FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF DALHOUSIE’S FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE SPRING 2018 THE NEXT 100 THE FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE LOOKS AHEAD HARPER’S U-PICK ALUM JERRY HARPER RUNS ONE OF N.B.’S LARGEST BERRY FARMS PAGE 16 UGANDA PROJECT DEVELOPING NEW SKILLS PAGE 20 BUILT FOR YOUR OFFICE KNOW THE STATE OF YOUR LINES, THE LOCATION OF YOUR CREW AND THE CONDITION OF YOUR FLEET AT SEA AND ON LAND. Compass AQ builds SMART software on RUGGED hardware that works both ON and OFFLINE in harsh conditions. Compass AQ is fully supported, fully customized and scalable to grow with your farm. • Improve Productivity • Streamline Process Control • Provide Full Traceability • Real Time Monitoring • Complete Asset Management • One click Reporting Propelling Innovation Contact us at compassaq.com | [email protected] SCOTIAN GOLD IS A PROGRESSIVE TREE-FRUIT COOPERATIVE BASED IN NOVA SCOTIA’S ANNAPOLIS VALLEY. WITH A FULLY INTEGRATED BUSINESS AND ROOTS DATING BACK MORE THAN 100 YEARS, THEIR TEAM OF EXPERTS OFFERS THE LATEST IN AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY, PRODUCTS AND FIELD SERVICES. • Retail and feed locations in Coldbrook, New Glasgow and Brooklyn • Grower Services including on staff agronomy and horticultural experts • Nova Scotia’s largest apple producer and packing facility • Custom fertilizer blending • Equipment rentals and sales • Tools, hardware and farm supplies • Landscaping and irrigation supplies • Lifestyle apparel, workwear and footwear Locations: Coldbrook - 7053 Highway #1, Coldbrook, NS (P) 902-679-6662 Brooklyn Feed Mill - 80 Dunlop Rd, New Port, NS (P) 902-757-3232 New Glasgow - 280 Westville Rd, New Glasgow, NS (P) 902-752-4798 www.scotiangold.com 12 FEATURES The Next 100 .................................12 SPRING 2018 Harper’s U-Pick .............................16 Dal AC to Offer PhD CONTENTS Program in Agriculture .................18 New Skills Development Project in Uganda ........................ 20 EVENTS AND REUNIONS Class of ‘07 & Class of ‘56 ........... 22 26 29 Aggie Night at the Bearcats ........ 23 1000th Barley Ring ...................... 23 Blue & Gold Awards .................... 24 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair ..... 24 Distinguished Alumnus Award ... 25 Dean’s Receptions ........................ 26 Homecoming 2017 ....................... 26 Cmmunity Skate .......................... 26 Letter from the Editor .................................................................................... 4 Dean’s Message ............................................................................................. 5 AROUND AND ABOUT IN THE NEWS Pursuing Her Passion John Higgins Memorial Garden ................................................................... 6 Julie Vermeer (‘13) ...................... 27 In Memory ...................................................................................................... 7 The Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame ......................................................... 8 A Worthwhile Journey We Love an Aggie Wedding .......................................................................... 8 Nicole Cox (‘12) ............................ 28 Founder’s Day 2018 ....................................................................................... 8 PEI Horse Farmers Recognized Opportunities in Canadian Agriculture: A Panel Discussion ...................... 8 Ken (‘65) & Teresa (‘66) Mellish ... 29 LOOK WHO’S TALKING - Evans Estabrooks (‘62) ...................................... 10 The Right Choice RESEARCH - Dal AC Researcher Brings Expertise on Unique Soil Sam Bourgeois (‘11)..................... 30 Mapping System to Atlantic Canada ...........................................................11 HOMECOMING 2018: Save the Date .......................................................... 31 Cover photo credit: CONTACT INFORMATION Nick Pearce, Dalhousie University Dalhousie University, Faculty of Agriculture VOLUME 46, NO. 1, 2018 Published twice yearly by Dalhousie’s P.O. Box 550 Faculty of Agriculture Truro, Nova Scotia B2N 5E3 EDITOR PHONE: 902.893.6022 Alisha Johnson EMAIL: [email protected] CONTRIBUTING WRITERS For advertising opportunities contact editor. Emma Geldart Mailed under Canada Post Publications Stephanie Rogers Mail Sales Agreement No. 40063668 Philip Moscovitch LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Alisha Johnson Editor, AGRICOLA Alumni Relations, Dalhousie Agricultural Campus I’m excited to sign off on this edition of Agricola and share the issue year. The Agricultural Campus has big plans for the future. It’s a very with you. You may have noticed that the publication is later than important and exciting time to be involved in agriculture! normal landing in your mailbox. We’ve changed our cycle a bit, to We