The Farmer-to-Farmer Program sends volunteers to underdeveloped countries to grow and improve agricultural businesses.

This is a story about a city girl on a dairy farm, and not just any ordinary dairy farm, but one in South Africa, and one in need of some friendly business support. It's about the journey from New Jersey to South Africa, about helping and sharing, and working and caring. And about the realization that running a little farm on another continent is not so different from managing a large business here in the United States.

A few months ago I didn't know which end of the cow got milked. Today I know more than I care to about mastitis and manure and teat dips. That bit of enlightenment was part of a bale of learning obtained through a volunteer project offered by Land O'Lakes Inc., Arden Hills, Minn.