A harvest project north of Swift Current that's helping combat world hunger has its crop in the bin.

The Lone Tree community project hauled in just over 11 bushels per acre on its large green lentils crop that was taken off by Pattison Agriculture.

Jared Wright, the landowner and one of the organizers, said his dad started the fundraiser in partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank over 15 years ago.

"We bought a quarter of land, and it went to that [partnership] right away... we never farmed it," he said. "We ended up buying some land over on the highway and we switched it over there just to get [more] publicity with it."

The switch also resulted in the crop area expanding from 150 acres to 160 acres.

Pattison Agriculture looked after the seeding, spraying, and harvesting of the lentils.

"The support we've got from community businesses... especially John Deer for donating all their time and equipment," he said. "They've been doing that for quite a while."

Some of the crop has already been sold but the majority of it is being stored in bins owned by Wright, waiting for the right moment to cash in.

"Wait for good pricing and then we will sell it," he said.

According to Wright, their donation to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank will balloon thanks to the federal government matching up to 400 per cent. He's also a big believer in the non-profit as they allow them input on where the funding will be spent and on which projects.

"They use that money to help build infrastructure in these areas," he said. "They get the people there to help build it and then they use the money we raise to pay them.

"There's one lady they gave a sewing machine and showed her how to run a business... she now has people working for her." 

 

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