Building on Parts A, B, and C of the Research Project, develop a first draft of the final research paper. This draft should contain at the very least the following draft sections (sections can be titled more imaginatively):

introduction

methods

theory

Drafts should also include a summary identifying what portions remain to be completed, and describing how the remaining work will be carried out. To develop this summary, you should consult the instructions for the final part of the Research Project, the Final Research Paper.

SAMPLE Final PAPER attached: this is weeks assignment is ONLY the draft

Running head: RESEARCH PAPER 1

RESEARCH PAPER 1

Research Project Part B

Shannon Brain

Yorkville University

GEOG210 Human Geography

February 1, 2020

My research paper topic description will describe the proposed Mega Hospitial project in Windsor, ON, an important and ambitious development for our region. Windsor Regional is struggling with the major issue with our current acute health-care configuration in Windsor-Essex. We do not have two general hospitals in Windsor; we have one hospital over two campuses. Many services are segregated to a specific campus. The new facility will house all services and be closer for residents of our region. The theoretical lens used for my topic will require research in culture, globalization, and identity to address the problem; one hospital over two campuses, services are segregated. Comment by DL: Is there a specific question or problem that you want to address? In describing the hospital, are there controversies or broader implications that you can bring in? Comment by DL: Okay, although you are free to change this if you feel it difficult to find research papers using this framework. You might also consider the economics of the project and perhaps some institutional/organizational theory.

Runninghead: EXCURSION

1

EXCURSION 1

Research Project Part A:

Field Excursion Report: Interpreting Places and Landscapes

Shannon Brain

Yorkville University

GEOG210 Human Geography

February 1, 2020

On January 31, 2020, a field excursion was organized and completed of a Lakeshore neighborhood and surrounding area. The excursion started at 12:00 pm and concluded at 2:20 pm. The report includes the students’ observations of the complexity of Russell Woods and its urban landscapes. The map below shows that the Town of Lakeshore is surrounded by Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and the Detroit River. The Town of Tecumseh is bordered by Lake St. Clair. The natural landscape is protected by ERCA (Essex Region Conversation Area). Comment by DL: day of the week?

Comment by DL: Okay, good. It would also be useful to have a zoomed in map showing the excursion route.

(“Maps”)

Russell Woods Dr is a busy residential area with homes that range from $600,000 to $5,000,000. The sought-after area offers large lots and spectacular views over others you might find in a subdivision. The home environment can define mood, behaviour, decision-making processes, stress levels. As research has shown, in addition to social status, being near water creates a mental calm and promotes physical health. “Nearly every item in the landscape “reflect[s] culture in some way” (p, 18). We need to pay attention even to what at first glance might seem commonplace, trivial, or just plain haphazard and ugly. At the same time we need to make judgments about when an item really just is the idiosyncratic whim of an individual and thus truly is unique” (

“New Axioms for Reading the Landscape: Paying Attention to Political Economy and Social

Justice”).

As a new resident of this area I noticed how closely the neighborhood interacts with one another. On a warm sunny day people were observed walking their dogs, jogging or just walking on the road or the sidewalks where available. The vehicular traffic was mainly pedestrians and cars/SUVs that obeyed the posted speed limit. In the warmer weather there will be children and adults on bicycles and the occasion golf cart. The socioeconomic status is white upper to upper middle-class families, business owners, mainly Manufacturing, Doctors and Lawyers.

In walking distance, the surrounding area has grown in recent years, the addition of newly built Plaza, which is home to a busy coffee shop where friends meet for a coffee or a glad of wine. The neighborhood teens flock to the neighboring pizza restaurant, retail, and medical offices occupy the remaining units. Across the street, on a busy corner, a convenience store, and Deli. This located next to the construction of luxury condominiums and Marina, a boater’s paradise. A portion of the Marina is another local hotspot for water sports such as kayaking, paddle boats, and a boat ramp. Comment by DL: Was it busy when you were there? What were people doing?

The Town of Lakeshore has put in place (by laws) legislation to regulate activities and development in the Town. These rules protect the: Comment by DL: are there signs explaining them?

· environment

· public health and safety

· set standards for the appearance of the community.

The town became a service centre for the surrounding area, which is rich in productive agricultural land (“Tecumseh (Ont). This small town has beautiful nature landscapes, such as the local park “Leffler” that is home to a family of foxes, and the canal is a favorite resting spot to many geese and ducks.

