PARC marks milestone


Memories and memorabilia shared as Summerland facility joins national research anniversary celebration.


By Susan McIver T


he Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland celebrated the 125th


anniversary of Canadian agricultural research with an open house in September.


Royal assent of The Experimental Farm Station Act, on June 2, 1886 marked the creation of the country’s first five experimental farms. These were located at Nappan, Nova Scotia; Ottawa, Ontario; Brandon, Manitoba; Indian Head, Saskatchewan (then called the North-West Territories); and Agassiz, British Columbia. The Dominion Experimental Farm at Summerland was established in 1914 to do research associated with the developing agricultural industry that included crops, poultry, swine and cattle.


The scope of research has narrowed over the years with the decrease in variety of crops grown in the B.C. Interior.


Today, Summerland scientists are engaged in research to support local tree fruit, grape and wine industries and have developed programs in food science and biotechnology. The open house was a big success, with attendance exceeding expectations.


“Our goal of 500 visitors was reached midway through the day. We were very pleased,” said science director Barry Grace.


Visitors came for a variety of reasons, including memories, curiosity and to showcase


opportunities in agricultural sciences to youth.


“That’s my father,” said


Summerland resident Ruth Manning, pointing to a photograph of a man working a team of horses.


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Winter 2011-12 15


The office building at the Dominion Experimental Farm at Summerland (right) was opened in 1919. Opened in 1987 the laboratory building brought together scientists, administrative staff and the library.


Her father, John Manning, was head teamster at the station starting in the early 1930s. His photograph was part of an historic display that included fruit pickers in 1914 and tarring a wooden irrigation flume constructed in 1930. Charlena Manning, Ruth’s mother, ran the boarding house which housed staff, students and the Manning family.


The boarding house and most of the other buildings were at or near the site of what is now the


Ornamental Gardens, Ruth said. These buildings included the homes of the herdsman and head gardener, barns for domestic animals and a tobacco barn.


Tobacco was grown at the station in the late 1920s and 1930s. Each discipline, including entomology, horticulture and plant pathology, was housed in its own building.


Administrative headquarters were in the office building opened in 1919.


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