For some, farming is in their genes and every career path seems to always end up leading back to the land. Joe Maxwell comes from a long line of farmers who immigrated to Canada from England in 1854. He grew up working on his parents’ farm in Bruce County and in 1947 he left to attend the Ontario Agricultural College. By the time he graduated in 1951, he wanted to go his own way and had no desire to return to the farm.
A lot has happened in the past 100 years. From the first electric can opener to the first mobile phone, the human population has continually innovated and improved upon products of the past. However, to have something last 100 years is an uncommon feat.
You may not think of hazelnuts as a local food, but researchers at the University of Guelph are working to make hazelnuts just as “Ontarian” as strawberries, asparagus and peaches. Hazelnuts could soon be added to the long list of Ontario produce available to consumers who are looking to buy and eat local.
Rural communities are experiencing a drastic shift in their populations as more and more people choose to move to urban areas in search of employment. This shift presents significant challenges to the survival of those rural communities. However, the development of an Ontario hazelnut industry could help these communities to survive.
The establishment of an Ontario hazelnut industry would enhance the agricultural product offerings of Ontario, and also create many much-needed jobs in rural communities. However, there are also many environmental benefits that hazelnut production can offer Ontario.
When you hear the world “truffle” what comes to mind? Some might think of a chocolate treat, but for Charles Shearer, a master’s student in the Department of Plant Agriculture, he thinks of a mushroom with great potential for intercropping in hazelnut orchards.
Adam Dale, college professor emeritus in the Department of Plant Agriculture, has been making headlines for his research on bringing hazelnut production to Ontario. Together with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the Ontario Hazelnut Association, Adam is helping to establish an Ontario hazelnut industry through his efforts to determine the most productive tree varieties for the province.
Seven years after receiving her undergraduate degree, Ashley Honsberger decided it was time to return to school. Her career focus on farm business management was missing the international development link she longed for. To reset her career path, she pursued a Master’s of Science in Capacity Development and Extension (CDE) at the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development.
University is a time for learning, for growth and quite often a time for finding your life partner. Like so many young men and women who attended the University of Guelph during the late 1950s, George and Lorna Roberts found each other. George was enrolled in the Ontario Agricultural College, while Lorna studied in the Macdonald Institute. With five boys for every girl on campus at the time, George considers himself quite fortunate.
Whether they’re scrambled, boiled, fried or whipped into an omelette, eggs are a favourite staple of the Canadian diet. Over 1,000 egg farmers contribute $1.4 billion to Canada’s GDP every year, but how often does the average Canadian think about what goes into producing an egg?