References

“Maps.” Town of Tecumseh, www.tecumseh.ca/en/things-to-do/maps.aspx?_mid_=1290.

“New Axioms for Reading the Landscape: Paying Attention to Political Economy and Social

Justice.” SpringerLink, link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-5849-3_2.

“Tecumseh (Ont).” The Canadian Encyclopedia,

www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tecumseh-ont.

Running head:

Annotated Bibliography

1

Annotated Bibliography 4

Annotated Bibliography

GEOG210 Human Geography

Yorkville University

Shannon Brain

February 7, 2019

Annotated Bibliography
Arunachalam, S. (2000). Human population growth. PMCID: PMC1117552, 1-5.
This article includes three sub-headings, and these three are essential to note about the population growth in the current era. These three parts of this research article, the first is human population growth that talks about the difference and bias of developed and advanced countries when it comes to supporting the world. I will use this part of the research article to make assumptions about developed countries or to make a difference between developed and developing countries about their population. In the second part, “the population issues are not satisfactory.” I would use this statement to raise the question, how population growth is an issue, and what areas of life are affected by population growth. And the third one of the most important is “China’s one-child policy” I will use this research that how the one-child policy is failing to claim that the population growth problem requires authentic laws and efficient enforcements.
Baldini, R. (2015). The Importance of Population Growth and Regulation in Human Life History Evolution. PLOS ONE, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0119789.
My selected topic for research is “Population Growth” thus, this article above would help me to arrange the basis for my research article. The article talks about the evolution of the human population and human life history. This research article marks long juvenile history and, through figurative analysis, helps me to understand population trends over history. The research article with the presentation of numerical tests analyses how the population maximizes in history and still growing at a constant rate. A test is used to conclude that population growth is independent of density independence. I can use performed tests in this article to my research study and can pick terms like population is increasing since decades and the rate is independent of population
Diversity. I will also support conclusions made in this article that the human population is expanding and regulated from history and then relate this rate of population growth with the current rate to analyze the gap.
Peterson, E. W. (2017). The Role of Population in Economic Growth. SAGE Journals, https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2158244017736094.
This article presents statistical data on how population growth is linked with economic growth. This research article will help me to state a vital part of my research because population growth impacts directly on economic growth. The report presents data from the last 200 years and says how population growth in developing countries negatively affects their economic growth and low population growth in developed countries affecting their economy. The article talks about numerous solutions that could solve the problems of both developed and developing countries like migration can create a balance, but few developed countries banned immigration towards their country. Population growth is a negative sign that brings many problems like shortage of resources, inadequate or paralyzed development, and many more. I will use this article to state the link between economic development and population growth. The article also states the method of measurement of a country’s economic growth and population growth.
Pimental, D. (1998). Population Growth and The Environment: Planetary Stewardship. Electronic Green Journal, 1(9), 2-11.
The above research article talks about the relationship between population growth and its impact on the environment. According to this, the research article world population is increasing with a rate of 1.5% per year, and if the price remained the same, the world would have to face dangerous outcomes. The article presents research data that shows the harmful effects of population growth on the environment. For example, for housing purposes, trees are cut that affect the raining schedule every year. On the other side, 99% of the world’s food supply comes from the land, and an increase in the human population deplete these resources to fulfill their demands. The article also talks about the role of technology in meeting with the needs of a growing population, but the technology is also harmful to the environment. I will use this article in my research paper to show the link between the ever-increasing human population and environmental degradation. A growing population cannot be beneficial for the environment. I think this one is an important thing to discuss when considering building a human population.
Walker, R. J. (2016). Population Growth and its Implications for Global Security. Wiley Online Library, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajes.12161.
This research article is discussing an essential part of the growing population that I think would be a necessary part of my research paper too. It is an obvious thing that a growing population affects the world in numerous ways, confront us with thousands of new challenges. This article studies who is responsible for population growth, whether developing or developed countries. And like the question, the answer is also simple; developing countries are responsible for the rapidly growing population. Estimations showed that from 2015-2050 the world population is subjected to increase by 9.8 billion, which is 97%. The article also discussed how an increase in population brings thousands of challenges in developing countries like hunger, poverty, fragility, economic breakdown, environmental degradation, and much more. I will use this article to conclude my research paper and add negative aspects of a growing population. I will use this source in my research because I think after thinking about these problems, we can suggest some solutions to control the ever-increasing population.

