tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39673736871104225562024-03-13T12:08:38.841-07:00TAMU HORT/ENTO Study Abroadaggiehorticulturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06333232401626139699noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-17529355287870610222016-07-05T04:38:00.002-07:002016-07-05T04:39:00.442-07:00Normandy D-Day Invasion Week 4<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturday June 11<sup>th</sup> we were in Caen and the
purpose was to visit the different Normandy beaches of D-Day invasion. The
first beach we visited was Point Du Hoc, and since I got there I could feel
something special about that place. The big memorial made for all the soldiers
that fought in that place showed the tactical importance of that place on how
the rest of Normandy invasion would turn out. It also was very special for us
because of the importance of Col. James Earl Rudder who was a student at Texas
A&M, and later a president of A&M.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After that we head to Omaha Beach, where most of the US casualties
occurred and was the main point of attack. It was a very hard place to do an
attack because of the long distance between the water and the cliffs. This made
very hard for US troops to start gaining territory. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Following Omaha Beach we went to the cemetery where most of
the troops that died fighting for freedom were buried. It felt so special that I
don’t know if out of respect because I was just so amazed of how many people
that had served were buried but I didn’t spoke a word since I got there to no
one, until after three hours being there. I wish I had some pictures of how the
cemetery looked, but I felt it would be wrong picturing other people’s graves.</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-59362248803391549922016-06-29T11:19:00.000-07:002016-06-29T11:19:19.485-07:00The Final Week Like many of my friends have already stated you do not go to France without visiting Paris. Paris was amazing needless to say, but after a while I really started to miss Toulouse. Prior to going to Paris though, we went to Normandy and visited the beach where Earl Rudder led a group of brave men to climb the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc and regain control over Normandy. It was astounding to see exactly how steep the cliffs were and the craters in the ground where heavy artillery had once been fired. On our way into Paris we stopped by Monet's garden and walked through his house to admire the scenery and some of his paintings. After Monet's garden we continued on into the city of Paris. Now like most I have heard a lot about Paris and how amazing it is; in my opinion it is way over hyped. My first scene of Paris was on the outskirts of the city in probably not the best part of town, the streets were dirty and it was sad to see refugees and beggars all across the city asking for money. You just couldn't help but feel sorry for them. After unloading the van at the hotel a few of us went to return the van with Julien and see a little more of the city. All I can say is wow! There are definitely different parts of Paris. We wound up going down the Main Street and it was lined with all the Name Brand stores(ex. Hermes, Chanel, Louis Vuitton(flagship store), Armani) and who could possibly forget the Ferraris and Lamborghinis' that were parked out front. It kind of made me think you needed a lot of money to enjoy Paris. After purchasing our museum passes the tours of Paris began. Our first visit was to the Lourve which was home to the Mona Lisa which is a nice piece of work and I know there is apparently a lost of mystery to its life but I did not find it as impressive as it is said to be. I found myself drawn more to the impression artist like Monet and Van Gogh which we got to see at the Museum de Orsay. My favorite visit in Paris was by far Versaille. The palace was very grand and fancy, but for me the most beautiful part was the garden. Thanks to Julien we met with the head gardener Joules and his right hand Nicholas and got a private tour of the grounds, including getting access to all the small gardens that were locked to the public. We started out going to the ballroom garden and took refuge in the orangerie when it started to rain cats and dogs on us. After the rain let up we finished seeing the rest of the garden and their greenhouse. We learned a few of their secrets to planting for year round blooms and the compost they use for their orange trees. Every time I think back to that week I can not help but laugh, smile, and just shake my head occasionally at the memories we created. I can not thank Julien and Cecilia enough for an amazing trip and translating so much for all of us. I also was blessed with an amazing group of people who turned into good friends to travel and see France with. Until the next time, Au Revoir.<br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-90673075368881243452016-06-27T10:44:00.000-07:002016-06-27T10:44:00.368-07:00Final Stretch of Tour de France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At last we arrived in Paris for our final week. I had high expectations for the city of love, however, I was in for a rude awakening. My first taste of the city was on the outskirts when we stopped at a McDonalds for lunch. Surrounded by subsidized housing it was not the best of neighborhoods. As we drove further into the city it reminded me of one place- New Orleans. The amount of homeless on the streets along with trash thrown everywhere was alarming. Not to mention the overwhelming amount of middle eastern refugees begging on the streets. It was not a pleasant site to see. I believe Paris is well overhyped. After dropping the van off we walked to the Arc de Triumph and down the main drag- Champ de Elysees. It was a different story here, clean streets with little to no beggars. Ferraris and Lamborghinis roamed the grand street. I quickly realized that the Paris everyone expects requires some serious cash. It is not the place for a budget. The following day we visited the magnificent Louvre. It was truly astounding the amount of art and ancient artifacts contained in the palace. It would take one a week to view everything inside and about after four hours it becomes hard to appreciate each work of art. Seeing the Mona Lisa was on the bucket list, however, it was a little disappointing. I understand the technique and mystery behind it is what makes it great but it was much smaller than I expected. When I view art I look for the emotion that it brings to me and the Mona Lisa simply didn't do much. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starry Night over the Rhone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monet Painting of his garden</td></tr>
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The next day we visited the Orsay, which contains many Van Gogh and various impressionist paintings. I enjoy this museum far more because it appealed to my taste in art. I could stare off into starry night for hours if it wasn't for time constraints.There had been various protests around France due to the new labor laws and on our way to the catacombs we got to experience a full on protest/riot. The police barricaded one street that the protest moved down but things quickly escalated with protesters throwing rocks and police retaliating with tear gas and flash bangs. It got my adrenaline pumping with flash bangs going off right next to me and clouds of tear gas blowing though. After a while we had seen and felt enough so we decided to head back. On our day off we explored the city, roaming from one tourist attraction to another. By then I was starting to become tired of Paris, it wasn't as relaxed as Toulouse and I can only take in and appreciate so much. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protest/Riot in Paris</td></tr>
