Wednesday 31.3.10

We visited a processing plant which produced these products from tomaotes, corn and other vegetables. It was a great experience to see the production line and process. They produce over 100 lines of products. We then drove 21/2 hours to Brasilia (the capital of Brazil) and arrived after 8pm.

Soy Harvest in Brazil & corn ready

A farm visit was exciting this morning and learning about the production on a typical mid north Brazil farm. This is summer cropping of soy and maize. On centre pivots with a tomatoe, soy, maize, broad bean and millet crop they can produce 5 crops in 2 years. On rainfed fields they can sometimes produce 2 crops (soy and maize) in 8 months.

Around Goinnia, Brazil 30.3.10

Today Tuesday we visited a sugar farm and ethonol factory. Sugar harvest is about to start and it is all still harvested by hand. 14,000 ha from now until Novemeber.
Also went to a chicken farm, mill and processing plant. They kill 200,000 birds a day. The mill recieves close to 1000t of feed (corn, soy, and additives) a day. There are currently 2200 people working throughout the facility.

The bus with no air bags or low beam 29.3.10

The bus with no suspension. We have travelled 1000 km in 2 day in this bus. Today close to 650km leaving at 7am and arriving in Goinna at 10pm. What a RIDE.

Daterra Coffee from Uberlandia – Patrocinio to Goiânia)

Coffee production is very large in parts of Brazil. We visited Daterra Coffee farm which produces the finest coffee exported to the world. An amazing company model and Gustavo was a fantastic host. From production to processing/packing and marketing to the world we saw it all. Heidi would have enjoyed the taste test.

Drive from Ribeirao Preto to Uberlandia

Sunday 28th. A 300km drive through some amazing country side. After leaving R. Preto and driving thorough sugar cane country then cattle grazing then mixed maize, soy, sugar all growing and at mixed stages. These areas where large scale and amoungst the rolling hills. We will continue to travel north seeing coffee, chicken, sugar, soy. 600 km of driving on Monday.

Fly to Ribeiroa Preto

Today we flew 1 hour north of Sao Paulo to Ribeiro Preto to begin a week of driving though rich farm land. Looking forward to seeing the rich and productive country of Brazil.

Art, Fruit, steaks and big business

Sao Paulo city was founded in 1550's but has really established itself as a big city since the 1930's. It is a rich town with a diverse population of indian's, japanese, spanish, italian's and many more back grounds.

Sao Paulo, Brazil 26th March 2010

The city of Sao Paulo with 20 million people

Thursday 25th March

Fly overnight from Mexico City to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Arrived at mid day to a hot and humid climate 31 degrees C. By late afternoon there was a huge thunderstorm. The same happened on Friday afternoon.

Teotihuacan Pyramids Mixico City

A visit back in time to pyramids outside mexico city. A 2 km walk of death between the pyramid of sun and moon.

Country village, Sonoa 23.3.10

Crop Types in Yaqui Valley, Sonora

Various crops are grown and include carrots, chilli, green tomatoe??, citrus (lime, oranges), Asparigus, cotton, safflower. Wheat harvest begins in April/May

Long Term Sustainable trials CIMMYT

CIMMYT agronomy trials looking cropping system. Bed type, stubble retention, rotation.

CIMMYT 22.3.10

Wheat varieties grown on raised beds. These are a history of varities grown over the last 60 years. This place is amazing and hosts many research people.

City of Obergon, Sonora

View from Motel in Obregon which is in the north of Mexico a two hour flight north of Mexico city. We arrived late Sunday night. This area is considered a good agricultural area. Many crops are grown under irrigation. CIMMYT is a wheat breeding research station not far from the town.

San Fransisco City

San Fransisco 20.3.10

Friday 19th March Sacramento

No photos on Friday. Visited California University UC Davies Campus followed by sheep abbatoir and then Californian Farm Bureau who represent farmers. We stayed the night in Sacramento and drove to San Fransisco Saturday morning.

Made it to Sacramento 18.3.10

Thursday evening and we have made it to Sacramento. Tonight we had Chinese for dinner. Since arriving in California we have eaten Japenese, Mexican, Seafood and today had a sandwich made from beef with a cut called tri top which is from the rump and marinated in a special brine and then smoked (Very Californian).

Dairy California style

A 6000 head dairy farm was very impressive today. A 2500 acres farm with a 57 hd aside milking stall works 24 hours to milk cows twice a day.
Silage production began yesterday cutting Lucernce then wheat followed by maize later in the year.

