Korean 4-H Club Study Trip to Canada Focuses on Saskatchewan

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

When Brenda Clemens was contacted by an Asian tour operator to host 20 Korean visitors in March at the Beaver Creek Ranch and Horse Centre in Lumsden, she and her husband Barry figured this would be a golden opportunity to showcase their operation and the province.

The tour was to be part of a Korean 4-H study trip to Canada. It would focus almost exclusively on Saskatchewan, where these visitors would spend nearly a week.

The 4-H movement was established in Korea in 1947. It serves not only rural but also urban communities; it is open to both boys and girls, and men and women, between the ages of nine and 29. Like here, 4-H focuses on developing well-rounded, responsible and independent citizens. The 4-H movement in Korea involves more than 61,000 youth, of which 44,400 are students and nearly 16,000 are young farmers. The total 4-H alumni in South Korea numbers 4.5 million people.

The Clemens called upon their friends, neighbours and partners to help them put together the perfect program for the Koreans' stay at the ranch.

One of the challenges of organizing an agricultural tour in late March is the weather and the absence of crops in the field. To make up for the lack of agriculture, the Koreans spent a couple of days in Saskatoon visiting the Western Development Museum, the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, the Wanuskewin Heritage Park, the Kelsey Campus of the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology, the College of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan and an agricultural implement dealership.

Meanwhile, the Clemens and their family and friends had been working on a ranch program that would sustain the Koreans’ interests.

“Everything was planned with precision. We had a ranch supper waiting for them when they returned. The living room had been turned into a dining room for 20, with candlelit tables. The evening meal was followed by an informal discussion on the nature of livestock production in Saskatchewan,” explains Barry Clemens.

The next morning started with a ranch visit right in the midst of calving season and a spring melt, which proved a little challenging for Asian footwear... but not for the spirit of the Korean guests.

“They were fascinated by the costs of forage in Saskatchewan compared to much higher costs in Korea,” says Barry. “Similarly, we were surprised to learn that the cost of a bred heifer is around $8,000 over there. Shortly after the ranch tour, we headed to Griffith's petting farm across the road. The petting farm was definitely a hit."

Afterwards, the group headed back to the ranch for a hamburger and hot dog lunch cooked on the BBQ and a warm campfire. This would be followed by a visit at the Arm River Hutterite Colony, and then a late-afternoon wagon ride on the ranch.

The main event for the day turned out to be the ranch work demonstration using young bison to train the cutting horses in the heated indoor arena.

“Our guests got to see how cows are roped with a lasso and gently immobilized for treatment out in the pasture, using our mounts to reduce the labour. Then, our new friends got a chance to ride themselves. Eventually, these budding cowboys and cowgirls also got to try their hands at roping from the ground. Learning how to rope a dummy cow is part of the basic training,” Barry says with a smile.

The Koreans headed back to Seoul the next morning. For Brenda and Barry, this was well worth the effort. It provided much-appreciated extra income for the ranch operation. They hope to welcome more such guests from Korea in the future.