A group of local farmers harvested 300 acres of canola in less than four hours
Bringing together their skills and harvesting equipment, a group of Manitoba farmers managed to harvest a 300-acre plot of canola in under four hours, all for a charity that helps feed people in developing countries around the world.
The 300-acre Common Ground Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a project that started about 11 years ago and works with a government matching commitment that donates money to help support nutrition programs in developing nations. With around 42 bushels per acre of canola harvested this year, the group figures their donation to the charity could be around $60,000.
The plot is located near Rosenfeld, Manitoba, and the group of 15 volunteers used eight combines, three grain carts and four trucks to complete the 300-acre harvest in a remarkable time. "It's a lot of fun to harvest a field in a short amount of time," said volunteer Kevin Nickel. "It's just a great community building event, and you're raising money for such a basic human need... I think everybody finds the whole thing quite fulfilling."
With the government matching commitment, the donation multiplies so even more people can get the help they need. "Those dollars go such a long way in the developing world, it's a really big bang for our buck and our efforts," Nickel adds.
The group is grateful for all the support they receive from donors and supporters, who have helped them cover their expenses.