8. West Hill Farm

Henry was an office worker in a big city. He worked very hard and enjoyed travelling on holidays. He usually went to the seaside, but one day he saw an ad in a newspaper which said, "Enjoy country life, spend a few days on West Hill Farm; good food, fresh air, horse riding, walking, fishing, cheap and interesting." "This sounds like a good idea," he thought, "I'll spend a month there this holiday, I think I can enjoy horse riding, walking and fishing."

He wrote to the farmer and said he would spend the whole July there. Then on the first day of July, he went to the Farm. But four days later, he returned home.

What was wrong with the West Hill Farm? His best friend John asked, "Didn't you enjoy the country life?"

The country life was very good, Henry said, "but there was another problem." "Oh, what?"

Well, he said, "on the first day a sheep died, and we had roast mutton1 for dinner." "What's wrong with that?" John asked, "Fresh meat is the best."

I know, but on the second day a cow died, and we had roast beef for dinner. "Sounds great!" "You don't understand," Henry said, "on the third day a pig died and we had roast pork2 for dinner."

You can have different meat every day, John said loudly, "but you are complaining3!" "Let me finish," Henry said, "on the fourth day a farmer died, and I didn't dare to stay for dinner!"

Notes:

1. mutton 羊肉

2. pork 猪肉

3. complain 抱怨

西山农场

亨利是大城市中的办公室职员。他工作非常辛苦，并且喜爱假期旅游。他通常去海边度假。一天，他看到报纸上的一则广告说：“享受乡村生活，花几天在西山农场；精美的食物，新鲜的空气，骑马，散步，钓鱼，便宜而有趣。”“这听起来是个好主意，”他想，“假期我要在西山农场待一个月，可以享受一下骑骑马、散散步、钓钓鱼的生活。”

他写信给了农夫，说他要在那里度过整个七月。七月的第一天，他去了西山农场。但四天后，他回到了家。

“西山农场怎么了？”他最好的朋友乔治问道，“你不喜欢乡村生活吗？”

“乡村生活非常好”，亨利说，“但有另一个问题。”“哦，是什么？”

“哦”，他说，“第一天一只绵羊死了，我们晚餐吃了烤羊肉。”“那有什么问题吗？”乔治说，“新鲜肉是最好的。”

“我知道，但第二天一只牛死了，我们以烤牛排作为晚餐。”“听起来很棒。”“你不明白”，亨利说，“第三天一头猪死了，我们晚餐吃了烤猪。”

“你每天都有不同的肉吃”，乔治大声说：“但你还在抱怨！”“让我说完。”亨利说，“第四天一个农夫死了，我不敢留下来吃晚饭了。”

（陈顺琪　译）

Useful link:

如今，美国农场经营者家庭最重要的收入来源是农场外的工作或生意，很多农场主家庭平均收入的80％来自农场以外。农场规模越小，经营者越可能以农场外工作为主要职业；农场规模越大，经营者越可能将经营农场作为主要职业，但即使是大农场主家庭也可能有成员全职或部分时间从事非农场工作。