Johannes (John) Corsten

(1905 - 1986)

Nova Scotia

During his thirty-one year association with Nova Scotia agriculture, the contributions made by Johannes (John) Corsten merit recognition in The Atlantic Agricultural Hail of Fame.

Born in Veghel, Holland he served in the war effort as a soldier, prisoner of war and later helped to hide Airmen shot down by the Germans. In recognition of his efforts Mr. Corsten was cited by the British Commonwealth of Nations and United States.

After learning of the opportunities in agriculture from a Western Canadian Airman that he had hidden, John Corsten arrived in Canada in 1951 and worked first as farm manager on an Ontario Jersey farm. In 1955 he became manager of the St. Francis Xavier University Mount Cameron Farm and in 1957 acquired his own farm at Harbour Centre. From his initial start with twenty-five Ayrshires and fifty acres of cultivated land, the farm has evolved into a six hundred acre operation with one of the largest Holstein herds in Nova Scotia. After turning the farm over to his sons in 1970, this technological innovator was instrumental in his sons' installing a Rotary Milking Parlour, the first of its kind in Canada.

A strong supporter of the co-operative movement, he encouraged farmers to assume responsibility for the processing and marketing of their farm produce. Nominated by the Antigonish/Guysborough Federation of Agriculture the efforts of John Corsten to establish a sound basis of agriculture for himself and other farmers enabled many people to enjoy prosperity and a good life. Married to the former Gerarda Oppers, they had five children.