Harvest has begun for the Canadian Foodgrains' grow projects across the Province - that time of year when community comes together for a common goal of getting the grain into the bins, to market, to raise funds to help third world countries secure food for their communities.
Gordon Janzen is the Regional Representative for Manitoba and Northern Ontario, Gordon Janzen attended the Killarney Foodgrains harvest day earlier this week. He says the Killarney grow project is just one of about 40 community projects across his region. "There's an agricultural group around Thunder Bay who have a growing project, and they will have an event in Fall, and they'll invite a lot of people from Thunder Bay City!"
It's important to note that not all of the 40 community projects are growing projects. "Some have raised support in other ways," he says. "We have auctions, there's choir concerts, singing in the grain concerts coming up at the end of October, and just a lot of variety. The groups are very creative and we really appreciate that energy and it really makes a big difference to the Foodgrains Bank, as almost half of our support comes from community projects."
He estimates approximately 4,000 acres are in his region alone, with wheat, soybeans and canola being the majority of crops raised.
Janzen noted the challenge it often takes to bring a community together when it comes to harvest, as the committee is working around crop readiness, securing harvesters with neighboring farmers, arranging a noon meal if that's part of the day, and rallying everyone who is instrumental in bringing it all together by the time the combines get rolling on the designated field.
"There are so many factors to consider," he says. "Last week we had another growing project that was planned for Saturday, and the crop was too green." So, that community harvest was bumped to Wednesday.
With increasing numbers of hungry people globally, Janzen says they so appreciate everyone who participates in raising awareness and funds for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank each in their own unique way. "It's so important that people remember that there are many people in our world who experience hunger, and we just appreciate that support."
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