Introduction

 

Farming  methods  have  changed  over  the  centuries,  especially  in  the  past  century  with  the  

introduction  of  the  combustion  engine  to  drive  the  farm  equipment.  The  changing  technology  

used  in  agriculture  changed  the  appearance  of  the  rural  landscape.  There  are  “distinctive  

cultural  imprints  that  evolve  through  time  as  a  result  of  technological  changes  made  primarily  

in  response  to  economic  realities”  (Sando,  2011,  p.10).  In  Canada  rural  landscapes  have  gone  

through  significant  changes  from  the  post  World  War  II  era  to  the  modern  day  (Beauliew,  

2014).  These  changes  are  easily  visible  while  traveling  through  a  rural  landscape  in  Canada;  the  

changing  building  types  are  noticeable,  the  field  sizes  are  getting  larger,  and  the  number  of  

homesteads  is  declining.  Troughton  (1995)  notes  that  during  this  time  of  mechanization  of  

farms,  there  occurred  a  distinct  division  of  rural  areas  into  periphery  areas  that  did  not  respond  

as  well  to  machine  and  fertilizer  and  into  the  core  regions  with  high  capability  soil,  located  

mainly  in  the  southern  prairies  and  the  Great  Lakes  area.  Rural  areas  in  core  areas  close  to  

urban  centers  become  urbanized  while  rural  areas  in  the  periphery  are  often  abandoned  and  

neglected.  In  both  areas  the  size  of  the  farm  operations  is  increasing  and  small  farms  are  

disappearing.  (Statistics  Canada,  2016,  2017).  This  paper  will  explore  the  reasons  for  declining  

family  farms,  the  resulting  abandoned  land  and  homesteads  and  on  the  other  hand  the  

increasing  size  of  farm  operations.  The  main  focus  of  the  paper  will  be  Hillgrove,  a  small  

community  in  Westmorland  County,  in  the  periphery  area  in  South-­‐Eastern  New  Brunswick,  

Canada  (Figure  1)  and  compare  what  is  happening  in  Hillgrove  to  New  Brunswick  in  general.  

   

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Figure  1.  The  location  of  Hillgrove,  40  km  West  of  Moncton,  in  South  Eastern  New  
Brunswick.  Source:  Google  Maps.  
 

Theoretical  framework:  Changing  Rural  Geographies  in  North  America  

Agriculture  is  not  only  a  sector  of  the  economy,  but  also  a  way  of  life  that  produces  particular  

landscapes.  Linnea  Sando  (2011)  argues  that  the  19th  century  agricultural  landscape  changed  

through  the  invention  of  haying  machinery  and  technology.  Those  changes,  she  notes  are  

particularly  visible  on  the  landscape  in  the  building  types  used  to  store  the  crops  and  

machinery.  Further,  she  states,  while  technology  made  agriculture  more  efficient  and  resulted  

in  massive  increases  in  food  production,  it  also  had  negative  impacts  on  the  economy,  

transforming  the  economy  to  one  that  required  a  much  smaller  work  force,  which  resulted  in  

job  losses  in  rural  areas  and  a  decrease  in  the  rural  population.  

  Michael  Troughton  (1995)  in  his  work  on  rural  Canada  explores  the  historical  aspect  of  

the  decline  of  farm  operations  in  Canada.  He  notes  the  decline  of  farms  in  the  20th  century  and  

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This section is based on sources evaluated in the annotated bibliography (as well as other sources).

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Good job giving each graphic a figure number and referring to the number in the text.

the  division  of  core  and  periphery  agricultural  area  and  how  they  developed  differently.  Moving  

to  contemporary  agriculture  in  Canada,  Bryant  and  Joseph  (2001)  investigate  the  demographic  

changes  happening  in  rural  Canada,  such  as  declining  population  number  and  an  ageing  rural  

population.  They  attribute  the  decline  of  the  rural  population  to  migration  and  aging.  They  

consider  the  lack  of  opportunities  for  post-­‐secondary  education  and  jobs  as  a  reason  for  

migration  away  from  rural  areas.  The  aging  of  the  rural  population  is  a  result  of  the  family  sizes,  

and  lack  of  opportunities  according  to  Bryant  and  Joseph,  although  they  do  not  really  consider  

the  impact  of  the  advanced  technology  and  the  cost  thereof  on  the  rural  population.  

