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What was farm life like during the Second World War?

TVO program answers the question

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

A show on TVO, Ontario’s publicly-funded educational television station, is combining the topics of agriculture and life during the Second World War.

Wartime Farm re-enacts managing a British farm during World War II, when supplies may have been scarce and the threat of a Nazi bombing was looming.

The show may be on TV, but the characters aren’t necessarily actors. Historian Ruth Goodman, along with archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn, immerse themselves by using period equipment, wearing period clothing and even dealing with army recruitment all while trying to run a farm.

“To avoid defeat, one battle would become more important than any other,” the narrator, John Simm, says as the first episode airs. “The battle to produce food.”

At the time, most of the food coming into Britain was imported and due to Nazi activity, farmers were under enormous pressure to try and double the amount of food produced.

Currently seven episodes are available for viewing:

Episode 1 – The team reclaim badlands to grow new crops

Episode 2 – The team faces the challenges associated with rationing and the threat of a Nazi raid

Episode 3 – Goodman, Langlands and Ginn celebrate Christmas in the 1940s

Episode 4 – The team realizes the government will repossess their house and land if they aren’t productive enough

Episode 5 – Hitler’s U-boats bombard British ships, cutting imports and creating major shortages across the country

Episode 6 – As tasks on the farm increase, the team turn to young children to help out on the farm

Episode 7 – Britain has been at war for five years and the fields are filling up with troops, making it increasingly difficult to farm


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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

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In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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