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Our last day of the program actually turned into one of my favorites. We caught a train to Versailles and toured the extravagant palace and garden. I always will enjoy nature more than anything and receiving a tour from the head gardener was spectacular. We had a VIP pass to all the areas off limits to the public, however, our visit was cut short by rain. Manuel and I had a European Championship game to catch that evening so we quickly made our way back to the city. The game was between Germany and Poland, vying for the top spot in their group. Historic rivals as well, it was a hard fought draw. Poland had the better opportunities but couldn't capitalize. Great ending to my time in France. The people I met and relationship I developed will last a long time and I hope to one day return to this great county. Thank you, Julien and Cecilia for the trip of a life time. I will take much back with me and will implement it in my own career of vegetable production.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">European Championship: Germany vs. Poland</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-73782265466901486402016-06-27T09:38:00.001-07:002016-06-27T09:38:55.140-07:00Third week of the TourThe following week was by far my favorite thus far of the trip. We visited 14,000 year old cave drawings, a Gaillac winery, Armagnac distillery and finally what I have been looking forward to for most of my life- Normandy. The cave drawings were absolutely unreal. Hard articulate such artifacts still exist after all this time. I was impressed by the detail of the animals. I never knew buffalo existed in Europe until them. Possibly the reason for the drawings was to commemorate the great animal after being hunted to extinction.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vineyard overlooking Collioure</td></tr>
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The following day we travelled to the Gaillac wine region. There we met with the owner of Domaine Rotier. He gave us a full tour of his farm and facility, answering everything I could throw at him. I was intriuged by the fact that it was all organic. I thought to myself that it must be very difficult to maintain such high quality under organic circumstances. However, he explained their IMP (Integrated Pest Management) and plant nutrition system thoroughly, making it seem so simple. I was impressed to say the least and would one day like to own a vineyard of such quality. Families as such have been growing grapes for hundreds even thousands of years. They have everything defined without fault.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Syrah Grapes at Domaine Rotier</td></tr>
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That Friday we left for Normandy. I had been waiting my whole life to visit and pay my respects to the men that made the ultimate sacrifice liberating Europe. I grew up watching the History channel and was very fascinated with the invasion of Normandy. My interest grew looking at the relics of the war my grandfather brought back. When I finally arrived I didn't know how exactly I would react. It was surreal to finally be there especially so close to the anniversary. I was humbled to see for myself the extreme adversity the soldiers under the command of Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder over came to capture Point Du Hoc. Frankly put, I was speechless. Imagining the battle and the men that were my age or younger losing their brothers. Visiting the cemetery after was tough. Unsuspectingly I was choked up. Seeing all those young men buried there, some not known. I took a walk through the tombstones with a feeling that I was looking for something but I didn't know what. I was proud to be an American and thankful for the sacrifice they made. More people began to fill in and it disgruntled me to see them smiling posing next to the memorial. This isn't a tourist attraction or a place to take your next Facebook profile picture. To me it was there to pay respects and to honor those that had fallen. For that I say thank you.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the 155 mm Cannon bunkers at Pointe Du Hoc</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to a bunker at Pointe Du Hoc</td></tr>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-78683040695972411782016-06-25T18:10:00.002-07:002016-06-25T18:18:34.826-07:00The Final Chapter in FranceIt has been a week since I spent my last week in France. It has been a wild ride and I would like to thank everyone who made this trip what it was. I would like to thank Ben, Ryan, Manuel, Emily, Alanise, and Lauren for being the best group abroad I have ever had. I believe these friendships will last long after this trip is a distant memory. Each person was unique and brought me many laughs and experiences. I'd like to thank Julien and Cecilia for their input on the trip. The entire experience went fluently due to their amazing planning and they handled the responsibility of our group like it was nothing. Everyone got along so well and the trip definitely was made a million times better by the closeness of the group.<br />
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My fourth week in France was crazy! As an American, the sites of World War II are important in our and the world's history. The thought of conquering a beach at Normandy is unbelievable after you see the cliffs and how open the range is, and the American cemetery can't be described by words. It gave me chills down my spine as I walked down the rows of headstones. As a Texas A&M student, seeing a commemoration to James Earl Rudder made me proud to attend such a prestigious school. </div>
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Le Louvre literally was a walking piece of art. I have never seen such a large and diverse collection of art. Ranging from Egyptian artifacts and Italian sculptures to the Mona Lisa and a collection of Napoleon's rooms.</div>
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The next visit was the Garden of Versailles. HOLY SMOKE!!! The Palace of Versailles was incredible but the garden really took the show for me. The garden's size was impressive by itself! Thanks to Julien's connections, we got an exclusive tour of the entire garden and its private gardens. Unluckily, it got cut short by an intense rainstorm. Almost got to experience Noah's Ark while we were there. </div>
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If you go to France, you almost have to visit the Eiffel Tower which boasts one of the most impressive architectural designs I have ever seen in person. It even features three levels and a restaurant but I'll have to experience that another time. Here is also where I got to experience a scam firsthand. It was pretty entertaining and gave us a good laugh. It cost them 60 euros but it taught me a good lesson: if you want to prove a point, an example is a great way to get your point across. Spending a late night by the Eiffel Tower, we got to experience the celebrations by the fan zones after France won 2-0. Probably one of my favorite experiences in France. It showed despite the cultural differences and all the turmoil, futbol (soccer) unites us all. </div>
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It gives me the feels that these good times are over, but this really was something that will stay with me forever. I would definitely recommend pursuing an experience abroad if you are interested or questioning it. It will change your life in a good way!</div>
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Ian Piersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418586239444023515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-5805255668846624502016-06-22T04:45:00.006-07:002016-06-22T04:45:48.363-07:00Week 4 in France<div class="MsoNormal">
The Palace of Versailles is beautifully surrounded by many
gardens and statues. Walking through the former home of French royals was very breathtaking.
