Donald Lobb’s stone unveiled on Caledon’s Walk of Fame

June 20, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Bill Rea
Terra Cotta area resident Donald Lobb has spent years advocating for the sustainable management of soils.
Those efforts were rewarded Saturday when, assisted by Mayor Marolyn Morrison, he uncovered his stone on Caledon’s Walk of Fame.
Morrison stressed the purpose of the walk is to honour Caledon people who have made significant contributions to the quality of life.
“It’s about time we got somebody on here for agriculture,” she remarked, as she praised Lobb’s involvement over the years in agricultural research.
“Don is a very humble person,” the mayor said, adding she has never heard him brag, “or tell us some of the wonderful things he’s done.”
Morrison said he’s an author, speaker, researcher, conservationist and “a very good friend.”
In his remarks, Lobb expressed his thanks for the honour of being recognized of what he referred to a “a community of very high achievers.”
He also said he shared the credit for any of his achievements with his family, who had always supported him in his activities.
During his years in Caledon, he said his wife Lillie Ann “has stood shoulder to shoulder with me.”
Lobb said his cause has been soil protection, and the advancement of a soil-care ethic, and he has practised that on his own farm. With the help of others, such as like-mined farmers, agriculture ministry advisors, researchers from the university of Guelph and others, he said they have worked out systems to improve crop production in ways that are reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly. Applying science and management have made it possible to get away from tillage-based crop production. He said that’s been a major improvement, calling it the most important change in soil management in some 7,000 years.
“Soil protection and soil care is everyone’s issue because it’s a food issue,” he said, adding farmers, the public and government have a role to play. “That food is totally reliant on the soil it’s grown in.”
Lobb added soil management is important, and history has recorded the consequences of not doing it.
He also observed life begins with soil.
“Only if that soil is cared for can life survive,” he said. “In Caledon, that’s now carved in stone.”

Terra Cotta area resident Donald Lobb was helped by Mayor Marolyn Morrison in unveiling his stone on Caledon’s Walk of Fame Saturday.

Donald Lobb was accompanied Saturday by his grandchildren Tyler Lobb and Kira Nursoo, brother Murray Lobb, daughter Sandra Nursoo, wife Lillie Ann and son Stephen Lobb.
Photos by Bill Rea