Category Archives: Learning Centers

We Take for Granted the Little Things

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Last month, a group of state officers from the Arkansas Association of the National FFA Organization spent a weekend at the Heifer International Learning Center at Heifer Ranch and were generous to share their reflections with us. For your lunchtime reading this week, we’ll pass them on to you. Read the other reflections in this series here. 


From Arkansas FFA State Secretary, Ethan Thomas

Imagine that every day you had to wake up to garbage knee deep in the streets and your water supply was so toxic that drinking it could kill you. Life in the Urban Slums is just that. On December 16 through the 18, I had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to live in the Urban Slums. Heifer International has a village in Perryville, Arkansas that is designed to look like various third world countries. They had houses and work that associated with each country. 

Our day started out with numerous team building exercises. We then progressed through a tour of all the different villages. We went to Guatemala, to the Urban Slums, to the Appalachian Mountain Range, down to Zambia and various others. As we made our way back to the beginning we were separated into our families by drawing a number. The number I drew was 17 and wouldn’t you know it whoever had picked the number 17 was one of three “mothers.” The water balloon, aka the “baby”, was wrapped in a cloth and cocooned to keep it safely strapped around us. Once we were divided into our families, 8 in the slums, 4 in Guatemala, and 6 in Zambia we had a crisis to solve. One of our family members had “dysentery” and would be bedridden throughout the whole experience unless we gave up all of our metal to sell for medicine. As a family we decided to sell our pots and pans and utensils to cure our family member. The other families had similar crises and chose to give up items so everyone would get the full experience.  Along with very little food each family was given some sort of resource, Guatemala had the water rights, Zambia had the firewood, and the Slums were tasked to cook breakfast for everyone in the morning. It was going to be a challenge since we had nothing to cook with.

We had only a few hours left of daylight and the slums had nothing to cook the cup and a half of rice we possessed. A diplomatic solution was in order: to see if everyone wanted to combine all the food together and make one big pot: the slum’s rice, the Zambian’s vegetables, and the Guatemalan’s eggs and flour to be cooked on their stove. At first everyone was on board, but 4 of the Zambian’s didn’t want to share their food and wanted no part of the diplomatic solution we proposed. We did manage to have an onion to go in our rice and had attempted to make dumplings with the flour. We had no silverware and some of us had to use cups to put our onion flavored rice in. That was a very unfulfilling supper, but that was all we had. After dinner we went back to the slums and made a small fire and just sat around and visited. I turned in quick; thinking I’d get more sleep while there was still a little bit of warmth from that day. The building the eight of us stayed in was about four feet high at the lowest part, 7-8 feet wide and about 15 feet long. The door didn’t shut and if it did there was a board missing. A good portion of the walls were chicken wire which let in a lot of cold air. Even with all its faults it was still the best structure in the village because it was wood floored instead of dirt. All we had to keep warm throughout the night was our sleeping bags. That night it got around 30 degrees. As night progressed my sleeping bag seemed less and less warm. My socks were a little damp from all the work during the day and it made my feet colder. That was a long night of short bursts of sleep. 

Morning came and we started with making breakfast. Getting a fire started proved to be a challenge because the feed sack that carried the wood and the wood were lightly damp from the frost. The item on the breakfast menu that morning was raisin oatmeal with a small amount of brown sugar divided amongst the 18 of us. That was my first time to eat oatmeal and would have to say that it was delicious. That small amount of oatmeal wasn’t quite near what I could have eaten but that was all we had between all of us. 

We all take for granted the little things like having clean water, a door for our privacy, and enough food so we aren’t hungry. The sad truth is over half the world goes without these things. I now see the truth in this statistic: if you have a bed to sleep in, a closet to keep your clothes in, a refrigerator to keep your food in, you are richer than 75% of the world’s population, just by having those things. The next time you think you have it bad, take a moment and think about those less fortunate, because they may be right in front of you, even a classmate.
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It is the Quality of Our Lives that Matter

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Last month, a group of state officers from the Arkansas Association of the National FFA Organization  spent a weekend at the Heifer International Learning Center at Heifer Ranch and were generous to share their reflections with us. For your lunchtime reading this week, we’ll pass these reflections on to you.

From Arkansas FFA State President, Victoria Maloch

Driving up to the Heifer Ranch in Perryville, AR, I realized something; I am selfish. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean selfish in a greedy, bratty way. What I am talking about is the type of selfishness that probably many of us have. I realized that most of the time I conveniently decide to turn away from all of the problems surrounding us, hoping that if I don’t think about it that it will simply go away. But, it won’t; all of the problems, poverty, and trouble in the world won’t disappear by simply turning our heads. And that, is what I realized was selfish; knowing the problems and issues that are out there and simply choosing to push it to the back of our minds. So yes, even I am guilty of being selfish.


