CHOICE Harvest 2011
Click on the small 'i' for descriptions. If you are having trouble viewing the images, click here to see them in our flickr account.With rain in the forecast, the September 16 harvest of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank CHOICE growing project in Elm Creek, MB went quickly—farmers who arrived with their combines needed to hurry back to their own fields.
“It’s been really gratifying,” says project organizer Abe Elias, as he watched ten combines make short work of the 80 acres of canola.
“Every time there was work to be done, people volunteered to do it.”
CHOICE—which stands for Conquering Hunger Overseas Is a Community Endeavour—was started by the Carmen Mennonite church and now includes farmers from other churches, including members from the nearby Wingham Hutterite colony, Elm Creek Mennonite Church and people from nearby towns.
The land was provided by Fred and Helen Rempel, long-time supporters of the Foodgrains Bank who operate a farm in the area.
The field was combined and the trucks filled in less than 40 minutes, as a group of people looked on.
“Gathering together is a great way to celebrate,” says Elias.
“People feel so good about being involved in the project,” adds Harry Lepp, who donated one of his trucks for the harvest, and whose son and brother were two of the people doing the combining.
After harvest, the canola was delivered to the Elm Creek Cargill elevator. Together with an additional $15,000 of donations to the project, plus a top-off from crop insurance, a total of $35,000 was raised for the Foodgrains Bank.
“It’s certainly a worthwhile project,” says George Klassen, the project’s treasurer.
CHOICE is one of over 200 growing projects across Canada. Last year growing projects raised $5.5 million to help end hunger.