Madison, Wisconsin

The Americans do the grand buildings well, Wisconsin State Capital Building.
Yes spring has sprung.

Madison is a University city, with around 40,000 students enrolled at the Uni and a city population of just over 200,000.
The University of Wisconsin is home to one of the main Agriculture Universities in the US. I spent my day today at the Uni. meeting with academic/research staff in order to gain a greater understanding of the "dairying state" and where it is headed.

The car number plates say "America's Dairyland" & 80% of the milk is made into cheese.
There had to be a good cheese shop somewhere!

Some tastings, a good chat, a bag of cheese and some sourdough baguettes...I'm happy.
This shop featured in Will Studds "Cheese Slices" series.

Two weeks at Fish Creek & back on the road

Our crazy boys were very happy to have daddy home.

Green grass galore at Montrose. One of the best autumn breaks for a while has made feed budgeting for the early winter very easy this year. This time of the year is often very difficult feed wise, we have to build pasture covers going into winter and conserved fodder supplies can run low after long summer dry periods.
Good early rains and strategic use of Nitrogen fertilisers have helped build pasture covers early this and we will carry over about 200t (dry weight) of silage.
Maybe it's not the season, maybe it's the new management this autumn!! Perhaps I should travel every year....

The good season also means the cows should reaching the target body condition score at calving.
May be there is a bit too much grass in some paddocks (this hadn't gone past 3 leaves).

Mexico, Brazil & Uruguay in review

UK to the USA

No longer needed!

This is my welcoming party at the front gate.
Looks like someone is trying to make a point that the farms management has improved over the last 6 weeks.
I do remember being told at Uni that the best manager's are those who make themselves redundant! 

Soya Ahoy

More Soybeans

Dave checking out some maize


Marty, surely there must be a fish farm somewhere here!

Farewell from final visit of the 2010 Feb-April GFP tour.

Gaucho's

"Boss" Gaucho working in the yards at Curupy Angus Stud in Villa Soriano

A mob of breeders, stud and pure cows and calves. They are using American genetics whilst managing to keep cow size down and maintain fertility.

Lunch Cooking

Yet another feast for lunch!!

Vino

Bodega Irurtia, 300 ha under vines, most for wine but also some table grapes.

Local cheese with the wines! Great range of cheeses from Roquefort type blue to Parmesan style hard cheese.
Lunch in a cellar, it's a hard life as a Nuffield Scholar

House wine at less than $0.90AU/lt you can't go wrong..well maybe
The Tannat a bit of a local favourite was good, didn't go for the grappa though.

Carmelo on the Rio de la Plata, a bit of Argentinian money spending Easter cruising

Uruguay

Holsteins living it up in Lucerne pasture.
Empty/late mob which are part of a 4600 cow operation milking in 9 sheds

Oven 800 heifers are reared in these pens, moved every second day.Milk delivered by horse and cart and one man, using a horse means the cart can be stopped and started and directed with just voice commands and the operator can deliver milk.

Montevideo

The Liberator
The New Governement Building
And what is that building doing there!!

Nuffield Scholars become TV stars

Yes we made morning TV today, such big stars Steve was recognised in the lift this morning. Dave was the hero of the show doing a TV interview.

Rain clouds stalking a header.
Rain disruption seems to be a typical aspect of Soy harvest in this part of the country (North of Goiania).

They my not be good for harvest but gee they have some great clouds!

They also have some pretty big irrigators.
Maize under a centre pivot.