With their fundraising supper a success, supporters and volunteers are hoping this year’s Vauxhall and District Foodgrains Project will prove the same, despite abnormal conditions experienced during the spring and early summer, likely to impact yield projections.
Project co-ordinator Henry Schultz admits things could be better.
“Not as well as could be — not as well as other years, let’s put it that way. We’re growing hard wheat, the same as in previous years.”
That will probably put harvest later than usual.
“Towards the end of September again,” said Schultz. “Harvesting throughout all of southern Alberta will be later, so we’re caught up in that, too.”
The volunteers turnout for harvest in 2009 set a project record, according to Schultz.
“Last year, I think we had a record of like 21 combines. That’s a record — I don’t anticipate that kind of support this year just being what it was, and the crop not being as even as it was other years. Usually, other years we’ve been 10 to 15 combines, plus about four or five swathers, plus sufficient trucks to take care of the whole crop.”
Schultz estimates total value for the crop will be down compared to previous years.
“The crop will be less bushels, and I think the price will be lower also. We’ve been hitting between $60,000 and $55,000 in previous years, but like I say, I’d tend to think it will be less that $50,000 this year.”
Getting involved in these types of projects is important, added Schultz.
“There is a lot of world hunger. There’s 13 different Christian agencies that are involved with the Foodgrains Bank, and they span a lot of Third-World countries. There’s a lot of need, and this is a direct way to try to help those situations with the project. The value of the wheat itself is what is provided to these countries. CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) matches us on a four-to one-basis, up to a maximum of $25 million for the year. So, anything that we contribute gets matched — so it gets multiplied quite quickly.”
Volunteer support from the community and area has always been an important part of the projects from the beginning.
“I think we started in 2003, so it must be our eighth project,” said Schultz.
“We’ve always had good participation, the community has really stepped in and helped, and it spans more than just the churches in the Vauxhall area. It’s also other people who have contributed, whether it’s through combining or other activities. Even the supper — there’s a lot of behind the scenes people that are working that one wouldn’t often notice. So, it’s very gratifying to see that kind of support in our area, and it’s been Vauxhall, Hays, Enchant and even up to Rainier.”