Ag at the University of Alberta | School opened in 1915 with 16 students
EDMONTON — It was billed as a 100th anniversary celebration for the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences but turned into a love-in about soil and water.
What connected the panelists was a love and respect for soil.
Former Alberta premier and agriculture minister Ed Stelmach said he is still disturbed about driving to Beaumont, just south of Edmonton, when he was premier and watching construction workers bury a culvert for a new subdivision.
“I looked where they were placing the culvert, in six feet of black soil, and they were going to cover it up with concrete. It hurts,” said Stelmach, one of the panelists in the ALES celebration, along with greenhouse owner Jim Hole, economist Janet Fast and soil and water expert Bill Shotyk.
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“My grandparents came here in 1898 in search of good soil that they could own. There is something, as you know Jim (Hole), to put your hands in that black soil and just the odour and scent,” said Stelmach.
Hole, who grew up in the family greenhouse and market garden business, understands the importance of soil, especially the rich black soil near Edmonton.
“Soil is an absolutely fundamental aspect of growing in Alberta, and we have great soils in Alberta,” he said.
“We are in the black soil zone and have high quality soils that aren’t common throughout the world so we’re fortunate to have black soils.”
Former prime minister Kim Campbell, who moderated the panel, said creating a greater understanding of soil might be a role for the department or its extension division.
“A lot of people don’t realize that soil is not something that is easy to make,” she said.
“We think of dirt and everyone gets covered in dirt, but there is a difference between dirt and soil. This is something our ALES faculty can make more understood by the public.”
Shotyk said he was surprised by the invitation to sit on the anniversary celebration panel, considering he grew up near Toronto and isn’t a U of A grad. However, he is now a water and soil specialist at the faculty.
Shotyk grew up hearing stories about farming from his father, who emigrated from Ukraine and was curious about farming.
“At some point I asked him to buy us one and he did. It’s not every dad that goes out and buys a farm. He bought this little farm and I fell in love,” said Shotyk.
“Not every father is in a position to buy a farm for his kids, but if you don’t have your own farm, not to worry, the University of Alberta has several. These are wonderful opportunities for people to go out there and dig a hole and get their hands dirty. That is when you begin to understand what soil is and plant roots are and water flow.”
The university faculty plans to spend the next year celebrating the faculty’s 100 years from 1915 to 2015.
It evolved from two professors and 16 students during the First World War to 1,600 undergraduates and 500 graduate students today.
