Western Manitoba farmers harvest crops for charity

Twenty farmers in western Manitoba took time from their fall harvest on Tuesday to work on crops that will help feed people in need overseas.

The farmers brought nine combines to a 150-acre wheat field near Rivers, Man. — land that they seeded and cared for on their own time — to harvest and haul grain that will all be donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

They also invited students from area schools to ride along and learn about how wheat is harvested.

"It's pretty cool!" exclaimed eight-year-old Andrew Hamm, who rode along with veteran farmer Abe Krahn in his combine.

The crop being donated will be sold by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, which will use the proceeds to feed people in countries facing crisis, like Syria and Sudan.

"Even when we say we don't have a good year … our years are still so much better than many people who try to survive on an acre or two of land, as we have seen in other countries," said Krahn, who has been a part of the project for 14 years.

In total, more than 5,000 acres of Manitoba farmland will be donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank this year. The Canadian government will donate four times the amount harvested.

On the plot near Rivers alone, farmers filled seven grain trucks.

Krahn said he hopes students who joined the farmers on Tuesday will not only remember a fun combine ride, but also remember the importance of giving back.

The latter point has stuck with Hamm: "[It's important] because people are poor in some countries and they need food," he said.