Young Americans Leaving Jobs to Farm
Young Americans Leaving Jobs to Farm
Vocabulary
dabble
Verb
ˈdæbl
to be involved in something for a short time
When he was younger he dabbled in local politics.
arugula
Noun
æˈruːɡələ
a plant with long green leaves, eaten in salads
Arugula, Parmesan cheese, fresh lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil are all you need
to make this classic Italian salad.
capitalize on
Phrasal Verb
ˈkæpɪtəlaɪz ɑːn
to use a situation to one's advantage
The car manufacturers decided to capitalize on their country's weak currency by conducting an overseas sales promotion.
bolster
Verb
ˈboʊlstər
to increase something; to make something stronger
Strong earnings should bolster confidence in the plan.
resiliency
Noun
rɪˈzɪliənsi
the ability to become strong or successful again after a difficult situation
The time required to recover from a disaster depends largely on the resiliency of the area.
--
Young Americans Leaving Jobs to Farm
Liz Whitehurst dabbled in several careers before she ended up on a Maryland farm, crating fistfuls of fresh-cut arugula in the November chill.
The hours were better at her nonprofit jobs. So were the benefits. But two years ago, Whitehurst, 32 — who graduated from a liberal arts college — abandoned Washington for a three-acre plot in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
She joined a growing movement of highly educated, ex-urban, first-time farmers who are capitalizing on booming consumer demand for local and sustainable foods and who, experts say, could have a broad impact on the food system.
For only the second time in the last century, the number of farmers under 35 years old is increasing, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sixty-nine percent of the surveyed young farmers had college degrees — significantly higher than the general population.
This new generation can't hope to replace the numbers that farming is losing to age. But it is already contributing to the growth of the local-food movement and could help preserve the place of midsize farms in the rural landscape.
They are also far more likely than the general farming population to grow organically, limit pesticide and fertilizer use, diversify their crops or animals, and be deeply involved in their local food systems via community-supported agriculture programs and farmers markets.
If today's young farmers can continue to grow their operations, said Shoshanah Inwood, a rural sociologist at Ohio State University, they could bolster these sorts of farms — and in the process prevent the land from falling into the hands of large-scale industrial operations or residential developers.
"Multigenerational family farms are shrinking. And big farms are getting bigger," Inwood said. "For the resiliency of the food system and of rural communities, we need more agriculture of the middle.
---
Questions
1.
When did Liz Whitehurst take up agriculture?
2.
What percentage of the surveyed young farmers had college degrees?
3.
Who is Shoshanah Inwood?
---
Discussion
1.
What are your thoughts on the growing number of "highly educated, ex-urban, first-time farmers" in the U.S.?
2.
Do you believe that the influx of young farmers could have "a broad impact on the food system"? Please explain your answer.
3.
How would you explain the fact that young, highly educated people are becoming increasingly interested in farming?
4.
Why do you think young farmers are more likely to "grow organically, limit pesticide and fertilizer use" than "the general farming population"?
5.
Do you expect the number of young farmers to continue to increase over the next few years? Why? Why not?
---
Further Discussion
1.
Would you ever consider leaving your job to become a farmer? Why? Why not?
2.
Are young people in your country becoming increasingly interested in farming? Why do you think this is the case?
3.
Is it easy to come by organic produce where you live? Please explain your answer.
4.
Does agriculture account for a major portion of your country's economy? Why do you think this is the case?
5.
Do you expect "consumer demand for local and sustainable foods" to continue to grow for years to come? Why? Why not?
6.
Advances in medicine and agriculture have saved vastly more lives than have been lost in all the wars in history. - Carl Sagan. Do you agree with this statement? Why? Why not?
7.
Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful and most noble employment of man. - George Washington. Do you share this view? Why? Why not?
Vocabulary
dabble
Verb
ˈdæbl
to be involved in something for a short time
When he was younger he dabbled in local politics.
arugula
Noun
æˈruːɡələ
a plant with long green leaves, eaten in salads
Arugula, Parmesan cheese, fresh lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil are all you need
to make this classic Italian salad.
capitalize on
Phrasal Verb
ˈkæpɪtəlaɪz ɑːn
to use a situation to one's advantage
The car manufacturers decided to capitalize on their country's weak currency by conducting an overseas sales promotion.
bolster
Verb
ˈboʊlstər
to increase something; to make something stronger
Strong earnings should bolster confidence in the plan.
resiliency
Noun
rɪˈzɪliənsi
the ability to become strong or successful again after a difficult situation
The time required to recover from a disaster depends largely on the resiliency of the area.
--
Young Americans Leaving Jobs to Farm
Liz Whitehurst dabbled in several careers before she ended up on a Maryland farm, crating fistfuls of fresh-cut arugula in the November chill.
The hours were better at her nonprofit jobs. So were the benefits. But two years ago, Whitehurst, 32 — who graduated from a liberal arts college — abandoned Washington for a three-acre plot in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
She joined a growing movement of highly educated, ex-urban, first-time farmers who are capitalizing on booming consumer demand for local and sustainable foods and who, experts say, could have a broad impact on the food system.
For only the second time in the last century, the number of farmers under 35 years old is increasing, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sixty-nine percent of the surveyed young farmers had college degrees — significantly higher than the general population.
This new generation can't hope to replace the numbers that farming is losing to age. But it is already contributing to the growth of the local-food movement and could help preserve the place of midsize farms in the rural landscape.
They are also far more likely than the general farming population to grow organically, limit pesticide and fertilizer use, diversify their crops or animals, and be deeply involved in their local food systems via community-supported agriculture programs and farmers markets.
If today's young farmers can continue to grow their operations, said Shoshanah Inwood, a rural sociologist at Ohio State University, they could bolster these sorts of farms — and in the process prevent the land from falling into the hands of large-scale industrial operations or residential developers.
"Multigenerational family farms are shrinking. And big farms are getting bigger," Inwood said. "For the resiliency of the food system and of rural communities, we need more agriculture of the middle.
---
Questions
1.
When did Liz Whitehurst take up agriculture?
2.
What percentage of the surveyed young farmers had college degrees?
3.
Who is Shoshanah Inwood?
---
Discussion
1.
What are your thoughts on the growing number of "highly educated, ex-urban, first-time farmers" in the U.S.?
2.
Do you believe that the influx of young farmers could have "a broad impact on the food system"? Please explain your answer.
3.
How would you explain the fact that young, highly educated people are becoming increasingly interested in farming?
4.
Why do you think young farmers are more likely to "grow organically, limit pesticide and fertilizer use" than "the general farming population"?
5.
Do you expect the number of young farmers to continue to increase over the next few years? Why? Why not?
---
Further Discussion
1.
Would you ever consider leaving your job to become a farmer? Why? Why not?
2.
Are young people in your country becoming increasingly interested in farming? Why do you think this is the case?
3.
Is it easy to come by organic produce where you live? Please explain your answer.
4.
Does agriculture account for a major portion of your country's economy? Why do you think this is the case?
5.
Do you expect "consumer demand for local and sustainable foods" to continue to grow for years to come? Why? Why not?
6.
Advances in medicine and agriculture have saved vastly more lives than have been lost in all the wars in history. - Carl Sagan. Do you agree with this statement? Why? Why not?
7.
Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful and most noble employment of man. - George Washington. Do you share this view? Why? Why not?
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