The problem with this type of selfishness is that sometimes it sneaks up on you and manifests itself into the greedy, bratty selfishness. As I drove down the road toward Perryville, I found myself dealing with that kind of selfishness. Knowing that only one of the female state officers would get to room with Alicia, the only girl national officer, I found myself hoping that I would be the one that would room with her. The state officers were also having their Christmas party that night and I caught myself wishing for a great present. Did you catch that? I, I, I. Pure selfishness was what that was. But then I stopped myself. What in the world was I doing? On my way to have a third world experience at the Heifer International Village, I was being selfish? When I knew what I was going into and already had an appreciation for all that we as Americans get to have each and every day. And when I thought about how selfish some of my thoughts had been, I began to feel disgusted with myself. I knew that I had no right to feel selfish and my experiences over the weekend helped to draw me out of the selfish funk that I had found myself in on the drive up to Perryville.

On our first night in Perryville, we got to have our state officer Christmas party, get to meet all of the National Officers, and spend the night playing games with and getting to know each other. Also, joining us was 2 National FFA Staff members, a representative from the National FFA Foundation, an Auburn student representing Universities Fighting World Hunger, and Mr. Chris Bacchus. The next day, we spent the morning participating in fun team building activities. Some were even similar to the expedition challenges from ALC! (Whale tale anyone?) After lunch, we entered the Global Village. I was assigned to be a part of the Urban Slums. Out of all of the buildings representing our little community, only one of the shacks had a wooden floor. Since the other shacks had muddy floors, the 8 of us Urban Slums decided we had no other choice but to sleep together in what can best be described as a glorified chicken coup. Sleeping side by side, the shack barely had enough room for all 8 of us, it had wire sides, and a door that didn’t shut. Needless to say, no one got much sleep and in the morning I was pretty sure that my toes had just barely escaped frostbite. But, believe it or not, I still had a great time.

Now I’m sure you are wondering how that could be. I mean, I just told you how uncomfortable the sleeping arrangements were. My experience in the Heifer Village was great because of the ultimate revelation I had as I was driving back home. (Obviously you can tell by now that I do a lot of my thinking while driving)  After we entered the Global Village, the Urban Slums decided to gather with the other 2 communities and see what resources we had. Eventually, we partnered together with the Guatemalans and shared our resources. Thanks to the generousity of the Guatemalans, we were able to go together and cook our supper using our rice and their pots, plates, and vegetables. Later that night, the Urban Slums and Guatemalans sat around a fire (well, what little fire we could get started) and just talked. We shared funny stories, plans for the future, and so much more. After a night of admittedly not much sleep, all of the slums woke up at 8 in order to make everyone a breakfast of oatmeal with a few raisins and a little bit of brown sugar. Then each community left the village to do chores such as washing the plates, making bricks, and picking vegetables. Later we had a time to process and understand our experience.

Over the weekend I really discovered two things. The first, is that when you have little, you become appreciative or proud of things that we normally would turn our noses up at. A great example of this was our mealtimes in the village. The Slums and Guatemalans were so proud of our supper when at any other time or at any other place, if that were the food being served, I’m sure we would have just passed and waited for the next meal. Another great example is breakfast, when people would become excited that they received 2 or 3 raisins in their portion of the oatmeal. Finally, the second thing I discovered and the revelation I mentioned earlier is this, it’s not the things we have or the places we live that add to the quality of our lives. While those things do help our standard of living – something that this weekend even further grew my appreciation for – but in the end, it is the quality of our lives that really matters. What this experience taught me about our quality of life is that it is our friends, family, and relationships that improve our quality of life, not our things. I discovered this when I thought back to all that had happened and the fact that I still had a great time. The relationships and friendships that we were able to form with all of the other participants are priceless. They helped us to get through the cold and bad times. We discovered that when you have nothing else, all you have is each other, so you must value and rely on each other.

But this lesson doesn’t just apply to times when you don’t have anything. This experience taught me to value my friends, family, and relationships, because in the end those are the only things that will always be there for you. Take the time everyday to grow your relationships with friends and family and I guarantee you that you will find yourself happier and see that your quality of life increases.

