|
Kathy and John Augustine
— photo by Rebecca DeJarlais
|
By Rebecca DeJarlais
The World Press Institute journalism fellows are immersed in urban America for much of their time in the United States. They tour the country’s largest media outlets, watch the action in election headquarters and participate in police squad car patrols, gaining an in-depth perspective of life in American cities.
But for a few days during their four-month stay, the fellows have the chance to experience an equally important component of U.S. culture: life on a family farm.
John and Kathy Augustine of Goodhue, Minn., a small town about an hour south of the Twin Cities, are an integral part of WPI’s farm family program. In 1994, they found out about WPI through Ruth Nerhaugen, a journalist in nearby Red Wing, and hosted their first fellow.
“It’s important for international journalists to see how we live as a farm family in this area,” Kathy said. “We don’t really try to send fellows home with any message other than, ‘This is how we live and this is who we are.’ We all have a pretty common bond around here, whether we’re milking cows or raising hogs or selling crops through our cooperative system.”
Originally, the farm family stay took place over a weekend. But the Augustines campaigned to get time with the fellows during the week, to broaden their understanding of farm life. Now, Kathy said, John begs for more time with the fellows every year.
“As far as agriculture is concerned, there’s more to it than just being here on the weekends,” John said. “We can’t show them the economics of the whole thing on a weekend.”
With more time, the Augustines take their fellows to tour the local milk plant and other places that aren’t open on the weekends. The fellows who watch milking, they say, are very impressed with the time commitment of American farmers in dairy operations.
John took a fellow to the river terminal once, and from 200 feet up in a tiny wire cage elevator, they watched barges being loaded. Other times, the fellows have observed cattle marking in nearby Zumbrota. The Augustines let the fellows drive four-wheel-drive tractors, and they make them all try mowing their lawn. They take fellows to church, parades, corn mazes and Lions Club barbecues.
Often, however, the fellows are most surprised by the basic, intrinsic elements of the Augustines’ life.
Some are surprised by how important family life is on the farm, Kathy said, and others can’t believe the family eats dinner together and prays before eating. Many can’t believe they don’t lock their doors.
“We warn them that the silence and stillness in the evening will be deafening,” John said.
After the fellows leave, they usually stay in touch with the Augustines. Before they’re even out of the country, Kathy says, John tells them to send postcards from the rest of their program. They hear from most of their past fellows once or twice a year, with lots of e-mailing.
“You could say goodbye to them in November, but gee, that’s dumb,” John said. “It’s so nice to keep in touch. They send pictures of family and what they’re doing. They’ve broadened our scope of life considerably.”
The Augustines have also visited WPI alumni in Australia and Italy. Some fellows have mailed clips of stories they wrote about life on the farm. Whatever the medium, the communication continues long after the fellows leave Goodhue.
“I think it’s part of WPI’s broader purpose, to show fellows a slice of life that’s not reported on the newswires,” Kathy said. “World peace probably depends more on people being able to communicate person to person rather than government to government. You want them to realize that Americans have a heart.”
