“We come here to see farming in big scales, and to enjoy the hospitality of Alberta,” said Andersen. “When we meet people here, they do everything for us, we enjoy and appreciate it.”
The group stayed in Drumheller for three nights, visiting; Viterra, the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Last Chance Saloon, the Homestead Museum, Dekeyser Buffalo, Palco Prep, John Deere, the compressor station in Dalum, Wahlberg Hutterite Colony, then up to the Bow River, Lake Louise, Jasper, West Edmonton Mall, and the University of Alberta.
“These are such big farms, nothing compares back home,” Andersen said, while adding in Denmark the average farm is 110 hectres.
“We seed that in six hours here, with 60 foot drills while they use 12 foot ones there,” said Lance Farwell, manager at Viterra, who has been part of the student’s trip for 9 years.
Viterra hosted a barbecue for the students, with food donated by the Drumheller Co-op, and toured them through the fertilizer shed.
“Everything is big; the cars, the farms, the hills,” said student Mette Schmedt. “It’s very different, Denmark is extremely flat,” she said about the hills surrounding Drumheller.
“It’s very exciting and good to see. We learn alot from farmers here, seeing what they do compared to how we do it. I’d would eventually like to work and live here,” Schmedt said.
Gunnar Mortensen was the groups main contact and has been for many years, touring the students through Drumheller and surrounding farms.
“It has its ups and downs,” laughed Mortensen, “but it must be alright if I keep doing it.”
“It amazes them, John Deere is a real kick for them when they see the massive machinery” said Andersen.
Green Academy has about 300 students enrolled, and 10 of the visiting student’s main subject was milk production, 10 majored in swine production, and six with horses.
