Overview

In 1964 Jay Hersch attended a Peace Corps forum sponsored by his political science instructor. Inspired by the stories of those returning from Peace Corps service, Hersch signed up, spending the next two years living with the disadvantaged Campesinos of rural Columbia. Two years may seem a short enough period in a life, but the experience influenced Hersch deeply, impacting his attitudes and career for the next fifty years. Time Passages collects many stories from Hersch's life both during and after his Peace Corps service. He relives the moments that forged his life, from his time in Columbia to his experiences as a cattle rancher amid the beauty of the Appalachians. Along the way, he examines the challenges and issues of working with the disenfranchised poor and the traits volunteers need to succeed. Hersch's Peace Corps experience stands in stark contrast to the USA's decision to intervene in Vietnam. He argues convincingly that such action was doomed to fail, contrasting the military solution with home-grown change initiated and organized by those who need help the most. Time Passages offers one man's ever-changing journey-a voyage that rejects growing old gracefully in favor of a continuous effort to improve humanity's lot.

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9781935925637

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A member of the sixties generation, Jay Hersch attended the University of Wisconsin in an environment focused on liberal arts and social involvement. In his senior year, unsure of his future, Hersch attended a Peace Corps forum. Deeply affected by the accounts of former volunteers, Hersch signed up for two life-transforming years working with Colombian campesinos. Returning home in 1966, Hersch attended Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, earning a master's degree in political, social, and economic change. After graduation, he worked with the US Offices of Economic Opportunity and Public Health Service. Transfixed by memories of the mountains of Colombia, Hersch and his wife bought their own farm in Highland County, Virginia, in 1972, beginning a cattle ranching operation. Using the economic lessons discovered in Colombia establishing an agricultural marketing coop, Hersch transplanted this this paradigm in 1978 to launch Highland Beef Farms, www.highlandbeeffarms.com, which continues to prosper.

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