Others have taken issue with a 100 year sample size for a definition of "sustainability in practice" but I would not. My family bought its first Diesel tractor quite a bit less than 100 years ago, diskers to seed in the 1950's (I think), 4WD articulating tractors to pull them in the 1970's, and air drills in the 1990's. Started using nitrogen fertilizer instead of manure in the late 1960's. We started using herbicides in the 1970's, insecticides in the 1990's (though never much of them) and fungicides in the 1990's. GMO crops in the 1990's as well. I think we started growing Canola in the late eighties or early 90's and only started growing Soybeans in the last few years.

I am wondering which of the farm practices engaged in right now, in 2012, in any way resemble the "sustaining" of a practice from 100 years ago?