Bluewater Growing Project
2022 Report
$175,000.00
As the year draws to a close, we are pleased to announce that 2022 was another record year for the Bluewater Growing Project (BGP)! The committee was able to rent a large parcel of additional farmland, significantly increasing the acres available for our fundraising efforts. In 2021 we managed 147 acres, and in 2022 there were 316 acres of donated and rented land.
In May, we were honoured to receive a special visit from our friends at the Canadian Foodgrains
Bank (CFGB). They produced a video featuring interviews with several of our members. If you are interested in seeing our group in action, please check out the video HERE
We enjoy our work, but farming is not without its challenges! You may be aware that crop
inputs (seed, fertilizer, etc) were very expensive to purchase in 2022. Thankfully, we received
generous monetary donations to help offset our out-of-pocket expenses of $180,655. These
donations came from the following sources:
Individuals: $5,275
Businesses: $17,000
Churches: $12,544
We also received a huge amount of support from the local farm community and input suppliers, with donations of seed, agronomic expertise, and countless hours of time and equipment needed to plant, nurture and harvest the crop.
Although the 2022 growing season was very dry, we received enough sunshine and rain to harvest 2,703 bushels of wheat, 6,000 bushels of soybeans, and 21,405 bushels of corn. Despite lower-than-average yields, total crops sales were strong at $307,926.
At the end of the year, the BGP was able to forward a RECORD amount of $175,000 to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank! This donation will be eligible for government-matching funds up to a 4:1 ratio. This money will certainly be put to good use for overseas aid and development projects throughout the world to fight hunger and encourage methods of food sustainability.
The BGP has allocated the donated funds to be designated to the work of the following faith- based partners:
Presbyterian World Service & Development
Canadian Baptist Ministries
Mennonite Central Committee
United Church of Canada
Christian Reformed Church “World Renew”
We certainly value all the generous contributions received from our donors this year, and we hope and pray that you will consider supporting our efforts to help end world hunger again next year.
Thank you very much,
Jack Koetsier, Coordinator
John Young, Secretary-Treasurer
Bluewater Growing Project,
C/O John Young, 5555 Mandaumin Road, RR#1 Wyoming ON N0N 1T0