Canadian Foodgrains Bank to get big donation from Peace Country farm families

The work of ten farm families from the Peace has resulted in a big donation to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
 
It is called the Bear Lake Growing Project. This year, the Sears family donated the use of 140 acres located along Emerson Trail.
 
Farmer Gary Beyer says some people in that area have supported the Foodgrains Bank for many years.
 
“We knew that they received about half of their donations through growing projects, so we felt as a group that we wanted to get involved and  try to help some hungry people around the world.”
 
He adds a bunch of volunteers and dealerships got together Saturday to combine that field.
 
“We had four local dealers donate the use of their combines and we took it off. I think we got 67 bushels to the acre of wheat that was hauled directly to Viterra. It should be worth about $49,000.”
 
Beyer says there was some concern that they would not be able to get the crop off with the late harvest this year.
 
“When we have a harvest day, we usually have a barbecue and we invite all out supporters to the barbecue to watch the harvest. This year, it was probably a couple dozen people. Because of how cold it was and how late it was, we didn’t do our barbecue.”
 
That lateness also meant they could not use antique combines for part of the work as they have in past years.
 
Beyer says there are a number of sponsors that donate both money and inputs. Volunteers do the combining and hauling of the grain.
 
The Bear Lake Growing Project has been going for five years.
 
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is set up to get food to people around the world who don’t have anything to eat.