APRIL 2024 | THE PETERBOROUGH EXAMINER

Dubbed the Mason Homes Project, the proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank as part of a homegrown effort to alleviate hunger across the globe.

By Brendan Burke, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Four local farmers have teamed up to grow nearly 50 acres of wheat, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank — part of a homegrown effort to alleviate hunger across the globe.

Eric Mann, operator of Mannvale Farm, located just north of Bridgenorth, enlisted the help of fellow farmers Mel Thomas, Brian Haass and Peter Ferguson.

Thomas operates M and M Farms west of Lakefield; Haass operates Haass Acres south of Peterborough in Stewart Hall; and Ferguson is the owner of Fercrest Farms, located on Parkhill Road West.

Mann, who has grown a field at his farm for donation to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for the past five years — yielding corn and soybeans — set his sights on a larger, collaborative growing project this year.

In July, Mann received the support of Stouffville-based developer Gord Mason, of Mason Homes. Following talks, Mason allowed Mann and his partners to access his property — 100 acres of land located on the west side of Chemong Road, across from Mason Homes — to grow wheat for the project.

Mann, Thomas, Haass and Ferguson then forged ahead with their initiative, dubbed the Mason Homes Growing Project. In early September, the four farmers got to work, volunteering their time and large, modern machinery to spray, disk, fertilize, spread and sow six fields on the Mason property.

“(Ferguson) came and disked five of the six fields, which was a tremendous help because it was just when we wanted to get it planted. It really helped to prepare it for (Thomas) to sow it,” explained Mann.

“(Haass) and his son came up with their big sprayer and not only sprayed it all but also supplied the spray. (Thomas) planted it, and disked some, too, and spread the fertilizer,” he added.

Once the crop reaches its zenith, likely around the beginning of August, the soft red wheat will be harvested and then sold. The money will go directly to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

“Because it’s a community project (we) all donated time to do different things, but we still have to pay for the fertilizer, which is about $4,000. So we opened a charitable bank account in the name of Mason Homes Growing Project,” said Mann.

Running for 40 years, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of Canadian churches and church-based agencies working together to end global hunger. Over the past four decades, the organization has worked with 340 partners in 80 countries — making over 2,150 projects possible while committing $1.15 billion. The work — including more than 250 growing projects in eight provinces and territories — is thanks to the organization’s 98,000 supporters nationwide, and 43 grants from the Government of Canada totalling over $852 million.

In the spring, the four farmers plan to sow grain corn on another eight acres of field on the 100-acre property.

The farmers overseeing the Mason Homes Growing Project are pleased with the results so far.

“It looks better than mine,” laughed Ferguson. “That’s because we planted early.”

Haass, who said all it took was an ask from Mann before he jumped on board the project, is happy to help out in the fight against world hunger.

“It always makes you feel good, helping people who need it,” said Haass.

An information session about growing projects was held on Thursday at St. Stephen’s Presbyterian Church in Peterborough. Julie Derksen, supporter relations manager for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, spoke at the meeting.

Would-be growers looking to get involved in a project can direct questions to Brendan Mann at 705-933-9368 or mann.brenda@gmail.com. Donations to offset the project’s fertilizer input costs can be e-transferred to masonhomesgp@gmail.com, and cheques can be made payable to the Mason Homes Growing Project.

Looking ahead, Mann plans to continue to donate at least one field’s worth of crop to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank next growing season.