Methods  

The  impact  and  reasons  for  the  loss  of  farm  operations  and  the  growing  size  of  some  farm  

operations  are  diverse  and  a  result  of  a  combination  of  different  factors  (Beauliew,  2014).  To  

understand  the  development  better,  a  combination  of  different  methods  was  used.  To  explore  

the  impact  fewer  and  larger  farming  operations  has  on  the  landscape  a  field  excursion  was  

done  in  Hillgrove,  where  observations  were  noted  and  documented  with  images.  On  Sunday  

April  9th,  2018,  I  walked  west  from  4pm  to  6pm  along  Route  890  and  on  Monday  April  10th  I  

walked  east  from  5pm  to  6pm,  in  total  covering  approximately  a  5  km  stretch  (Figures  2  and  3).  

This  information  was  combined  with  my  personal  knowledge  of  the  land  ownership  in  the  area.  

I  also  conducted    interviews  conducted  with  four  resident  farmers  on  May  6th  and  7th  2017  to  

gain  a  better  understanding  of  how  much  farms  have  grown,  why  farmers  expand  or  abandon  

farming,  and  to  speculate  on  the  overarching  reasons  for  the  development.  Each  interview  

followed  a  set  of  question  regarding  the  size  of  farm,  followed  by  open  ended  questions  

regarding  the  decline  or  growth  of  farm  operation  and  the  possible  causes.  

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This section could be expanded and could cite more sources.

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While it is okay to speak with people, it certainly is not necessary. Methods will usually be the field excursion and then document research.

  Data  from  Statistics  Canada  was  also  used  to  examine  the  demographic  and  economic  

trends  affecting  the  Hillgrove  area.  Furthermore,  property  maps  from  Service  New  Brunswick  

showing  the  divisions  of  farms  were  consulted  and  properties  belonging  to  the  same  owner  

were  marked,  to  show  the  increase  in  farm  size.  Other  documents  used  included  research  

reports  that  investigated  changing  agricultural  geographies  in  other  regions.    

 

 
 
Figure  2.  A  satellite  image  of  Hillgrove.  Visible  on  the  map  is  rural  Route  890.  Source:  Google  
Maps.  
 

 
 
Figure  3.  Image  of  Route  890  near  Hillgrove,  New  Brunswick.  Source:  Author.  

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Well done.

Results  and  Discussion:  Decline  of  Farms  in  Hillgrove  

In  Hillgrove  many  small  farms  are  abandoned,  while  others  are  used  as  residences  and  the  land  

it  rented.  Walking  along  the  Route  890,  the  decline  of  some  farms  is  clearly  visible,  while  a  

couple  large  farms  thrive,  grow  larger  and  continue  to  expand.  This  trend  impacts  the  local  

community,  demographics,  and  the  social  economic  standing  of  people  residing  in  Hillgrove.  

During  the  field  excursion  three  abandoned  houses  were  noted  (Figure  4).  All  three  houses  

used  to  be  homesteads  of  farms.  The  farmland  that  once  belonged  to  those  farms  is  now  being  

worked  by  a  larger  neighboring  farmer.  Since  the  field  excursion,  one  of  the  abandoned  houses,  

shown  in  the  center  of  Figure  4,  was  burnt  down  in  a  controlled  burn.  The  abandoned  house  in  

Figure  4  on  the  left  is  now  under  renovations,  to  hopefully  serve  as  a  residence  once  again.  The  

third,  shown  on  the  right  in  Figure  4  is  still  standing  abandoned,  awaiting  its  fate.  

 

     
Figure  4.  Three  abandoned  houses  in  Hillgrove.  Source:  Author.  
 
 

  Several  farm  houses  were  observed  that  are  used  solely  as  residences,  as  the  occupants  

are  no  longer  involved  in  farming  activities.  The  lack  of  farming  activity  on  those  homesteads  

was  evident  by  a  lack  of  farm  buildings  and/or  farm  machinery.  The  land  of  those  farms  has  

been  sold,  is  being  rented  to  a  larger  farmer  in  the  area  or  is  being  left  abandoned.  The  

abandoned  fields  contribute  to  the  loss  of  total  land  farmed  in  New  Brunswick.  The  increased  

automobile  traffic  along  the  rural  road  890  from  residences  that  make  the  daily  trip  to  work  in  

Moncton  impacts  the  landscape  as  well.  The  side  of  the  road  and  the  ditch  is  littered  with  

garbage.  The  increased  traffic  also  poses  a  risk  for  wildlife  and  domestic  animals  crossing  the  

road,  often  resulting  in  dead  animals  on  the  side  of  the  road,  which  in  turn  attract  more  

scavengers.  

