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Friday, 16 October 2026 10:00

Foodgrains harvest continues long-running community effort

The Boissevain-Morton-Whitewater Growing Project was able to sneak in a good day on Friday, October 9 and take the canola crop off their field at Fairfax. They had an early start and early finish and were able to beat the coming rain. Proceeds from the crop will be going to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, as all the money they have collected since 1998 has. The Boissevain-Morton-Whitewater Growing Project was able to sneak in a good day on Friday, October 9 and take the canola crop off their field at Fairfax. They had an early start and early finish and were able to beat the coming rain. Proceeds from the crop will be going to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, as all the money they have collected since 1998 has. Submitted Photo

Although it may have come later than originally planned, the harvest for the Boissevain-Morton-Whitewater Growing Project will once again help those in need around the world.

On October 9, seven combines and eight trucks hit the field at Fairfax. According to Mitch Bohrn of the BMW board, they found a day of opportunity amid questionable weather, and were able to take advantage of it.

“The harvest was great,” Bohrn stated. “It was a little later than we had hoped, but this has been a tough fall for everyone. We had a good day, and people were able to get out and get it in.”

The crop this year was canola. It was chosen for crop rotation reasons. Bohrn said it looked good. Some canola in the area had been tamped down due to rain, but theirs looked better than most. The field also was dry enough to do the work.

Usually, the project’s harvest day is started at noon with a lunch and then the equipment hits the field. This year, they started at 10am, with the harvesters coming in for lunch, and then finishing up after.

“It made for a shorter day, and we knew there was weather coming so we wanted to get done before that.”

The project grows an annual crop for sale, with the proceeds going to the Canadian Foograins Bank. That organization sends money and food around the world wherever it is most needed. Bohrn said the Foodgrains Bank would decide where the money they raised would go in 2026.

For about the last two decades, the Growing Project has been using a field owned by Del and  Heather Fraser just outside of Fairfax. This half section has grown a number of crops in that time, and Bohrn said they plan to stay there.

“Some projects are always searching for a field,” Bohrn explained. “That is one thing off of our to do list.”

He added he is not sure how many bushels to the acre they were able to collect this year, as some of the trucks were late and only getting the canola to the elevator at the time he was speaking. Therefore, he could not comment on how much the might raise for the Foodgrains Bank. However, the crop looked solid and prices are good. There are a few expenses to take off of the total, although they still get a lot of good sponsorships. The expectation is another solid donation to a good cause.

Bohrn said they were not sure what they would plant next year.

“We have to have a follow up meeting, and that will be one of the things we will discuss.”

The Boissevain-Morton-Whitewater Growing Project planted its first Foodgrains crop in 1998. For something approaching its 30th birthday, there is still a lot of enthusiasm.

“It’s great to see everyone, to come out and see everyone, all the neighbours working together,” Bohrn stated. “It speaks to the community here, the organizations and people who keep supporting, who take the time out to come and get the crop off. It is a great thing, and the crop always seems to perform.”

by PAUL RAYNER, Recorder staff

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