Features

People living in rural Ontario have experienced significant declines in mental health, employment satisfaction and personal safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a University of Guelph study.

Dr. Leith Deacon, professor in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, conducted a large quantitative survey with United Way Perth-Huron and Salvation Army, Listowel. They aimed to provide data to policy makers on how rural populations in Canada are underrepresented in COVID-19 emergency management policies.

Two University of Guelph research projects that seek to understand current mental health challenges in farming and rural communities have received $287,804 in funding.

Both projects aim to improve service delivery.

Dr. Leith Deacon, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, received $231,554 in Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance funding for a major survey on the mental health impacts of disruptive events in rural Ontario.

Nokom’s House research laboratory to be located on the University of Guelph campus will be a permanent, Indigenous land-based and community-engaged space, believed to be the first of its kind at a Canadian university.

Wellness and good relationships will be at its core, say organizers.

“Nokom” is abbreviated from “nokomis,” an Ojibway word that means “my grandmother.”

Like a grandmother’s home, it will be a welcoming, nurturing and safe place to learn, gather, create and take part in ceremony.

Gordon Bell, a graduate student in the School of Environmental Sciences (SES), is researching soil health and the effects of climate change.

Bell began working with Dr. Claudia Wagner-Riddle, a professor in SES, as a field technician while completing his undergraduate degree. This collaborative work in the Wagner-Riddle lab inspired him to pursue his master’s degree.

A study of microbes beneath the world’s seabed hints at the diversity and ecological importance of bacteria living in a little-known habitat that makes up one of the largest biospheres on Earth, according to a new study led by a University of Guelph researcher.

David Gabric (Associate Diploma in Turfgrass Management, 2006) started working at golf courses while studying history at U of G. After completing his undergraduate degree, he returned to U of G as a turfgrass management student to pursue his passion. After working in the golf course industry for several years, he now works as a horticulturalist. We recently chatted with him to learn more about his role and experience working at the Wascana Centre in Saskatchewan.

Livia Sente, a graduate student in the Department of Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics (FARE), brings a unique perspective to her academic life, which stems from her interdisciplinary approach to looking at the ‘big picture’.

“I enjoy seeing the whole picture, asking the bigger questions, and getting involved with multiple areas instead of specialization,” she shares. “Specialization is undeniably valuable, but so is a better understanding of the bigger puzzle that we are looking at and how everything is interconnected.”

To celebrate Food Day Canada, we're shining a light on Canadian cuisine. We asked experts in the Ontario Agricultural College, "What does food mean to you?" and to share some of their favourite recipes that highlight local ingredients that can be grown in Canada or found at a farmers' market.

Food Day Canada is a great opportunity to enjoy food, make food, and learn about food. Check out our featured experts and ingredients below.

Two new asparagus varieties developed at the University of Guelph and now available to growers are expected to further improve the asparagus industry in Ontario, building on a transformational variety introduced by U of G two decades ago.

When the Guelph Millennium asparagus variety was introduced to Ontario growers more than 20 years ago, it quickly became a game-changer.

A second run of a beer made with wild yeast collected during a “yeast safari” on the University of Guelph campus proved just as popular as the first, selling out quickly after going on sale this past spring.

Experimental Farm Ale was created using yeast discovered on the U of G campus and was re-launched this past June in concert with U of G’s alumni weekend by Guelph’s own Royal City Brewing Co.