This weekend volunteers will take to the field and harvest to help others.
Volunteers will be harvesting 120 acres of canola just east of Lacombe, to donate as part of their Foodgrains Bank, growing project.
A Foodgrains Bank community growing project usually involves a group of people (farmers, fuel dealers, equipment dealers, local small businesses, grain elevator staff, church congregations) gathering together to farm a plot of land. Once the crop is harvested it’s sold on the Canadian market and the proceeds to the Foodgrains Bank.
There are over 200 growing projects across Canada and these projects contribute about half of the donations received by the Foodgrains Bank. Donations raised in the communities are also matched by the federal government on a four to one ratio.
“The need in the world for food assistance is increasing due to the pandemic,” says Doug Maas, committee member with the Central Alberta Foodgrains Bank Project. “In Canada we have certainly had our challenges in the last year but we must always remember and care for people in other parts of the world.”
Maas hopes this year, their 26th harvest year, will be as successful as their record breaking year last year, which raised $100,000.
“What a spectacular day we had for (that) harvest,” says Maas. “We had 19 combines arrive to harvest the crop and other supporters arrived with grain trucks and a grain cart.”
This year because of COVID restrictions in place there will not be a pre-harvest BBQ for the public like they have done in the past but the public is invited out to watch the harvest in the afternoon.
Harvest will start at Saturday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m, the field, located on Prentiss Road and TWP 40-2 (near the Prentiss Transfer Site).
Donations are still being accepted. Contact Doug Maas 403-782-1860 for more information.