Charity harvest expected to raise $110,000
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RIVERDALE — The organizer of a charity harvest project estimates that roughly $110,000 will be donated to battle global hunger because of soybeans that were harvested near Rivers last week.
Ron Krahn, the organizer of Acres of Hope, a charity farming project, said that about 155 acres of soybeans were poised to be sold to donate cash to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The year was turning out well for the charity project, he told the Sun in a recent interview.
“This would definitely be more than average,” Krahn said. “This would be more than normal.”
LEFT AND RIGHT: A combine harvests soybeans during the harvest.
The value of the soybeans yield was calculated at roughly $135,000, but some expenses had to be paid to cover inputs to production that had not been donated, he said.
The Acres of Hope project is one of many in the province that uses donations of time, land, seeds and equipment to grow a crop that is harvested and sold to raise money for charity.
The project returned this year after a hiatus that started in 2021.
Roughly 20 volunteers were involved in the Rivers grow this year. Krahn said the project, which was started by his father in the ’90s, brings people together in the agricultural community of Riverdale.
“It’s something farmers enjoy doing,” he said. “Especially for us, after a long harvest, being able to do something enjoyable, and the stress is off.”
It feels natural for farmers to participate because it involves work they do every day, Krahn said, adding the project is rooted in Christian faith.
“I think for many of us, our faith drives our motivation to look beyond ourselves and help those that are less fortunate.”
A combine harvests soybeans during the Acres of Hope Rivers and Oak River community harvest in support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank at a field east of Rivers last week. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
Six combines, two tractors and grain carts, six semi-trucks and one grain truck were volunteered for harvest at the Acres of Hope fields last week.
Dale Friesen, Manitoba representative for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, said wet weather impacted crops across the province this year.
“The weather has not been the kindest this year, and that has been universal around the province. But it seems yields have been okay,” he said. “Most projects had some crop loss on some level due to flooding and rain. But what was left behind was good.”
Friesen said that the total fundraising from all projects across Manitoba typically adds up to more than $2 million annually. There are between 30 and 35 projects, including locations near Killarney, Boissevain, Roblin, MacGregor and Swan River, he said.
The Rivers harvest spelled the end of the year as it was the last project to be harvested, Friesen said. He noted that he is happy to have seen another year of continued support for the growing projects.
“Just being grateful that theres a lot of hard-working people that are putting in time and effort.”
Friesen said that the Christian charity had not yet selected an international project or destination for the fundraised money from Manitoba. He noted, however, that there are always projects in the pipeline.
Soybeans are emptied from a combine into a grain truck during the Acres of Hope Rivers and Oak River community harvest in support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank at a field east of Rivers last week. (Photos by Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
Project dollars had previously gone to Kenya and helped raise yields in a Kenyan farmer’s harvest, start kitchen gardens and grow chicken farms, he said in spring this year during a presentation in Brandon.
Ron’s father Abe Krahn, who started the Rivers growing project about 30 years ago, said he’s glad to see the project continue.
“I think it’s exciting to see it going from one generation to another,” Abe said while at the field last week.
While time has passed since the Rivers project started, the root cause of the project remains, he said.
“Hunger still exists, and it hasn’t changed much,” he said. “Theres still need out there in the world for it.”
His son and grandson were involved in the harvest this year. Fewer people attended harvest compared with prior years, he said — but the community involvement is still encouraging to see.
“I’m very happy with the turnout,” Abe said.
Dale Friesen, Manitoba representative for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, speaks during the Acres of Hope Rivers and Oak River community harvest in support of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
Ron said it’s fortunate that the farmers seeded soybeans this season because the crop faired well through the wet conditions.
“They look like they’re yielding well,” he said. “Soybeans can handle a fair bit of rainfall. So it was probably one of the better crops to have this year.”
The Westman area received a lot of rain during September, which caused some areas of the fields to flood out.
» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com