It's a Wrap for 2010 !

2010 has drawn to a close. That's not a surprise. To me the surprise fro Kernels of Hope was that it was a very good year for us again ! We were farming together this year to help provide people in South Awiel County in Sudan seed and tools for farming and fishing equipment to help people resetlling after years of civil war to reestablish their farming operations and lives ! Food was also provided for better nutrition for many mothers and children. The effects of this project will be felt for more than one generation !
Kernels of Hope as part of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada contributes the money and grain raised through real farmers in Canada with the sponsorship of virtual farmers like you to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank through World Relief Canada to program with partners in countries of dire need. The Canadian International Development Agency (a branch of the federal government ) matches the funds by adding $4 for everyone we raise ! That's the same as multiplying by 5... I didn't like multiplication much in school but I like it now ! We also have a huge contributor called "Helping Feed the World " which is quarterbacked by the Hudye's of Norquay, Saskatchewan . They have been organizing producers in their area to commit the entirevalue of 10 acres of crop each. This alone got us $29,980 in 2010. Multiply that by 5 and you get $149,900 Wow !
The above may seem like a lot of partners but in this case it is a good thing ... We can safely say it is a great thing. We are able to put needed resources directly into the hands of the poorest of the poor while increasing awareness of how people can get involved even more. Is there a more important industry than farming to accomplish this than agriculture ?
The surprise of such a good end result in 2010 was because of the struggle most of the prairies had with the weather during the growing season this year. We see the climate in most of the world has been different than in the past. We in Canada and the U.S. have some ability through forecasting and equipment and refined farming methods that fight the weather to a certain extent. Just think of farmers in many countries that don't have any of these advantages !
Our newest farmers the Arndt's of Melfort did everything possible to seed 70 acres of grain for us but the rain didn't stop long enough for the seed to be planted... They are ready and willing to try again in 2011 !
The Sandstroms of Minnedosa had too much moisture to seed at the best time but they still got the wheat in the ground late in spring. The foe of farmers Mr Frost came and took a bite out of the yield ( Still a respectable 40 bushels per acre ) and the quality of this crop. These bushels are in the bin but will be sold by spring. We should break even dollarwise on this field.
The Tiede's of Alberta seeded a Kernels field again ! They have been our most frquent farmers ! They seeded wheat very early in the season but dealt with monsoon like weather and the season seemed to drag on forever ! The yield ended up very high, 65 bushels per acre on each of the 30 acres . Darren did some good negotiating and was able to sell it as # 3 with 14% protein. ( Wheat like this for bread can range from 11% to 16% protein and the higher the protein the more money you get ! )
The Brandon area was less weather challenged and the Van Heysts on highway 10 got 50 bushels / acre of # 1 CWRS 14.1 % protein. This was farmed by Earl Van Renselaar. They are planning to seed canola for us on the same field in 2011 !
The Marvins seeded their canola (Dekalb 7265 ) for Kernels late in the spring but it caught up just fine and produced 40 bushels per acre of # 1 canola for us ! The prices of canola have been very good this year. Good prices and good yields put together makes more math that I like !
We tried to get you a Grow Camera shot of this field. One picture snapped every day but my tech skills still need some work... no pictures were saved at all... nice idea tho!
Jardine Family Farms at Brookdale, Manitoba grew 20 acres of canola for Kernels in 2010. Grant thought it could have yielded more but it still ran 40 bushels per acre and that is great for this year. We got $10.17 / bushel for that canola. Over the past 25 years anything over $10 / bu has been great.
The Vanbursteden's of Kinistino, Sk were beginning to watch for wood to construct an Ark because of the heavy rains . They were able to seed 50 acres for us and had a chance to harvest it when the seeds were mature but damp. Even after drying the crop we got $9,95 per bushel for the 30 bushels per acre we were able to harvest. Canola seeds are tiny . Each one is made up of about 42% oil ... when processed we get cooking oil and margerines from the oil and livestock feed from the meal (the leftover dry matter ) One seed might be the size of this . x 4
There are around 400,000 seeds of canola in a bushel. A bushel weighs 50 pounds. The seeds themselves are small ... but just like people helping in any of the CFGB programs ... put them together with others and you really have something of great value !
Rounding out our spuerb farming team were Rock and Nicole of Norquay ... where it all began ! They have a funny shaped field right by the church that was blessed with 411 bushels of canola. Rock was able to do even better on the prices and got $12 / bu.
Once again we had a cash crop ... that is where we have more virtual farmers than real acres by the end of the year. Those funds get an automatic no risk 4 to 1 match from CIDA !
Now for the drum roll .... When you put all of the above together we get a best ever Kernels total of $457,000 for 2010 ( this includes the matching funds ) Added to our previous 5 years this makes about $1.7 Million . I believe God has blessed this project and is using you and it to help sooooo many people. No one deserves to be hungry in this day and age. There is enough food to go around if it is done right. We are helping with that ! Thanks so much to all that were able to help in any way this year. If you intended to give and didn't quite get around to it we will be farming again in 2011 . You can help though the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada website through a credit card on Canada Helps or you can mail a cheque to
ECCC Box 34025, RPO Fort Richmond, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T5T5 The cheques should be made to ECCC but mark Kernels on the note line.
May 2011 bring you Peace, Health, Happiness, No Hunger and Good Crops !
and may we never take these things for granted.

Ray the Grain Guy