  One  large  farm  in  Hillgrove  is  no  longer  actively  managed  by  its  elderly  owner  and  the  

fields  lie  abandoned.  This  is  obvious  from  the  several  year  old  hay  bales  that  lie  strewn  across  

the  fields  and  the  condition  of  the  barns,  as  shown  in  Figure  5.  This  farmer  has  not  kept  

livestock  in  the  past  3  years  and  this  is  not  likely  to  change  until  the  land  is  sold.  Some  of  the  

barns  in  Hillgrove  that  do  not  belong  to  an  active  farm  are  in  disrepair.  The  owners  no  longer  

use  them;  one  farmer  mentioned  during  the  interview  that  he  has  no  incentive  to  maintain  the  

barns.  He  does  not  want  to  invest  into  a  farm  building  that  he  no  longer  uses  or  needs.  One  

former  farmer  stated  during  the  interview  that  after  losing  his  large  barn  in  a  fire,  he  could  not  

afford  to  rebuilt,  which  resulted  in  a  farm  that  lacks  the  necessary  buildings  to  function  as  a  

working  farm.  The  couple  of  large  existing  farms  have  built  new  barns  in  addition  to  the  old  

ones.  The  old  barns  are  no  longer  practical  to  store  the  silage,  which  is  stored  in  long  rows  on  

the  field.  The  farmers  still  use  the  old  barns  as  storage  for  farming  implements,  and  other  

machinery.  The  new  barns  are  built  with  high  ceilings  for  cooling  and  large  windows  to  allow  

daylight  in  for  the  animals.  These  new  buildings  change  the  appearance  of  the  farms  and  the  

surrounding  landscape.  

   

 
 
Figure  5.  A  farm  belonging  to  a  former  elderly  farmer  who  no  longer  farms,  leaving  the  fields  
and  barns  abandoned.  
 

Changing  Farm  Sizes  in  New  Brunswick  and  in  Hillgrove  Specifically  

The  number  of  farm  operations  decline  by  13.6%  in  New  Brunswick  from  2011  to  2016  

(Statistics  Canada,  2017).  This  is  the  second  largest  decrease  among  Canadian  provinces  during  

that  time  period.  Figure  6  shows  the  steady  decline  of  farm  operation  in  New  Brunswick  from  

1921  to  2016.  Though  the  rate  of  decline  appears  to  be  slowing  compared  to  the  1960s  and  

1970s,  the  decrease  from  2011  to  2016  has  been  larger  than  in  the  previous  5  year  period  

(Statistics  Canada,  2016).  During  the  same  period,  the  size  of  the  farm  operations  in  New  

Brunswick  increased,  from  359  acres  in  2011  to  370  acres  in  2016  (Statistics  Canada,  2017).  

According  to  Statistics  Canada  (2017)  the  size  of  the  average  farm  in  New  Brunswick  is  less  than  

half  the  national  average  of  820  acres.  This  might  be  due  to  the  topographical  features  such  as  

hill  and  rivers  in  New  Brunswick  and  the  lack  of  flat  fields.  Despite  the  increase  in  size  of  farm  

operation,  Statistics  Canada  (2017)  reports  that  the  total  area  farmed  in  New  Brunswick  

dropped  by  10.9  %,  which  is  the  largest  percentage  drop  in  Canada.  This  is  surprising  

considering  the  population  of  New  Brunswick  declined  over  the  same  time  period.  (Statistics  

Canada,  2017)  

 

 
 
Figure  6.  Total  number  of  agricultural  operations,  New  Brunswick,  1921  to  2016.  Source:  
Statistics  Canada,  2017).  
 

  Compared  to  the  provincial  average  farm  size,  farms  in  Hillgrove  that  are  currently  

operated  as  a  working  farms  are  relatively  large  at  2000  acres  and  500  acres.  However  as  Figure  

7  shows,  there  are  many  smaller  farms,  which  are  not  actively  farmed,  and  many  of  which  are  

overgrown  with  woods.  The  conversion  of  farmland  to  wood-­‐land  contributes  to  the  loss  of  

land  farmed  in  the  Hillgrove  area  and  in  New  Brunswick  in  general.  

