My connection to soil - Terry Tollefson

Welcome to SLSC 240 and to our course blog. In the next three months we will examine key physical, chemical and biological components of soil and relate those properties to soil productivity. Our course consists of 39, fifty minute lectures; not nearly enough time to explore these concepts in any detail. I hope  this blog will fill some of those gaps by offering you practical Saskatchewan examples of these soil properties. Before proceeding however, I have decided to give you a brief look at my personal background which may explain why I have made soil science a career.
    I believe that my farm background was responsible for awakening an early interest in soil. I  grew up on the family farm in southern Saskatchewan near the little elevator town of Ettington. That early interest in soil has evolved into a life long connection with soil, both practically and academically.  My claim is based on the fact that for the last 30 years I have taught soil science in the College of Agriculture and maintained an active role in the family farm at the same time.
   My family ties to the land go back to 1909.  My grandfather came to Canada as a young Norwegian Immigrant hoping to take advantage of the promise of farm land to homestead in Western Canada. There was no opportunity for him to farm in Norway, family holdings were very small with little chance to expand. Only 3% of the Norwegian land base is suitable for agricultural production.  The rocky and mountainous landscapes which dominate most of Norway may have influenced my grandfather's choice of land when he arrived in Saskatchewan.  He appeared to be unafraid to select land that was stoney or hilly or both. Figure 1 is an early view of the farm and grandfather seeding one of those rolling stoney fields.

Figure 1: Planting on the farm - precise date uncertain, approximately 1940

In 1948 my father took over the farm and by the 60's my brother and I were old enough to shoulder some responsibility. In those days farm kids did chores as soon as they were able and worked in the field  when old enough to pilot a tractor. I shudder to think how young that was.  One field operation in particular allowed me to be up close and personal with the land, that job was stone picking.  There was a constant need to pick stones to reduce wear and tear on seeding and harvest machinery. Back then, rocks were picked by hand and loaded into a truck or tractor and wagon. I was fortunate that horses were no longer in use by the time I was old enough to pick stones, so I never experienced picking rocks with a team of horses and a stone boat. I became very familiar with every farm field because I walked them many many times over the years. I realized early on that the ability of these fields to produce crops was quite variable and at times I wondered why.

Figure 2: Planting equipment on the farm in 1976

During the seventies I studied at the U. of S. College of Agriculture and received an M.Sc. in Soil Science.  After graduation the farm was still beckoning so in 1981 I  made a career choice that lasted 22 years. I farmed during the summer months and taught soil science during the winter at the U of S. The science of agriculture grew dramatically during that time and I was part of one of the largest teaching and research Colleges of Agriculture in Canada. I was continually exposed to the most up to date production information and used it to advantage on the farm.  In 2004, I decided to move to a full-time position within the College so I now limit  my "farmer habit" to 2 week at seeding and 2 weeks at harvest.
     I intend to bring my practical experience to the classroom to  ensure that you recognize the importance/application  of soil science principles in current production practices. I also hope that you will grow in your appreciation of just how precious our Saskatchewan soil resource is.

Figure 3: Direct seeding on the farm in 2008

Please consider joining the SLSC 240 blog. Tell us about your experiences with soil, good or bad? Where do you live, what is the soil like in your area?