The Kentville Research and Development Centre (formerly Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre) is a branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's national network of 20 research centres stationed across Canada. The site is situated on in

Kentville Kentville is an incorporated town in Nova Scotia. It is the most populous town in the Annapolis Valley. As of 2021, the town's population was 6,630. Its census agglomeration is 26,929. History Kentville owes its location to the Cornwallis River ...

, located in Nova Scotia's

Annapolis Valley The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy. St ...

. The Centre's programs address

agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...

challenges throughout the Canadian horticultural and food network, but primarily focus on the regional requirements of

Atlantic Canada Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (french: provinces de l'Atlantique), is the region of Eastern Canada comprising the provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec. The four provinces are New Brunswick, Newfoundlan ...

. On September 2, 2003, the centre's staff was recognized by

Environment Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC; french: Environnement et Changement climatique Canada),Environment and Climate Change Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of the Environment ( ...

for providing a volunteer climate observation station for a continuous 70 years. On January 26, 2011, and in honour of their

centennial {{other uses, Centennial (disambiguation), Centenary (disambiguation) A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century, a period of 100 years. Notable events Notable centennial events at a ...

celebration, the centre was bestowed with an honorary membership to the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association in recognition of the centre's development and support of a

sustainable Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livin ...

tree fruit industry in Atlantic Canada.

History

The centre was first established as the Kentville Research Centre by the

Canadian federal government The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown-in-C ...

in 1911 on request by the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association. During the early 20th century, Nova Scotia's 2.5 million apple trees were the major supplier of apples to England and the association requested assistance to help expand commercial production to meet demand. In 1912 William Saxby Blair was appointed the centre's first Superintendent, and research began on breeding new fruit varieties, experimenting with planting and harvesting methods, and improving pest and disease resistance. Trials did not focus solely on apples, however, and by 1929 had grown to include many different fruits and vegetables, cereals, flax and hemp. The centre also expanded its research to encompass

crop protection Crop protection is the science and practice of managing plant diseases, weeds, and other pests (both vertebrate and invertebrate) that damage crops and forestry. Crops include field crops (maize, wheat, rice, etc.), vegetable crops (potatoes, cabb ...

water management Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; slightl ...

and evaluation, post-harvest storage, seed indexing, and an extensive

pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, birds ...

study, housing 184

bee colonies A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus ''Honey bee, Apis'' live and raise their young. Though the word ''beehive'' is commonly used to describe the nest of any bee colony, scientific and professional l ...

at the centre by 1928. The centre's research into large-scale

food dehydration Food drying is a method of food preservation in which food is dried (dehydrated or desiccated). Drying inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and mold through the removal of water. Dehydration has been used widely for this purpose since a ...

canning Canning is a method of food preservation in which food is processed and sealed in an airtight container (jars like Mason jars, and steel and tin cans). Canning provides a shelf life that typically ranges from one to five years, although u ...

, and

freezing Freezing is a phase transition where a liquid turns into a solid when its temperature is lowered below its freezing point. In accordance with the internationally established definition, freezing means the solidification phase change of a liquid o ...

created export opportunities for fruit and vegetable producers that had outgrown the local markets ability to sustain their expansion. In 1929 Cecil B. Eidt developed a forced-air food dehydrator that improved the production of dehydrated fruits and vegetables. The Eidt Dehydrator allowed production of thousands of tonnes of dehydrated vegetables in Canada during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and was the leading dehydration technology until the 1960s. In 1933, Dr. Charles Eaves launched a post-harvest research program at the centre, and in 1939 introduced one of the first atmospherically controlled storage facilities for fruits and vegetables in the western hemisphere. The unit extended the shelf life of produce by lowering the ambient amount of

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as wel ...

and

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is transpar ...

, which help to trigger organic decomposition. The centre also expanded its studies to include chicken-egg incubation research, and

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, a ...

health and breeding, decreasing by half the time required to raise a chicken. In 1996 the

Honeycrisp Honeycrisp (''Malus pumila'') is an apple cultivar (cultivated variety) developed at the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station's Horticultural Research Center at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Designated in 1974 with the MN 1711 ...

apple variety (developed by the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

) was recognized as a potential high quality cultivar for Nova Scotia's growing climate, and research began on establishing proper production methods and post-harvest storage. This variety became extremely popular with consumers, and there were more than 100,000 honeycrisp apple trees planted in the province. In 1995 The Kentville Research Centre was renamed the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre.

Present

, the centre employs 35 researchers with a total staff of 120, and continues its projects and studies concerning agricultural research. Two structures at the centre are officially recognized by the Canadian government as historical places: *The Main

Barn A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Allen G. ...

, built in 1912, is noted both for its historic and

architectural Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings o ...

value and was designated as a Federal Heritage Building in 1994. *"Building 18" (Also known as Blair House) was built in 1911 and served as the presiding superintendent's residence until 1979. It is recognized for its historical, architectural, and environmental value and was designated as a Federal Heritage Building in 1994. Building 18 was converted into the Blair House Museum and was opened to the public on May 29, 1981. The museum showcases the history of Nova Scotia's apple industry and the past and present research of the centre. A popular

hiking trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...

is also located at the centre. The Kentville Ravine Trail is approximately long and follows a small brook through

old growth An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance (ecology), disturbance, and thereby exhibits un ...

Hemlock trees. Clean water, a picnic area, and flush toilets are provided at the trail head. Each June the centre hosts an annual open-house called Rhododendron Sunday. Visitors are able to tour the facility and the gardens, whose collection of

azalea Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus ''Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections ''Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and '' Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and Octob ...

s and

rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nati ...

s comprise the largest collection of flowering shrubs in Atlantic Canada.

Satellite operations

Nappan Research Farm

The Kentville Research and Development Centre also manages the Nappan Research Farm in Nappan, Nova Scotia. The farm is located in northern part of the province in close proximity to

Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...

and the

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

border. The research farm was created in 1888 and is one of the five original experimental farms established in Canada. The site encompasses of mixed

pastureland Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep, or swine ...

, including reclaimed

salt marsh A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is dominated ...

es. Study focuses primarily on climate monitoring,

soil research ''Soil Research'' is an international peer-reviewed scientific journal published by CSIRO Publishing. It aims to rapidly publish high-quality, novel research about fundamental and applied aspects of soil science. As well as publishing in traditiona ...

(including full botanical and nutritional analysis), estimating pasture

biomass Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms bi ...

, and the analyzing of

forage Forage is a plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems) eaten by grazing livestock. Historically, the term ''forage'' has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used m ...

and feed samples. The centre also extends into livestock research, housing 80 beef cow/calf pairs, 60 finishing cattle, and 25-30 heifers.

Sheffield Research Farm

The Sheffield farm was established in 1957 and occupies located in Upper Canard, Nova Scotia. As with the Nappan Research Farm, research is primarily based on soil study including drainage, climate monitoring, and vegetation research. As of 2016, the Sheffield Research farm has been sold and is no longer a part of AAFC.

References

{{Reflist, 2

External links

Official website
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agriculture in Nova Scotia Buildings and structures in Kings County, Nova Scotia Agriculture in Canada Experimental farms in Canada 1911 establishments in Nova Scotia