   

 
 
Figure  7.  Map  of  registered  properties  in  Hillgrove.  The  different  colors  represent  the  different  
farm  owners.  The  green  area  represent  wooded  land.  Source:  Service  New  Brunswick,  2018.  
 

Figure  7  shows  the  different  large  farms  and  the  land  ownership  they  have.  The  numbered  lots  

are  individual  properties  as  they  were  registered.  The  maps  shows  how  the  different  properties  

were  bought  up  by  a  few  individual  farmers.  Each  color  represents  one  owner.  Many  of  the  

smaller  properties  are  used  for  residential  purposes,  and  the  land  surrounding  the  residences  is  

overgrown  with  woodland.  The  trend  of  increased  farm  sizes  and  loss  of  farmland  in  Hillgrove  

reflects  the  provincial  trend,  based  on  observations  during  the  excursion  and  the  data  from  

Statistics  Canada.  

Local  Farmers  and  Former  Farmers  

Vignette  1  

One  of  the  great  success  stories  of  farming  in  the  Hillgrove  area  is  the  Waldow  farm.  In  1973  

the  Waldows  purchased  a  100  acre  farm  in  the  Hillgrove  area.  They  started  milking  11  cows.  

The  number  of  cows  milked  increased  drastically  over  the  years  from  11  in  1973  to  400  cows  

today.  In  2010  the  Waldows  built  a  new  barn,  shown  in  Figure  8,  which  allowed  them  to  more  

than  double  the  number  of  cows.  Similarly  the  acreage  owned  increased  from  the  original  100  

acres  to  2000  acres  today  plus  some  additional  land  that  is  rented.  Today,  the  farm  is  operated  

by  4  members  of  the  Waldow  family  and  8  employees.  

 

 
 
Figure  8.  Waldow  Farms  dairy  barn  built  in  2010.  Source:  Author.  
 

  When  the  Waldows  started  farming  in  1973,  there  were  10  to  12  dairy  farmers  in  the  

neighbourhood,  but  one  by  one  they  all  stopped  farming  because  of  age,  financial  reasons,  or  

better  work  opportunities.  As  farmers  went  out  of  business  they  offered  their  land  to  the  

Waldows,  who  often  purchased  the  farm  land.  However,  in  an  interview,  one  of  the  Waldows  

mentioned  the  great  burden  of  financial  depth  required  to  buy  machinery  and  built  modern  

barns  as  a  deterrent  for  new  farmers  and  as  a  reason  to  abandon  farming  for  existing  farmers.  

   

Vignette  2  

The  Wynes  family  story  is  both  a  story  of  farm  decline  and  of  a  story  of  increase  in  farm  size.  

The  Wynes  farmed  in  the  Hillgrove  area  from  1974,  milking  35  cows  and  also  keeping  some  

beef  cattle  on  a  200  acre  farm.  They  had  a  hard  time  paying  the  monthly  mortgage  payments  

and  supporting  their  family.  After  losing  several  calves  in  1984  they  had  no  choice  but  to  sell  

the  farm.  Nineteen  years  later  in  2003,  after  working  and  establishing  a  company  in  Nunavut,  

they  returned  to  Hillgrove  for  retirement.  They  purchased  a  farm  in  Hillgrove  close  to  their  

former  farm  and  kept  a  few  horses.  The  number  of  horses  kept  increasing  to  30  horses  today.  

As  the  herd  increased  so  did  the  need  for  more  farmland  to  feed  the  horses.  They  bought  up  

neighboring  farms  and  added  cattle  to  the  livestock  on  the  farm.  They  enjoys  farming,  despite  

the  fact  that  the  farm  is  not  financially  profitable.  Today  they  farm  500  acres  and  rent  many  

more  acres  on  surrounding  farms.  The  farm  is  operated  by  three  generations  of  the  Wynes  

family.  One  grandson  would  like  to  take  over  the  farming  operation  but  would  have  to  continue  

working  at  his  day  job  to  make  ends  meet.  The  Wynes  attribute  the  loss  of  farm  operation  to  

the  increased  financial  cost  of  farming  and  also  the  lack  of  government  assistance  in  case  of  

crop  failure  or  loss  of  livestock.  They  also  blame  government  programs  for  supporting  large  

farm  operations  rather  than  small  operations.    

