VOA标准英语2013--Leaving Day Jobs, Novices Dig Into Farming

 

Leaving Day Jobs, Novices² Dig Into Farming 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND — Mark Mills quit his steady job as a pastry³ chef for the unsteady life of a farmer.

Making the decision took two things.

“Boundless enthusiasm, coupled with a little bit of ignorance,” Mills said.

Although the United States is one of the world’s leading agricultural powers, few Americans are farmers, just two percent of the population. In recent years, more  small farms have popped up to serve the growing demand for locally produced food. Like Mills, the people running these ventures often have no experience in farming.

Mills majored in history in college and what he knows about producing food comes from gardening and 26 years working in restaurants.

So, why did he do it?

“Well, it’s beautiful. Why wouldn’t you want to come to work here?" he said. "I’m my own boss. But really, it’s my love of food.”

That love of food has become nearly a national obsession⁴ in recent years. Here’s one indicator⁵: the number of farmers’ markets has more than doubled in the past  decade.

Nuturing farmersFederal, state and local governments see opportunities to create jobs and new businesses. Mills was one of four people in a new Montgomery County,  Maryland, program helping⁶ novice¹ farmers get started.

Sarah Miller⁷ with the Department of Economic Development says it worked better than they expected.

“Boy, we didn’t even know how many we would get," Mills said. "We thought maybe one or two would be great, but I don’t think that we expected four.”

The program provided a few essential things.

“They provided the connection with the landowner, so I could actually have the land to farm on, which is key," Mills said. "Then, certainly, they provided the  financing for the deer fence and the irrigation, some basic things to get going.”

They connected him with a mentor⁸: farming veteran Woody Woodroof.

“The big thing to work with him on now is season extension," Woodroof said, "helping him to do the things that will allow him to harvest crops deeper into the fall  and early winter.”

Woodroof showed Mills how white netting keeps the frost off. Mills' first season has gone pretty well. He's harvested roughly 450 kilos of turnips⁹, 90 kilos of  carrots, 130 kilos of greens and more.

Financial challengesThe hardest part has not been growing the crops, he says. It’s been selling them.

“I won’t say that I broke even. It would be nice," Mills said. "I probably put five grand [thousand dollars] of my own money in. I’m probably going to walk away  with four, four-and-a-half.”

Luckily, his wife’s non-farm job will keep them afloat financially for now. Experts say many new farmers need to support themselves with another source of income.

Despite the challenges, Mills has no regrets.

“If it’s really something you want to do, if the opportunity comes along you’ve got to take it,” he said.

Data on just how many other novice farmers are taking that opportunity will be detailed¹⁰ in a U.S. Department of Agriculture report early in 2014. 

1 novice   

adj.新手的，生手的

参考例句：

• As a novice writer,this is something I'm interested in.作为初涉写作的人，我对此很感兴趣。
• She realized that she was a novice.她知道自己初出茅庐。

2 novices   

n.新手( novice的名词复数 )；初学修士（或修女）；（修会等的）初学生；尚未赢过大赛的赛马

参考例句：

• The Russians are such novices in Africa. 在非洲的俄国人简直都是些毫无经验的生手。 来自辞典例句
• Where the primary track all novices, screams everywhere, ha ha good terror. 那里的初级道上全是生手，到处都是尖叫声，哈哈好恐怖的。 来自互联网

3 pastry   

n.油酥面团，酥皮糕点

参考例句：

• The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry.厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
• The pastry crust was always underdone.馅饼的壳皮常常烤得不透。

4 obsession   

n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感)

参考例句：

• I was suffering from obsession that my career would be ended.那时的我陷入了我的事业有可能就此终止的困扰当中。
• She would try to forget her obsession with Christopher.她会努力忘记对克里斯托弗的迷恋。

5 indicator   

n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器

参考例句：

• Gold prices are often seen as an indicator of inflation.黃金价格常常被看作是通货膨胀的指标。
• His left-hand indicator is flashing.他左手边的转向灯正在闪亮。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

8 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

9 turnips   

芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表

参考例句：

• Well, I like turnips, tomatoes, eggplants, cauliflowers, onions and carrots. 噢，我喜欢大萝卜、西红柿、茄子、菜花、洋葱和胡萝卜。 来自魔法英语-口语突破（高中）
• This is turnip soup, made from real turnips. 这是大头菜汤，用真正的大头菜做的。

10 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。