The massive painting of royals, battle scenes and the gardens covered filled
each room. Outside of the palace the site of green and vibrant plants were
beautifully manicured into variety abstract designs. As a class were able to
take a private tour with one of the gardeners. Versailles’ garden is very large
and requires a large quantity of workers to care for the garden. The upkeep
method used by the gardeners has been used for many years. There is not a handbook
to teach them the method, but the seasoned gardeners teach the new gardeners.
This system is similar to the method used by small family farmers. In small
family farm agriculture the older generations teach the younger generations
their farming techniques. Passing down the gardening techniques, and knowledge
from experienced gardeners to new gardeners keeps Versailles gardens beautiful
and long lasting for future generations to visit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-32446492358081068062016-06-21T22:42:00.000-07:002016-06-21T22:42:32.625-07:00Au Revoir France<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Helen Keller said, "the best and most beautiful things in the world can not be seen nor touched-they must be felt with the heart". I learned that many of American icons were inspired by French architecture, such as the beloved Mixky Mouse. Disney visited Versailles Gardens and saw how beautiful it was and how the structure resembled a mouse. They then proceeded to take the idea back to the states creating an empire of off the French inspired piece. This is one of many examples of how France was felt in the heart of individuals. Throughout my trip, France touched my heart in ways I never imagined and in ways Texas could not. Climbing mountains, visiting castles, communicating with non English speakers are experiences I wouldn't trade for the world and are experiences that I will miss dearly. My last week in France consisted of me opening my heart to view people's struggle and pain through artwork. Visiting the Louvre was touching for many reasons. It was like no other museum in Texas, not only because of its size but also because of its content. The Louvre contained some of the most world renowned pieces, such as, the Mona Lisa and Aphrodite. Unlike in Texas, there are many security procedures before entering and it will take many days to see everything. We were told the Louvre was so big it takes at least 4 whole days to see it all. This fact amazed me because most museums in Texas can be seen within one day. This fact also saddened me because I only had one day to immerse myself in its beauty and history. I will truly miss being in France. Au Revoir.</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-75665916050098282712016-06-21T08:29:00.002-07:002016-06-21T08:29:47.516-07:00Week 3, Gallac Wine Production<div class="MsoNormal">
On Tuesday June 7<sup>th</sup> we visited a Gallac wine
production. The visit was made by one of the two farm owners. He was in charge
of growing the vines and producing the grapes but we also had a tour of where
the grape is converted to wine. The owner was very thorough explaining all the
pesticides, fertilizers, crops planted between the rows, pheromones that were
needed to add. What most got my attention was that he explained how they could
adapt the vines to any location by grafting the type of root and the type of
grape wanted to be produced.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This will definitely help back home, since my father and I
have always wanted to have about one acre of vines to produce our own wine, and
since we had very calcareous soils and hot temperature we thought that the
vines wouldn’t be able to adapt, but after what the farmer from the visit told
us, I am confident that in the future we will be able to do this project.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-60627462506094362952016-06-21T08:06:00.000-07:002016-06-21T08:06:00.401-07:00Week two, Trip to Sevens Mountains<div class="MsoNormal">
On Thursday June 2<sup>nd</sup> we started our visit to the
Sevens Mountains, to visit local productions of cheese, sheep meat, and cow
meat. As we met with this producers of what is in France a “large scale production”
of sheep meat. This people wouldn't allow visitors to their farm,
since they are considered cruel because they have “so many animals” (400 sheep)
and the space they are in winter is not big enough. We also visited a cow meat
producer who had also about 400 cows and considered a very large production.
And they had the same problem with letting people in, even though that family
has done that since several generations.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Both of this types of farms are currently are having
restrictions because of new legislation, caused by increasing environmentalist
strikes on “large production farms” where animals are feed in a cage.
