I mentioned scenery and Switzerland has a lot of it. As we progressed further into the mountains we could see waterfalls everywhere. I suppose they are active all the time since these mountains have snow on them all the time. I didn’t get the name of the little village at the bottom of this waterfall but it had quaint little houses and hotels and looked like a great place to stay.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
The end of the second day at the IFAJ Congress was dinner on the Schilthorn. We had to travel for over an hour to get there. The ride was through absolutely beautiful scenery until we got there. On the way we had to stop a couple times due to road construction caused by flood damage from a creek that runs along this highway. The creek was still raging and you could see freshly downed trees in it and leftover sand/mud deposited on fields on each side of the road.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
After lunch on day two it was workshop time. There were 4 workshops on topics such as “New Challenges For Swiss Agriculture Policy,” “New Agriculture, New Technologies,” “Retailers, Consumers and New Agriculture” and “New Agriculture, Cultural Landscape and Tourism.”
Here’s workshop number three in progress. This is the one on Retailers. Everybody was able to participate in two workshops out of the four. After the workshops it was time to rest for a short while before we had to get ready for a fantastic dinner.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
The Seepark Hotel where we’re staying here in Thun is located right on the lake and it is beautiful! We’ll be out on the lake tomorrow evening for our farewell dinner and have pictures from that to show you then.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
I just have to give a plug for this guy. At lunch he was creating tasty little flowerets of an excellent cheese. He’s not a monk, just looks like one. That’s because this cheese was originally made by the monks of the Monastery of Bellelay. They don’t anymore but the tradition continues. The cheese comes with the little “pirouette” tool that you turn and slice the cheese off in a ribbon. You can order it online now from Tete De Moine.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
After the morning general sessions we all had time to browse various exhibits set up outside the main hall. Lunch was also served. This was a cheese fest! I don’t know how many kinds of cheese there were. I tried them all and they were all delicious.
One of the interesting displays was actually two tables filled with copies of the publications produced by the various journalists attending the IFAJ Congress. Since I only read/write english I could just look at the pictures. But I think this was a very helpful way to show off what each of us attending are doing. However, next year I guess we’ll have to set up a computer and monitor to show off AgWired!!
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
I mentioned before how there was tremendous flooding in Switzerland just a week or so ago. Outside our hotel here at the IFAJ Congress they’re still pumping water out of the basement. This has been going on since we arrived without stop. The hotel is on the edge of Lake Thun and became a temporary island during the worst of it.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
On the second day of the IFAJ Congress it was time to get to work, beginning with general sessions at the Schadausaal. The focus of the Congress is “The New Role of Agriculture.” Speakers included: Manfred Boetsch, Director of the Swiss Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Luzius Wasaescha, Ambassador, State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Hansjoerg Walter, President of the Swiss Farmer’s Union and Walter Huber, CEO of Emmi.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
I mentioned singing in a previous post and that’s what we did at supper. The first song was a German song – Mir Senne heis lustig.
Leading the effort was one of the Congress organizers, Marcus Rediger.
Since I had my recorder you have the dubious pleasure of being able to hear our song here: 
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
Honored at last night’s dinner was Rolf Haeberli, Switzerland, who is one of the founders of IFAJ. In fact, Rolf, who’s a young 85 years old, says they got this organization started in Paris in 1956. I didn’t want to tell him that I wasn’t even born yet! Way to go Rolf.
Rolf is here with his wife and enjoying every minute of it.
AgWired reports on IFAJ Congress 2005 are sponsored by Pioneer Hi-Bred.