Salanis Water Treatment 18.3.10

Wednesday morning in Monterey was foggy until 10am. We visited a water treatment plant which treats water to be applied to 12000 acres of farm land used to produce edible leaf crops. It collects raw sewage from a population of 250,000 people.

Fresno to Monterey

Travelled over the mountain to the port side town of Monterey. We are now in the Salinas Valley where more veggies are grown.

Fresno Tomatoes

Planting tomatoes large scale. 4 x 6 row planters in one field near Corcoran, Fresno.

Califorina Diversity 16.3.10

Lettuce and Dairy make up large farms in California. They are currently planting lettuce.

Fresno, California

California provides much of the US with its food. It produces a wide range of crops on a very large scale. One farm of 5000 acres grew 26 different crop types which ranged from tomatoes, carrots, onions, cotton, olives, grapes, lettuce. The scale and diversity is incredible. Although it does not rain from now until October the wells provide the water to produce high quality produce. An amazing valley surrounded by snow topped mountains.

Top of Chicago Monday

City of Chicago, A city of car horns and big buildings and lots of water.

Monday 15th March Chicago

Chicago Board of Trade building. We saw the start of the days trade and watched May Wheat down $3 and the S & P 500 down as well.

A walk around the city and flew to Fresno, Califorina via Los Angeles.

Horse Racing US Style

Friday Night we went to Harrisburg Races and Casino. Did not win. It is a huge facility which hosts a casino and race track. Its big and was built in 2008.

Friday 12th New Holland

Friday 12th June.

Went to New Holland and saw the factory which builds hay equipment. Saw an Amish Farm, Mushroom and composting business.

It has rained for the last 3 days and there is some flooding in Norht East States.

Monday 8th March

A full day conference at the Hyatt hotel was a thought provoking day. Quality of speakers was fantastic. The big question is How do we adapt to change to feed the predicted 9billion people world wide. Change will need a new mind set of thinking. As young leaders we will have to have an imput into policy.
A reception at the Canadian Embassy which overlooked Capital Hill followed by a meal in Down town Washington completed the day.

Washington DC

Sunday 7th March was an introduction day for the Conference Group. After lunch we visited some of the important monuments in town. Capital Hill, Lincoln Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, World War II Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and the White House (in picture). It is great to meet all the other scholars and i have already made contacts for my individual trip. 'Nuffield, a great network of people'.

Ice Hockey Go CAPS

We flew into Washington Dulles from London Heathrow this arfternoon. Went to see Washingtonm Capitals who are on top of the ladder in National Ice Hockey. The Capitals won 2 to Nil against New York Rangers. Great Fun. Heart pumping stuff. They love bright lights and loud music.

Last Day In Wales

On Friday after staying with John a Nuffield Champion we saw wind turbines and the brand new Welshpool Livestock marketing Centre. It has only one agent and they own this facility along with another investor. Weekly sales of 8 to 12000 head plus 500 to 1000 cattle.

The food Chain

Whilst in Wales we have seen the entire food chain process. On Thursday we went to Tesco which is the largest supermarket chain in UK. They are helping farmers market product though a direct supply chain.

We also went to the British Wool Board and saw how they market/pack and process the wool on behalf of the farmers.

Aberystwyth to Newtown

Sheep in Wales are shedded for a few months over winter from Dec to March. They are about to lamb over an intense 3 week period.

We also visited an abbatior where we saw organic lamb being slaughted and New Zealand lamb which is imported being cut up and packed for the local market.

Cardiff, Wales on 1st March 2010

After travelling west from Heathrow on the M4 we came to Cardiff a city of 30000 people. We stayed the night down in the Bay area. Suffering from Jetlag we hit bed early.

On Monday the 1st March we visited The Welsh Assembly House to get an overview of the politcal system and agricultural policy. Next door was the Milenium Centre which is the Art centre for Wales. It was built in 2004 and is the feature building like the Opera House is in Australia.

We traveled out to The Food Industry Centre of Wales at The University of Wales.

We continued to travel west to a small place called Cross Hands getting lost on the way. Out to a pub for tea with an old Nuffield Scholar who is a no til farmer in Wales.

In Wales

We arrived in Wales on Sunday after arriving at Heathrow at 6.30 am Sunday 28th February. It was wet and cold. We enjoyed Nuffield hositpiality with Lyndon and his family's dairy farm before visiting our first pub for lunch.

On our way to Cardiff we visited castle ruins which gave us an insight to the history and age of this amazing country.