For the second year in a row, CANTERRA SEEDS partnered with Bushels for Broken Arrow, a program created to help raise money for the Broken Arrow Youth Ranch. The ranch provides a safe home for children whose parents are overwhelmed with personal issues such as addictions, abuse and family illness. Bushels for Broken Arrow allows farmers/supporters to put in a field of wheat and the money from the harvested grain of that crop is donated to the ranch.

In 2017, we had great success with AAC Cameron VB wheat when we were launching the variety. CANTERRA SEEDS, along with in-kind support from some of our shareholders, were able to raise $86,000 for the Broken Arrow Youth Ranch.

This year, we chose to use our new durum variety, AAC Congress, deciding that it would be a good fit for the durum growing region in southern Saskatchewan, close to where the ranch is located. Nick Petruic from Petruic Seed Company (Avonlea, SK) signed up to help with the seed donation, along with treating, bagging and loading the seed for the project. Then four participants, including Petruic, each grew and harvested 40 acres of AAC Congress. Petruic was supportive of the project, saying “it was an engaging experience for my family to use the gifts that we have been given to give back to others.”

It was a win/win/win situation – funds were raised for a good cause, growers were able to try a brand-new durum variety firsthand, and CANTERRA SEEDS and our shareholders were able to bring awareness to this great new variety in its launch year. The growers were all very happy with how AAC Congress performed. While it was dry in most locations throughout the growing season, AAC Congress pulled through the drought splendidly and quality was great. One of the grower participants, Don Sinclair from Highland Valley Farms Ltd., shared that “it compared very favourably with the durum we usually grow. The field of Congress was one of the highest yielding [wheat] fields on our farm this year.” While we’re still waiting on final numbers, we’re very excited to see how AAC Congress performed and how much it gave back to the program.

For more information about Bushels for Broken Arrow and the Broken Arrow Youth Ranch, visit their website at solidrockministries.ca.

To learn more about AAC Congress, visit our product page.