My experience at the Heifer International Village in Perryville is one I will never forget. Not only did it help to further open my eyes to the needs of those in poverty worldwide, but it also taught me valuable lessons that I can apply in my everyday life. It was truly a life changing experience and I hope that one day you all will be able to have a similar experience, either at the Heifer Ranch, or elsewhere.
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World Toilet Day: Give a Crap

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Ugandan biogas toilet. Photo by Dero Sanford.

Happy World Toilet Day, everyone.

Wondering why there’s a day for toilets (I mean, there’s a day for everything, right?) around the world? I’ll let the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation explain that one. For those of us who take toilets for granted, it’s hard to believe that 2.6 BILLION people poop on the ground because they don’t have any other place to go.

Although we’re not exactly The Toilet People, in many of our projects, sanitation and hygiene are key objectives for the community. We include these topics as part of the training we provide, where needed. In our biogas projects in Uganda, we help participants build composting toilets that connect to their biogas units, helping them contain and then make the most of their family’s waste products.

I took this picture of one of the Ranch’s
composting toilets (a “squatty potty,”
if you will) during my last stay in the
Global Village.

Two of our Learning Centers, Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas, and Overlook Farm in Rutland, Massachusetts, have composting toilets on their campuses to both educate about toilet conditions around the world and put the compost to use on the growing trees.

So dig in to World Toilet Day and see how you can help make the world a cleaner, healthier place. And while you’re at it, try giving a crap this holiday season.

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Heifer’s Heart: Abu the Camel, Heifer Ranch

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Name: Abu Dhabi

Title: Dromedary Camel

Location: Arrived at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Ark. last week as a 40thanniversary gift.

How long have you been with Heifer?  Since 2005, when Abu was given to Heifer’s Overlook Farm in Rutland, Mass., from local volunteer Ann Tripp.

What has been the most memorable experience for you with Heifer? I love meeting the kids who come to the Learning Centers. I like to let kids pet me, and I’ll even give sloppy “kisses” if I’m feeling charming! My greatest memory is that Overlook Farm got several greeting cards over the years, addressed just to “Abu,” asking how I was doing.
I was sad to leave Overlook, but they gave me a great sendoff. I got a special good-bye party with a lei for my neck and a big card for folks to sign. The local newspaper sent a photographer out to capture my final day on the farm with my fans. 

My hobbies include:  Eating, meeting new people, and taking walks with Heifer volunteers and staff.

Something about me you might not know:  I am seven years old, and I originally came from a petting zoo in Connecticut.

Best thing about working at Heifer Ranch?  I am looking forward to teaching people about how camels provide milk and transportation in dry, remote parts of Africa. I am also looking forward to the warm weather in Arkansas! And I’ll be able to hang out with Gobi, the Ranch’s other camel. The Ranch  lost a camel named Rajah this year, and so I’ll be able to keep Gobi company now.
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Happy Birthday, Heifer Ranch

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This past Saturday we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Heifer Ranch.

A Brief History of Heifer Ranch

Abu, a 5-year-old male camel, was presented to
Heifer Ranch as a birthday gift from Overlook Farm
in Rutland, Massachusetts.

Heifer International dates back to 1944, with an inaugural shipment of 17 pregnant heifers to Puerto Rico. In 1971, Heifer was offered 1,100 acres near Perryville, Arkansas, to raise and house animals being shipped overseas to those in need. The model of shipping animals fromt he United States, however, turned out to be very costly and inefficient and was later discontinued in favor of purchasing livestock from within the project countries. Through the years, Heifer Ranch has evolved into an education and research center, a model farm and ranch, a conference center and a volunteer experience. The farm is now home to water buffalo, camels, pigs and goats, as well as gardens that help feed volunteers and the public. School groups, youth groups, families and individuals have come to the Ranch to experience what it really means to live in a poverty-stricken village with scarce resources. Visitors are introduced to Heifer’s sustainable solutions and learn more about what they can do to help.

The Celebration
Friday night held a Homecoming Tour and Reception for Past Ranchers (staff and volunteers). Three of the past Ranch directors were on hand to help celebrate. It was great to see old friends, but hard to see how the landscape has changed since the tornado this spring.

Jacob Sheatsley leads a drum circle in the Global Village

Saturday was an all-day party. There were crafts and activities for the kids, demonstrations along the Global Village trail, a picnic lunch, hayride tours, birthday cake and a special gift from Overlook Farm, one of Heifer’s other Learning Centers. Visitors had the opportunity to meet some of Heifer’s country directors, who have been in town for meetings.



