"Outtakes and Observations" documents the international travels of the LSU Ag Leadership Program, and a tribute to its original writer, Michael Danna. Mike loved traveling the world with each class and blogged from all corners of the globe starting with his trip to South America as a member of Class VIII in 2004. Mike lost his third battle with cancer on March 6, 2015, but his work continues here. Members of each class will offer their thoughts and insights during their travels, so check back often as we honor Mike’s memory and look forward to the future leadership of Louisiana agriculture.
Travelers are starting to grow weary. But the sights, sounds and smells are definitely making it all worth it. We had an early start today, traveling east to the town of Turrialba where nestled in the mountains is CATIE, the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center. CATIE is a postgraduate institution that is composed of 34 member countries.
Read MoreIf I had to say what business I am in, I’d tell you I’m in the people business. As an expert in the field of people, I’d say LSU Ag Leadership Class XVII is now ripe for the roast (coffee pun intended).
Read MoreWhen our Ag Leadership class first arrived at our hotel in Panamá, I noticed the phrase below hanging prominently in the bar. Right above the French press and coffee grinder.
“I don’t need an inspirational quote, I NEED COFFEE!”
Read MoreWhen I travel, whether in the U.S. or internationally, the first thing I seek out is the local farmers market. This is no surprise to those who know me as my job at BREADA includes organizing and executing the Red Stick Farmers Market, which has a 26-year history of connecting farmers and consumers. As important as that is for the economic livelihood of family farmers, markets serve an equally important job creating vibrant gathering places for communities.
Read More¡Pura Vida!
That’s the first thing we learned upon arriving in Costa Rica. Worn out from a long day of travel the day before, the class was able to slow down to the Costa Rican lifestyle on Sunday. Pura Vida literally means “pure life,” but it is really an attitude that is part Bohemian and part California. They run on their own timetable here, but it is an attractive way of life for natives and many ex-pats from across the globe. They say “pure vida” in response when you ask them how they’re doing.
Read MoreIn the old cartoon The Flintstones, Pebbles Flintstone sings the song “Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sun Shine In.” The lyrics go, “Mommy told me something a little kid should know. It’s all about the devil and I’ve learned to hate him so.” Well, there’s not a whole hate for the devil in Panama.
Read MoreBeing away from home and work life for four days now I realize this is the longest I’ve been away from the grind in quite a while. This is the point in a trip where it really starts to feel like vacation. Although the tours and meetings are very informational and this is technically a ‘work’ trip, the sites, experiences, food, and late night rooftop bar hopping in the old town with classmates allows a level of relaxation. My trust in my team to handle the day to day operations back home begins to kick in, and other than missing my beautiful wife and sweet kids terribly, I’m really enjoying the break from day to day and have removed myself from all things meat production. Until today.
Read MoreToday, January 19th, 2023, marks the 35th anniversary since Class I had the original seminar for the LSU Agricultural Leadership Development Program. I was asked to write about the anniversary for obvious reasons. My dad, Jay Hardwick, was in that original seminar and here I am, in Panama, part of Class XVII. 35 years separate us and soon I will join him as an alumnus. Hopefully Dr. Bobby agrees with me.
Read MoreOn January 19, 1988 the first seminar of the Agricultural Leadership Development Program began for Class I. Today marks the 35th anniversary of this event.
Read MoreToday was the first full day on the ground in Panama for Class XVII. The day started with a tour of Casco Viejo, the oldest colonial city in Latin America. Dating back to 1673, little remains of the old city for two reasons: Captain Morgan and rebuilding efforts.
Read MoreWell, it’s about time. LSU Ag Leadership Class XVII is all packed up and ready for their international trip to cap three years in the program. Usually it’s a two-year program, but the virus that shall not be named and the lockdown in response forced Class XVII to pause mid program. But to quote the Disney movie Mulan, “The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.”
Read MoreBy Bobby Soileau, Ph.D.
LSU Ag Center
It’s the day after returning from our Ag Leadership international trip to Japan and Thailand and one word comes to mind – Grateful.
Read MoreBy Karl Wiggers
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
I’m sitting on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route to New Orleans, by way of Tokyo and Houston. It’s a long trip home. The flight to Tokyo from Bangkok is around 6 or 7 hours. The next leg is twice as long. Add in a few hours for customs and layovers and yet, somehow, we’ll land around sunset on the same day. As I look back on this trip, and my entire time in the LSU Ag Leadership program, I believe it has never fit better than now.
Read MoreBy Neil Melançon
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
There are just some songs that I just don’t like. There are also songs that I used to like, but overplaying them made me sick of them. I’m not even sure from one day to the next what I’ll be in the mood to listen to, if at all—sometimes silence is indeed golden. After 14 days traveling with 30 people, this introvert is looking for some of that gold when he gets home.
Read MoreBy Kyle Fontenot
LSU Ag Leadership Class XVI
It is now 10:24 A.M. Bangkok time, January 30, 2020. I am on the plane flying to Tokyo which is out first leg of a 3 flight 25-hour travel time to home. Some may say that sounds miserable, terrible, or perhaps just slightly uncomfortable. Class XVI of the LSU Ag Leadership program is en route home. That signifies a couple of things. 1st , we have almost completed our international trip to Japan and Thailand. 2nd , and more importantly, we have completed our 2-year program and our class will graduate at the end of the month. That will be the last time we will all get together as a class.
Read MoreBy Heath Herring
LSU Ag Leadership Class XVI
Thirty four years ago, I traveled to Japan to stay with a family for a month. It was a national 4-H program coordinated with a similar organization in Japan. It placed us with willing families that had children our age. Multiple states met up in San Francisco and we flew from there to Tokyo to meet the people who would host us for the next month.
Read MoreBy Trey Wiggers
LSU Ag Leadership Class XVI
Tonight we are at this hotel, tomorrow-a resort. These were the words our tour guide used to describe our accommodations in the Thai countryside in his somewhat broken English. I have had some classes in Spanish and have come to expect a bit of confusion when translating languages. Sometimes the bathroom is called a “happy room” which is likely a translation from a “relief room” of some sort.
Read MoreBy Neil Melançon and Avery Davidson
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
We know you’re seeing a lot about coronavirus in the news and we’re seeing that, too. We also know that you’re probably worried about us since we’re not far, relatively speaking, from the Wuhan Province in China, the area hardest hit by this new strain of coronavirus.
Read MoreBy Neil Melançon
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
Some folks have asked me about the finer points about religion in Japan and Thailand, so I thought I’d go over some of the general ideas and major religions of the area. In general, the three major religions are Buddhism, Shinto and Hinduism. Buddhism is the one religion kind of connecting Japan and Thailand, although in a weird way, it also separates them and even more strange, there’s a stronger connection between Shinto and Hinduism. I’ll try and break that down for you in parts. First, a very quick overview of each religion.
Read MoreBy Avery Davidson
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
Happy New Year! That seems to be the proper thing to say after witnessing a huge celebration of the Chinese New Year in the part of Bangkok known as Chinatown. It is now the Year of the Rat. One could argue that we didn’t just witness this celebration but were right in the middle of it. The big blue bus carrying Class XVI was en route to Wat Pho (said Po, like po-boy, not Fuh like the Vietmese soup), which is where you will find the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. More on that later.
Read More