Environmentalists argue that they are altering the normal way an animal grows
and that the ecosystem is modified when the feed lots are made. This results in
the amounts of cows grown being limited, even though they have more than enough
space for more cows.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The current “solution” France farmers are finding to the
cows not allowed in feed lots is to feed the cows in pastures making them as
fat as they can, and then selling them to feed lots in Italy. Italy will
increase their weight in feed lots and sell the meat back to France keeping
most of the revenue.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I find this wrong because the government knows this is a
problem; that Italy is making all the money in the process and that they can’t
do anything about it because they are too afraid of a small minority doing strikes. As
the governing unit they should allow feed lots and other agricultural expansions to occur, having in mind the whole country's economy and small farmers business, not only for the few environmentalists that oppose all changes that want to be made.<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-48859822682710381252016-06-18T01:04:00.000-07:002016-06-18T01:04:39.708-07:00Week 3 France <span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701961); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">This week we visited multiple different places but three stood out the most to me. The trip to the Gaillac Winery, the Armagnac, and the Horticulture Boffo freres. These three places all had one thing in common that I saw and that was everything they worked on was given extreme attention. Like at the Gaillac where they tended to the soil and pest control with precision. While we were there I saw each barrel being cleaned and prepared for the upcoming harvest of wine. At the winery they not only filled, corked and sealed the bottles, but also labeled them as well. To me it was impressive to see all the work that was being done with only a few people, and they were not just simple tasks. All the while at the Armagnac facility we saw where they kept the armagnac in barrels and vats until it was perfect right down to the color and then taken to another room and like Gaillac were hand sealed and labeled right there at the facility. At boffo fereres everything was done by hand from the planting, maintaining, to the picking of the flowers by only a handful of workers. It was neat to see how so much work, planning, and patience went in to producing their products. I definitely think this is a lesson we can all learn from in that quality does not come from quantity. To produce good quality it takes time and hard work. One example that came to mind is peaches. When growing you have to pick a few off the branches so you get nice size peaches and the branch doesn't break with all the weight. When they final start to turn color from ripening you have to worry about bugs and birds coming and eating holes in them while you wait for them to ripen on the vine. All this may not sound all that bad, but it takes a lot of time and patience. That is why most peaches people get in the market have been picked early and put in cold storage and ripened using ethylene gas. So obviously the two are not the same quality which is something I have noticed in France, that they will take quality over quantity any day. </span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-64204340833587552812016-06-16T10:40:00.003-07:002016-06-16T12:02:03.575-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You don't come to France with out visiting Paris. We spent our fourth and final week touring the city's many historical landmarks, castles, and museums. I have never before been exposed to so much art, history, and culture. The Louvre was amazing, if not over crowded. I honeslty never expected to come face to face with such world renowned original masterpieces like the Mona Lisa.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mona Lisa</td></tr>
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After the Louvre we visited Notre Dame, last I checked Notre Dame was a University in the U.S.. I had no idea it was an incredibly impressive gothic cathedral that took close to 200 years to build. <br />
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We also spent a substantial amount of time at the Musee D' Orsay. I don't know much about art and paintings but I do know that I enjoy impressionism above all else. Yet again we enjoyed the opportunity to view original masterpieces by world renowned imprssionists like Vincent Vangogh and Claude Monet.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vangogh's "Stary Night"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vangogh's self portrait.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monet's Garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monet's Anne of Green Gabels</td></tr>
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Dr. Levy gave us all a free day Wednesday. I spent the day walking around the city, making it a point to see the Eiffel Tower. As I stated previously; you don't come to France without visiting Paris, and you don't go to Paris with out viewing the Eiffle Tower. The intracacy of the design is breath taking. Much like landscapes in the Pyrennes, pictures just don't do it justice. Yet such landscapes and structures are highly photogynic, making it seem like I actually know how to take a proper photo. <br />
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All-in-all, this has been a great experience. Thanks Dr. Levy for putting this together for us.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16048155111409046673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-61113806537046443162016-06-15T14:34:00.000-07:002016-06-16T10:42:46.104-07:00We kicked off week 3 with a trip to a vineyard in a region of France known as Gaillac, home of a winery by the name of Domaine Rotier. There they grow a wide variety of grapes, all of which are used to produce premium organic wines. Although some may have been lost in translation, it was clear that this family owned and operated business took pride in the quality of their sulfite free inventory of wines. Although wine containing sulfites isn't much of a concern to the majority of consumers, I can appreciate a nice bottle of wine with a fresh, robust bouquet, and no preservatives; but once the cork is pulled, it's best to go ahead and finish the bottle. (Insert smiley.) The most common pest the vineyard deals with is a specific kind of moth that ruins ripening grapes. In keeping with organic production and principals of IPM; the vineyard interestingly enough employs female moth pheromones which are dispersed throughout the field in order to jam the pheromone receptors of male moths, subsequently preventing further breeding due to sensory overload. Such practices effectively work as signal jammers, making it near impossible for male moths to physically locate a suitable female partner with which to breed. I personally find this to be fascinating.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7PwDUmMHPjx572Z2WvV6esFQAGIjry5XctCXYRKvcK2XNTGpPvQv_ree2xIoA0KwLUxpg8-4_a0Bi5VTeQbXHBoX9inc2t3VJ_Y-XZ-Ap6Y2914IdLc-mQp0ktrNgGbGMQbt3YOAmqs/s1600/Image-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7PwDUmMHPjx572Z2WvV6esFQAGIjry5XctCXYRKvcK2XNTGpPvQv_ree2xIoA0KwLUxpg8-4_a0Bi5VTeQbXHBoX9inc2t3VJ_Y-XZ-Ap6Y2914IdLc-mQp0ktrNgGbGMQbt3YOAmqs/s640/Image-1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gaillic vineyard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tool used to disperse female moth pheromones. </td></tr>
