Cultural exchange:
Denmark farming students learn about Yuma agriculture
Coming from a land where water is plentiful, farming students from Denmark earlier this month got to see how dry Yuma manages its agricultural needs during a study tour of the United States.
A group of about 17 students were met with hospitality at Chuck’s Stage Stop Restaurant in Wellton by Town Manager Larry Killman, Mayor of Wellton Cecilia McCollough, agriculture instructor at Antelope High School Mike Jorajuria, FFA students from Antelope High School and the restaurant owners.
The study tour was arranged through Experience International, which works to promote leadership development, capacity building and technical and cultural exchange in fields related to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, science, engineering, business, marketing, natural resource management and conservation, according to the organization’s website.
Charlie Walkinshaw, founder and director of Experience International who hails from the U.S., said he chose to come to Yuma because of the diversity of agriculture in the area, the scale of agriculture and because it would “change the students’ perception of who we are and open communication.”
This was the second consecutive year Yuma hosted students from this particular school.The first group visited in October of last year,
“Last year we had the most incredible reception by all of the farmers in this area,” Walkinshaw noted. “I absolutely loved it. We plan on bringing more students back here next year.”
The students range in age from 19 to 25 and came from Kjaergård Agricultural College in Bramming, Denmark.
“When Charlie called last year and asked if we could provide dinner for his group, we were excited for the business, but also saw it as an opportunity,” Mary Klawuhn, co-owner of Chuck’s Stage Stop Restaurant, told the Yuma Sun. “We were pleased that the Town Manager and you accepted our invitation to join us last year, and it was wonderful that the Mayor and the FFA Advisor and his students were able to be with us as well this year. What could have been just a good evening of business for us changed into an educational experience and an international sharing of ideas.”
This year’s group of young pupils were all fresh faces. The students made various stops in California and other parts of Arizona such as Gila Bend, Dateland and Maricopa.
While in Yuma, the students visited JBS Five Rivers Cattle Feeding and the Vessey & Company Farm.
Paul Soisan, an agriculture instructor at Kjaergård Agricultural College, said he particularly valued the cultural exchange of the trip as well as “getting new ideas to bring back home” when it comes to farming.
Many of the students as well as the two instructors who accompanied them were especially interested in the irrigation system. Unlike the dry desert in the Yuma area, which has an average rainfall of about three inches a year, Denmark often has too much water, with an average annual rainfall of about 28 inches, according to the Danish Meteorological Institute.
“It’s a different climate,” said 19-year-old student Biag Svansson. “As far as farming, it’s much bigger than Denmark and they do things another way here. We are going out there to get different ideas.”
Svansson’s peer, Andreas Holm, added that the ways in which Yuma farmers adapt to the climate and drought gave him a new perspective.
“We came here with a big smile on (our faces) and a positive attitude to this land,” he said.
Additionally, many of the students were very inquisitive at the dinner. Town Manager Larry Killman spent the night answering many of the students questions.
“It’s a learning and educational experience for them,” Killman said. “We have enough background and experience and we want to welcome them to the area. They have a lot of questions about agriculture, drought, the political climate and our concerns going forward with a rural area. They understand change and they understand everything has to adapt.”
Wellton Mayor McCollough also spent the night interacting with the students and said the “priority that each of them has to possibly own their own farm” left quite an impression on her.
“They all seem very passionate and determined,” McCollough remarked.
Not only did the students make a trip as part of a cultural exchange and learning experience, but they are currently fulfilling the requirements in Denmark that stipulates that those who wish to manage their own farm must attend school for five months, work for 18 months, spend another five months in school followed by 18 months of work.
Desiree Thomas, a 17-year-old FFA student who attends Antelope High School, said she was fascinated by the farmers, their work ethic and the tax system they must navigate to run their own farm, Many on the trip were born into agricultural families.
“I learned that they do a lot of things differently,” she said. “For example, with the land, they cannot just inherit it. They have to buy it. It can’t just be passed down from generation to generation. It’s very educational looking at the way they set it up.”
Thomas’ agriculture instructor, Jorajuria, noted that he took an interest in Denmark’s school system.
“I really like the dynamic of it: go to school, go to work, go back to school and go back to work,” he said. “I can see where that can be beneficial. You are actually putting what you are learning to work.”
Walkinshaw added that he hopes the cultural exchange will inspire instructors and students from Yuma to travel abroad and learn about different ways of life and farming as well.
For more information on Experience International, visit www.expint.org