowadays many a farms use modern machinery to obtain a larger crop, efficiently.
What is a Ranch ?
A Ranch is also a type of a farm. It is an area of land and its buildings, devoted primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. According to Oxford dictionary, a ranch is a large farm, especially in North America or Australia, where cattle or other animals are bred. This word is derived from the Spanish term ‘rancho.’
The term ranch is mostly used in countries like Canada, the Northen United States, and Mexico. People who own and operate ranches are called ranchers, cattlemen or stockgrowers.The employees of the rancher who directly handle livestock are called cowhands, ranch hands or cowboys. Ranches that earn their income through tourism, are called guest ranches or dude ranches(colloquial).
What is the difference between Farm and Ranch ?
When discussing the difference between farm and ranch, we should always remember that a ranch is also a type of farm.
Products
A farm produces different crops(unless it is not a specialized farm) and rear animals
A ranch does not produce crops.
Size
Farm can range from a quarter of a hectare to thousand hectares.
Ranch is generally larger than a farm.
Location
Farms are found all over the world.
Ranches are more popular in the Northern United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Tourism
Farms are not that much popular in tourism.
Some Ranches operate in the field of tourism and provide activities like horseback rides, cattle drives, guided hunting, etc. for tourists.