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I unfortunately failed to record the name of an awesome green house we visited on the 9th that produced a wide variety of specialty flowers. I got side tracked once I saw the wide range of orchids they produced. I may be an old man and combat vet, but I will never deny my love for flower production, especially large scale orchid production. I lost count of the many different verities they produced. Absolutely beautiful to say the least!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGuXui8kpkKUDnAR0hOe0WwavpaiviP_sSOgDwM503VbVguGadvsnJB9BE8Y86DdaOUWQDTQ6r9ZDXyeO8x0071uhFqZKjuzMT1hROdcH2amOmm6GHUzV-nD7oXbsQYZmS7KUjwAekE4/s1600/Image-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGuXui8kpkKUDnAR0hOe0WwavpaiviP_sSOgDwM503VbVguGadvsnJB9BE8Y86DdaOUWQDTQ6r9ZDXyeO8x0071uhFqZKjuzMT1hROdcH2amOmm6GHUzV-nD7oXbsQYZmS7KUjwAekE4/s640/Image-3.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not an insect, but a variety of orchid I never knew existed.</td></tr>
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Pointe du Hoc Normandy. An added bonus that speaks for itself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1vbkzebeN5QhsaUIhshyphenhyphen5dufTAvxpUBXu33Y4l2sZxbhY4KeO35ryKr7AKorLZdYPb9JBLXPXs47TMlfppDxxVREAaNM-aKc68QXY3weqa06N_grsjV_uxcRNFcHgieO7yvJnpN51ok/s1600/IMG_2534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1vbkzebeN5QhsaUIhshyphenhyphen5dufTAvxpUBXu33Y4l2sZxbhY4KeO35ryKr7AKorLZdYPb9JBLXPXs47TMlfppDxxVREAaNM-aKc68QXY3weqa06N_grsjV_uxcRNFcHgieO7yvJnpN51ok/s640/IMG_2534.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument dedicated to Col. Rudder and his Rangers. </td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16048155111409046673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-69558271868689122472016-06-14T06:17:00.000-07:002016-06-26T09:36:10.485-07:00Blog Number 3Welcome back! The week was more touring various cities than focusing on agriculture. It was nice to take a break and just observe the beauty of the cities. But getting back on track... Over the past few days, I spent a couple of days with a French friend. Over the course of the day, we explored Rouen which in my opinion was one of the most historical cities I've visited in France. We visited the famous site where Joan D'Arc was burned and we saw this amazing Cathedral. Next, I visited their hometown and gained quite an insight on the views of a local grower with a backyard garden. The garden consisted of tomatoes, lettuce, parsley, groseille which is like a special French grape, and zucchini. The tomatoes and zucchini don't do well in the rainy climate of Dieppe and the others seem to do very well except snails and slugs, diseases and pests are still a problem. the smaller gardens make use of companion planting to prevent and repel the problems listed above. From this, I saw some of the French views against nonorganic produce and of France in general. The French despise Monsanto for ruining farmers who use the seeds. They see the seeds as part of what the farmers buy. The Americans seem to support Monsanto since copyrights and all the trademarking is a huge part of our commerce. The seeds are seen as a trademarked item that is violated if it's "resold" in the form of new produce. The interpretations of the other country's people is quite inaccurate. The reputation of the French being rude and every American being cocky seem to have stuck the majority with the qualities of the few. The French actually are very generous and I don't believe Americans are always full of themselves. Very few of the French I've encountered have been rude. Overall, the trip was good in showing the city and giving me a little insight into smaller gardens that aren't commercial. Speaking of commercial... Until next time, I'll catch you later.<br />
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<br />Ian Piersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418586239444023515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-76754140665147364112016-06-13T14:05:00.002-07:002016-06-13T14:05:54.987-07:00Week 3 in France<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.696px;">Omaha beach is very significant to American and world history. It is one of the D-day beaches where American forces landed to liberate Europe from German control in WWII. This week I was able to visit the cemetery, and the beach landing sites. At the cemetery there were short films being played along with displays of military gear, and weapons. Walking through the displays was very eye opening, it gave me an idea of what the soilders endurered during the war. They had to be strong, carry alot of supplies and be strategic in their planning for combat. It was amazing to see, and hear the stories of the young American soilders who were willing to leave their friends, and family behind to fight for their country. They were aware of the possibility that they may not return home but with their drive, courage, and bravery the soldiers enlisted. That same drive is also seen in American soldiers today.</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-70672467122848545062016-06-13T11:11:00.005-07:002016-06-21T22:36:29.060-07:00Life and Comradery <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Visiting the D Day Memorial allowed me to see the true definition of comradery. Living in America, I have always known that we stepped in when our allied countries were in need of assistance if we had the means to do so. It never dawned on me how much assistance we gave and how much it meant to others. Going to the D Day Memorial near Omaha beach showed me that the Unites States stepped in, supplied weapons, guns, soldiers, and most importantly lives to protect our allies. Women left widowed. Children left fatherless. Mother's and father's left childless. All this sacrifice for another country who still to this day pays respect to it. In Texas we have many memorials and historical places, such as the Alamo, but in my opinion nothing that I have seen in my 20 years of living could compare to the selflessness of all the soldiers who volunteered to protect a country that wasn't their own. Nothing can compare to seeing all of those white crosses in the ground covering there bodies. Nothing could compare to seeing relatives of the deceased still to this day mourning over their loved ones. This eye opening class taught me a valuable lesson that I almost forgot, help others no matter the price. Helping others no matter the cost, that is real definition of comradery. The D day memorial on Omaha Beach is comroadary</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-70197826947131807552016-06-08T11:09:00.000-07:002016-06-08T11:29:17.490-07:00Week deux was full of firsts for me. We took a trip to the Pyrenees to tour the countryside, visit local farms, make nice with the locals, and eat some cheese. Thinking back, it all went by in a flash, but I'll never forget the warm welcome received, particularly in Arrigas. After meeting with our tour guide Stefan -a local land owner and socialite- we began by touring a very prestigious cheese factory. Societe; located in <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.12px;">Roquefort-sur-Soulzon,</span> is home to the famous French brand of blue cheese "Roquefort." If I'm honest, I knew going in that blue cheese isn't for me and yet I also knew that I had to try it. As a matter of fact, after touring the facilities and learning the history of Roquefort, I came out wanting to try it. I still don't like blue cheese but it was a great experience.<br />
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And forget about the Pyrennes. Pictures just don't do it...</div>
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In addition to taking in the beautiful countryside, other highlights include touring both goat and beef farms; all of which are independently owned and family operated, enjoying french cuisine prepared by a professionally trained yet humble chef/restaurateur named Sam -owner of Le Causse, and just following Stefan as he showed us his own herd of goats and plot of land nestled in a shallow valley. There I drank truly fresh water for the first time, right out of the earth. Slightly metallic downstream a bit due to a few metal plates arranged to channel water flow yet it was crisp, clear, and cold right from the source. I remember wishing I had a bottle so I could take some with me. Even if it was already full, I would have emptied it just to take some of Stefan's spring water with me.<br />
