41156717•03/31/15
Canadian Foodgrains Bank
delegation that visited Ethiopia and toured some of those initiatives in February.
That group was made up of 14 farmers from Vancouver Island to New Brunswick who witnessed first-hand exactly what they were working toward.
“We don’t send food anymore,” Preston said.
“They figured out it was slow and expensive and it disrupted local markets.”
He also highlighted the Foodgrains Bank is a charity committed to sending all money raised to communities outside the country.
“Canadian Foodgrains Bank does not do projects, it partners with groups who are already in these other countries who are doing projects,” said Preston.
“So there is accountability both ways.”
In Ethiopia, those projects involve assisting farmers plying their trade in the arid highlands region of the country.
“Soil erosion is an issue,” said Preston of one of the difficulties faced by those farmers.
“Large gullies can be formed during rainy season from soil eroding so part of the project was to rebuild those gullies and put in check dams to capture the soil as it’s moving. They’ve been able to fill those gullies and start farming them again.”
Preston said the primary crops are wheat and maize. But while those crops aren’t unfamiliar to Alberta farmers, the way those fields are tended hasn’t been seen in this part of the country for many years.
does not do projects, it partners with groups who are already in these other countries who are doing projects
“We did see harvesting with oxen,” said Preston, adding separating wheat from chaff continues to be done manually.
“Not a lot of headway in the harvesting department. But, the average farm size is around one acre so it’s doable.”
But the Rosemary volunteers faced their own challenges.
After planting their crop in the spring of 2014, a summer hail storm wiped out the field.
While some Foodgrains Bank crops don’t carry insurance, Preston said during initial planning of the Rosemary project, that group decided to get coverage for the farm.
“When we got hailed out, we got 100 per cent coverage,” said Preston.
The Rosemary group may have missed out on some of the celebrations that would have accompanied the harvest of the crop but Preston said they will be back at it this year. ■
Come spend time in Oyen this summer for old fashioned fun and hospitality... For more information check out our website at
www.townofoyen.com
2015 Upcoming Events: Farmers’ Market (Every Friday)
Starting June 12th until September 18th, 2015 Crossroads Museum
Open July & August 2015
Mon-Fri: 9:00 am - 12 Noon & 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Weekends by Appointment
Oyen Lions Club Show and Shine July 11, 2015
17th Annual Oyen White Lightening
Dodge Professional Cowboy Crunch Bull-A-Rama July 22, 2015
T ings to do in Oyen:
Shirley McClellan Aquatic Facility Open June to August
For Pool Schedule visit:
www.townofoyen.com
RCMP Centennial Park
Features 40 sites with 30 amp power and water
$25.00 per night, Sorry No Reservations
Oyen & District Golf and Country Club Open Daily 8:00 am until 2:00 am Visitors Always Welcome
OYEN IS HOME OF THE BADLANDS BADGERS - COME OUT AND SEE SOME GREAT BALL AT THE RCMP CENTENNIAL PARK IN OYEN, AB! our communities ❚ our region ❚ our people
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