The people of the Cuban Island once practiced agricultural traditions freely. Today, Cuba is quite different from in the past. Due to the current communist rule, there are unused fields, food shortages, and black markets. The government has taken ownership of all land in Cuba and it is now illegal to produce or sell food. Traditionally, Cuba has been very fertile. The Cuban way of life was primarily horticulturists with some traits of intensive agriculture. There are many interesting aspects of traditional Cuba including the people, their cultivation practices, and their use of animal.
The people of Cuba were basically self sufficient. They lived in small communities where everyone knew everyone else. There was some trade but not a lot on the individual level. The country did depend on some trade involving such items as sugar cane and cigars. The main variation from the horticulture way of life among the people is the differences in wealth. There was no middle class, people were either rich or poor. Both groups provided for there own family's needs. The poor did so by working the fields and the rich did so by having their slaves and servants work the fields. Specialties were uncommon, although not completely absent.
In step with horticulture, the Cuban farms were run by families and worked with manual tools. But perhaps due to the limited space on an island, the fields were cultivated on a permanent basis. Therefore, the Cubans also departed from standard horticulture by using fertilizer (cow manure) to keep the fields from becoming barren. Cuba has some rivers and canals, so they must have been used to irrigate the land although my source had no knowledge of this occurring. Cubans have many unique dishes that usually include some form of rice and beans. Some other crops produced include corn, sugar cane, tobacco, avocados, plantains, bananas, mangos, papaya, and a special sour orange (naranja agria) which is used to season meats.
The raising of animals is a part of the traditional Cuban's life. They would raise cows, chickens, and pigs. These animals were mainly used for milk and eggs. In addition the pig roast is a favorite of the Cubans. Fishing also makes up a large portion of their diet. The use of animals is similar to other horticulturists who use animals to fill in the gaps within their diets.
Although life has changed a lot for all Cubans including those who left Cuba and those who still live there, it is their rich culture and fabulous cooking which binds them together. Even though the future looks fairly bleak for the inhabitants of Cuba, the Cuban people will probably break free of those who oppress them. With modern equipment and a new freedom, Cuba could be more prosperous than ever before, especially since their fields have had so many years to rest and revitalize.