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Thanks Sam!</div>
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"The hills are alive." </div>
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Whats fresher than fresh?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16048155111409046673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-14247516713489384962016-06-07T13:18:00.001-07:002016-06-07T13:18:50.130-07:00Week Two<span style="color: rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.701961); font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">This past week we went on an overnight trip where we went to Roquefort and visited multiple different farms and met different officials. Agriculture is connected to everything in some sort of fashion and farming is a way of life and sometimes people forget that. Farmers work hard to produce the best quality product they can then turn around and sell it to the public. This produce then goes straight to the consumers or goes to restaurants where it is prepared for them. At the restaurant we went to Thursday night, they were using all local products to prepare dinner; and this place is not the only place I have seen this. Every where we go people use local products and simply look at you with blank stares if you ask them where it is from. They seem to be very prideful that their products are all local and I personally like that everything is local. With everything being local fruits and vegetables have seasons, like they are supposed to, and are not available all year round. This allows farmers to let the produce ripen on the vine and not in cold storage, so needless to say the produce here actually has very good flavor. Another thing that is really neat to me is that farmers know how to use the land to their advantage. In one place we went the owner had natural spring water that you could drink from straight from the creek that flowed through his land that he used for his garden and to water his flock of sheep. At Roquefort where they produced the cheese they made it in a cave on planks of salted wood. It really amazes me to see people being resourceful and not very wasteful like some people I know in the U.S. This is definitely something I will be taking home by working with the land, while producing the best possible product for people to enjoy.</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-37859608823994512252016-06-07T12:51:00.000-07:002016-06-19T09:36:13.500-07:00Blog Numero DosAs an American culture, we fill our atmosphere with diversity yet it's very short lived. The French culture is quite historical and has many generations specializing in different fields. The one in particular is the cheese industry. The cheese production in Roquefort is well renowned but the foundations go farther than I believe the United States is capable. The process starts from the milk from sheep where we visited and saw the milking of these sheep. The milk undergoes a special process to produce the cheese where The production takes place in an underground cave that has been used for centuries. The cave was a natural occurrence. The elements that provide the perfect environment for the cheese production could never be naturally recreated. The United States lacks any history like the French since America was built upon the hard work of the individual and the entitlement to nothing. Business in France was passed down from father to son. The land and the production secrets were passed down through the generations to what we experience today from this cheese plant. Americans have always valued freedom. The lesser of government intervention is a part of American capitalism while the French government seems to control a majority of the French economy. Each has its benefits and its downsides. The French government plays a crucial role in protecting the cheese industry traditions and prestige with its strict regulations that would never be possible in the United States. Plus the United States lack of historical culture would leave no place for cheese consumption. Americans eat sundaes, cookies, cake, brownies, etc. after a meal. There is no place for a healthy dessert such as cheese in our "American" diet. The cultured cheese of France takes time and care; something that has been replaced by mass consumption in the United States.<br />
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<br />Ian Piersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418586239444023515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-1958419593328249232016-06-06T14:44:00.004-07:002016-06-08T11:23:56.513-07:00Week two in the Tour<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"> After an eventful first week ending in Luchon, I would arrive in Toulouse in time for a second shot at the Opera. It was my first time attending such event. </span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"> Our seats were in the nose bleeds which at first I didn't mind but it became uncomfortable after the first half. During intermission a couple of us snuck down to the very first row. From a different perspective the opera became much more entertaining. I appreciated the actors ability but not speaking French made it a little difficult to fully understand what it was about. A big culture difference from the US I to notice was not only their tolerance but admiration of a naked women in the opera. Early there were a couple topless scenes but during the second half one women stripped completely down. I payed very good attention for the rest of the show.</span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"> On Monday we visited a 400 hectare farm in the country side, an area that resembled Tuscany. We discuss much about policy and comparing the large scale farms in the US. Last week when we visited the Chamber of Agriculture they made it seem like they helped farmers every step of the way, however, the owner of this "large scale" farm told us working with them is very difficult. He wasn't aided with subsidies as he was told when converting from conventional to organic farming. Makes you wonder if chamber of Ag are just like another politicians. Later that day we toured Carcassonne and the extraordinary castle that surrounds the old town. It was like stepping into Game of Thrones. The shear scale of it indulged me in reminiscence. </span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"> Tuesday we visited an ecology research center in the Pyrenees. One of their main focus was salamanders. Deep in a cave in a mountain we examined and played with different species of cave salamanders. It was very intriguing seeing how they live in complete darkness. Our tour guide, a doctor heading the program, gave us a very in depth history and current research seminar. It was a little too much as this man was obviously very passionate about the creatures. </span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"> Wednesday we had a late start. Our trip was to the waste water treatment plant. This was particularly my least favorite. I have been to a plant as such before and seeing it for a second time wasn't anything I wanted to do.