The 24th Annual Beef Barbeque sponsored by Farmers Helping Farmers will be held Saturday, August 12, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at the Harrington Research Farm, civic # 1200 Brackley Point Road. Proceeds from the meal and sale of African crafts will be used to aid farm families in East Africa.
Farmers Helping Farmers (FHF) is a Prince Edward Island based organization committed to undertaking development initiatives to improve the lives of farm families in Kenya. Its membership is fifty volunteers, including farmers, academics, and others with a wide variety of interests and with expertise in rural development, crop production, animal husbandry, and processing/marketing crops and dairy products. The philosophy of FHF is to develop plans put forward by East African farmers and to help give them the support needed to be successful.
The organization is currently involved with several Kenyan projects aimed at improving farm incomes, food supply and the quality of life for rural families. One of these projects is with the Ruuju Primary School which has 420 students. The project is focussed on introducing sustainable food and water practices and demonstrating the growing of a wider variety of food crops. The school is used as the focal point for development of the community knowledge. The crops grown by the students will be used to deliver a lunch program.
A women’s group in the area of Mount Kenya will be assisted to market tree seedlings that they have been growing to improve farm income. The group has been assisted with the purchase of grain tanks. The 60 families now have an opportunity to improve the availability of home-grown food between harvests and to generate additional much-needed cash. Families will not be forced to sell their surplus grains and beans at harvest time when prices are very low.
The Wakulima Self-Help Dairy Project has asked for assistance with improving the quality and quantity of milk received from the farmers in the area.
Farmers Helping Farmers is providing funding to support a veterinarian and veterinarian interns from the Atlantic Veterinary College to travel to Kenya to provide training and diagnostic expertise to the Wakulima farmers. In addition, the group has been assisting with the implementation of a forage improvement strategy. Information on these and other projects can be accessed at http://www.farmershelpingfarmers.ca.
Janice Whalen, president of Farmers Helping Farmers is looking for another sold-out year and sunny weather. She states, “This is an event that people look forward to attending. With 700 tickets available, it is an event where people have a chance to meet new friends and become reacquainted with old friends.” Tickets to the barbeque are available from Farmers Helping Farmers members or by contacting Noreen Shaw at 672-2216. Ticket prices are $25 for adults and $5 for children (12 years and under).