By Michael LeBlanc, Development and Peace-Caritas Canada Regional Coordinator
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Mathew 9:37b-38)
Whether I look at all the food security partnerships around the world our Grow Hope Saskatchewan project helps support, or the blossoming updates of our growing season on social media, I can see just how plentiful the harvest that Our Lord talks about, while he walks in our midst, in our “cities and villages” (Mathew 9:35).
Beyond a dollars and cents contribution toward ending global hunger, the plentiful harvest we find all around us is one of solidarity with the impoverished, for those lacking their daily bread. This bountiful harvest for the hungry manifests itself in the partnerships and programs of the Canadian Foodgrains bank, both through emergency food aid to disaster struck regions and longer term food security projects.
In Rwanda, food security programs aim at multiplying farmers outputs, helping to lift the local farmers (a majority of whom are women) out of poverty while also increasing the food supply to local markets, resulting in a win-win relationship with the local economy.
This boost to local food production mirrors the nature of Grow Hope Saskatchewan’s growing season itself, further increasing the effectiveness of a donation. Whether in Rwanda or Saskatchewan, farmers are leading the way!
While our growing season could be said to begin with the planting of the first seeds, member agencies of Grow Hope Saskatchewan held an inspiring launch webinar on May 17 to cover all the promising territory that a new year, the 9th of our project, brings.
Witness for yourself, via a recording, all the hope that this event creates in us:
Crop and donation updates
Grow Hope Saskatchewan farmers are working incredibly hard to create the harvest that will fund food security for this coming year.
Here are some seeding and early crop reports:
Grow Hope participating farmer Ian Sonntag near Goodsoil, SK. reports: “We finished seeding on May 29. Crops, including the Grow Hope SK oats, are coming out of the ground FAST! A little late getting in,” he continues, “but it’s coming on strong germination. Looks very good.” (Photo submitted by Ian Sonntag, Grow Hope Saskatchewan)
Newly-sprouted wheat on the Janzen farm near Rosthern, SK. (Photo courtesy of Evan Janzen, Grow Hope Saskatchewan)
Grow Hope participating farmer Brian Hergott near Bruno, SK. reports “Finished seeding Saturday (June 6th) for the most part. Still have some acres to seed next week that are still too wet. It’s definitely a challenge this year.” He’s also cautiously optimistic: “Very good emergence with the heat and moisture helping to advance this canola quickly.” (Photo courtesy of Brian Hergott, Grow Hope Saskatchewan)
From Dan Siebert near Main Centre, SK: “Seeded May 16 into good moisture.” Planting green lentils this year. (Photo submitted by Dan Siebert, Grow Hope Saskatchewan)
Sponsoring the crop
On the crop sponsorship side, many folks have responded to the many challenges that have “cropped up” this year by stepping up with their donations early.
So far, 225 out of 505 available acres have been sponsored and more are rolling in every day.
While this represents a promising start and mimics the hope that our farmers place in the fertile soil of Saskatchewan, more generous support is certainly needed.
To add your contribution to this year’s tally, consider sponsoring your acres (donations of any amount are accepted) at: www.growhopesk.ca/donate
Active in Saskatchewan – events and resources
While participation in communities is nothing new (we’ve been creating and participating in a variety of “field days” from our inception in 2017) we are publishing our list of community events early this year. If you live in or near the areas represented, why not come out and say hello?
Upcoming events:
- June/July – Wilfing Seed Farm Day – Near Meadow Lake, SK see Dropped Pin
- July 30 (Thursday) – Aberhart Farms Field Day – Near Marchwell, SK See Dropped Pin
- Aug. 8 (Saturday) – Sask Open Farm Day – With Prybylski’s at Creekridge Farm, near Willowbrook, SK See Dropped Pin
- Aug. 9 – Cherry Sunday – St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission, 650 Ursuline Avenue, Bruno SK See Dropped Pin
- Sept 12 (Saturday) – Doerksen Family Threshing Bee – Near Carrot River, SK See Dropped Pin
- Aug-Sep – Possible Harvest Days
- Oct. 16 (Friday) – MCC Thrift Store sales for World Food Day in Saskatchewan communities – Rosthern, Warman Saskatoon, Lanigan Swift Current, Herbert
To share the good news of Grow Hope Saskatchewan at your church before summer is over (or if planning ahead for September), gather and review materials today. Share a video with your local congregation, review the Foodgrains Bank worship materials (including more videos), or simply drop us a line to access even more resources to share with your faith community.
Wherever and however you “sow in righteousness” (Hosea 10:12) this year, may you find in our growing project the means to make a giant difference, “thirty and sixty and a hundredfold” (Mark 4:20). May God bless you abundantly as you reap a “harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18).
For more information, contact Michael LeBlanc, Regional Coordinator for Saskatchewan & Northern Manitoba, Development and Peace – Caritas Canada: 306-205-2334; e-mail: mleblanc@devp.org
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Communications and Catholic Saskatoon News are supported by gifts to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal: dscf.ca/baa.