</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"> The following day we left for the Cévennes Mountains. There our professor had many connections with local politicians and farmers. This was my favorite time during the program thus far. All the different rural Ag production systems was very fascinating and something I had never seen before. The area was beautiful as well. One thing that remains current in France and that is the emphasis on tradition. This trip was an over nighter with the following day we visited in my opinion the greatest farm I've seen. It was nestled in a rural valley with a grain mill from the Roman times and a drinkable natural spring. The most unbelievable aspect of the property was that it only cost €11,000. After viewing organic bee production, which may have been the coolest Ag production of the trip so far. There they still practiced the tradition bee hive with native bees. I respect the desire to continue unique traditions. If not for people like that farmer those would all be lost to museums and history books. The long drive home awaited after a full day. Everyone seemed to be either on edge or asleep. Week two came to a conclusion. </span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-32244400882298494602016-06-05T19:10:00.001-07:002016-06-07T14:44:38.204-07:00Week 2 in France<span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13.696px;">Cheese is very popular in France, it is used in many desserts and dinner recipes. Societe is a company that makes their cheese inside a cave. The cave has been used to make Rouqefort Cheese for several years. The cave system Societe uses to produce Roquefort Cheese is a well developed combination of traditional storing methods, and improved penecillium mold cultivation using rye bread. Inside the cave we were able to see remninants of the old wooden storage shelves that had long been replaced. During the tour we were able to taste three different forms of the cheese. Each form of the cheese had a specific form of penecillium cultivated for a specific taste. The cheese is similar to blue cheese in America, but it is more rich and flavorful. In America most cheese is developed and processed in a factory using new sciences, and technology. I find it interesting that Societe has been able make Roquefort cheese inside of a cave for over a 100 years without drastically changing the production method. The penecillium is grown using rye bread, and cultivated and selected in a lab. The cultivation method allows them to sell Roquefort Cheese throughout the year. In France there seems to be a great desire to continue the use of traditional production methods, and this is not only aparent in the Societe Cheese Company, but in French agriculture as well.</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-35416049917288255472016-06-05T16:39:00.000-07:002016-06-05T16:52:22.386-07:00Cheese and Tradition <div style="line-height: 1.5;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Tradition. Tradition is beliefs, customs, or ideas passed down from one generation to another. Tradition is a word that every Texas Aggie holds near and dear to them because it is what Texas A&M is based on. With all this being said, it was amazing to go to the mountains and watch the production of cheese by Roquefort Société because the production of the cheese itself was based off of tradition. It was traditional to make the cheese in cave that is hundreds of years old like it is traditional for Aggies to mourn the loss of fellow aggies together (Mustard and Silver Taps). It was traditional to only use resources on the mountains like it's traditional for Aggies to quote the phrase "An Aggie never lie , cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do." Being in that cave, allowed me to see up close and personal the value of tradition in cheese production, which is not something that Texans can say they see a lot of. Watching a mass production business uphold strong traditional values throughout the changing times without much civil backlash was a new thing to see because in Texas, </span><span style="line-height: normal;">traditions in the food production industry has to change in order to appease the masses. Nothing can stay the same in Texas unlike the cheese production in the French Mountains</span></span><br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-66876134371433831782016-06-01T03:17:00.000-07:002016-06-01T03:18:54.759-07:00Blog #1: Week One in Toulouse, France<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">Howdy! This trip was sponsored by yours truly and 6 other members. I wonder if the French government would have sponsored us if we were coming from France rather then to it... Anyways, the first week in France took place in Toulouse. Starting on Sunday, we investigated a nice farmers market. Something I've never actually seen before. Sure I've gone to a few open markets in the United States but nothing like what I experienced in the streets of France. The market had chicken, fruits, and vegetable. The freshest money could buy. Local, imported, they had it all.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">Toulouse as a city was eye-catching. The building were well cultured and the roads were just like the movies. Everything was within walking distance and the living spaces were usually located on top of the shops creating multi-story building everywhere.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The picture autocropped out the bottom half of the picture and I don't know how to fix it becaue All the instructions and controls are in French... But enjoy!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">Next we visited a French agriculture building which informed us of the French regulations in the United States. Since I actually don't own a farm, some of the regulations were new to me. The crops around the northern region were wheat,canola,sunflower,and wine, and corn and cattle in the south. . While corn is a huge product in the United States, it is only used for feed here in France. And each product has a history here in France. The cheese and wine can only be produced in the areas it was originally being created much like a permanent patent in the United States. The government is also supporting small local farmers to get started by giving them funds to start their own plantations. Aside from the positives, there are some negatives here in France. T</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">he farmers have to ask for a certain amount of water like asking for a grant in the United States but i'll get to that later.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Like I was saying before researchers in the United States must "ask" the United States for funding. But here in France, the government has put billions into agriculture. The tour with Dr. Matthieu and his research facility was truly amazing. The technology they had was top of the line, each sector had a full staff. They had a staff just for using the DNA equipment. The United States' researchers must ask for their funding through grants which tell the government what they want, how they'll get it, the process, and how that information will help them solve the problem, etc. This gives the French a huge advantage in this field because the time it takes the United States to write a grant, the French can skip and continue with their "free" equipment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The final leg of our journey was a visit to a local farmer's 3 acre plot and a magnificent garden. In France, the produce is more local and a higher percentage is organic. Is organic really that much better? I guess it's up to personal opinion... Moving on. The garden was my favorite place so far. The division of the garden into continents and showing plants grown in each place was brilliant! In the United States there may be gardens but none I've seen as magnificent and diverse as this.</span></div>
