The 80-acre canola CHOICE Harvest field near Elm Creek was harvested recently for the 2024 season. The sale of this grain raised a whopping $44,000, with an average of 43 bushels per acre.
CHOICE stands for Conquering Hunger Overseas is Community Endeavor, a growing project for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Its community primarily comprises people from the Elm Creek and Carman areas.
Helen Rempel donates the 80-acre field just northwest of Elm Creek annually. Local volunteers seed it in spring, and locals maintain and harvest it. This brings together the surrounding communities for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
The CHOICE field started in 2009 and has been growing strong. All the land, time, and caretaking of the field is donated. The net funds from the CHOICE Harvest are sent to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and then distributed to various church and church-based agencies that CHOICE members choose to support (out of the fifteen that comprise the partnership of Canada Foodgrains Bank).
“I’m so thankful to see the overwhelming support for CHOICE; our community that comes out to support with their time and equipment or financially, as well as our corporate donors and Helen Rempel for her continuous support with the donated land,” said Carolyn Koster, who volunteers with the CHOICE field. “It is such a blessing that our growing project for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank can raise funds that are then matched up to 4:1 by the government. And those funds are used overseas to help overcome hunger.”
Organizers note that this year’s CHOICE harvest was on a beautiful sunny afternoon on Sept. 27. Six combines, two-grain carts and two super b’s worked hard all day. A nice crowd came out to watch and support. The final number of funds raised by the CHOICE growing project will be determined at year’s end.
“A big thank you goes out to all of our corporate donors for the donations of seed, chemical and fertilizer,” said Koster. “As well as thanks to those that give of their time and equipment to keep the project going in season; and thanks to those that give financially. We are thankful for you, our community, and your support of this growing project and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.”
