Views from VanDeWalle

Recently, I was fortunate to serve as a chaperone for 24 youths who traveled to Ireland and learn more about the culture and agriculture.  Agriculture plays a significant role in the economies and cultures of both Ireland and Nebraska, though the two regions differ greatly in terms of climate, farming practices, and agricultural outputs. This article will explore these differences and similarities, shedding light on the unique agricultural landscapes of each region.

 First, let’s compare the climates. Nebraska has hot summers and cold winters with varying rainfall amounts from east to west. Ireland has a temperate maritime climate characterized by mild winters, cool summers, and consistent rainfall throughout the year. This contributes to why Ireland is called “the green island” as it is known as the land of many shades of green. Its climate supports lush, green landscapes and is ideal for pasture-based farming.

Secondly, Ireland’s agriculture relies a lot on pasture-based farming. With grass growing abundantly, it is ideal for dairy, sheep, and beef production. Most farms in Ireland are small family-owned with many farmers having second, off-the-farm jobs. Ireland has 127,000 active farmers and 64% of land is suitable for agriculture. In comparison, data from the 2022 Census of Agriculture shows there are 80,283 producers and Nebraska’s farms and ranches utilize 89% of the state’s total land area. The average farm in Ireland is 82.5 acres, while the average Nebraska farm consists of 991 acres. In Ireland, 90% of Irish beef, sheep meat and dairy produce are exported yearly. Nebraska’s top five ag exports in 2022 were soybeans and soybean products, corn, beef, ethanol and pork.

Agriculture is a vital part of Ireland’s economy contributing to exports and rural employment and agriculture is the backbone of Nebraska’s economy as 1 in 4 jobs in Nebraska are related to agriculture. Some of the places in Ireland our group visited were the National Stud Farm, Highbanks Organic Orchards, Wheelock Strawberry Farm, Glengowla Mine & sheepdog herding farm, and a local dairy, beef, vegetable, and oyster farm.

The dairy farm we visited milked 75 head of cows with 1 robotic milker. All Holstein Friesian cows were strictly pasture-fed with a supplement when they were milked. He utilized a pasture rotation and reseeded the pasture about every 5 years with a mix of grasses. During the winter months, cattle are fed mostly haylage with a little bit of corn silage as available. Every farmer is only allowed a certain number of cattle based on acres owned which was a bit of a challenge for him. He purchases replacement heifers and breeds his cows with a beef breed such as Angus or Hereford, selling the calves.

Visiting the beef farm was very interesting. The producer purchases all commercial heifers that feed grass and haylage with some corn silage in the winter. Most beef breeds are commercial and of the Angus, Simmental, Hereford, Charolais, Limousin, or Blue Belgium origin. In the winter, producers are required to move cattle off pastures and put in a drylot situation where some corn silage, haylage, and sometimes fodder beets are fed. Most corn that is grown has around a 170-day maturity and generally requires more input costs than farmers in the U.S. incur.

This was an amazing experience to see other types of agricultural systems, but a couple things Ireland and Nebraska have in common are rich agricultural traditions and a commitment to supporting their rural communities.

One of the things I love about rural communities is the amount of help and support given when people go through difficult times. I can attest to that, on several occasions. For example, when my mom had her stroke in 2011, neighbors, coworkers and friends stepped up to provide support, send cards and helped when I was needing to make trips to visit her. Also in 2011, 2012 and 2014, I was laid up with ankle surgery and very blessed that many people in the community helped watch my girls, made meals for our family, and showed many other acts of kindness.  A quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of my favorites, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

A part of the 4-H pledge is to “pledge one’s hands to larger service” and “heart to greater loyalty”. These are the values we try to instill in our 4-H youth. It is great to see youth helping each other during 4-H workshops and programs and friendships being made. There is research that shows how helping others has benefits for themselves. A professor, Thomas G. Plante from Santa Clara University, and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry at Stanford University has found that his students who attend a spring break trip working with people in poor and marginalized areas managed stress better than those who did not attend trips. He believes the research finding is due to a matter of perspective. Additionally, when helping others, you generally experience more empathy, compassion, and solidarity with others as well.

As we approach county fair season, it is important to remind adults, as well as youth of 4-H’s core values of helping others with our hands. It might improve their stress management abilities and make for a smoother fair for all involved. Rather than seeking out problems, remember the 4-H pledge and help others. You’ll likely be happier and create a better experience for everyone around you. So, instead of only worrying about your exhibits or animals or trying to get others in trouble, consider helping a fellow exhibitor and fill one’s bucket with water or call that person and tell them their animal is running low on water. If an exhibitor is struggling to know where to check-in their static exhibit, offer to help them.

By practicing these small acts of kindness, you might be surprised how much less stressed you and those around you will be. I am certainly appreciative of 4-H parents who can help my daughters when I am busy with my job. “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country and my world.”  If we practice these principles, we can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

County Fair Schedules

You can find the 4-H events for the Clay and Fillmore County Fairs on each extension website or social media. Locally, go to fillmore.unl.edu or clay.unl.edu.