Monday, Jun. 15, 2009

On a mission: Local farmer travels far to spread the word

When Norbert Zinck points out where he has been on agricultural aid missions, it takes a world globe, and he has to spin it back and forth several times.

He and his wife, Dona, travel on teaching missions as part of the U.S. Agency for International Development Farmer to Farmer Program, which is managed by the nonprofit Agricultural Cooperative Development International/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance.

Norb, 74, has been on more than 20 missions, and Dona, 72, has gone along on five or six, usually with a mission of her own.

The farm couple live south of Okawville in Washington County, where they have farmed the same place for 42 years.

Norb said that when he was growing up, he never imagined he would have visited Siberia, Ghana, Mexico and other parts distant. It all started with an early-morning farm show.

"I saw a request on television on a 5 a.m. farm show," he said. "They were looking for farmers who knew about agriculture chemicals, nutrition, farm equipment, repairs, welding, machine work."

That is what most every farmer knows, but Zinck had something else required. He had the time and the desire to help out.

His first assignment was supposed to be in Georgia -- the country, not the state -- about 10 years ago to design and set up a grain-cleaning mill. But it was canceled because of too much unrest in the country.

"These are third-world and developing countries. Generally, they try to make sure I'm not in danger," he said. "But in Rwanda, it was right after the genocide, and it was very touchy. They were still finding bodies when I was there."

But Norb said what he sees from the farmers he goes to help is gratitude and eagerness to learn.

"They may have an ag department in their country, but nobody is doing anything," he said. "We always take things along that we think will help."

That has included hand planters, seed spreaders, soil testers and seeds. Travel and lodging is paid for, but Norb and Dona often spend money taking along items.

"We pay a lot out of pocket for that stuff," Dona said. "They don't have much. We have so much. We always ask what we can bring."

She said their hosts often are poor but give what they can.

"I always felt bad about one family that killed an animal so we would have a good feast," she said.

"You get all kinds of living conditions. Often, the best they have is pretty bad," Norb said.

Norb has gone to Azerbaijan eight times. In Mexico, he built and installed a solar hot water system. In Siberia in 2006, he learned from his guide that they would be going to a news conference.

"I didn't know what that was about, but I figured it would be interesting," Norb said.

It turned out that he was the star of the conference, and all the questions were for him. He said that was one time when he understood the advice of his agency not to be drawn into discussing politics when Iraq kept coming up.

In Rwanda, the wheat is grown in extremely small patches on the sides of steep hills and gathered by hand. Then women pound it with sticks to separate the grain. There were plans to build some concrete pads to use for the pounding rather than the bare ground.

But instead, Norb toured a junkyard and found an old corn grinder. He then converted it so it would thresh wheat. He found out they had 50 old corn grinders in a storehouse that had been sent by the United States.

"They didn't raise corn, so they couldn't use them," Norb said. "I left behind plans so they could convert all of them."

On the trips back home, you usually feel you have at least done some good, he said.

"I don't know how long I will keep doing this," Norb said. "I'm lucky I have my health. I guess God is watching out for me."

He said he might consider some work in Afghanistan.

"I don't know. I think you're pressing your luck with God on that one," Dona said.