EDMONTON – “Good afternoon. Jack Howell again with you on Call of the Land.”
Thousands of Alberta farm families could count on those words coming from their radios each noon hour as they sat down for lunch.
For more than 36 years, Jack Howell was the invisible guest at the kitchen table, telling farmers the latest cattle market information, crop research and upcoming events.
The nine-minute Call of the Land radio program was part of the daily household routine, said Gerard Vaillancourt during a retirement party for Howell.
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“He’s got lots of friends here, but he’s got lots of friends he hasn’t met across the province.”
Vaillancourt worked with Howell for seven years on the radio program.
Alberta Agriculture started it in 1953 as a way to deliver agriculture news to farm families. In 1970 Howell became the 10th host in the program’s history. Every weekday he used his network of contacts to gather agricultural stories from across the province.
Camrose cattle producer Lester Millang said Howell had an amazing memory for names and places.
“If he met you once, he remembered you. He always had time to talk.”
When Millang had an event to promote Howell mentioned it on the program.
Roger Bryan with Alberta Agriculture’s conservation program said Howell was open to any story idea that department employees wanted delivered to Albertans.
“He always made it relevant to farmers and ranchers,” Bryan said. “I think a lot of farmers are going to miss that voice.”
An interview on Call of the Land often gave credibility to a project. Former Alberta Agriculture plant pathologist Ieuan Evan said Howell was one of the few people he could go to in the department and not be told no.
“He never found fault with you. He never criticized,” said Evans, who Howell interviewed many times about emerging plant diseases and mineral deficiencies in crops.
In a government department that has seen 12 ministers and significant changes during his tenure, Howell was able to survive staff cuts and department changes.
“He was super diplomatic,” Evans said.
Shirley McClellan, former agriculture minister and now minister of finance, said listening to Howell was part of her family’s routine on their central Alberta farm.
“I listened to Call of the Land as many years as you’ve delivered it,” McClellan told Howell.
Doug Horner, Alberta’s present agriculture minister, said anybody who grew up in rural Alberta knew about Call of the Land.
“For someone who grew up in rural Alberta, we could count on you to give us the straight goods,” Horner said.
After 36 years in the same job, Howell said he decided last winter it was time to retire after he looked at the top of his hands and saw age spots. CFCW farm radio host Caitlyn Reesor took over the job after Howell retired on May 31.
Howell said it’s hard to judge if his career as a farm radio host has been successful.
“If we’ve been able to positively influence the lives and well being of rural Albertans just a teensy, weensy bit, I guess the journey will have been worth it,” he said.
“That’ll do it for Call of the land for this week. For Alberta Agriculture, I’m Jack Howell. Good afternoon.”
