OK, so I look stupid sitting on top of an Ostrich! But who could have resisted such an opportunity? We were delighted when we were told we will be visiting an ostrich farm to learn about the important industry of ostrich farming. But we were NOT ready to fall in love with those beautiful birds only to be told, in great detail while eating their delicious meat, how wonderful they are as a "product" since ALL of any bird can be used - for meat, feathers, leather, and eggs!
The South African owner of the farm was very proud to tell us how he makes designer purses from the leather and tries to sell the meat for profit either locally or abroad (depending on the bird-flu alert that exists each season) while using the egg shells for create beautiful works of art. We all learned about his opinion on how South African farmers lack in intelligence to push the industry forward while the Southern European are pushing theirs forward with a true long term vision. Yet somehow watching him having lunch with his wife and two children on a beautiful porch with amazing vistas surrounded by his big farm and beautiful birds, it was hard to relate to his words...
Yet, as business students we had to acknowledge that the he had a real challenge on his hands with an industry that has an extremely volatile demand curve and a highly fickle market, working with animals that can turn wild at any moment, even when you assume they have become fully domesticated that you try to climb on their back and take a stupid picture...
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