Self-Care (Physical and Mental Wellness)
Obesity is caused by a lack of activity and can result in poor self-esteem. When physical activity becomes an essential part of a child’s life it helps them maintain a healthy weight while making them less likely to become obese as an adult. Youth who are burdened with the financial pressures of managing a farm, long work hours, lack of sleep, no time for extra curriculum activities can exhibit stressful behavior and make poor decisions.
Children should also be assigned age-appropriate chores for their physical development stage and mental well-being. Training youth in agriculture must be structured to help prepare them for their future and not as a business burden.
Responsibility (Discipline and Hard Work)
Children learn about responsibility living on a farm. They learn they have commitments and can enjoy their free time when those jobs are done.
They will learn self-discipline is a mindset put into action. They will be trained to begin with the end in mind. Learning how to put in the work to see the results will benefit them for their entire life, from school to career to relationships.
Most of all, they get the opportunity to see the fruits of their labor. They will see a beautiful harvest and understand their hard work was worth the reward.
Time Management
Animals must be fed at certain times, crops are planted and harvested at certain times. Children also need to manage time for school, homework, sports, and other extra curricula activities. They will also learn the consequences when things are not done on time versus when they are.
Decision Making
Youth will learn decision-making is the most important skill that requires clarity and wisdom. What animals to buy and their purpose, what seeds to plant, and how to prepare the soil. They will learn the preparation and plan behind the decisions. They will become a part of the daily decisions made on the farm, learn the process, and understand the consequences of decisions.
Life on a farm also gives children the opportunity to decide if farming will become their career path. They will learn how to prepare and make decisions regarding their future.
Conflict
Youth will learn the best way to approach conflict is not from a place of emotion. They will learn to use their mind first and not their fist or angry words, especially in unforeseen scenarios. They will learn to think ahead and prepare for common scenarios in farming such as soil erosion, climate changes, and problems or delays with vendors.
Farming will teach them the best way to resolve or possibly avoid conflicts in their personal relationships as well. Children will learn communication and motive is key to resolution.
Problem Solving Skills
Youth living on a farm will develop a working knowledge and gain applicable skillsets uncommon to many of their peers.
They learn how to grow plants and raise animals. They will learn the process of diagnosing problems and creating solutions. Youth will be taught the technology behind agriculture and the best way to use it. They will learn to use farming equipment and how to work with the weather instead of against it.
Problem-solving will help them to navigate decisions in their personal and professional relationships.
This skill opens the door to preparing children to flourish in their gifts and purpose.
The Value of Teamwork
Managing a farm requires a combined and consistent effort from the entire family to keep it running smoothly.
When youth live and grow up in this environment, they learn two things about teamwork: how important it is and how to do it.
When people work together, they will disagree about various tasks and why they should be done. Children have different strengths and weaknesses, and various personalities. They will discover how to work with very different personalities. Farming teaches children how to work together and they are interdependent on one another. They will discover this skillset is valued by any industry.
Confidence
CHH recognizes most of our youth will enter our homes emotionally unstable and with poor self-esteem. We will gradually help heal and restore their confidence by teaching the process of farming with assigned tasks. FCC youth will be taught to see themselves through God’s word.
Farming presents new challenges every day. They will learn how to solve problems (with guidance) and use their gifts to create solutions. FCC youth will learn how to overcome mistakes and adversity by learning the lesson. Farming teaches youth how to move forward into greater harvest and greater abundance.
Integrity
Youth will learn responsible farming begins with integrity. They will be taught the responsibility of doing things the right way and the consequences of short cuts. The children will learn responsible farming requires following worker safety guidelines, proper care for animals, pest management, and supply chain traceability to protect product integrity.
Farmers are responsible for using integrous methods to protect the environment. The youth will learn lessons of integrity living on a farm and build a foundation for their future. Farming teaches youth to appreciate and protect the environment.
Respect
Youth involved in agriculture often work around many different pieces of equipment and livestock, large and small. Youth will learn to respect the process of following directions and doing things in a certain way. Farming also teaches how to respect the process or people when you disagree. Youth will be taught how to navigate disagreements and approach solutions in a non-threatening way.
Compassion
Caring for animals in their care helps youth to feel compassion towards another life that cannot communicate. This assignment is also teaching them empathy and showing them how to respond to someone else’s needs.
Farming teaches discernment and when to place someone’s needs above their own. FCC youth will gradually understand and learn to recognize and help friends, family and neighbors who may be struggling.
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