Hospice Society, Drew Gregory to host third annual harvest wrap up

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Wheatland and Area Hospice Society and Drew Gregory are hosting their third annual harvest wrap up party at the Strathmore Legion, Nov. 24. 

Keith Clayton, director of the board for the Wheatland and Area Hospice Society, said this year’s acreage and crop sale were extremely successful for the cause.

“It was a very good harvest. We presold the barley and the actual income from just the sale of the barley was $152,000. We have sold the straw and we are selling acres for input costs and that kind of stuff,” he said. “It was the best return of any crop that we have raised so far for the Farming for Hospice … this is our fifth year; the first one was in Standard, and the last four have been at the Nutrien plant down at Carseland.”

Support from the surrounding community, he added, has played a key role in making the project a success since its inception. 

“We have had wonderful sponsorships from … members in the community who have come out to help plant, help spray, help harvest with combines, help truck materials to destinations, it has been a real wonderful participation with the community,” he said.

The harvest wrap up celebration at the legion is a ticketed event, also featuring a raffle to further raise both funds and awareness for the Farming for Hospice. 

Gregory explained he has been excited to partner with the Wheatland and Area Hospice Society since working with them through his tenure with Project Wild. 

“I was involved with a thing called Project Wild in Calgary which was put on by Wild 95.3 and it was an artist development competition and there was $100,000 at stake in that competition,” he said. “The first year was because of Project Wild, but the last two years I just wanted to keep it going – it was such a great success and I definitely want to keep staying involved as long as they will have me.”

The event will largely consist of a dinner, as well as a performance by Gregory, as well as several other featured artists. 

Clayton explained tickets have been on sale as of Oct. 30, and are purchasable through the Wheatland Hospice website. Similarly, a link is also posted to purchase raffle tickets.

The 2024 Farming for Hospice campaign will kick off following the new year, though preparations for that season are already under way. 

“We have next year’s crop already in the ground … we were able to plant next year’s crop to fall rye but that does not mean that we do not need to sell inputs for acres or anything else,” said Clayton. 

More information regarding the harvest wrap up event, as well as the Farming for Hospice initiative is available through the Wheatland and Area Hospice Society website.