By Dori Modney

Highest yielding crop from 2020 Coaldale Food Grains Harvest

Aug 24, 2020 | 4:02 PM

COALDALE, AB. — Last Friday`s (Aug 21) volunteer grain harvest outside of Coaldale was a very successful event, in spite of the COVID-19 curve ball.

The Coaldale Food Grains Harvest, yielded 144 bushels an acre – the highest yielding crop in the 14 years of the annual project.

An army of unpaid volunteers donated time and equipment, as 15 combine harvested 158 acres of barley, which weighed in at 56 pounds a bushel.

As well as the crop, the straw provided 715 bales, or 50 more than in any previous harvest.

Due to the restrictions of COVID-19, the project was unable to host the harvest bar-b-que, which historically raises $20,000 each year to offset the cost of land rental for the event.

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Once the crop is sold, it`s expected the barley and straw proceeds will be about $140,000 for the Food Grain Bank, with the federal government matching the amount 4-1.

In the past 14 years, a federal 4-1 matching grant has amounted to $8 million.

Anyone who wishes to add to the money raised, you can do that through the Canadian Food Grains Bank.