The Huron Expositor, 1995-03-15, Page 63Farm Progress '96'-Pa_a 6A
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Drought is a major worry
•from page 2A
strings, to help keep the pests out
of her face.
"Australia is in its fourth year of
a drought, which is a major worry,”
Laurie says. She described a field
of hay they cut as "sparse."
Ttrmite. control was another
chore. All the posts on the out
fences had to be soaked 'in old,
stock -piled oil. 'The posts were too
numerous to count," she says.
It was Australia's winter when
Laurie was there. The mornings
were quite cold and temperatures
would reach the low 20s in the
afternoon.
They spayed any cows eight years
or older because it is anticipated
weight gain is increased over
unspayed cattle. Sometimes, com-
mercial meat cattle aren't shipped
until they are five to six years old,
Laurie says.
Laurie had the companionship of
other trainees here as well. They
toured an open pit coal mine and
underground • coal mine. At the
latter, three months later the area
blew up with 13 men killed. They
visited the Rockhampton Zoo, a
cotton farm (the seed is fed to
animals), went gliding and took in
a Garth Brooks concert in Brisbane.
"We celebrated Canada Day with
Australian wieners and marshmal-
lows - nothing like ours," Laurie
quips.
Off to Capella
She bid the Dudarko family
farewell on Sept. 30 and spent three
days with Allan Garside, the
Queensland IAEA chair.
Garside uses tracks, rather than
tires, on his tractor because the land
is so hard. Last year was the first in
four he has been able to harvest
grain. "You can't imagine the ex-
pense and loss they have suffered
during this drought; always praying
for rain," says Laurie.
Playing the tourist
Once her work term was
complete, Laurie and six other
trainees rented a van and toured
northern Queensland.
Later, her friend Donalda
Thompson, of Lucknow, met her in
Cairns - a major tourist place and
centre of alt wonderful beaches.
The two toured for about three
weeks. They went snorkeling on the
Barrier Reef and saw their first wild
Koala bear on Magnedu Island. A
visit to Mount Isa gave them first
hand knowledge of the 'stifling' 50
degree temps. They stayed In an
underground hostel where the
temperatures are about 25 degrees
celsius year round. The highlight
for Laurie was climbing Ayers
Rock.
After Donalda returned home,
Laurie continued on to Kerang to
stay for one week with and
Anne Lang, "adorable
farmers." The Langs milk about
260 cows in a herring bone style
with 20 a side.
Here, Laurie helped milk, cut
wood, calibrate a seed drill, and
flood irrigate the paddocks to keep
the channels clean.
She attended a municipal meeting.
The government was refusing to
upgrade one of the roads. The
meeting was held outside by the
Murray River in view of the road in
question.
Here comes Canada
Bidding adieu to down under,
Laurie and four others were the
guests of another trainee and her
family - the Gaios of Vancouver.
"The hospitality in Canada equals
that of what we received in New
Zealand," says Laurie.
Would Laurie recommend the
IAEA to others? You bet! "I highly
recommend the program," says
Laurie. "You're guaranteed a job;
systems are in place to rectify
problems; it's all very well set up.
The IAEA is promoted as 'one big
family'. After I was with the or-
ganization for a few weeks, I
realized it was truer
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G & B EQUIPMENT
RR 1, Neudstadt
799-5584
"Where Price And Quality Meet"
Laurie Pentland shown with her 'Stockman's Boot' the boot of
choice among agricultural people In Australia, and few of the
many souvenir hangings she brought home with her.
(Livingston photo)
What is the IAEA?
The Intemational Agricultural Exchange Association
(IAEA) program is for you if you have a background
in farming and a desire to work abroad. As an IAEA
trainee you live with a host family in another part of
the world. You work with them on their agricultural
or horticultural enterprise.
It is a challenge that will benefit you both
educationally and in helping you gain in self con-
fidence and personal awareness. You will: learn about
agriculture in other parts of the world, try other ways
of life and culture, better understand people from
other countries, and learn languages.
IAEA takes care of all the practical aspects for you,
such as work permit, insurance and travel. All this
part of the program you pay for.
The International Agricultural Exchange Association
was founded in 1963. On a world-wide basis, IAEA
has around 101)0 participants every year.
IAEA is a democratic, non-profit organization. In
Many member countries IAEA works closely with
rural youth organizations, agricultural colleges, etc.
The organization has a strong international network
of past trainees and host families. They work volun-
tarily for the organization. Representatives from these
groups form the international board which governs
IAEA.
IAEA has member countries in Europe, Asia, North
America and South Pacific.
For more information contact: IAEA, 206-1501 17th
Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, T2T 0E2, phone 1-
800-263-1827.
gafthaw
ERN,EWEIN
DESIGN BUILDERS OF
MODERN FARM
AND COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS
DISTRIBUTORS OF
GRAIN STORAGE AND
DRYING EQUIPMENT
18 INDUSTRIAL ROAD
,519, 881-0187
WALKERTON
FAX: 519-881-3199
JOHN ERNEWEIN LTD.
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