   

Vignette  3  

The  Wilz  family  purchased  an  86  acre  farm  in  Hillgrove  in  2003.  They  boarded  horses,  bought  

and  sold  horses,  and  started  breeding  horses.  The  income  from  the  farm  was  not  sufficient  and  

family  members  soon  had  to  find  work  away  from  the  farm  to  supplement  the  farming  income.  

In  the  winter  of  2007  the  large  horse  barn  caught  fire  and  burned  to  the  ground.  With  the  barn  

burned  all  the  hay  for  the  winter  and  much  of  the  equipment.  Without  insurance,  the  Wilz’s  

had  no  choice  but  to  abandon  farming  and  find  work.  They  rented  the  land  to  the  Wynes,  who  

also  used  the  additional  pasture  for  their  horses.  Today  the  farm  land  is  still  worked  by  the  

Wynes  family,  while  the  house  is  used  as  a  residence.  

Age  of  Farmers  in  Hillgrove  and  New  Brunswick  

The  number  of  farm  operators  declined  from  2011  to  2016  by  13.4%,  which  is  almost  identical  

to  the  decline  of  farm  operations  (Statistics  Canada,  2017).  The  average  age  of  farm  operators  

in  New  Brunswick  increased  only  marginally  from  55.5  in  2011  to  55.6  in  2016  (Statistics  

Canada,  2017).  While  the  farm  operators  between  the  ages  of  35  and  55  continued  to  decline,  

Statistics  Canada  (2017)  also  reported  a  positive  increase  in  farm  operators  under  35  years  old  

from  6.4%  in  2011  to  8.6%  in  2016.  This  pattern  is  also  visible  in  Hillgrove  where  the  two  largest  

farms  are  operated  by  farmers  over  the  age  of  65,  but  there  are  also  young  farmers,  under  the  

age  of  35,  who  are  farming  alongside  their  parents  and  who  are  planning  to  continue  farming  in  

the  future.  

Why  Farms  Operations  are  Disappearing  

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  number  of  farm  operations  is  decreasing  and  that  the  size  of  farm  

operations  is  increasing  in  Hillgrove  and  New  Brunswick  in  general.  The  reasons  for  this  decline  

and  increase  in  size  is  less  clear.  The  articles  speculate  on  lack  of  opportunity  for  postsecondary  

education  and  jobs,  changing  farming  technology,  and  ageing  of  the  rural  population.  In  

contrast  to  the  articles  all  farmers  interviewed  attribute  the  trend  mostly  to  economic  reasons.  

  Bryant  and  Joseph  (2001)  ascribe  the  decline  of  the  rural  population  in  periphery  areas  

to  the  lack  of  opportunity  of  post-­‐secondary  education  and  lack  of  jobs.  The  small  family  size,  

combined  with  the  out-­‐migration  of  young  people,  they  explain,  is  leaving  an  ageing  population  

behind  in  rural  area.  Both  these  trend,  the  out-­‐migration  of  young  people  and  an  ageing  

population,  are  present  in  Hillgrove.  The  closest  post-­‐secondary  schools  are  located  40  km  away  

in  Moncton,  NB,  resulting  in  young  people  moving  away  for  their  education  and  often  not  

moving  back  after  graduation.  Also  the  lack  of  job  opportunities  in  Hillgrove  results  in  young  

people  seeking  jobs  elsewhere.  The  lack  of  post-­‐secondary  education  and  job  opportunities  in  

rural  areas  appears  to  be  indirectly  and  possibly  inversely  related  to  the  loss  of  farms  in  

Hillgrove.  The  increasing  farm  size  needed  to  sustain  an  operation  reduces  the  number  of  farm  

operators  and  the  advanced  machinery  decreases  the  human  labor  required  to  run  an  

operation,  which  results  in  a  decrease  of  job  opportunities.  This  results  in  fewer  people  living  in  

the  area,  decreasing  the  population  of  the  community,  which  in  turn  is  not  able  support  schools  

or  sustain  other  businesses.  

  Sando  (2011)  explains  the  changes  in  the  rural  landscape  in  North  America  as  a  result  of  

the  changing  technology  and  machinery  used  to  work  the  land.  He  argues  that  with  the  

improved  machinery  one  person  could  do  the  work  of  teams.  This  pattern  is  visible  in  Hillgrove.  

