Donald J. Oland

(1922 - 1985)

Nova Scotia

Donald James Oland was born in Havana, Cuba in 1922. The son of Colonel Sidney C. Oland, VD, CD, LL.D, and Herlinda Oland, he was educated at the Jesuit Public School, Beaumont College in Old Windsor, England where he was recognized as a scholar and outstanding athlete. He completed his education at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

At an early age Don Oland was keenly interested in agriculture and spent his summers on what what known as the Oland Sackville Farm, established around Confederation in 1876 on the Old Sackville Road, then known as the Coach Road. There he worked on a mixed farm of Holsteins, pigs, poultry, crops and haying.

In 1940 Don's father, the late Colonel S.C. Oland, established Lindwood Farms and introduced the well known herd of Ayrshire cattle to Nova Scotia. This herd came from the Royal Winter Fair, Toronto, and other Canadian and American exhibitions and brought many champions to Nova Scotia.

Lindwood Farms also raised Yorkshire and Landrace hogs. Don Oland was one of the founding Directors of the Nova Scotia Swine Breeders' Association.

During the 1950' s Lindwood established a purebred herd of Aberdeen Angus and a small herd of Highland cattle. Then Don Oland was active in this development and expansion program.

Don Oland has made numerous significant contributions to agriculture over the past years, with the founding of the Atlantic Winter Fair in 1963 being the one for which he is best known.

His extensive efforts made this Exhibition an outstanding success and showplace for agriculture in the Atlantic Provinces. He served as President for its first five years and is a Director and active member of the Executive Committee at present. The Atlantic Winter Fair has been without a home in the Halifax area for the past few years. A brand new Atlantic Winter Fair will open its gates to a new and larger facility for the first time, on the outskirts of the City of Halifax, in 1984. Don Oland has been untiring in his dedication and perseverance to the re-establishment of the Atlantic Winter Fair in Halifax.

In 1968 the Lindwood Ayrshire and Angus herds were disposed of. In 1969 Don and his wife Betty acquired their first group of Aberdeen Angus cattle, which would be the start of his Hosmer Farms, and were shown locally and at the Royal Winter Fair. In 1973 extensive farm holdings were acquired in Kings County at Woodville, which became the permanent home for the future Hosmer operation. They showed Angus annually at the Royal Winter Fair and at the "Big E", Springfield, Mass., and the New York State Fair, along with the top shows in the Atlantic Provinces. Don Oland traveled the length and breadth of the Country and in the United States attending cattle shows and sales and acquiring foundation stocks.

Hosmer Farms established an artificial insemination herd to all proven, acceptable and winning bulls on the Continent. This program was followed by a severe culling program and no cow was re-bred to top semen unless she produced a super calf. This program proved successful.

From the year 1978 Hosmer heifer and bull calves have consistently won top awards and captured top sales at the Royal Winter Fair, Atlantic Winter Fair and Maritime Winter Fair.

Don Oland served in the military during the Second World War. He served as a “Canloan” officer in the Canadian Infantry and the British 2nd Army in France and Germany. He was wounded three times and returned to the Canadian Army for discharge in 1946.

Don Oland's successes are not solely agriculturally oriented. He served as a Director for Atlantic Trust, joined Oland & Son Limited in 1940, was appointed Plant Manager in 1947 and Administrative Vice-president in 1962. Other interests include yachting and hand gun shooting.

His untiring dedication to and support of the agricultural community earns Donald Oland a place in the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame.