Farmer
Otter: Do 4 requirements including the 2 starred
_____ 1.* Visit and tour a small family farm. What chores do the children in the family have if there are any?
How do they prepare the soil, plant or tend their crops or stock. If you are unable to visit an actual farm, watch
a video about small farmers, or have an adult help you look up information on the internet.
_____ 2.* Compare what you learned about a small family farm to large corporate farms. If you are unable to
visit one, you can watch a video about large farms, or have an adult help you look information up at either the
library or on the internet.
_____ 3. Find out what fruits or vegetables are grown in your local community. Visit a farmers market and try
at least one new food.
_____ 4. Find out what animals are raised in your community and what their purpose is; food, clothing,
bedding, etc.
_____ 5. Know how to act around various farm animals.
_____ 6. Know what walls, fences, and gates are for and why they should be left as you found them.
Dolphins: Do 5 requirements including the 2 starred
_____1.* Do Otter requirements 1 and 2.
_____2.* Find out what “organic” means and why these foods are better for you.
_____ 3. Know the location of your state or country fair and attend.
_____ 4. Know what crop rotation is, and why and how the soil is replenished for the crops in your area.
_____ 5. Find out what fruits or vegetables are grown in your local community. Visit a farmers market and try
at least one new food.
_____ 6. Do some kind of service to help improve farming for your own family, a neighbor, or your community.
_____ 7 Make a poster or booklet showing different types of farming such as dairy, aquaculture, horses, beef,
poultry, emus, alpacas, and produce.
Butterfly: Do 6 requirements including the 2 starred
_____1.* Do Dolphin requirements 1 and 2.
_____ 2.* In your backyard, raise either a small crop of vegetables, or a farm animal. If you choose
vegetables, they must be started from seed and cared for until they can be harvested. If you choose an animal,
you must care for that animal for a minimum of three months. Know where and how you can sell what you
raised (You do not have to actually sell your vegetables or animal if you choose not to.)
_____ 3. Do some kind of service to help improve farming for your own family, a neighbor, or your community.
_____ 4. Know the farm journals and magazines that are published or widely read in your community.
_____ 5. Be able to recognize the various machines used in planting, cultivating, and harvesting the crops in
your area.
_____ 6. Know the cloud formations, temperatures, and wind directions that bring rain, snow, or frosts in your
area.
_____ 7. Pick a crop or stock animal and find out what major diseases, parasites, and other threats you must
protect against and how.
_____ 8. Create a simple booklet to teach young children about farms.
Eagles: Do 7 requirements including the 2 starred
_____ 1.* Do Butterfly requirements 1 and 2.
_____ 2.* Volunteer at least 6 hours at a local farm.
_____ 3. Find out what careers there are in the farming area of your choice. What education and experience
is needed? What is the average pay scale and hours worked per week?
_____ 4. Shadow someone who works on a farm for a day.
_____ 5. Explain how farming affects everyone in our country and how the building over of prime agricultural
land may affect our future.
_____ 6. Pick a crop or stock animal and learn about the technology used in planting, tending, harvesting, and
packaging your item.
_____ 7. Learn about the laws regarding importing and exporting fruits and vegetables both nationally and
internationally. If possible, visit a freight forwarder who specializes in agricultural products.
_____ 8. Learn which agricultural products are the United States largest import and export. Where to we
export agricultural products to? Where do we import them from?
_____ 9. Learn the labeling laws required for the agricultural product of your choice. How must you adapt your
labels if you’re exporting your product to another country?
Helpful Links:
Virtual Farm Tours
http://www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm/main.html
http://www.farmissues.com/virtualTour/