AALP Class 13 North American Study Tour Day 7

Sunday, July 11, 2010 - We started our day at 10:00 a.m. with the bus dropping our group off in the heart of Washington DC in the National Mall area.

Most members visited the Smithsonian Institute Natural History Museum. A high level of security was obvious everywhere and in every building visitors must go through X-ray machines, metal detectors and security checks. There is no doubt that the effects of 911 are still evident. Ironically, there is no charge to go into any of the Smithsonian Institute buildings.

At the museum, AALP class members took in a variety of exhibits relating to many topics, including: dinosaurs; evolution of mankind; and precious minerals including the Hope diamond. When seeing the remains of a brachiosaurus one can only be left in awe of the pure magnitude of these ancient creatures. As we moved through the museum sixty million years after their existence, we see the beginning of human evolution. This is a fascinating topic and no doubt there are individuals that agree and others that disagree with Darwin’s theories. The exhibit at the Smithsonian does make a very compelling argument in favor of evolution. One observation from the dinosaur and human evolution displays that can not be disputed is, the relatively small amount of time humans have spent on this earth.

Although we may be affecting our planet’s climate to some extent, the exhibits held a compelling argument that climate change is inevitable and a natural occurrence through time.

In the afternoon we visited the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. Quiet reverence was the tone for the afternoon. This was a very somber time of reflection with some AALP members sharing stories of war time events within their families. One AALP member shared the story of his uncle Jack who escaped from a rail car transporting people to a Nazi concentration camp. The family said that Uncle Jack was never the same after that event. There was an exhibit in the museum that allowed people to walk through a rail car that was used to transport people in WWII. This was a moment that demonstrated the horrible realities of this conflict. Class members were also shocked to learn of the calculated planning of the Nazis to exterminate people with different values and beliefs. Imagine coming home to find that your family had vanished because of your beliefs? One of the most disturbing displays within the holocaust museum was a quote near the end of the tour which stated “NEVER AGAIN”. Genocide has happened since and is happening today in our world. Society has not learned from the past in this circumstance.

In the evening we gathered on the bus for a night tour of Washington DC’s monuments and buildings. Our tour guide Kenny provided a great deal of insight in to the lives of some of America’s most respected leaders. When you count the millions of people who visit these beautiful memorials each year, the patriotism of this country’s people cannot be questioned.

At the end of the day, we were all physically and mentally tired. Many miles of walking in 90 degree weather is starting to get the best of us. The quiet ride home was due to a lot of reflection and sheer numbness. A good rest is needed by all.

David Ferguson, Henry Lise, Tim Williams – AALP Class 13

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

OFCAF Producer Perspective on Virtual Fencing – Cody Claypool

On a cold Alberta night, few jobs are less appealing than heading out to move polywire so cattle can keep making the most of a swath-grazing field. For producer Cody Claypool, virtual fencing offered a way to reduce that winter labour while still controlling how his herd accessed feed and helping capture the full value of swath grazing. Instead of bundling up in the dark to shift electric fence, Cody could check his cattle’s movements from the comfort of home — even in the middle of the night — and make management decisions from his phone. That practical fit is what made the technology worth trying on the Claypool operation, where Cody manages a herd of approximately 400 cattle and is always looking for ways to make grazing more efficient without adding more hours to already full winter days. Cody’s parents first learned about virtual fencing at an Alberta Stockgrowers meeting, where RDAR CEO Mark Redmond and Olds Researcher Briana Elliot gave presentations. Their interest was piqued

British Columbia organizations coming together to boost skills and talent training in Canadian food and ingredient ecosystem

As Canada works to reach its full opportunity to do more with what it grows, there’s an increasing need to train and produce skilled workers across the food production and value-added agriculture value-chain. Today, to help address this need, Protein Industries Canada is announcing a new project with BC Food & Beverage (BCFB), the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Cultivated Food Labs (CFL), to develop and deliver a new coordinated skills training program. Canada’s ability to Make More Here presents an opportunity to unlock $25 billion in GDP and upwards of 17,000 new innovation-based jobs. BCFB, UBC and CFL are combining their expertise to ensure enough skilled talent is ready to fill these jobs, providing companies across Canada with the workforce needed to help reach new growth potential and new markets. “A strong and resilient agri-food sector depends on a highly skilled workforce,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada

Barn Boards and Baling Wire

One morning when we still lived on the farm, I looked out the front window and saw the barn door was open. A horse was standing by the corn crib not 10 feet from the road. It wasn’t my horse, but still I had that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. We had rented out a stall to an Amish neighbor to board his horses for a month while he was doing some logging nearby. He paid the rent with several loads of firewood. As a bonus he spread some of that high-octane Percheron exhaust on the garden, so it was a good deal all around. The neighbor arrived within a few minutes to tend to the wayward horse, so it all ended well. But that sinking feeling brought back memories of all those times in my youth when somebody left a door or a gate unlocked and the cows got out – usually onto the road and almost always at the most inconvenient time. Chasing cows at three o’clock in the morning is not fun, especially when your school bus is due to arrive at 7 a.m. We came home recently after being

Grain Safety is Literally a Matter of Life and Death

BeGrainSafe Week encourages safe grain handling practices through education, rescue training, and awareness programs aimed at reducing preventable farm accidents across Canada.

Pre Harvest Glyphosate Timing Protects Crop Markets

Growers are encouraged to follow proper glyphosate application timing to reduce residue risks, protect grain quality, and maintain market access for canola, cereal, and pulse crops.

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service