Murray Gogel believes in giving back to his community and helping those less fortunate.
And while those are good reasons that anyone might offer to explain the donation of the proceeds from 40 acres of red lentils to a Regina organization, he has another important motive.
“There’s a spiritual component,” he said. “Jesus Christ has met my spiritual hunger.”
He started the Bread of Life Project this spring when he approached Wigmore Farms, the Grand Coulee, Sask.-based farming, processing and exporting operation. Gogel owns 2,000 acres around Regina but is now renting it to Wigmore Farms.
Read Also
Research looks to control flea beetles with RNAi
A Vancouver agri-tech company wants to give canola growers another weapon in the never-ending battle against flea beetles.
President Greg Menzies has similar beliefs and was eager to participate, Gogel said.
The two provided the land, field operations and inputs for the field located at the city’s northeast edge, “believing that God will multiply the seed money to a crop greater than what we put in,” Gogel said.
This year’s weather hasn’t been the best but Gogel and Wigmore Farms have agreed to pick the best 40-acre patch in the field for the project.
They hope to earn enough money to provide 5,000 hot, nutritious meals for Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, which offers food, shelter and other assistance to Regina’s needy.
The mission estimates the cost of a meal at $3.11. Providing 5,000 meals requires a return from the crop of more than $15,000 or about $375 per acre.
In 2004, Gogel participated in an international project with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
“That’s great, but I thought I want to do something for my community,” he said.
Gogel hopes the project might expand, with other farmers contributing a portion of their crop receipts to local charities. He challenged other businesses to use their businesses as tools to be charitable.
He hoped harvest would take place this week or next week, depending on the weather. The same field will be the project site again next year, when canola or canaryseed might take the place of lentils.
“We follow good agronomic practices and try to maximize production,” Gogel said.
