The Acadia University Farm

Welcome to my presentation on the Acadia University Farm.

Earlier in the Fall of 2014, I was leafing through a book entitled, “Historic Wolfville” for inspiration on a topic that was relevant to a World War I related research project on Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. I came across a photo of students harvesting turnips in 1918, (Image 2) and I thought – “There’s my project…”. I was only remotely aware that Acadia had a farm that produced vegetables for the University at the turn of the last century, but I did not know how important that farm was, and to what extent it supplied milk, vegetables, fruit and meat for the University dining halls and the surrounding community. I spoke with a numerous people on Campus, Alumni and former faculty and staff. There was more than enough enthusiasm and excitement about the topic, as very little factual information is known about the old Acadia Farm. Armed with enthusiasm, I set off on my research path, assuming there reams of information in the form of photographs and documents languishing in some archive, somewhere on Campus – but I was wrong.

I utilized the following sources:

· Minute Book of the Board of Governors (1850 to 1949)

· The Acadia Bulletin (1912 to 1918)

· The Acadia Athenaeum (1914 to 1919)

· The Calendar of Acadia University (1912 to 1918)

· History of Acadia, 1838 – 1938, Dr. R. S. Longley

· “Give us an A”, An Acadia Album, 1838 – 1988, Dr. Barry Moody

· Historic Wolfville, Grand Pre and Countryside, Tom Sheppard

As I waded through this reference material – I was looking for interest at the time, and the important role the farm played in the daily life of Acadia. It quickly became evident, that there was a disappointing lack of information about the Acadia Farm, which caused me to initiate a change of course, instead focusing on a holistic picture of the farm from 1896 to the 1950’s:

The Founders of Acadia acquired a considerable amount of land, about half of which was a farm that was located between what is now Highland and University Avenue, and ran from the dyke, uphill nearly half a mile. The prevailing economic conditions drove Acadia to establish its own farm (Image 3)), which included a small herd of 7 cattle and 15 pigs. The farm was situated near the geographic center of campus but it was small and poorly situated. As enrolment increased in the 1880’s, the need arose for a larger, more efficient farm.

In 1895, Dr. Atwood Cohoon suggested in the Board of Governors meeting that instead of purchasing food, Acadia should produce its own. Dr. Atwood Cohoon became the Farm superintendent, and Billy Oliver was in charge of the cows, pigs, and horses. The farm provided milk and produce for the dining halls and the opportunity for students to earn money and gain healthy exercise. Only 5 years later, in 1900, the farm had become such a vital part of Acadia life that the Athenaeum declared “…sometimes [it] was difficult to tell whether the principle business conducted on the premises was farming or education”, because of the large farm near the willow tree at the rear of the college, the cattle and horses passing back and forth, and the farming implements lying around.

In 1911, discussion began about building a new barn, as the old one was showing signs of age and was surrounded by encroaching buildings. In July 1911, C.R.H. Starr formed a committee to determine how to raise the money to pay for the new barn, by January 1912; Starr reported that there were no funds available. This was resolved by using $1,000 obtained from the sale of the Masters property at St. John. The money paid for the barn to be built, and for the expansion of the present stock. By August 1913, in the Board of governors meeting minutes, Dr. Cutten commented on the completion of the new barn, but also to the fact that only cows displaying no response to the tuberculosis test should be kept on the farm.

During the war years:

During 1914, the farm plant was improved by a thorough cleaning and seeding of the pasture, the laying of new water pipes from the reservoir** to the barn, the addition of four stanchions for cows and the erection of a root cellar. **The old reservoir with old apple trees around it can still be found uphill south of Skyway Drive. The farm yielded an abundant crop of potatoes, about 800 bushels (50 pounds of potatoes = 1 bushel). Additionally, plans were afoot to make the farm complete by acquiring a few acres of dyke to supply hay of the right quality.

There was no additional information until August 1916, when I came across a whole page dedicated to the Acadia Farm in the Board of Governors meeting minutes – it was so exciting!

It was a description of how, since 1895, the farm had changed from one of neglect and poor output, to one that is well organized and very productive.

It says: “Cultivation of the farm began in 1896, Stock and implements were purchased and margins of bush and stones were cleared, fences renewed and more land cleared. From August 1896 to August 1911, the total receipts were $20,090.35, with the total expenditure at $14,559.88, with a surplus of $5,530.47 after stocking the farm, clearing land and purchasing tools.”

The new water pipe from the reservoir to the barn cost $5,360.49, of which a $1,000.00 legacy was put towards the expenditure. The new barn that was completed in 1913 had a cement basement with a separate manure pit. There was also a cement piggery, a cement root cellar, a wagon house, a house for farm implements and a small cottage with a barn attached for farm help. An additional 8 to 10 acres was also now under good cultivation.

In 1916, the whole farm, implements and crops were valued at $8,600.00; an average net income of $1,000.00 was a reasonable expectation. In other words, the farm was reckoned as equal to the investment of $20,000.00, yielding 5%.

In May 1917, about 39 acres of young orchard lands (Image 4) adjoining the college farm and near the barn was available for $1,500.00, which the Board voted to purchase. In many of the old photographs of Acadia, one can easily see the orchards that were on the campus. The fruit was used in the dining halls but also preserved for winter months.

The Acadia Farm Gross Production Graph from 1912 to 1918, (Image 5).

I put together the information for this graph by going through the Acadia Bulletins and extracting the farm accounts for each year. It is evident that the production of pork and vegetables increased during the war years, but milk production faltered during 1916, because, similar to 1913, there were cases of tuberculosis among the cows, which affected milk production.

In the late 1920’s the University began leasing the farm to Walter Duncanson, a farmer, who continued to provide produce for Acadia from about 15 to 20 acres of cultivated land. When his lease expired in 1956, the University realized that the farm had outlived its usefulness. In September 1954, Hurricane Edna had damaged the barn, and in 1956, the remains were torn down, and the remaining livestock was sold. The continuing increase in enrolment did not make the farm feasible, given its production.

The Acadia Farm played a vital role in daily life at the University. Not only did it provide produce, milk, and pork, for nearly 60 years, it was also a place where students had the opportunity to work outside, a rather refreshing change from lectures. However, it is difficult to understand why there is so little information about it. I have not been able to find any pictures of actual cultivated land, nor any student’s names associated with the farm.

Due to increased enrolment, progress, and the sprawl of the University, there are none of the old farm landmarks visible. The Physical Plant building is located approximately where the main farm buildings were; most of the apple trees have since been cut down, and the current Acadia Community Farm, established in 2008, is located on the dykes behind the gym, but, continues the tradition of being run by students and supplying fresh produce for the Acadia Dining hall.

Click here if you would like to see the whole PowerPoint

Top Image: Nova Scotia Archives. Nova Scotia from the Air: The Richard McCully Aerial Photograph Collection, 1931. No. 9, Negative no. 353

Image 2: Historic Wolfville: Grand Pre and Countryside, Tom Sheppard

Image 3: First College Hall. 1860. Photograph Collection. Esther Clark Wright Archives, Acadia University

Image 4: Nova Scotia Archives. Nova Scotia from the Air. Richard McCully Aerial photograph Collection, 1931, no. 12, negative no. 366