The Middlesex County Agricultural Hall of Fame has announced its inductees for 2017.
This year, Richard Albert & Henry Noel Gibson, Dr. Donald Grieve, and Meredith Robb will be honoured at the Hall of Fame Luncheon during the Western Fair Farm Show on March 8.
The main objective of the Hall of Fame is to recognize those who have demonstrated unselfish achievements within agriculture and service to the rural community.
RICHARD ALBERT (1814-1911) & HENRY NOEL GIBSON (1878-1966) – The Gibson family settled near Delaware, Ontario on a farm they named after Richard’s Father’s home in England; Belvoir Farm. Richard was an appointed member of the Ontario Agriculture Commission (1880), the first Canadian President of the American Shropshire Breeders Assoc. (1907) and president of the Dominion Shorthorn Assoc. He was inducted into the Saddle & Sirloin Hall of Fame associated with Chicago’s famed International Stock Show in the early 1900s. Richard was active in the Delaware Fair and a writer for The Farmers Advocate. His only son, Henry was also inducted into the Saddle & Sirloin in 1947. Henry “Noel” Gibson was a well-known judge; notably at the International Live Stock Exposition and the British Royal. He was also a President of the American Shropshire Assoc. He spent his work career managing stock farms in the US, as well as the family farm in Ontario.
DR. DONALD GUEST GRIEVE (1934-2008) - Dr. Don Grieve was born in Westminster Township, growing up on his family’s Century Farm. Don’s early experience developed his lifelong interest in dairy farming and improvements in cattle management methods. Don attended the Ontario Agriculture College majoring in Animal Husbandry; graduating 1955 before continuing in Graduate Studies earning his Master’s Degree. He joined the Ontario Department of Agriculture working in Elgin & Huron Counties. In 1962 Don accepted a position as Assistant Professor in the Animal Husbandry Dept. at O.A.C. In 1967 Don was granted leave to study at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he received a Ph.D. degree in dairy cattle nutrition. Farmers benefited greatly from his years of research on dairy cattle nutrition. He also contributed to agriculture internationally as a team leader on the Guelph/Ghana (West Africa) Project and research in the Netherlands. Dr. Grieve served as Chairman of the Dept. of Animal & Poultry Science at the University of Guelph from 1988 until he retired in 1994.
MEREDITH ROBB (1940-2016) - Meredith Robb was very active in many Middlesex County community organizations. He volunteered with the Ilderton Agricultural Society, Home & Farm Safety Council, Federation of Agriculture, Pork Producers and 4-H. Meredith graduated from the Western Ontario Agriculture School in 1958, and farmed on his great-great grandfather’s land northwest of London. Meredith was awarded a Nuffield Agricultural Travelling Scholarship in 1974 and spent 6 months studying agriculture in Europe and the UK. As part of his dedication to Junior Farmers he was a Provincial Director and a delegate to Great Britain. Meredith was well-known in the county and province for his square dancing; as a participant, caller and judge. His various roles and involvement as part of volunteer boards, contributed greatly to agriculture in Middlesex County and is being recognized in this nomination.
