The Rural Voice, 1990-02, Page 27They were primarily involved in
a transitional development program
leading from handout relief to direct,
practical assistance. Working on
irrigation and seeding projects with
dairy and sheep farmers on state
farms, they spent their weekends on
privately owned farms helping family
farmers like themselves.
During the Ethiopian drought and
war years of 1981-82, they went to
Ethiopia and Somalia with Partnership
Africa -Canada. This program began
as "Corn for the Hom," a response to
the need for food in devastated coun-
tries with millions of refugees. With
the involvement of 13 churches and
the Federation of Agriculture, Com
for the Horn sent a shipment of corn
from eastern Canada and wheat from
western Canada to the two countries.
Don and Carol decided to go back
to Africa once more "to understand
the context into which the relief ship-
ment went." They spent two weeks in
Ethiopia and two weeks in Somalia,
visited refugee camps, and observed
the conditions. "We didn't go there to
monitor or control," Don points out.
"We went because people wanted to
know where the food really went and
how it was being used."
Since then, they have also become
involved in Agri -Skills Abroad, which
is associated with the Ontario Federa-
tion of Agriculture, and in Crossroads
International, an organization founded
by Rev. Jim Robinson, a Methodist
pastor in New York. Under these pro-
grams, the Langfords have been host-
ing farmers from African countries.
During ten -weeks stays, the visiting
farmers are billeted with farm fami-
lies, which gives Ontario farmers the
opportunity to get involved in devel-
opment work.
Based on all these different
experiences, the Langfords believe
that individual actions do make an
important difference, and that existing
systems can be changed by the efforts
of individuals like themselves.
"After a trip to a developing
nation," Don says, "one comes back
with a new awareness, with a new
recognition of circumstances, poten-
tials, dangers, and value systems."
Important value systems have been
lost here in Canada, Don says, espe-
cially with regard to family farming
SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO CORN
DONATED TO SOUTH AMERICA
Last spring, a southwestern Ontario farmer donated 6 acres of land and
many hours of labour to grow corn for the Canadian World Food Grain Bank.
Several United Church congregations from the Hamilton area donated the
funds to buy the seeds, fertilizer, and specialty labour.
Last fall, the 6 acres yielded a harvest of 13 metric tonnes of com, all of
which was donated to the Canadian World Food Grain Bank for shipment to
Nicaragua and Peru.
The main goal of this experimental undertaking, in addition to providing
much-needed food to the South American countries, is to show others what
individuals can do to help where help is needed most.
It is hoped that other farmers, retirees with some land, or speculators
and developers with farm land, will offer parcels of land for similar projects.
Urban dwellers could put up the funding, and future harvests could again be
donated to provide food for hungry people.
The basic philosophy underlying this experiment is the same as Don
Langford's: individual actions can indeed make a difference in the global
scheme of things and, in the end, everyone profits from the experience in
one way or another.°
1
and extended family structures. The
exposure of present-day Canadian
farmers to traditional value systems in
developing countries is a vital learning
experience which could someday lead
to the reintegration of a communal
approach and Canadian rural society.
"Family farms here have much
to gain from family farms in other
countries, on other continents," Don
after the recent havoc caused by
Hurricane Hugo.
After they returned from their
three years in Algeria, the Langfords
started their own farm in Kerwood,
across the road from where Don had
grown up on a family farm. Operating
on 250 acres, the Langfords cultivate
selected and improved breeder seed
supplied by agricultural research sta-
Rural values, which built this country, have been
weakened, Don says, but they have not been lost, and
those values should be revived and built on once again.
says. "We have to learn again that
people should join together in the pur-
suit of goals that cannot be achieved
alone but can be reached in groups.
The impact of a group is always larger
than the sum of its components. We
should re -learn to take advantage of
that."
At the same time, Partnership
Africa -Canada provides funding for
Canadian farmers to travel to Africa
for exposure trips and rural develop-
ment work.
Don has also been involved in
taking relief supplies to Nicaragua,
and went to work in South Carolina
tions and sell certified wheat, oat, and
soybean seeds. The soybeans are also
sold to Japan for human consumption.
They keep a flock of 25 Suffolk
ewes as well, "but the girls look after
all that." Their children have always
been involved in the family farm.
Joel, 20, was born when Don and
Carol were overseas and spent the first
two years of his life in Africa. Rob,
17, and Alan, 15, help with the chores
and the crops. Molly, 14, and Julie,
12, both adopted from India in 1978,
are in charge of tending the sheep.
Overseas experience can also
generate a new openness towards
FEBRUARY 1990 23