NewsAlliston, Ont. potato farmer John O. MacKenzie honoured

Alliston, Ont. potato farmer John O. MacKenzie honoured

-

There’s a new monument honouring the man whose innovations in potato farming helped make Alliston the spud capital of Ontario.

A black stone bench complete with a potato etched in gold leaf now sits across from the grave of John Oliver MacKenzie at the Alliston Union Cemetery.

The bench was paid for by his son, Bill MacKenzie, who is passionate about honouring Alliston’s potato pioneers.

“I think he would be really proud if he were here to see this,” Bill said. “He deserved it.”

John O. MacKenzie was born on May 9, 1885, and was raised near the First Line and 25th Sideroad in Mono Township. After the death of his parents, he moved to Alliston in 1917 and purchased 160 acres of land.

The following year, John planted 50 acres of potatoes, which at the time was about 45 acres more than anyone had ever planted before in Ontario.

READ MORE

Trending This Week

Do Field Trials Matter? Only If We Start With The Right Questions

0
There are people who are passionate about their projects, and then there are people who take passion for their projects to a whole different...
Potatoes in storage

What Could We Learn From Europe About Storing Spuds?

While North America is a global leader in so many areas, I hope we’re smart enough to recognize that we’re not the only ones...

Introducing… This Year’s Top Innovations!

0
The potato industry is at an all-time high for innovation. Incredible new technologies and products are being launched across the potato value chain. That’s great...

The Unintended Limits of Organic Farming

0
I had a conversation some weeks ago that has really stuck with me. The conversation was with Joy Youwakim, an agroecology scientist at Biome...
Family at sunset

Farmers Need to Find Time for Family

0
The dance between work and family time on farms is a polarity. Polarities are never solved, but must be managed, demanding an intentional decision....