Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Day 8: Out with a bang! Battles, beers and baseball

The day started off early with a 6:30 departure from Alexandria, Virginia, with a two-hour drive to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Our in-flight service was compliments of Tom and Robin and consisted of snacks, moist towelettes and entertainment! There's nothing wrong with a little pampering in the morning. :) The health and wellness team got the competitive juices flowing with an adult colouring contest with our fearless bus driver Nancy serving as the judge!

Upon arriving in Gettysburg, it's clear to see that it is still a town very much steeped in history and civil war culture. Evidence of the great battle can still be seen throughout the town with bullet holes in the buildings, the cellars where the citizens waited out the battle, the preservation of historic sites and the many memorials. Great efforts are being made to return the 6,000 acre state park to the state in which it would have been found in 1863. Largely consisting of wooded sites used for firewood and agricultural land for cash crops, it was nice to hear that the state has a good working relationship with the local farming community to still actively farm the land.


We arrived at the Cyclorama Film and Museum experience where we viewed a film about the battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. It set the back drop for our day and we finished up in the Cyclorama viewing room.

It was a planetarium-like room with an oil canvas 42 feet high by 372 feet long displayed around the perimeter of the room. The display included an exhibit of props that are so well placed they appear to go into the painting bringing it to life and giving the sense that you are out on the battlefield.

We hopped back onto the bus where we met with Chris Rebmann our certified Gettysburg Battlefield guide. We spent the next 2.5 hrs with Chris immersed in the battle of Gettysburg and walked in the footsteps of the Union army as they fought in a grueling battle against the confederate army for three days from July 1st-3rd, 1863; a battle that would result in 50,000 casualties. We heard many stories of different leaders that fought in that battle and the different ways in which they led theirs troops to victory; some leading from behind and others from the front. There is something very humbling and sobering about standing on the grounds of a great battle; a battle that you know shaped history to create the world in which we are fortunate to live in today.

After hitting the streets of Gettysburg for lunch it was back on the bus to make our way to The Pennsylvania State College. Our bus ride consisted of a lively conversation about how we can apply the examples of leadership we learned about in the battle of Gettysburg to our roles in agriculture and the agricultural community as a whole. There was also the sponsor spotlight highlighting the newly launched "SeCan's growing trust" as well as group time to work on our IAP projects.

After checking into the hotel we met our Pennsylvania counterparts from the Rural-Urban Leadership (RULE) Program at a local Spikes minor league baseball game. The hospitality offered by our guests made us feel truly welcomed. The ever expanding network of agricultural leaders has never been more evident. The opportunity to connect and share in a relaxed atmosphere was second to none. The Spikes won the game and we celebrated with fireworks!

Leadership was presented today through the lens of the in battle of Gettysburg. As a class we took away that as leaders we have to be adaptable, confident and willing to accept change. We all have difficult decisions to make everyday; the true leaders accept change and lead their peers in the direction of change.

-Class 16

Views: 352

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Comment by OntAG Admin on July 15, 2016 at 8:00am

It sounds like a very thoughtful and profound experiences for everyone.

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Gophers gotcha going gaga?

With escalating gopher populations causing increasing concern for landowners across Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF), with the support of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), is stepping up to offer practical assistance. Gophers are a significant cause of crop loss and land degradation, impacting the livelihood of Saskatchewan producers and landowners, according to the SEF. In response, the SWF is connecting landowners with trusted SWF members who are ready to assist in controlling gopher numbers in a responsible and ethical manner. Landowners experiencing challenges with gophers are encouraged to contact the SWF office at 306-692-8812. The SWF will then work to identify available SWF members in that area to co-ordinate arrangements directly with the landowner. All SWF members participating in this initiative carry an additional $5 million in liability coverage, and are expected to uphold the highest standards of safety, conduct and la

Attention Researchers: The BCRC Opens Call for Letters of Intent

The Beef Cattle Research Council invites letters of intent (LOIs) for research projects. The application deadline for this call is September 2, 2025,?at 11:59?PM MT. The purpose of this call is to achieve specific priorities listed in the 2025 Call for Letters of Intent – Research document (selected through consultation with industry stakeholders from the Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy).  Approved projects will be required to?use the industry funding to leverage additional funds from government or other funding organizations to fulfill project budgets.  Preference will be given to projects that are one to three years in duration; if the need for a longer timeframe can be clearly demonstrated, four or five-year projects may be considered. Projects will commence no earlier than May 1, 2026. Refer to the documents below for more information. All call-related information can also be found on the BCRC’s Call for Proposals webpage. Sharing or reprinting BCRC posts

Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth

A young man from Milverton auctioned a prize calf, raising over $31,000 for Autism Ontario, inclusive sports, and milk programs, with huge support from the local community.

BFO Cow-Calf Financing Survey

BFO is soliciting feedback from Ontario cow-calf producers on the use of various financial assistance and herd financing programs through the completion of a short survey.

Moving More Lentils: Progress & Priorities in Europe

Work is underway to expand opportunities for Canadian pulses in the European Union and United Kingdom, particularly for lentils, while addressing regulatory and policy barriers that continue to impede market access.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service