From Ireland to South Dakota

LAKE NORDEN, S.D. – Irish eyes were smiling in South Dakota this summer when the Elliott family welcomed four interns from Ireland to their dairy farm near Lake Norden.
The interns included Sarah Armstrong of Cornafean, County Cavan; Niamh Rice of the Cooley Peninsula in County Louth; Roisin Scully, of Clonaslee, County Laois; and Ciara Byers of Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan.
Drumgoon Dairy is owned by Rodney and Dorothy Elliott and their family. The Elliotts moved from Ireland to South Dakota in 2006 and built a 1,400-cow dairy. They have since grown their operation to 6,500 head.
“We have hosted interns since 2009,” Dorothy said. “Our interns, who must have a farm background, currently come to us through (The Ohio Program). Our goal is to show them how we dairy here in the U.S.”
The Ohio Program is an international exchange program under Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
“It’s a great networking opportunity and something that would be a big plus on a resume,” David Elliott said.
Rodney and Dorothy’s son David is the farm manager at Drumgoon Dairy.
Armstrong said the work at Drumgoon Dairy is a continuation of the work she was doing back home. She was working with a farm relief company, covering shifts or providing an extra hand.
“I have gained some valuable experience on these farms which has since persuaded me to pursue a career in dairy,” she said.
While Armstrong’s home farm raises beef cattle, that was not always the case.
“Growing up, we milked cows, and I have fond memories of standing in the parlor while my grandfather and father brought in the cows, tightly followed by our dog, Shep,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong is studying sustainable agriculture at Dundalk Institute of Technology.
When Armstrong came to America, she had to adjust to South Dakota’s climate.
“While it was nice to finally be able to go outside in a T-shirt and shorts, unlike Ireland where a hat could be worn most days, it often got difficult and sweaty to work in,” Armstrong said. “It was also fascinating how often there would be thunderstorms although I was never too impressed to be awoken at 3 a.m. with a flash in my window.”
Each intern at Drumgoon Dairy is furnished with a car. They are encouraged to experience the culture.
“The landscape was truly beautiful, especially when we four took a six-hour road trip to Mount Rushmore,” Armstrong said. “From the flatlands, hills and the Badlands, there (were) some truly magnificent views along the way.”
Rice, whose father operates a small beef farm, is employed on a 120-cow dairy and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture at Dundalk Institute of Technology.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time in South Dakota,” Rice said. “It was like nothing I have experienced before and a world away from my life in Cooley.”
Rice said she gained experience and confidence in many areas of farm work and brought what she learned home.
“I felt very welcomed, and it was great to work with so many people from various countries and cultures,” she said. “The vast landscape and the sheer scale of the farming operations were outstanding.”
Rice said one of the biggest contrasts in farming between Ireland and South Dakota are the methods for feeding and housing dairy cattle.
“At home for a lot of the year the animals are kept predominantly outside due to the ideal weather conditions for grass growth,” Rice said. “However, in Drumgoon, the animals are kept indoors all year long due to the extreme weather conditions and temperatures.”  
Rice also noticed some cultural differences.
“I had some interesting conversations about politics and gun control, learning a lot about the different political parties and the benefits they bring to different states,” she said.
Scully, who is in her final year at University College Dublin where she is studying animal and crop production, lives on her family’s farm that includes 300 beef cattle and 150 dairy cows.
“I loved my time in America,” Scully said. “I found South Dakota to be a big culture shock but am glad I stuck it out.”
Scully has lived in rural Ireland her whole life but found the seclusion of South Dakota hard to settle into and described it as a new level of detachment.
“I loved the work and the staff on the farm were great, but after work and on the weekends, I was surprised by how little there was to do for young people in the area,” she said.
Scully and the other interns went to towns in the area, and Scully said the nightlife was much calmer than at home. Scully said Friday and Saturday nights are met with crowded bars in Ireland, but in South Dakota, they may have been the only ones present the entire night.
“We made our own fun,” she said.
Scully also noted differences in farming practices.
“Irish farms are much smaller, and we farm outdoors for the most part of the year,” she said. “It was interesting to see how animal and herd health was in excellent condition even though some might argue that animals who never go outdoors are not happy.”
In Drumgoon, cows are under 24-hour surveillance by trained staff; whereas in Ireland, Scully said the farmer might only check the cows in the field once a day.
Byers lives on her family’s 200-cow dairy farm. She is in her final year at University College Dublin where she is majoring in animal and crop production.
“One of the greatest challenges was firstly agreeing to travel away from Ireland for the summer,” Byers said. “This was my first time away from home for such a period of time, and at the time, that was a very daunting thing. However, I can confirm once I stepped foot onto the farm in Drumgoon, I instantly felt welcomed, and it very quickly became a home away from home.”
Another challenge while on the farm was the language barrier. Drumgoon Dairy has around 50 employees, some of whom speak Spanish.
“When I arrived, I could only say my name in Spanish and ask someone how they were,” Byers said. “I quickly realized I will need to learn some words to be able to communicate better with the staff.”
Byers quickly picked up some Spanish, and by the end of the three months, Byers said she was helping her colleagues learn English.
During her time at Drumgoon Dairy, Byers learned about the importance of animal health and nutrition.
“Nutrition has such a knock-on effect on the animal in so many different ways, and this is something I want to try to improve and keep a tighter eye on back home,” Byers said. “I have also gotten such a great insight into the American ag sector as a whole, and it really has given me food for thought.”
Byers said she has gained an unbelievable amount of knowledge from her time spent at Drumgoon Dairy that she will bring with her as she continues her career in the agriculture industry.
“I have made some wonderful friends that I will cherish, and the memories which I created along the way will be memories and stories that I will reminisce on for a long time to come,” Byers said.
Dorothy said she hopes the time at the farm leaves a lasting impression on the students.
“The interns all bring something to our farm,” Dorothy said. “Hopefully, they all take something back to their homes.