'Sunflowers under the sun': Local farmers use sunflower patch for charitable cause
A couple in Thamesford, Ont. are opening up their farm to sunflower lovers in an effort to raise money for a cause close to their heart.
Sunflowers are in bloom at Alex and Florence Steele’s farm on 19th Line, where they’ve spent the last 50 years.
“We’ve grown just about every crop under the sun and now sunflowers under the sun,” chuckled Alex Steele, who owns the farm with his wife, Florence.
“Anyway, we are going to give this a go,” he said. “We’re happy the way they turned out.”
Now they’re inviting people to stop by and see the sunflowers for themselves, while trying to fundraise for people struggling with food insecurity.
“We hear about other countries and they only have a small patch of food and this is how they feed their families,” added Florence. “I just thought, ‘Hmm…we have this. We can do something,’ and we did.”
“They’ve always been big supporters of Canadian Foodgrains Bank so this was a way that they could raise some funds for our organization,” said Henry Reinders, the regional representative for Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
He added, “They’re in the process now of setting things up to either have people come and pick their own sunflowers or perhaps take some pictures with the sunflowers.”
The organization and its members work to alleviate hunger in countries across the globe, Reinders explained, as the need for access to affordable food continues to increase.
“In part because of war and conflict, there’s more of that which seems to be happening, people get displaced for their homes and land and so they have to find sources of food,” he said.
The Steeles said they don’t currently have a fundraising goal, but they would appreciate anyone able to donate.
The farm will be open for visitors from Wednesday - Saturday from 8 a.m.- 7 p.m.
If successful, they’re considering making the fundraiser an annual event.
“This year we decided this is such a good area we are going to try something new, and next year it will probably be bigger and better,” Alex said.
People interested in donating can do so in person at the farm or donate on the Canadian Foodgrains Bank website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
Canucks hold off Oilers for 4-3 win in Game 3
Brock Boeser had two goals and an assist, and the Vancouver Canucks hung on for a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoff series.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
'He's in our hearts': Family and friends still seek answers one year after Nathan Wise's disappearance
It’s been a year since Nathan Wise went missing and his family is no closer to finding out what happened to him.