Figure  7  shows  that  today  one  farm  operation  owns  several  farms  that  used  to  be  

independently  farmed.  

  The  advanced  machinery  however  comes  at  a  cost.  In  an  interview,  a  Waldow  family  

member  reasoned  that  the  machinery  is  very  expensive  and  requires  the  farmer  to  have  a  large  

operation  to  afford  the  payments  on  the  machinery.  The  advanced  machinery  allows  the  

farmers  to  work  more  acreage,  and  at  the  same  time  requires  the  farmer  to  work  more  land  to  

pay  for  the  machinery.  

  Troughton  (1995)  explains  that  the  increase  in  farm  sizes  resulted  in  the  disintegration  

of  rural  communities,  due  to  out-­‐migration.  This  results  in  a  loss  of  community  support  system  

for  the  farm  operations  and  also  decreases  the  sustainability  of  rural  areas.  According  to  

Troughton  (1995)  the  Maritime  provinces  lost  58%  of  farmland  and  73%  of  farm  between  1951  

and  1971.  This  loss  is  also  illustrated  in  Figure  6.  The  decline  continued  but  at  a  reduced  rate.  

The  loss  of  rural  communities  makes  it  difficult  for  the  remaining  farmers  to  hire  workers,  

which  encourages  them  to  invest  in  more  automatic  machinery.  This  is  a  difficulty  that  is  

experienced  by  Waldow  Farms  in  Hillgrove,  who  have  a  hard  time  hiring  workers.  

  Three  of  the  four  farmers  interviewed  gave  up  farming  after  suffering  some  misfortune,  

death  of  livestock,  infertile  breeding  season,  or  fire.  Apparently  there  exists  a  lack  of  support  

system  for  small  farm  operation.  All  farmers  interviewed  gave  financial  reasons  as  the  reason  

for  abandoning  farming,  for  expanding  farming  operation,  and  as  generally  the  biggest  concern.  

They  all  agreed  that  it  is  financially  impossible  for  a  young  person  to  start  a  farming  operation,  

if  they  didn’t  inherit  a  farm  from  their  parents.    

  The  Waldows  claim  that  a  big  task  of  operating  a  farm  is  the  management  of  depth,  and  

this  according  to  them  is  not  for  everyone.  The  farmers  in  the  Hillgrove  area  either  expanded  

their  operation  or  abandoned  farming  completely.  The  difference  appears  to  be  a  combination  

of  luck  and  management  skills.  

Conclusion  

Comparing  the  observations  made  during  the  field  excursion  and  the  information  gathered  

during  the  interviews  with  data  from  the  2016  agricultural  census  concludes  that  the  situation  

of  Hillgrove  is  not  unique  and  appears  to  reflect  the  trend  in  New  Brunswick.  It  could  be  

reasoned  that  the  advancement  of  machinery,  led  to  increased  farm  sizes,  and  to  increased  

financial  burden,  which  in  turn  caused  farmers  to  either  expand  or  give  up  on  farming.  The  

increased  financial  burden  on  the  farms  made  farm  operations  more  vulnerable  to  crop  failures  

and  loss  of  livestock.  The  farm  land  that  becomes  available  from  farmers  who  had  abandoned  

farming,  became  an  opportunity  to  increase  operations  for  the  remaining  farmers.  The  

increased  size  of  farms  and  the  huge  initial  cost  of  starting  a  farming  operation  is  a  big  

deterrent  for  young  people.  The  change  in  farm  size  and  the  small  number  of  operational  farms  

changes  the  rural  landscape,  and  the  community  in  Hillgrove  and  all  across  New  Brunswick.  

  This  paper  did  not  explore  the  impact  of  government  programs  offered  to  farmer  and  if  

these  programs  gave  some  farmers  an  advantage  over  others.  The  different  types  of  farming  

were  not  considered  as  the  focus  area  for  this  paper  was  too  small.  A  larger  focus  area  and  a  

division  of  farm  types  would  be  necessary  to  establish  if  some  farm  types  are  more  likely  to  

survive  and  expand  than  others.  Also,  initial  investment  and  the  time  of  investment  into  

farming  was  not  considered.  The  changing  landscape  was  related  to  agriculture  and  did  not  

include  other  industries.  

   

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