My Brief History at Heifer Ranch
Heifer Ranch is how I first came to know and love Heifer International. I participated in the Global Village program (now called Global Gateway) when I was 14 years old. Growing up in Little Rock and attending college in Conway, Arkansas, I went to the Ranch several more times as a participant before deciding to become a volunteer. During college summers and after graduating, I spent a total of about 12 months as a live-in volunteer. I became impassioned with Heifer’s mission of ending hunger and poverty and caring for the Earth as I led field trips, facilitated group team-building activities, milked goats, taught cheese classes and became a part of the Ranch community. I met my husband and a great many of my friends at Heifer Ranch.

A volunteer shows how farming on terraced slopes
 helps prevent erosion

Heifer Ranch holds a special place in my heart, so I was excited to take my daughter to Perryville this past weekend to join in the celebrations. She loved the animals, of course. Petting the pigs, lambs and goats in the showbarn was certainly a highlight. But it’s Abu the camel she’ll go on talking about. And the cupcakes and candy (she is a kid, after all). I’m so glad my daughter will grow up learning about Heifer’s work in the world and knowing that she has a place in making the world a better place for everyone to live. And I’m thankful we have Heifer Ranch just down the road where her learning will be hands-on and exciting, not to mention a piece of her family’s history.

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Heifer Ranch Weighs Its Food Waste: You Should, Too

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A proud Heifer Ranch participant shows off her happy plate.
She’s hoping her group will be as successful as the group
from the day before, which had zero pounds of food waste.

I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned it before, but I was once a full-time volunteer out at Heifer Ranch. In early 2004, I helped demo the Ranch’s kitchen facility that’s used to prepare meals for groups and visitors out at the Ranch. After the renovations were completed, the Ranch began weighing the food waste of its Global Explorer program participants, and later expanded it to all visitors and participants who eat in the kitchen. 

Bobbie Hawkins, food service coordinator at Heifer Ranch, said:

It just seemed like a great way to get attention to the food we don’t eat and throw away. It’s for awareness more than anything. It took a little while to find the perfect place for it. And you wouldn’t believe that people take pictures of it. We have even had people say they would like to go back to their schools and try doing the same thing. Some groups make it a goal to try hard to keep it low, and every now and then someone gets personal about it.

I posted last week about working to reduce our food waste, and I think this is a great way to do it. If you have a kitchen scale, you’re already set! If not, you could always measure by volume (like maybe a big measuring cup), rather than by weight. Put up a chart, and challenge your family members to take what they eat and eat what they take. Make it a contest to see who can waste the least amount of food every day. Set family goals, and reward yourself each day your family has a zero-waste day.

Give it a try, and let us know how it goes.

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Rebuilding the Heifer Ranch

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Written by Michelle Izaguirre, Senior Director of Learning Centers
Heifer Ranch is slowly beginning to recover from the damages that occurred from the tornado that hit the Ranch on April 25, 2011.  As of now we have repaired the pavilion if front of the Visitor Center, the Heifer Hilton Lodge and the Nearside House, which is used to house residential volunteers. 
Heifer Hilton Before
Heifer Hilton After
The large amount of trees knocked down in the storm has mostly been removed, but there are still stumps and other debris that need to be removed from the pastures. Repairs to the lambing barn, and the roofs of the education building and conference center should be completed soon. The Dairy Barn was too damaged to be repaired and will be taken down.

Pavilion Before
Pavilion After

We are incredibly grateful to the service groups who have participated in the Alternative Break programs this summer, as they have been a major help in our efforts to clean up and rebuild. Our dedicated staff and volunteers continue to work on clean-up efforts while providing educational programing.
Lambing Barn Before
Lambing Barn After

Heifer Ranch is on a steady road to recovery, thanks in large part to everyone’s continued support. “Although the road to restoration seems like a lengthy one, every week brings about more progress”, said Ranch Director, Keisha Patterson. We will continue to update Heifer Staff and the public on the process at the Ranch.

Click here to learn more about the Heifer Ranch.

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A Garden We Can See From Our Desks

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A new Educational Garden on the Heifer International headquarters campus will expose the public to locally-grown food and appropriate technologies for family gardeners, and provide a hands-on opportunity to learn about sustainable food systems.  

Our chief operating officer Steve Denne announced the exciting expansion of our education programs today at the Heifer Village Learning Center in Little Rock, AR. Since opening in 2009, more than 80,000 people have experienced this exhibits-based learning center.

The Educational Garden will also serve as a learning environment that supports and informs Heifer’s work in sustainable food systems in the US and around the globe.

As work continues on the Educational Garden we will provide updates and insights to events taking place at the Heifer Village Learning Center.
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