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Ian Piersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12418586239444023515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-45000367815100614382016-06-01T01:43:00.000-07:002016-06-01T01:44:19.687-07:00Toulouse First Week<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vf_h-sJqzNI/V06gAzO90QI/AAAAAAAAAAY/OREd5R-Pg4AJk7zRIxeokVI-t43DuOk7gCLcB/s1600/outdoor%2Bmarket.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vf_h-sJqzNI/V06gAzO90QI/AAAAAAAAAAY/OREd5R-Pg4AJk7zRIxeokVI-t43DuOk7gCLcB/s320/outdoor%2Bmarket.png" width="240" /></a>On Sunday 22, our first day in Toulouse we went to visit the local farmer markets. Two of them were cheaper and outdoors; just along the sidewalk of the street, and one was a more expensive one but in a supermarket type of setting. In contrast the supermarket each seller rented a space and outdoor market simply allowed people could go in a space and start to sell, but both ways sellers were able to sell their product and compete against other sellers directly. The effect this type of market produces in the economy is great, because it stops big monopolies from coming and taking over the trade and managing prices as they wish.</div>
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The small farmers are the ones that benefit the most from this system, since even though they are producing so little they could go themselves to sell their produce once they harvest, or have another person selling their product at the market price and not letting a big corporation take the revenue away from them. Also with this system there could be a chance for entrepreneurs to start their own market sale with a demand for the products from consumers and the supply by the farmers.</div>
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I believe this system will work in Mexico very well, since there are many rural people that have small farms and have no place to sell them, and since labor is so cheap they could find a better living by simply farming a small piece of land and selling them in a local market at a reasonable price than getting paid a ridiculously low amount of money per week.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-63418878493704052362016-06-01T00:44:00.000-07:002016-06-01T00:44:21.488-07:00France 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
5/22/16</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dr. Levy kicked off our tour of Toulouse by taking
us to the local markets; the first being an outdoor market comprised of private
vendors, selling everything from fresh fish and meat, too a wide variety of
fresh fruits and vegetables. The size of the outdoor market is astounding once
one considers it’s portability. Vendors setup their individual displays early
in the morning, sell all day long, then tear everything down again; clearing
the sidewalk for evening events. To the best of my knowledge this happens 6
days a week. </span><br />
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5/23/16<o:p></o:p></div>
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The following Monday we spent the day walking around the
Capitole building; one of the most impressive buildings I’ve had the pleasure
to see as of yet. The art work alone is enough to set the imagination free, and
the history is unlike anything else available to us back in Texas. Since
touring the facility, the Capitole building has become a major landmark for me.
In my free time here in Toulouse, everything I do either starts or stops at the
Capitole.<o:p></o:p></div>
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5/24/16<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tuesday we had a wonderful visit with some executives from
the Chambre D’Agriculture, representing the county of Haute-Garonne. We learned
of the many challenges they face with respect to French agricultural production.
Unfortunately, it seems as though traditions and sentimentality greatly affect
production efficiency. For example, they find it necessary to export young beef
to Italy to be fattened up prior to being returned to France for harvest; all
the while, they continuously export high quality feed grain to other countries.
Again, the justification for this is “tradition.” </div>
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5/25/16<o:p></o:p></div>
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On Wednesday we had the opportunity to visit The Institute for
Horticultural Research; the very place our fearless leader Dr. Levy studied. It
is an amazing facility! The genetics labs are especially intriguing but my
favorite part of the tour has to be the automated grow houses; which I believe
represent the future of agricultural research and production. As economies grow
further and further away from agricultural production, moving more toward industrial
manufacturing or services; it will become necessary to automate as much of the
production processes as possible. Even here in France farmers and policy writers
can agree that the agricultural labor force is dwindling. Robots and automation
seem to be the only answer at this point.<o:p></o:p></div>
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5/26/16<br />
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Today we got to see our first real French farm. Seemingly simple,
yet complex in operation; Vente a La Ferme’s day-to-day operation produces a
high quality product available to locals. In fact, one of the owner/operators
stated the farm was for his neighbors; taking pride in the fact that he and his
crew work the land to feed the local people. His farm is open for anyone to
come in a purchase what they need at a competitive price.</div>
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Stay tuned for week 2!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16048155111409046673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967373687110422556.post-43530845805026076232016-05-30T13:50:00.000-07:002016-05-30T13:50:11.910-07:00First week in Toulouse So to start off the week one thing was apparant and that was French people love food, and good food at that. The first day our group spent the day going to different farmers markets where there was so much fresh food. Colorful fruits and vegetables lined the stands along with the smell of fresh bread, different types of cheeses, and meat. The streets were filled with people coming to shop for fresh food where shouting could be heard and no lines were ever found. If you wanted something you were going to have to push through the crowd and speak up. Even going to the Casino down the streeet, that is the local HEB I guess you could say, had more fresh products than processed food like in the U.S.. After visiting different farms and the Chambre d'agriculture one thing was apparent GMO's were not liked at all in France. Most farmers had organic farms and had to fight so many battles over different things on their farms. Permission was constatnly having to be received for each little change wanting to be made.<br />
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Later during the week we enjoyed a tour of downtown Toulouse near the capitole and toured different museums and churches; personally this was one of my favorite parts. I loved seeing the churches and all their grandeur. I loved seeing the stained glass windows and massive organs that hung from the wall. It definitely wasn't something you would see in a small town in Texas. We were also able to make it to the opera on Sunday afternoon after we were first supposed to see it on Tuesday but a riot in the the opera house prevented us from seeing it. Seeing the riot was definitely interesting because in the U.S. they (the protesters) never would have gotten as far as they did. The police simply stood and watched them where as in the U.S. well the second they started making noise it would have been shut down. Needless to say the first week was a success in learning the culture and the people, but I have to say my absolute favorite moment from the week was on the weekend two of the girls and I stayed in Toulouse and walked around on the streets where we came across a little store and the lady who ran it was so sweet to us and helped us practice our french so we would be able to speak it "flawlessly" when we went to Paris.<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0