will soon be embarking on the Coast to Coast tour with better refl ect what’s happening on campus. Going forward, you will Dalhousie, as part of the 200th celebrations. Alumni receptions receive a new Agricola every March and September. We hope you will be held in every province, across Canada. We are really looking continue to enjoy reading each issue. forward to seeing as many Aggies as possible in every city, starting Dalhousie University is celebrating 200 years in 2018. While we in Vancouver in late April. Watch for your invitation for the city at the Agricultural Campus were not part of Dalhousie’s last 200 nearest you. We really hope to connect with you! years, we are certainly part of the future together. It’s also important Read on to learn about all of our events, as well as what’s to not forget Aggies have been earning Dalhousie degrees on the happening with fellow Aggies and campus news. As I said, we Agricultural Campus since 1986. With that in mind, there’s lots have a lot going on! I hope you enjoy this issue and welcome any planned, both by the central campus and the Agricultural Campus to comments or feedback. celebrate this special 200th milestone. Agricultural Campus alumni Hope to see you soon. and friends are encouraged and invited to participate in as many activities as possible, as we mark this occasion together. We have an exciting year ahead! In this issue, you will read about exciting things happening, [email protected] specifi cally on the Agricultural Campus. And not just for the next 902.893.6022 IT’S OUR BIRTHDAY. IT’S YOUR PARTY. DALHOUSIE COAST TO COAST Join us in one of 12 cities as we celebrate Dal’s 200th year. Register now at: alumni.dal.ca/coasttocoast @Dal_Alumni dalumni dalhousie_university alumni.dal.ca #dal200 4 SPRING 2018 AGRICOLA DEAN’S MESSAGE Dr. David Gray Dean, Faculty of Agriculture Principal, Dalhousie Agricultural Campus “Over a century ago, Canada’s Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier said that the 20th century belongs to Canada. Well, I firmly believe that the 21st century will belong to agriculture”. The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture Though we are Dalhousie’s newest faculty, the Faculty of As we celebrate throughout 2018, we hope to elevate an Agriculture has a long history—more than 100 years of world- understanding of the breadth and depth of agriculture within class education and research that’s intertwined not just with our community. Dalhousie University, but Nova Scotia and the entire Atlantic In 2018, we will highlight our contributions to teaching and region and we are proud to combine this history with Dalhousie research with the launch of a $25-million biomass energy plant as we celebrate 200 years in 2018 and enter the dawn of our and steam distribution system. This biomass co-generation third century together. project will set an example of best practices and embrace a It has been said that in the next 50 years alone we will need sustainable source of energy as we continue to move toward to produce as much food as has been consumed over our entire carbon neutrality. This new facility aligns well with a number human history! This is a stunning fact and one that drives home of our research areas in renewable energy and will provide how important agricultural education and research is to the opportunities for us to put research into practice. coming century. In September renowned animal scientist, autism advocate With agriculture currently representing seven percent and Dal honorary degree recipient Temple Grandin will return of Canada’s gross domestic product, the need for high- to campus. Dr. Grandin will be hosted by the Department of level research of farming, food production and agricultural Extended Learning and will be speaking to students and the sustainability is at an all-time high. broader community on issues of animal welfare and behaviour. To help address this challenge, the Faculty of Agriculture will We will also officially name our Botanical Garden in 2018. An be offering a new doctoral degree in Agriculture Sciences—the essential part of the Faculty’s teaching and learning and boasting first degree of its kind in Atlantic Canada. This PhD program more than 26 acres, the garden was the recent recipient of a will allow students to pursue advanced-level knowledge in “Canada 150 Garden Experience” designation. Our Botanical agriculture and undertake independent research to generate Garden is our largest classroom and we look forward to new knowledge, both of which are imperative to the future of celebrating with our community on August 25th. sustainable farming. I hope to connect with many of our alumni during our Coast The Faculty is also leading a new skills development project to Coast tour with stops in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and many in Uganda. This exciting new collaboration with