[originaltext] In many parts of the world, farmers and their families live i

In many parts of the world, farmers and their families live in villages or towns. In the United States, however, each farm family lives on its own fields, often beyond the sight of any neighbors. Instead of traveling from a village to the fields every morning, American farmers stay on their land throughout the week. They travel to the nearest town on Saturdays for shopping or on Sundays for church. The children ride on buses to large schools which serve all of the farm families living in the area. In some areas, there are small schools serving a few farm families, and the children walk to school.
    Of course life keeps changing for everyone, including farmers. Today there are cars, good roads, radios, and television sets. And of course there are modern machines for farming. All of these have changed farm life.
    For many years, however, farming in America was often a lonely way of living. Farmers had to deal with their own problems, instead of getting help from others. They learned to try new methods, and to trust their own ideas instead of following older ways.