Growing food for the hungry

LORNE VALLEY - Blair Myers hadn't operated a tractor in over 40 years but the critics said his plowing wasn't too bad here Saturday as part of the celebration of FoodGrains Day.
It's a time when farmers, helpers, musicians, volunteers and just plain folk come together to turn some vacant fields into profit that will eventually turn into food and find a way onto the tables of people in desperate need.
The donated land on Walter and Blair Shaw's farm here was plowed and harrowed over the weekend and is part of a 140-acre project in the Lorne Valley region. There are seven Foodgrain projects across P.E.I.
"It's just a wonderful opportunity to get folks together for a fun day and do something for others,'' said Kent Myers, the provincial FoodGrains co-ordinator. "Helping someone just put food on the table is a great thing."
This is the third year for the rural event that has drawn the support of the P.E.I. Antique Tractor Club and Cardigan Feed service, which donates all the seed.
For the members of the tractor club, it's a chance to truck their vintage machines to the site for some test driving and note comparison.
Members of the draft horse association were also quick to respond and bring Percherons, Belgians and other draft horses for the big tilling day.
Saturday saw armies of tractors and sod plows pulled by horses make quick work of the acreage and prepare it for seed.
Along with a host of others, Roger McEwen brought his pretty draft horse team in from Martinvale and Doug MacQuarrie of Oyster Bed Bridge brought along his vintage yellow and red Cockshutt tractor.
While some rode the harrows, others provided demonstrations to the public on working a gang plow and walking behind the horse.
"This is hard work,'' said Dylan Toflin, who was visiting from Nova Scotia.
"I can't imagine doing this all day to grow my food. Farmers had strong backs."
There was food and refreshment and plenty of music from the Chaissons, Ward Allan Macdonald, Eddie Quinn and John Webster and numerous others.