Article: Farming is known to be hard work, driven by a practical point of view and a commitment to long work hours. As a beginner farmer, you should be aware of the skills, abilities, and expectations required of you so you are prepared to start your farming endeavor with a good sense of what the role entails. As a farmer, you will need to be willing to work long hours, including weekends, very early mornings, and likely late nights. You will also need to be prepared for physical work, where you are feeding, cleaning, shoveling, and caring for your chickens on a constant basis. You will also need to be prepared for seasonal earnings, where your profits are dependant on when your hens lay and how well you market and sell the meat and eggs produced by your chickens. This may mean your profits will be on the low end during your first year as a chicken farmer and you may need to wait one to two years to turn any significant profits from your farm. As a chicken farmer, you may need to be patient and be okay with setbacks or first time mistakes. You will then need to problem solve issues by fixing it yourself and relying on your abilities as a doer. for your chicken farm. Set your farm up for success by creating a business plan. Your business plan should include: Farm expenses: This is the cost of your equipment, the cost of your feed, the cost of your chicken coop(s), and the cost of your chickens. You should also consider the cost of the insurance premiums for the farm and if you need to pay for labor in the form of workers or employees to help you maintain the farm. Farm income: This should be made up of profit goals, where you have a certain amount of profit you will need to hit on a month to month basis. It's important to have profit goals so you can sustain a certain income from the farm and ensure you turn a profit. Financing: To get the farm off the ground, you will need some form of financing or capital. This could be in the form of a savings account, borrowing money from a business partner or family, and/or grants or loans from government agencies. You may also have cash-flow through another source of income, like a part time job or another farming endeavor, that can be used to pay for expenses and keep your farm running. Disaster plan: As any farmer knows, the weather or a bad season can lead to low profits. You should have a disaster plan in place in the event of an emergency to ensure you can survive a bad year or a bad turn of events. Outline changes you can make to your farm to help you save money and stay in business in the event of a disaster. You may also want to have a succession plan in place, such as a will, in the event of a fatal incident. Unless you have a large amount of money in your savings account or access to start up funds through family or friends, you will have to apply for financing through a third party. This could be through a government program that provides grants for beginner farmers or through a loan from your local bank. Most banks are partnered with local agencies that provide financing for start up farms, through Aggie Bond programs and the USDA. If you do not own the land you are farming on, you may be able to create a contract with the landowner in exchange for coverage of your equipment and start up costs. Look into the Farm Credit Services of America for Young and Beginning loans. These are made for farmers 35 years or younger, with 10 years or less of experience. Youth in Agriculture Loans also offers up to $2,500 for young farmers who are still students. You can find a complete list of farm loan programs on the Farm Service Agency's website. Check if your state has a tax-free bond program to provide funding for beginner farmers. You should also check with the USDA Farm Service Agency, which can lend you money to get your farm off the ground. If you would like to get a better sense of the work environment and the expectations in the farmer role, you may want to spend some time working with a farming organization like WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). These positions often cover your room and board on the farm in exchange for working on the farm. You can also get hands on experience in the life of farming for a longer period of time, which will better prepare you to start your own farm.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Understand the skills and abilities required to start a chicken farm. Create a business plan Apply for financing. Work with a farming organization to get hands on experience as a farmer.
Article: If you try to stay out of trouble but can't stop your behavior no matter what you do, it could be because of circumstances in your life or a medical condition like ADHD. Talk to an understanding adult that can help with things going on in your life. Explain your emotions to them so that people can get a better understanding of who you are as a person. You can also ask an adult about the right strategies to use when talking to teachers or authority figures. You may enjoy the attention that you get from your classmates when you get in trouble, but you are the one that has to face the punishment for your actions. Try to find other ways to be popular in school, like being good at sports or art. Always think about the potential repercussions of your actions before you do them. More than thinking about the punishment you may get for your actions, think about how they will affect other people's lives. Be compassionate for other people, and always think about how your actions will affect you and others. For instance, if you feel like trashing the lunchroom or leaving packets of ketchup on the floor, think about the person who has to clean it up and how it makes their day harder. If you bully other people and make them feel bad about themselves, try to think about how it would make you feel if someone targeted you in the same way. Sometimes you may feel like you don't have a choice with who we are friends with, but you do. If you have friends who are always getting into trouble and getting you in trouble, you need to stand up against them. Either let them know that you're tired of risking it and getting in trouble, or tell them that you can't hang out with them anymore. Doing this should cut down on how often you're getting into trouble.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Talk to your parents or trusted adult about your issues. Stop trying to impress classmates with bad behavior. Think before you act. Don't hang out with people who get you into trouble.