VOA标准英语2013--美国流行后院养鸡

 

 

Business Helps Suburbanites Try Out Chicken Ownership 美国流行后院养鸡

As the interest in organic and locally-produced food has increased, raising chickens in the backyard has been gaining popularity among American city dwellers². But  poultry³ farming is not right for everyone. A young entrepreneur outside Washington helps customers find out if it's a good fit for them before they invest in chicken  ownership. The business seems to be poised⁴ for a bright future.

Collecting eggs is a daily pleasure for the Hurst family.

The family started to raise chickens in their suburban¹ Maryland backyard three weeks ago.

“We have been wanting to try having backyard chickens for a couple of years now.  And really just didn’t have the time to build my own coop and look out where to buy  chickens.  And then we stumbled upon Rent a Coop," said Naomi Hurst.

Rent a Coop is a chicken rental⁵ business Tyler Phillips started 18 months ago with a partner.

"It comes with a mobile coop on wheels, two egg laying hens, feed, bedding, water bowl, feeding bowl, and our 24-hour chicken hotline.  You can call with any  questions. The price is 185 [dollars] for four weeks," said Phillips.

After the four weeks, customers can extend the rental, return it or purchase the whole set-up.

“We average about 12 to 15 chicken coop rentals⁶ per month.  And since last year we’ve sold about 75 chicken coops with hens, so we’ve sold about 200 hens," said  said Phillips.

Phillips designs and builds the coops, and makes them eco-friendly.

“We always try to have as many recycled materials as possible. And I want the coops to be safe for kids, number one.  I want the chickens to be comfortable and they  have access to the grass while being inside the coop.  I want it to be easily movable, light weight," he said.

Phillips says his chicken and coop rental business came from his love of animals, growing up on his parents’ farm in the Washington suburbs.  

The Hursts hope their backyard farm teaches their daughter compassion⁷ and responsibility, and awareness⁸ of where food comes from.

“I don’t think we’ve ever thanked where food comes from.  But whenever we pick up the eggs we always say, 'thank you, ladies.'  That’s really something that it is  hard to teach other than having an animal in your backyard that delivers food to you.  So it’s been a great learning opportunity for my daughter too," said Naomi  Hurst.

Eating fresh, organic eggs every day is another benefit, Hurst says, and the chickens have become family pets.

"Their names are, what are their names? Hillary, Lady Katy and Henrietta," she said.

"We have had a lot of fun with them.  The chickens have been very easy. “We are going to keep these ladies absolutely," she said.

Cities have different regulations for backyard livestock⁹; some require large yards, or neighbors' agreement, others limit the number of chickens or prohibit them  altogether. Phillips expects that to change as interest in small poultry flocks grows.

"I see cities around the DC area changing laws almost monthly and different cities will change the law to being pro-chicken. That is happening all around the United  States," he said.

Phillips believes that there will be chicken rental businesses in most U.S. cities within five years.

 

1 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

2 dwellers   

n.居民，居住者( dweller的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes. 城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They have transformed themselves into permanent city dwellers. 他们已成为永久的城市居民。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

4 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

5 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

6 rentals   

n.租费，租金额( rental的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In some large hotels, the income derived from this source actually exceeds income from room rentals. 有些大旅馆中，这方面的盈利实际上要超过出租客房的盈利。 来自辞典例句
• Clerk: Well, Canadian Gifts is on the lower level. It's across from Prime Time Video Rentals. 噢，礼品店在楼下，在黄金时刻录像出租屋的对面。 来自口语例句

7 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。

8 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

9 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。