Final answer:
Farmers and their employees engage in various tasks such as planting, harvesting, and transporting crops. They may practice intensive or extensive agriculture, depending on the land and the resources available. Moreover, modern farming involves the challenges of a yearly cycle, from planting to harvest.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question you've asked pertains to the practices and lifestyles of farmers. Specifically, the genesis of the question seems rooted in the explanation of what a farmer or employee of a farmer may do. A farmer, or an employee of a farmer, is primarily responsible for managing and undertaking the various tasks associated with running a farm. This includes planting crops, harvesting, transporting crops to market, and driving machinery like tractors. Furthermore, the painting described, 'A yeoman farmer carrying a scythe follows his livestock down the road,' highlights the traditional imagery of a farmer engaged in such tasks.
Intensive and Extensive Agriculture
Farmers who practice intensive agriculture focus on cultivating a small number of crops, often grains or legumes, and may utilize advanced machinery and technologies to increase efficiency and yield. On the other hand, extensive agriculture, indicated by transporting crops to market, is more suited for less valuable land and typically requires less costly farm labor.
The Modern Farmer's Challenge
The modern farmer faces a yearly cycle of planting and harvest, with challenges that may require them to engage in borrowing, trading, or adapting to ensure their farm's sustainability. The description provided, involving a farmer planting a single crop like soybean over a large area, refers to a practice known as monoculture.