Vintage farm machines turn out in record numbers– literally
- Details
- Published on Thursday, July 28, 2016
Submitted Article
Canadian Foodgrains Bank
On Sunday, July 31, Manitoba will become home to another world record, when 146 antique threshing machines harvest a field together for 15 minutes.
At Harvesting Hope: a World Record to Help the Hungry, 600 volunteers from across Canada will harvest a field of wheat with 146 old-fashioned threshing machines from the early 20th century. Combined, the machines are capable of harvesting 20,000 plus bushels of wheat per hour. 6,100 horsepower of engine capacity will be driving the machines. The equipment will require over four football fields of space when in operation.
“The momentum behind this event is just exploding right now,” says Ayn Wilcox, spokesperson for Harvesting Hope. “We put out a call for people with antique machines to join us in Austin, not knowing what kind of a response to expect, and I think it’s fair to say that we are beside ourselves at the wonderful turnout.”
Harvesting Hope’s organizing committee plans to run all threshing machines for at least 20 minutes and thresh 75 acres of wheat. Each machine will be driven by a steam engine, tractor or stationary engine built between 1890 and 1950. In total, more than 45,000 sheaves of wheat will be harvested for the event.
Funds raised from Harvesting Hope will be spilt between the Manitoba Agricultural Museum and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The funds going to the Foodgrains Bank will be used for helping small-scale farm families in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya learn to grow more and better food so they can better provide for their families. Donations to this program are matched on a 3:1 basis by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs.
To be held July 31, 2016, Harvesting Hope is a joint effort of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and the Manitoba Agricultural Museum. All event proceeds will support the efforts of these organizations to end global hunger and preserve Manitoba’s rural heritage.
Directions: The Manitoba Agricultural Museum’s grounds are near Austin, Manitoba, about 125 kilometres west of Winnipeg. From the junction of the TransCanada Highway and PTH 34, travel 3 kilometres south on PTH 34. Media are invited to enter through Gate 1.
WHAT: Pioneer harvesting event using antique farm equipment from early 1900s. Officially registered with Guinness Book of World Records.
WHERE: Austin, Manitoba, at the site of the Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion & Stampede. About 90 minutes outside Winnipeg.
WHEN: Beginning at 4 p.m. on Sunday July 31, 2016
DETAILS: Harvesting Hope will be held in conjunction with the 62nd Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion & Stampede, scheduled for July 28-31, 2016. For more details or to support the cause, please visit www.harvestinghope.ca. You can also follow Harvesting Hope on twitter @harvesthope2016
About the Manitoba Agricultural Museum
Founded in 1954, the Manitoba Agricultural Museum celebrates and preserves Manitoba’s rich rural heritage by providing visitors with interactive experiences of pioneer life and maintaining Canada’s largest collection of operating vintage agricultural machinery. The museum is operated by 700 volunteers and welcomed over 18,000 visitors from around the world to its facilities in 2014.
About the Canadian Foodgrains Bank
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a Winnipeg-based partnership of 15 Canadian churches and church agencies working together to end hunger in the developing world by providing emergency food aid and helping farmers grow more and better food. With matching support from the Canadian government, in 2015-16 the organization committed $43 million to assist over one million people in 40 countries.
